Written by Gregory Monte.
Even if you didn’t grow up during the 1990’s like I did, you are probably still familiar with Jerry Seinfeld and the iconic Soup Nazi character he introduced in one of his shows. Wikipedia indicates that this restaurant owner …
“… is known as the “Soup Nazi” due to his temperament and insistence on a strict manner of behavior while placing an order. At the soup stand, George complains about not receiving bread with his meal. When he presses the issue, Kassem decrees ‘No soup for you!’ George’s order is quickly taken away and his money returned.”
We can all laugh at seeing this type of behavior on a comedy show because we know that in the real world no one would really insist on such “a strict manner of behavior” for such a silly thing as ordering soup.
Introducing the “Traffic Nazis”
But what strikes me about the Soup Nazi’s behavior is that it reminds me a lot of the reaction I get on Facebook from certain individuals who feel that each and every possible traffic infraction should be met with a ticket. Worse, these people seem to consider it your civic duty to pay it – like a good citizen/sheep.
Here are some recent examples of what I am talking about:
Michael Mitchell Here’s the two that will get you out of a speeding ticket: 1. don’t speed, 2. read # 1
Dwayne Simmons how to beat a ticket…. don’t speed
John Thomas Here’s an idea numb nuts, just obey the law
John Thomas You’re an idiot dude. We have laws for a reason
Nathan Luszcz Or you could take responsibility for doing something you shouldn’t have. You know, be an adult about it. *gasp*
Patrick Gentry How about you just stop at stop signs then you won’t get a ticket.
My Response
My response to these types of people can be summed up in the well-known philosophical question:
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
If I rolled through an intersection controlled by stop signs with several hundred feet of visibility in every direction, did I really commit a violation that requires a traffic ticket?
If I drove 10 mph over the speed limit on a sparsely traveled freeway and didn’t weave in-and-out of traffic, did I really commit a violation that requires a speeding ticket?
I say no but the “Traffic Nazis” clearly disagree.
Who do you think is more reasonable?
If you are interested in some other “Traffic Nazi” commentary on my Facebook Page, check out the following blog posts from earlier in the year:
- A Stop Sign in Every Driveway?
- Aggressive Cops are like those aggressive teachers you remember from grade school.
- The “Traffic Law Nazis” vs. The Reasonable Driver
- Virginia Driving Laws – You Would Need a Police State to Enforce Some of Them
Traffic Ticket Defense Blog 
Those who think everyone exceeding the posted speed limit should be ticketed and compelled to pay are the very thing they describe others as – ignorant or idiots.
Many municipalities impose limits not for safety, but because it’s profitable. One district court judge even bragged his court was the primary revenue making source for his county.
I live in the country, where it is an hour to civilization, regardless which of the five directions I go. One stretch, designed for seventy mile per hour traffic, is fifty miles per hour for about ten miles. Why?
Then there is the obvious, to thinking people: If the speed limit is sixty-five, you can do sixty-five whether you meet a car traveling in the opposite direction every few seconds or every ten minutes. Only fools think the posted speed is equally safe under both circumstances.
Toss in to this mix the fact:
(1) No one can be in certain places without breaking a law within a five minute time frame. That is because places like New York City have so many laws, even people striving to obey all the laws cannot.
(2) Weather conditions impose what can be shown to be arbitrary exceptions to the law. Consider the words “drive according to conditions.” Of course, you’d be an idiot to test the road every one hundred feet, but traveling that far on a winter road can mean the difference between driving on unexpected black ice and just compact ice, that latter which really is easier to drive on than the former.
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A very well written comment. I agree completely with your reasoning.
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My son who was at the time,home from duty in Iraq ,had to pay an expensive ticket in Brownsburg Indiana .He drove a tiny car that would not set off the traffic signal. This was late at night. There was a” no turn on red” sign . He waited for 10 minute the light wouldn’t change so he made a right turn, there was no traffic.The police who was laying in wait gave him.a ticket. Years ago this was but have never forgiven this jerk.
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Sorry that I have not been checking up on my website for quite a while. All I can say is that I can empathize with your son’s situation. Like I say on my website, when my son got a silly stop sign ticket I got so pissed that I started this website and produced by stop sign ticket defense book.
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