Click It or Ticket

Martin Maloney writes:

“Let me start by saying that I always use a seat belt. When the 56 Ford came out, introducing seat belts to the mass market, my dad had our 54 Ford retrofitted, and he insisted the passengers wear them.

“I’m glad, too. Over the years, I have been involved in several accidents — people running stop signs or red lights — where I would have been severely hurt, had I not been wearing a belt. In one case, when I was the passenger, we were broadsided on my side of the car. with such force that the car was turned onto its side. Not only did the seat belt protect me, by holding me in place, it kept my 200 pounds from landing on top of the driver.

“I live in Spokane, WA, and, for the past couple of weeks there has been a big ‘CLICK IT OR TICKET’ push. (I guess that it is national; friends in other states have told me that they are seeing the same thing.) Cops are stopping people for not wearing seat belts/shoulder harnesses and issuing citations.

“I’m 59, and, about a year ago, due to congestive heart failure, a pacemaker was implanted. I’m right-handed, so it was laced in the ‘well’ between the collarbone and my pectoral muscle. As a result, when I rive, I wear my shoulder harness under my left armpit.

“This afternoon, I was stopped by a cop. He explained that he had stopped me for not wearing the shoulder harness properly, as required by law. Because of the heat up here (finally!), I was wearing just a T-shirt, so, using one finger, I pulled down the collar to expose the incision scar and the bulge under my skin.

“He didn’t ticket me. However, he informed me that I have to carry a letter from my doctor, excusing me from wearing the shoulder harness in the manner required by law.

“That’s right — the ‘nanny’ state requires a letter from ‘daddy’!”

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.