October 10: Zero Fatalities
10/10/2

On my way to work for the last few days there has been one of those highway message displays, the kind that warn you of upcoming construction, saying that on October 10 that on Alabama highways we�re shooting for zero fatalities.

So, today, I�ve decided that I�m going to stop driving totally recklessly, since, hey, I�d not want my death messing up their little party.

I�m sure such ideas sound good on paper. Especially in the Alabama legislature, the people who approved of this I�m sure, which can hardly agree on anything. Two years ago, when we were trying to adopt an open container law for cars, one senator actually said, �Driving around with an open beer in your truck is an Alabama tradition.�

Actually, I�m sure that one sound bite and fear that outsiders would hear it was probably what prompted that bill to pass. Which it did.

But when no one can decide what�s right, stupid things happen. Like, hey, let�s set aside a day and we�ll encourage people not to have traffic fatalities on the road. But, uh, don�t people generally avoid death on a daily basis? I know I do.

Perhaps they were thinking more that people who die in traffic fatalities are actually careless and that it�s a suicide really. Then perhaps a sign saying, �Please don�t kill yourself on our streets.�

Another point of view would be that they are targeting the homicidal maniacs out there. �Please, don�t intentionally kill the innocents on October 10, or if you have to, do it on one of the surface roads.�

Though I think that the whole homicidal maniac mindset would say, �They can�t tell me what to do. I�m gonna smash a Metro.�

Actually, the Metro is a pretty safe car for it�s size.

Nah, I actually think it sucks. Considering that when you�re in a Toyota Echo you�re in a car of essentially the same weight and I know that the Echo is safer.

Do I? Do I know this?

Perhaps when October 10th is over we can test it out by taking the Canyonero out and smacking the little cars around and see who gets the most hurt? But we�d want some accurate readings, so perhaps we could meet the Metro drivers when they are at the planetarium or Club Vinyl and ask them to put one of those high tech crash test dummies in the passenger seat.

Eh, I�ve run out of useless blather to blather on about. Well, write to ya later. I�ll try not to kill or be killed on the road today.

I�ve been meaning to get better about all my road killing anyway.