Friday, February 12, 2010

Bill would let coal trucks block roads

Oh, the stupid. It burns.

A bill in the Kentucky legislature would grant coal companies the True Free Speach Now Right to completely block public highways for an hour at a time. Coal firms would also be able to buy a permit enabling them to block roads for 4 hours at a time.

What if it blocks the only road to a small community, leaving residents with no way in our out? According to this bill, that's just tough. What if you're violently ill or injured and have to get to the doctor? Then you're out of luck.

The bill's sponsor, DLC Rep. Ancel Smith, complained that unless this bill passes, coal companies whose trucks obstruct roads and cause accidents "get stuck with the cost because it's their fault."

Well, yeah. That's because it's, well, their fault.

If legislators approve this bill, that'll just show everyone their bizcream has truly slid out of their wafers. (As if the Sudafed crackdown didn't prove it already.)

If it does pass, you can bet your bottom dollar someone is eventually going to intentionally plow right through a stopped coal truck to get where they need to go. I'd do it myself if I could.

(Source: http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2010/02/11/bill-would-let-coal-trucks-block-public-roads-for-60-minutes)

2 comments:

  1. You'd better not plow MY car into a coal truck! I don't care if it's blocking the road, don't you dare.

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  2. There is a fundamental misunderstanding here. Coal companies rarely own the trucks that haul their coal; independent trucking companies usually do. So, coal companies wouldn't be blocking the highways, truckers would. As though it would make any difference to the people who get killed in crashes with them.

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