Wednesday 16 October 2013

How stupid do you have to be?

Now I admit that’s a rhetorical question, but if you’re going to do something incredibly stupid and probably illegal should you really be recording it all on your GoPro? I know everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame, but really? Clearly not the brightest bulbs in the box.
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OTTAWA — Two Ottawa bikers face more than 20 charges and more than $21,000 in fines after police say they committed several infractions that were caught on a video camera mounted on one of the motorcycles.
Police said the two motorcyclists were stopped Saturday around 3 p.m. after several drivers called 911 about their dangerous passing on Highway 105.
When police stopped the motorcyclists in Wakefield, one of the men tried to hide the video camera that taped his joyride.
Police seized the camera and confirmed the driver had committed several infractions on the same day.
A 29-year-old driver faces 21 charges under Quebec’s Highway Safety Code, a $10,968 fine and was given 113 demerit points.
A 26-year-old driver also faces 21 charges under Quebec’s Highway Safety Code, a fine of $11, 268 and was given 116 demerit points.
The two drivers could also face a Criminal Code of Canada charge for dangerous driving.
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For those not familiar with this highway it’s one of those “killer” strips. Its high traffic volumes combined with few passing zones and low speed limit seems to cause a lot of drivers (and riders) to simply go nuts and take ridiculous chances, with the expected outcomes. I will avoid it like the plague unless absolutely necessary. As for the demerit points, I believe each 15 points results in a license suspension for a minimum of 30 days so if this holds our idiot bikers will be walking for quite a while, and maybe even longer once they see their insurance renewal premiums.  

Saturday 5 October 2013

Four weeks later….

What a difference a month makes.
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Having just visited Grand Canyon I can imagine how disappointed visitors must be when they come across this sign and others like it at Bryce Canyon, or Zion, or any of the countless other national parks and monuments closed by the current nonsense happening in Washington. Like us they spent months planning their trips, possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, only to find all that time, effort and expense was for naught. And for no good reason.
Then, with nothing else to do, they turn on their TVs only to see certain Congressmen  and -women gloating and bragging about what a great job they’ve done in shutting down the US government.  It’s sad really.