Americans are generally used to being responsible for their own actions. If you choose to smoke, you may have heath problems. If you engage in certain sports, you risk injuries. If you buy a house, you are responsible for keeping it in good repair. Generally speaking, we understand that actions have consequences. Sometimes in our litigious society, you can sue people for your own stupidity, but that is the exception rather than the rule. California has now decided that they will control one more aspect of your freedom.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, The Hill<\/a> reported the following:<\/p>\n California could become the first state to require certain new cars to be equipped with a device capable of limiting speed, if legislation proposed this week ultimately becomes law.<\/strong><\/p>\n San Francisco-based state Sen.\u00a0Scott Wiener\u00a0<\/a><\/span>(D)\u00a0introduced a bill\u00a0mandating many new vehicles<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 beginning with the 2027 model year \u2014 contain a so-called \u201cintelligent speed limiter.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n This device would restrict the speed of the car to 10 mph above the speed limit \u2014 with specific exceptions as indicated by the bill. Emergency vehicles, for example, would be exempt, and the California Highway Patrol could authorize the system\u2019s disabling in certain other cases.<\/strong><\/p>\n …The National Transportation Safety Board, Wiener\u2019s office stressed, has repeatedly recommended the installation of such technologies in all new passenger vehicles. These devices will also be required in all cars sold in the European Union beginning this July.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cPreventing reckless speeding is a commonsense approach to prevent these utterly needless and heartbreaking crashes,\u201d Wiener said.<\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to its focus on intelligent speed limiters, S.B. 961 would also require the installation of side guards on trucks and trailers. Such guards, according to Wiener\u2019s office, could help \u201creduce the risk of cars and bikes being pulled underneath the truck during a crash.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n This equipment \u2014 which would be installed on every truck or trailer that weighs more than 10,000 pounds \u2014\u00a0would need to be able to provide crash protection for a midsize car at any angle and any speed up to 40 mph, per the bill.<\/strong><\/p>\n A variation of this has already been introduced in America with some insurance companies offering you a discount if you allow them to put a device in your car that tracks your speed and driving. I don’t endorse speeding, but I believe this is just too intrusive. I would also note that there are many roads in California where the traffic is so bad that being able to go the speed limit would be a blessing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Americans are generally used to being responsible for their own actions. If you choose to smoke, you may have heath problems. If you engage in certain sports, you risk injuries. If you buy a house, you are responsible for keeping … Continue reading