Thursday, May 10, 2007

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

New Jersey is a great state, and it cares about kids, but I have an issue, and it's with the police. Not that they don't generally do a great jobs, but there are laws they don't enforce. The one that bugs me most is our bicycle/skateboard helmet law.
My issue that that the law, which I think is a good one (though I don't think it goes far enough, requiring helmets only up to age 17), my issue is that the police make no effort to enforce the law. I understand that when a robbery needs investigating or a speeding ticket needs issuance, the cops will focus on those things, rather than kids not wearing helmets.
The flip side of this is that cops ignoring little violations like this results in these kids getting their driver's licenses and having less respect for the law than they should. I believe (and I'll readily acknowledge it's without studies to back it up) that some young drivers flout more serious laws because they have flouted minor laws like these as they were growing up.
Very simply, I am calling for the police to enforce these laws.

Labels: , ,