click it or ticket

Whoa! Normal human behavior. Well said!

BTW Om, if you ever feel the need to reach out and touch someone. I'm your man LOL.

 

That's an excellent way to put it. Every time I have known someone who was ticketed for not wearing their seatbelt, or some other minor offense, their response has been something to the effect of, "It's not like I killed someone, I just forgot to put my seatbelt on/coasted through that stop sign when nobody was around/was walking down the sidewalk drinking a beer/crossed the street outside of the crosswalk/pick your favorite victimless crime." The officer who cites you treats you like a potential murderer the whole time, too -- hand on his gun, visibly preparing himself to shoot you on a moment's notice. People, understandably, don't like that. Though I have no real perspective on this (never having been arrested, or as far as I know, done anything to warrant it), I suspect that if one has committed a more serious crime, the actions of the state may seem less extreme and overreactive.

This sort of thing engenders a disrespect for the law in general, too, which is a dangerous road to travel down -- there may be a lot of dumb laws on the books, but there are also some very good ones.

I believe that the stats I found referenced physical addiction to drugs. I don't remember exactly what the numbers are, but I am certain that you are correct with regard to drug use as part of normal avoidant behavior, or simply for pure enjoyment of an altered mental state -- this is much more prevalent.

 

Just read this today, and just wanted to say that I think everyone made their points well

I always wear my seatbelt and also will not drive without all my passengers wearing theirs as well. I don't know how I feel about stopping people because they 'might' be breaking the law. But it is with fair warning right? I mean I think someone said they tell you they will be doing these things and list where and when. If you don't want to be stopped can't you just drive around?

Sometimes it's not that easy, and I still don't know if I agree with it.

As far as the second hand smoking thing...I try to stay away from that subject. I'm not well educated on it, and couldn't do my 'side' justice. All I know is that it depends on the person/body. Some people can smoke all their lives and live to be over 100, others can smoke once and get lung cancer. I don't feel comfortable handing the risk that I 'might' get cancer from second hand smoking to a stranger.

Did that make any sense? I really have a hard time wording my thoughts LOL.

I just know that second hand smoking does cause problems, there are kids dying of cancer from it. Then again, I am not well educated on this subject so I don't really want to get into a debate As far as for me and my kids, I will not let them stay with someone who smokes. I don't want them around it. I try to not be around it.