Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Would you slow down to avoid stopping?

When I commuted to Boston on the Mass Pike, the unofficial speed limit was 80 miles per hour, even past police barracks. Commuters justified speeding because "they can't catch us all." Sometimes officers would drive four cruisers side-by-side at the legal speed limit, piling up traffic behind them. But these rolling road blocks were rare. Of course there was a simple way to enforce the speed limit. Simply program each toll both to print on the ticket the exact time it was taken by a driver. At the exit booth, the toll-taker could scan the ticket and determine the minutes needed to drive the distance legally. If the driver arrived sooner, he'd pay his toll and a speeding ticket all at once. This policy was never considered, because it eliminates any chance of not getting caught, and speeding without being caught is an American birthright.


Since motorists can't be forced to drive safely, the Indiana Department of Transportation is offering a deal. Thanks to a new Green Light project,  northbound drivers on SR 37 near Waverly will see two signs. The first warns SIGNAL 2 MILES AHEAD. The second is like the one shown above, with the number changing according to traffic density. It is radio controlled and it works perfectly, but will drivers buy it? Would you take the pedal off the metal to guarantee a green light?

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