[Bob Parmenter]

I'm a firm believer in seat belts. I've survived an accident where I was stopped and hit from behind by an idiot at what was estimated to be 50 mph (let's see some superior skill protect you from that!). Being hit from behind, the seat belt probably didn't have too much to do with it, except for some level of rebound when I was pushed under the 18 wheeler in front of me.

My belief in the belt though doesn't diminish my cynicism about our beloved state and it's actions. It's about the MONEY. The law has only been in place a few months and they've already collected over a million bucks.
The State Patrol is now playing a disguise game, posing as highway workers while actually operating a speed trap, under the guise of "protecting the workers". Yes, the workers are in a hazardous position, and people should drive responsibly when passing a road contruction area. The Patrol's justification is the recent death of a worker............who was killed by a guy on drugs. Speed was not the issue, but there's revenue in them thar tickets. Undisciplined, inexperienced, impaired, inattentive (add whatever you prefer) drivers are the problem, not speed in and of itself. Very much like blaming the gun for a murder.
For all the high sounding rhetoric about taxing cigarettes for medical expenses, and to protect the kids (and NO, I don't now, or ever, smoke) the so called "Tobacco Settlement" was all about the money, which our loving legislators and Governor have already spent though it's not completely collected.
Politicians are like heroin addicts when it comes to money..........and like addicts, they are very "creative" about funding their habit.

BTW, when you're feeling cocky about protecting yourself by your own against the dim bulbs in the world just remember George Carlin's observation:
By definition, half the people are below average intelligence.