We’ve dealt with this situation to some extent, considering the economic development potential of fining people who chose not to wear a seat belt. It’s their way of paying a tax to enjoy the freedom of flying down the highway with no protection.
Of course, out West they know how to really bring in the big bucks.
Gino DiSimone, who is running for governor in Nevada, is advocating having a fee that drivers could pay that would allow them to periodically drive up to 90 mph on designated highways — they couldn’t do it everywhere, but they could sure save some time on a trip here or there.
There would be some stipulations, according to the Associated Press coverage of his plan:
“First, vehicles would have to pass a safety inspection.
“Then vehicle information would be loaded into a database, and motorists would purchase a transponder.
“After setting up an account, anyone in a hurry could dial in, and for $25 charged to a credit card, be free to speed for 24 hours.”
First things first, $25 isn’t nearly enough money.
The charge to legally speed should at least be as much as the fine for doing it illegally.
Secondly, you can guess this, the police aren’t crazy about the idea.
After all, they are the ones who will have to clean up the messes caused.
Nevada Highway Patrol officials take the view that speeding creates more injuries and deaths.
That seems like a small price to pay for a sound economic development plan, but they are probably right.
It doesn’t make fiscal sense to raise money with higher speed limits, if you have to spend it all scraping people up after horrible wrecks.
So there’s another great income plan, blasted out of the water.
— Chuck Smith