163 has been a popular number this year for young athletes, to the world’s detriment.
First, according to a report by Steven Taranto, Shedeur Sanders decided to test the limits of his vehicle in Brunswick Hills on June 5 by traveling 146 km/h (91 mph) in a 105 km/h (65 mph) zone. Not satisfied with this, he then attempted to set a new high score on the morning of June 17 on Interstate 71. 163 km/h (101 mph!) 66 over the speed limit of 97 km/h (60 mph).
Zach (photo courtesy Times Now)
That matched Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies, who, according to Ron Wilkins of the Lafayette Journal & Courier, decided to make Tippecanoe County his racetrack. On May 1st, Edey was cited for going 163 km/h (101 mph) in an 89 km/h (55 mph) zone. Both have been summoned to court, though Sanders missed his trial for the offense on the 5th.
So, what should be done about this? They are not the only two with a lead foot, even in the world of sports. I think Singapore is on the right track. Their Ministry of Home Affairs has recently announced stricter sanctions against drivers who flout road rules. For example, while all three incidents would be referred to prosecution before and after the changes, the offense Shedeur committed on the 5th would move from half a suspension’s worth of points to 75%. The other two would have resulted in an immediate suspension even before the announced change.
I don’t think this is enough, however.
My recommendation is to change the system from the ground up. Narrower roads, for example, will naturally slow drivers down and make room for better options, such as bike lanes. Additionally, there should be a camera every 2 km (1.24 mi). We should also adopt metric units, like the rest of the world, and have every stop sign or stoplight equipped with a display indicating whether a passing vehicle would receive a ticket. That would ensure enforcement while freeing up manpower to focus on prosecutable offenses.
Another thing we can do to keep roads safe is to lower the speed limit itself. Realistically, the vast majority of drivers appear to be unable to be trusted to exceed 90 km/h (56 mph). At-grade intersections further reduce this capability to 70 km/h (43 mph). Hence, for non-emergency two-axle vehicles, that should be the new national speed limit. Semi-truck drivers are sufficiently skilled to drive within the posted limits we currently have.
Ultimately, I believe that the lack of community has harmed individuals, leading them to break the law in such a manner. Every day, we are stranded on our phones and subjected to an endless stream of nonsense. We do not seem to communicate with each other, and when we fail to do so, we cannot put ourselves in the situations that they are asked to endure and try to improve their lives and ours. Instead, we have cast them off, desperate to crawl into the realm of luxury and slam the door behind us.
In my opinion, the authorities who enforce the law have lost trust with significant portions of the population, one of the major causes being the Rampart Scandal. It does not take a genius to realize that an organization with a history of perjury, or one that shares an identity with such, and one that is known to hide behind bushes and trees in vehicles that are not sufficiently visible, will not garner the level of respect it feels it deserves.
Therefore, I feel it is appropriate to remind that officers are members of the community, just as they have the responsibility to enforce the law. This should include being upfront about offenses committed, and not asking questions that are leading or out of scope.
Finally, I would like to thank everyone for their patience during this time, as I have undergone some life changes. Additionally, I would like to express appreciation to Tha Real Janell, a friend of mine who runs the local podcast The Couch Chronicles, for helping me with wording in certain sections. Although I like the music, I feel as though I’m more of a Frasier Crane-type of person.
Man, am I glad football is back this month, because I’ve been wanting to cover touchdowns and not the “which players go to the laundromat”-type stories that have filled the internet on the offseason.
