[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by Ladogaboy

Actually, I was referring to your use of a personal attack against rmay635703 rather than focusing on his argument. But, I guess, following that up with another is just in keeping with your character. If you want to argue the point that restricting days on which people can drive is despotic and dictatorial without resorting to hurling insults at the proposer (for instance, I could, instead, have just called you stupid for your inability to cogently construct and communicate a counterpoint... after all, a spade is a spade, no?), then that's fine. I can do that. But I'm done with these personal attacks as a substitute for a healthy, productive debate.

You do not understand the difference between an actual insult (calling someone "stupid" is a good example) as opposed to my assigning an appropriate label of authoritarian to you who advocates inappropriate use of authority (based upon your authoritarian proposal). The former is a personal attack, the latter is not.

Driving is a privilege, NOT a right. Owning a car (personal property) is a right, but driving it whenever, wherever, and however I want is not. The idea that individuals have unlimited and unrestricted freedom to do what they want when they want is patently wrong, even in the freest of societies.

We understand all that and it is not in dispute. But there is no compelling circumstance that calls for drastic measures. According to your personal opinion and whim you have decided that there is too much traffic on the road for to your personal liking, therefore you seek to restrict the movement of others. It is similar to invoking martial law when there is no clear and present danger. Sure, draconian measures keep people in line, but at a very high cost indeed, as seen in authoritarian societies. There is no "greater good of society" achieved that you invoke with your proposed prohibition.

The people own the roads, and if the people decide that a particular road is too congested, they may choose to restrict it in anyway they deem necessary. A more realistic manifestation of my argument would probably be to turn the entire interstate/freeway system into a carpool lane. Having a single lane provided to carpoolers, people with yellow stickers, and cheats is not effective, in my opinion. It causes too many buildups and traffic jams due to people attempting to take advantage of it. Now, on the other hand, if we were to restrict the entire freeway system to use only by those individuals who are traveling two or more per car, traffic and congestion would reduce by up to half. The removal of a privileged carpool lane would reduce the number of traffic jams and accidents further.

As your first proposal weren't bad enough, now you want to ban single occupant vehicles. Why not ban vehicle travel altogether? That's the road you are going down with such absurd proposals. It sounds to me like you are literally anti-car, which is apart from the focus of this list (as well as very off-topic).

So in practice, my snide but relevant remark might actually have some merit, and it is not without historical precedent. Remember when people could only fill up with gasoline based on their license plate numbers?

Yes I do, and it was because there was not ample gasoline available and it was something of a national crisis. Your disapproval of encountering heavier traffic in your vicinity is nowhere near that situation - it is based only upon your personal preference or whim, and that is dictatorial in nature.

Seat belt laws? Motorcycle helmet laws?

Those are nanny state mandates devised to alleviate society from personal responsibility. Hey, if you don't want to wear a seatbelt or helmet that should be your choice - and if you are injured or die you shouldn't get to collect on your claim, as you have no one to blame but yourself. But that's soooo CRUEL! say the nanny statists. We only want to protect people and save their lives. So they want to pretend to cure all the ills of society by making more and more things restricted or illegal - but at a very high price: the abrogation of liberty.

Those were apparently dictatorial too, right? Restrictions are often put in place by our government, and they are sometimes unpopular. I'll grant you, this is a touchy subject, and many Americans would be very upset to realize that they are spending almost a year's wages on something that could be made to be essentially useless.

You are correct in one aspect. If your absurd proposal were ever implemented there would be a great amount of resentment at the loss of freedom and mobility, as freedom is still known and loved by some in America. If you want to carpool or ride a bus instead of drive, that's fine. But that's based upon your personal opinion and your voluntary choice - and it should not be imposed upon anyone other than yourself.

"If you want to change the world, begin with yourself."