The Answer: that should not be your concern - Granite Grok

The Answer: that should not be your concern

70 mph sign“A people that has a government” – methinks that this guy has that relationship backwards.  From the Nashua Telegraph:

Assistant Safety Commissioner Earl Sweeney hopes drivers will take into account that the North Country experiences some of the worst winter driving conditions in the state.

“The difference it would make for someone traveling a distance of 100 miles at 70 miles per hour versus 65 miles per hour is they would complete their trip about six minutes sooner and consume more fuel while doing it,” Sweeney said in an email. “Is it worth it just to save those six minutes?

To some folks, yes it is. And whether or not they “consume” more fuel is none of your business – that is a decision between adults and their wallets.   On a personal note, Mr. Sweeney has the perfect right to his opinion – pontificate away!  As a government employee, however, his purpose is to carry out what the public (his employer) have decided to do with those roads via their elected officials.  In this case, the public has decided they want to go a bit faster on the roads that their tax monies built and maintain – you’re job is to make it happen as safely as possible knowing a priori that 100% safety is impossible to attainYes, advising / reminding adults of “worst winter driving conditions” is not a bad thing in and of itself but borders on Nannyism when it goes to the point of “I know better than you do so I don’t want you all to do it” (noise of foot stamping follows).

Yes, some folks will want to go faster – and may now do 75-80 (or a bit more).  But yes, being adults, they know that there may be bad outcomes as results of bad decisions with respect to speed and weather.  They are willing to take that incremental risk upon themselves.  It is not Mr. Sweeney’s (and Government’s) job to protect adults from themselves.

That’s not how Free Society’s operate.

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