Education for the Driving Masses

I believe it's important to relay information to my children that may be helpful to them down the road.I have never candy coated the truth or not truthfully answered a question when asked by the teenager or the preteen.
My teenager is disgusted and exasperated by my advice,I can't be too pissed at her attitude as I consider her reaction is based on a lack of experience and knowledge not yet gathered as she is only sixteen years old.
I suppose it's a normal reaction on her part and I can only hope that when her hormones even out and her brain develops she might remember some of our advice.
I do remember and am thankful for some golden nuggets from my Dad such as stopping for three long seconds at a stop sign before you turn.It's saved my hide on many occasions. Other advice such as Mom's never sit on the cold ground or you will get a cold in your kidneys I have ignored. NO COLD YET !
My golden nugget of the day or as she calls it, the nag of the month, is regarding activities. I simply stated,it's important to have an interest in a hobby or a sport
as having an interest in developing your potential and learning a new skill is a key to succeeding in life. I have several hobbies and consider learning a new skill vital to my happiness and well being.
I'm still passionate about trying to change the world.
I was shocked and angry about the vehicle murder of three people last month just down the road from Reno House.
So angry, I decided to contribute links and police reports to a website that is devoted to driver education,news,prevention about traffic incidents.
Cindy Smith devotes hundreds of hours updating her site in the hope that educating the masses will lead to a reduction in auto fatalities across Canada.
In the last month, I have scanned through hundreds of incident reports and media stories across Canada and have come to the conclusion that Canada needs tighter legislation and harsher sentencing towards those people who think they can drive dangerously. The time is past for gentle MADD PSA's or reminders from the LCBO to not drink and drive.
I'm asking each and everyone of you to contribute a news link,story or tip to Cindy
Smith's website. If we all work for the common cause,change can happen.
You can read for yourself @ http://www.educationforthedrivingmasses.com

The Undertoad

In John Irving's " The World According to Garp", Garp and his wife Helen believe the undefinable but always lurking undertoad (undertow) will eventually raise up and wreck havoc and destroy their family. The undertoad is the fear,worry,anxiety that eventually the bad thing will happen to you or a member of your family.
Last Friday night, the undertoad hit in my neck of the woods.
I heard the crash and the subsequent sirens as it occured just down the road from reno house.I live in a sheltered quiet area and it's always a shock and curiosity to find out what the hell happened after listening to sirens shrieking for twenty minutes. It was an unprecedented event for this neighbourhood... the undertoad
Andrew Kummer , a twenty five year old douchebag who considers drinking as his "job and education" on his Facebook profile decided to get into his truck and drive despite the fact that he was undoubtedly impaired.His arrogant decision to drive killed three people , his best friend and two innocent children.
It's unbelievable that the generation who grew up with the don't drink and drive campaign continues to drink and drive. I can't believe it's generational , if it is, the millenial generation must be called, "the stupidest generation ever".
I truly believe society must dig deeper and consider that anyone who drinks and drives isn't only stupid but must be mentally unbalanced. Mentally impaired people should never be allowed to have a license and should be forced to undergo psychiatric treatment.
It's not an excuse nor should the behaviour be excused.
Alcohol abuse is never a singular dysfunction but merely a symptom of a deeper psychosis.I would also state that committing any criminal offense is dysfunctional and the criminal needs to be locked up to protect the rest of us.
Drinking excessively shouldn't be acceptable, and Andrew Kummer's friends and family should be shamed for ignoring his dysfunction. Our society is too accepting of people who drink too much, it's featured as a comedy gag , a rite of passage and part of growing up.Parents of my generation buy alcohol for their underaged kids to be consumed at home with their friends so "the kids can drink safely".
The time has passed to merely concentrate on a drive safe campaign,it's time to enact zero percent laws and tough sentencing.
I felt the undertoad last Friday,as it passed by my house.I fretted and prayed that my girls were safe from the undertoad and hoped that it didn't grab someone elses child.
This time, the undertoad wasn't an unnameable force of nature, it's just an idiot who thought he was above the law.


http://www.educationforthedrivingmasses.com/2009/03/more-charges-for-man-who-killed-three.html