War of words
I suppose it was a win-win situation. The police officer got to yell at somebody and I got to my destination sooner. But more importantly it was a warning about how police testify. As a favor to police unions Massachusetts does not follow national standards for temporary traffic control. When the bucket truck comes in […]
Ghosts of convictions past
Earlier this year a truck driver was arrested in Connecticut then killed seven motorcyclists in New Hampshire. Now Massachusetts drivers are being punished. Why is it our fault? In the American system of traffic law the punishment precedes the trial. The truck driver, Mr. Zhukovskyy, was accused of DUI in Connecticut. The arrest was supposed […]
Ex post facto
I wrote recently about what happens when the unwritten rules change. Aspirational speed limits became computer-enforced speed limits. Or the school bus driver waits for everybody to sit down. A sheriff stalks the wrong victim. Or most recently, a police officer fails to anticipate the result of the next election. We have a victim of […]
Another crisis created
Massachusetts officials spent decades avoiding highway improvement projects and treating drivers as rolling wallets. A study out this month confirms they were successful in creating congestion. Now they offer the prepared solution to the crisis they created: more tolls. It’s the same playbook they used on the Massachusetts Turnpike. The Turnpike Authority put off maintenance […]
Practice makes imperfect
A few years ago an overzealous prosecutor put a Massachusetts man in prison for life after a high speed chase. He got the jury to call it murder when it was clearly negligent homicide or manslaughter. While that case was making its way through the system a more sympathetic jury on the other side of […]
The ghettos of Lincoln
Lincoln is one of the richest towns in Massachusetts but it has a ghetto too. As in some other states, towns here are legally required to permit affordable housing. Most residents don’t want anybody moving in, and especially those people. What to do? A compromise was reached. The dirty masses would be allowed to live […]
I can’t drive 30
A government traffic engineer told me his team used to routinely review speed limits until they noticed nobody in authority was acting on staff reports. A key feature feature of California’s speed trap law is a requirement to review old speed limits. In New England speed traps don’t expire, they get seniority. Six months ago […]
Close to the edge
The first eight miles are easy. And then the highway ends. Governor Sargent killed it in 1970. The remaining mile and a half to work is about the limit of my tolerance for urban commuting. They are paying me enough to put up with that much, but the east half of Cambridge might as well […]
Today’s the fourth of July
“Today’s the Fourth of July. Another June has gone by. When they light up our town I just think what a waste of gunpowder and sky.” That was Aimee Mann. The opening of her song “4th of July” matches my holiday mood. It’s not a day of celebration for me. Where is our yellow vest […]
It’s OK when we do it
In Massachusetts, a corrupt police officer stayed out of prison by arguing everybody did it but he was unlucky to get caught. In California, another officer complained about lack of professional courtesy when he was caught transporting illegal immigrants. Heath McAuliffe was one of many in Massachusetts State Police Troop E who lied about making […]