I always wear my seatbelt, even if I’m just driving across a parking lot–it’s force of habit I suppose, and the fact that I just think it’s stupid not too. That being said, as it does every year, the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign has gotten me rather pissy. Every time I see or hear one of those commercials I feel like I’m living in a police state; it’s one thing to require children, who have not yet reached an age of reason, to be buckled in, but adults?
I think it’s that mean voice saying “Click It or Ticket,” that bugs me the most…it literally sends shivers down my spine.
As usual, Walter E. Williams has some great commentary on the issue. As he says,
My letter went on to tell the secretary that I personally wear a seatbelt each time I drive; it’s a good idea. However, because something is a good idea doesn’t necessarily make a case for state compulsion. The justifications used for “Click It or Ticket” easily provide the template and soften us up for other forms of government control over our lives.