Chuck
02-19-2007, 02:45 PM
mparrish might be familiar with this story...
Early on Sunday morning, September 18, 1999, Jacqueline Saburido, 20, and four friends were on their way home from a birthday party. Reggie Stephey, an 18-year-old star football player, was on his way home from drinking beer with some buddies. On a dark road on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, Reggie’s SUV veered into the Oldsmobile carrying Jacqui and the others. Two passengers in the car were killed at the scene and two were rescued. Within minutes, the car caught fire. Jacqui was pinned in the front seat on the passenger side. She was burned over 60% of her body; no one thought she could survive. But Jacqui lived. Her hands were so badly burned that her fingers had to be amputated. She lost her hair, her ears, her nose, her left eyelid and much of her vision. She has had more than 50 operations since the crash and has many more to go.
In June 2001 Reggie Stephey was convicted of two counts of intoxication manslaughter for the deaths of Jacqui’s two friends. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $20,000
Does the punishment fit the crime?
If you have the courage, you can see Jacqui's before and after pictures at http://www.texasdwi.org/jacqui.html (http://www.texasdwi.org/jacqui.html) (Also this less graphic NPR story (http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/oct/texas_dwi/index.html))
I'd like to expand this to beyond drunk driving. Myself and others have advocated hypermiling. It's generally consistent with driving defensively and safely. Some opponents have gone in the other direction and advocated "safe speeding" and other such nonsense. Anyone notice over the years the steel and wood barriers have been replaced with higher concrete barriers for the speeders that jump into the opposing traffic? Let's not forger the average vehicle weighs 1000 pounds more in the past 20 years.
So many just go 75mph in a 60 zone, maybe chatting on the phone, weaving or even making almost 90-degree turns to cross 2-3 lanes to make an exit. Much of this is thoughtlessness and self-indulgence, prompting others to get in a territorial mode - and road rage.
Maybe offenders need to see the effects of reckless driving more as a first offense for a serious traffic offense. Then if it happens again, the courts should show no consideration - they didn't when they were behind the wheel.
Early on Sunday morning, September 18, 1999, Jacqueline Saburido, 20, and four friends were on their way home from a birthday party. Reggie Stephey, an 18-year-old star football player, was on his way home from drinking beer with some buddies. On a dark road on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, Reggie’s SUV veered into the Oldsmobile carrying Jacqui and the others. Two passengers in the car were killed at the scene and two were rescued. Within minutes, the car caught fire. Jacqui was pinned in the front seat on the passenger side. She was burned over 60% of her body; no one thought she could survive. But Jacqui lived. Her hands were so badly burned that her fingers had to be amputated. She lost her hair, her ears, her nose, her left eyelid and much of her vision. She has had more than 50 operations since the crash and has many more to go.
In June 2001 Reggie Stephey was convicted of two counts of intoxication manslaughter for the deaths of Jacqui’s two friends. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $20,000
Does the punishment fit the crime?
If you have the courage, you can see Jacqui's before and after pictures at http://www.texasdwi.org/jacqui.html (http://www.texasdwi.org/jacqui.html) (Also this less graphic NPR story (http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/oct/texas_dwi/index.html))
I'd like to expand this to beyond drunk driving. Myself and others have advocated hypermiling. It's generally consistent with driving defensively and safely. Some opponents have gone in the other direction and advocated "safe speeding" and other such nonsense. Anyone notice over the years the steel and wood barriers have been replaced with higher concrete barriers for the speeders that jump into the opposing traffic? Let's not forger the average vehicle weighs 1000 pounds more in the past 20 years.
So many just go 75mph in a 60 zone, maybe chatting on the phone, weaving or even making almost 90-degree turns to cross 2-3 lanes to make an exit. Much of this is thoughtlessness and self-indulgence, prompting others to get in a territorial mode - and road rage.
Maybe offenders need to see the effects of reckless driving more as a first offense for a serious traffic offense. Then if it happens again, the courts should show no consideration - they didn't when they were behind the wheel.