[Johanna]

If you have ever driven or ridden in Italy, which Vatican City is completely surrounded by, of course, you can understand the need for these rules which were issued today in all seriousness and reported by the AP.

The "Drivers' Ten Commandments," as listed by the document, are:
1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party. 10. Feel responsible toward others.

These are good rules for any drivers in any part of the world, but it's kind of ironic that the Vatican felt a need to spell the rules out that even New Yorkers and Chicago drivers follow, at least in theory. I think the driving experience is certainly more pleasurable by always following rule number one, which would seem silly, unless you have traveled in a car in that part of the world. In Germany, the highways are fast, but the drivers are consistent, and use the same rules of the road. In Italy, it seems as if there are no traffic laws, just madness and chaos and a lot of horn honking. It would be nice if good citizens everywhere heeded the Vatican's advice, wouldn't it? I'd like to see Washington DC issue a similar list: hang up your phone and shut off your tv, no guns aimed at other people while doing drugs and driving, etc.

Just follow rule #1...that pretty much covers it, huh?
Johanna

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I'd like to see Washington DC issue a similar list: hang up your phone and shut off your tv, no guns aimed at other people while doing drugs and driving, etc.

Just follow rule #1...that pretty much covers it, huh?
Johanna

Well, hands-free cellphone use is a law in DC, but even policeman have been seen ignoring it.

Last week, we had a woman who drove into a crowd of people at a street festival while high on crack. Not once, but 3 times - she drove around the block and came back to the festival. Her 7 year old daughter was in the back seat. Fortunately, no one was killed.

We have a large percentage of drivers with diplomatic immunity in the DC. They can kill someone and not face prosecution, unless their country cooperates.

If I recall correctly, DC does not have much in the way of driver's ed requirements, unlike the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia. Basically, if you pass the test you can get your license, without attending any formal training. Maryland requires a certain number of hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor or a licensed adult driver, as well as classroom instruction.

[sari]

I'd like to see Washington DC issue a similar list: hang up your phone and shut off your tv, no guns aimed at other people while doing drugs and driving, etc.

Just follow rule #1...that pretty much covers it, huh?
Johanna

Well, hands-free cellphone use is a law in DC, but even policeman have been seen ignoring it.

Last week, we had a woman who drove into a crowd of people at a street festival while high on crack. Not once, but 3 times - she drove around the block and came back to the festival. Her 7 year old daughter was in the back seat. Fortunately, no one was killed.

We have a large percentage of drivers with diplomatic immunity in the DC. They can kill someone and not face prosecution, unless their country cooperates.

If I recall correctly, DC does not have much in the way of driver's ed requirements, unlike the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia. Basically, if you pass the test you can get your license, without attending any formal training. Maryland requires a certain number of hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor or a licensed adult driver, as well as classroom instruction.

[dsenette]

i think there should be an anual exam for getting your drivers license....it would be a REALLY difficult test....and your score would dictate what kind of vehicle you can drive....if you score really high you get to have a really nice really safe car for a really cheap price....if you score really low you would get a ugo with the seatbelts and some of the frame rails removed and it would cost $100,000.......that might keep idiots off the road....

also the size of car you drive would be inversly proportionate to your age....that way we wouldn't have 90 year old grannies driving lincolns with steering wheels so high they can't see over them

[jaxisland]

Heck with all those complicated rules, make it easy. One 20 min road test once a year. Any move that endangers someone and bam your license is revoked till next year.

Also fines should be increased, severly. I get hit by a Mack truck doing 60 mph while Im sitting in a Jetta at a red light, and you know what he gets?....a $75 fine for "following to closely"

Sent my pregnant wife to the hospital with complications. That guy should of been thrown in jail or his license revoked. Instead a simple oh i dropped my doughnut and hit you was good enough for him and the police.

jeez, I better stop now, im getting all worked up

Edited by jaxisland, 21 June 2007 - 09:06 AM.

[sarahw]

The State I live in has passed some Anti-Hoon laws. If you are caught several times driving like an idiot, your car is confiscated. (You can get it back the next day after paying the fine, impound and tow truck cost). So far over 2000 cars have been taken. I don't know if it works, but I'm sure it's a good lesson especially if your stuck in the middle of nowhere.

[Troy]

The State I live in has passed some Anti-Hoon laws. If you are caught several times driving like an idiot, your car is confiscated. (You can get it back the next day after paying the fine, impound and tow truck cost). So far over 2000 cars have been taken. I don't know if it works, but I'm sure it's a good lesson especially if your stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Yes we have those too, unless you also live in the fantastic Australian state of Queensland. I'm not sure how it goes, but I think the first time you get caught doing burnouts = car confiscated for 1 week, second time caught = 1 month, and third time you lose your car. I agree with dsenette, though, that an annual licensing test should be conducted. Further to that, you should also have to have an annual on your car, where the mechanic certifies your vehicle is in a safe condition. If other places have this, we don't!

[sarahw]

Further to that, you should also have to have an annual on your car, where the mechanic certifies your vehicle is in a safe condition

I think A.C.T. has that law. Every year before you can re-register your car you need to get a road worthy certificate.

[don77]

Further to that, you should also have to have an annual on your car, where the mechanic certifies your vehicle is in a safe condition. If other places have this, we don't!

Yep we have that here in the states,

i think there should be an anual exam for getting your drivers license....it would be a REALLY difficult test....and your score would dictate what kind of vehicle you can drive

You say that now at the ripe age of 20something wait till your a bit older and you become a member of the tricycle gang with the Kat and the rest of the elders








*don77 runs really fast !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FidelGonzales]

I'd like to see Washington DC issue a similar list: Last week, we had a woman who drove into a crowd of people at a street festival while high on crack. Not once, but 3 times - she drove around the block and came back to the festival. Her 7 year old daughter was in the back seat. Fortunately, no one was killed.

This definitely means we must outlaw driving while on crack. Secondly, we must also institute crackhead free zones that extend to a three-mile radius around all street festivals.

[Troy]

I would assume crack is illegal everywhere, it certainly is here in Australia.

[jaxisland]

I would assume crack is illegal everywhere, it certainly is here in Australia.

Yup crack is not allowed here either.

[FidelGonzales]

Although I cannot fathom how people would still possess the ability to have and use a substance that is illegal. . .

The comments I have made upon the subject are totally facetious. Creating more such laws that will rarely be enforced usually serves only as an election tool for politicians and greater restriction on freedom than a real solution to ridding a society of its ills.

[jaxisland]

Although I cannot fathom how people would still possess the ability to have and use a substance that is illegal. . .

The comments I have made upon the subject are totally facetious. Creating more such laws that will rarely be enforced usually serves only as an election tool for politicians and greater restriction on freedom than a real solution to ridding a society of its ills.

In upsate NY they just had blanket patrols and roadblocks for people using their cell phones while driving. Here is an idea, how about picking up drug dealers and rapists instead of people using their phones. We have some good laws on the books, now we just need to enforce them as much as they enforce the cell phone law.

[sari]

But jaxisland, you can look at someone and tell if they're using a cell phone. You can't look and tell if someone is a drug dealer or rapist. Unless the police are looking for a specific make/model of car or a specific license plate, they can't pull over everyone and check to see if they're wanted for a crime. Believe me, the police force puts a lot of effort into preventing serious crimes and finding criminals. When they do the blanket enforcement activities like looking for cell phone use (in Maryland, they do it for seatbelt use), they're trying to send a message to the overall population that this an illegal activity and will be prosecuted. By taking a day or 2 for these activities periodically, they hope more people will get the message and not violate the law in the future, which can ultimately free them up to focus on the more serious crimes. Also remember that a force is often divided into different divisions - the traffic enforcement division is not typically going to be investigating rapes, and the detectives who do that sort of work aren't going to be doing traffic enforcement.

[jaxisland]

True true sari, I mean you make very good points. I mean its frustrating when you hear all the stuff on the local news about the stuff that goes on and people getting killed, then you pull up to 6 cops standing in the middle of the road and I question it. This month we have had 5 shootings, 3 stabbings, 1 murder / suicide (father/son), 1 body in the Hudson River, and 2 DWI deaths. These are astronimical numbers for our area, I wonder how many could of been deterred if the police prescence was in the neighborhoods instead of standing around. It was made clear that it was more about the revenue the tickets would make more than public safety. Thats whats frustrating to me.

Im not trying to demean law enforcement I have the upmost respect for the men and women who devote their lives to my safety but somethings I dont understand.