Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA
Green justice: Should judges cuts electric car speeders some slack?
Although we ourselves may be guilty of occasionally and ever-so-slightly exceeding the posted speed limits, we cannot condone this conduct as it is potentially dangerous and typically not very "green." However, when Benjamin N., owner of the converted "Electro Metro", found himself slapped with an $83.80 ticket for driving 25 mph in a 15 mph zone (15 mph!!! Some people can walk that fast!) we can sympathize with his impulse to fight the power and confront this injustice before a magistrate.
When the day came to apologize to the court and throw himself at its mercy, the electric car owner had to arrive early in the morning as he had lost the actual ticket and was unsure of the exact time the festivities were to begin. Thus began a series of events deserving of a witty and well-written blog entry which our hero has conveniently posted. Check it out for yourselves and let us know whether you think his "electric car defense" should have been more successful than it was.
[Source: Green Cars: Videos and More! via Ecomodder]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brn 1:42PM (12/29/2008)
It wasn't an electric car defense. It was a case of the Judge deciding "public service" instead of points on the license.
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Chris 1:59PM (12/29/2008)
Speeding kills so many people every year. There is a reason why the speed limit was 15 miles per hour, most likely a pedestrian area.
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MikeW 4:26PM (12/29/2008)
No, dumbasses kill people, not speeding.
There was a study that just came out, speeding was a very low cause of accidents.
John Bäckstrand 2:40PM (12/29/2008)
The only time a electric car defense would be totally ok is when the speeding limit is _only_ there for purposes of controlling exhaust (as in, has been lowered from X to Y only to reduce emissions).
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Tim 2:55PM (12/29/2008)
"Green justice: Should judges cuts electric car speeders some slack?
HELL NO!
In a civil society we NEED Rule of law where ALL laws are applied EQUALLY with no special treatment to ANYONE!
Even the President and Congress need to obey the law even if it's that disgusting Constitution which limits their power over us. Read the 10th Amendment!!!!
Without EQUAL application of the Rule of Law, we have Rule of Men otherwise known as Tyranny! This is when civilization breaks down into anarchy!
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jpm 10:54PM (12/29/2008)
stfu, it's 25 mph for crissake.
Tim 8:18AM (12/30/2008)
It's the LAW for civilization's sake.
Don't like it? Work to change it, but we EACH ignore it at your own peril... EQUALLY.
RJ 5:01PM (12/29/2008)
Who can WALK at 15mph? That's a 4 minute/mile pace. Few people can RUN that fast! Heck most treadmills top out at 12 mph. I looked up the world records, and the top race-walking speeds are around 6 minute/miles.
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ryan 8:36PM (12/29/2008)
Wait a second... so let me get this straight.
Said driver was deliberately breaking the law, and almost doubling the speed limit.
Said driver LOST the ticket issued to him.
His ability to convert a car to run on electric power aside, this guy is an idiot. He can use the money he has saved by not having to buy gas to pay his ticket and move on. No sympathy.
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jpm 10:53PM (12/29/2008)
This is a joke. 25 mph is already way too slow . If you're not capable of seeing a car coming at you at 25mph then get the f*** back inside a play some scrabble. If anything this man should have been awarded a couple hundred dollars for making the effort to convert his car to electric. But no, the greedy and deficit ridden police "enforcement" had to rape his wallet. Typical. No wonder this country is going down the tubes.
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Derek 7:53AM (12/30/2008)
Perhaps it was a school zone or something similar? 25ph may be enough to see another car coming (I agree) but a kid running out into the street? Most pedestrian-heavy areas have 15mph posted limits.
tankd0g 2:37AM (12/30/2008)
So let me get this straight. His excuse for exceeding a speed limit that is obviously put in place for pedestrian safety was "My car makes no noise so I can go faster." Brilliant. He's lucky the judge didn't order the car torn apart by DOT
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jpm 11:32PM (12/30/2008)
This country is way over cautious, case in point: 15 mph speed limits. When ppl don't pay attention accidents happen. It's not all about speed.
Yes that argument was lame. I would have argued that reducing oil consumption going make everyone a little more safe -- less money to dictators and better enviro.
People need to think about the big picture.
SPD 10:40AM (12/31/2008)
No. This guy doesn't seem to bright either...lost his ticket? If he can't remember where he "placed" a piece of paper he shouldn't be let off for "forgetting" the speed limit. Maybe he'll remember a little better now.
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