A Better REGION 8

Sobriety Checkpoints

The Labor Day Holiday Weekend is sneaking up fast. Another thing that will be sneaking up on you in Region 8...Sobriety Checkpoints. Now some may rail against this arguing that it is inconvenient or an unneccesary violation of your rights. There are lots of folks who buy into that argument. But let me tell you this.

If stopping someone at a checkpoint for five minutes saves lives...I'll take the inconvenience every time. Here are some pointers if you plan on celebrating this weekend. First, designate a sober driver and give them the keys

If you don't have a driver, call someone to pick you up. Use those cell phones to report drunken drivers. And if you know someone who has been drinking too much and plans to drive, take their keys and help get them home.

Finally, if you are sober and are stopped at a checkpoint, thank the officers for their effort. They are working hard out there to make this a safer and a Better Region 8.

A BETTER REGION 8: SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS

The Golden Rule on the Roadways

With the start of school upon us we can all expect morning and afternoon traffic to once again be a source of stress. It might be a good time to reflect on the "Golden Rule" and actually respecting others. Not to mention the often forgotten tenant of forgiving others. And then there's the common sense, practical applications of road sanity for all… especially those who seem to be attracted to my route. Like thou shall not signal left, and then veer into the right lane before turning . . .  thou shall actually use one's blinker before turning  . .  thou shall not drive 15 mph under the speed limit on major highways . . .  thou shall not merge and then check for cars already in that lane . . .  thou shall not apply make up with one hand and  overuse the omni-present cell phone with the other hand . . . thou shall really stop at those big red stop signs . . .   Finally, and most importantly if you are blessed to have children that you're transporting to and from school remember to take advantage of that very special time you have alone with them in the car. Exercising some simple etiquette on our roadways will keep us all safe and will lead to a better Region 8.

Back to School and the Golden Rule