Saturday, July 11, 2009

I Survived "Traffic Survival School"

Today was one of the most dreaded days but I survived it. I spent 9 hours in Traffic Survival School and although they almost got the better of me, I survived. I don't think my back or legs will ever be the same because they had the MOST uncomfortable chairs ever. All that I learned today was that Arizona has ridiculous traffic laws. There are so many that make absolutely no sense. For instance, if you speed up more than 5 miles per hour to make it through a yellow light it is called exhibition of speed and you will get a ticket. If you are drinking a beer in your driveway while cleaning your car and your keys are inside on the counter, a police officer can give you a ticket for DUI merely for assuming you have the intent to operate your vehicle while intoxicated. Arizona is a no tolerance state. That means that if you have a cold or allergies or are on perscription drugs for psychiatric conditions or pain pills of any kind, they can charge you with DUI. These examples were actually used in class. They don't have to have a reason to pull you over. They can make a random stop and take blood. The police officers here are trained phlebotemists. I know what you are thinking...they can't do that, it's a violation of your rights. NO. By signing for your liscence you give implied consent for them to do this. If you refuse to let them it is an automatic one year suspension of your drivers liscence. I am sorry but I think all of this is a little extreme. I could go on for hours about the ludicrous things I learned today but it nearly killed me to hear them all so I will spare you. It was just a huge wake up call for me. It made me realize that we are all sheep. We go about our lives complying to laws that we don't even know exist that are made by people who are living in an alternate reality of some sort or another. I want to know if the people who made these laws were intoxicated at the time. I must say I am disappointed in the law makers in Arizona and I intend to be more aware of the issues I can vote on so that I can have a say in stupid laws like the ones I learned of today.

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