Dearest readers, I come to you this week not with pent up rage over a particularly irritating social phenomenon, but rather I am going to share a story with you. What is to follow is a long and arduous tale about a boy that got in a car accident and the issues and legal woes that follows. I will try and keep this moderately objective and you can form your own opinion on the matter.
It all begins on a fateful April day, myself, T.J. and Curt were driving down from Owen Sound to Toronto to witness a live performance by ska legend Streetlight Manifesto at the Phoenix concert theatre. All was going well until we hit the portion of Highway 10 in Brampton at around 4:30pm or so and traffic was significantly congested. At approximately 5:15pm I was in the middle lane of three lanes on this highway and passed through an intersection, only to have traffic come to an abrupt halt in front of me. I slammed on the breaks but didn’t have quite enough room to come to a complete stop and ended up rear ending an Accord that had stopped or was close to stopping in this middle lane.
For the sake of objectivity I will not elaborate on the causation of the collision, point is, I was the hitter in this situation, as is the case with rear ending situations it seems. (I will admit to nothing until after December 23).
Since I actually did hit the brakes quite hard the front of my car dipped with forward momentum and went underneath the bumper of the Accord, causing my hood to buckle, grill and radiator to crack, bumped damage and fender damage. No airbags deployed nor did the headlights crack or even stop working. Could this perhaps indicate just how low the impact speed was? Since the hood was crumpled and radiator was cracked we had no choice but to wait for a tow truck to conveniently happen by within five minutes of the collision.
The accord suffered minor cosmetic damage, with scratches and a dent on the rear bumper and the muffler being pushed out of one of its hangers. No airbags deployed either. In my opinion, drivable. In fact, I bet my van is in worse shape normally.
We are now pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway waiting for the police to arrive to fill out an accident report, the lady understandably yells at me a bit but is otherwise pretty calm about matters, all factors considered. Her two daughters who were also with her got out and noted nothing regarding injury, other than being a little shaken up by the matter. No ambulance was called.
Tow trucks swooped in on the scene within mere minutes and began giving us the Torontonian once over. Claiming he somehow knows my insurance policy inside and out and my car has to be stored in Brampton for the night and they’ll fix it here and give me a rental, and so on... This was not the case at all, which took many phone calls with my Mom to get sorted out.
The Police arrive at 6:15-6:20 (over an hour later) to take drivers statements and fill out an accident report. Although we had exchanged few words with the family, all conversation pointed to they said they were all “Okay” and that’s what matters in this situation. The cars are then towed to a nearby gas station where the officer finishes the report and the family has their dad/husband come pick them up. I was deemed “at fault” for the accident and was then issued a ticket for “Careless Driving”- a ticket that is 6 demerit points and a $325 fine.
Meanwhile the family's dad/husband has arrived, and our parting words with the woman revolved around “sorry”, and she again confirmed that they were all fine and all was good, relatively speaking. The dad/husband is busy talking with the tow truck drivers (who had indeed towed the accord) and didn’t appear to be upset regarding the incident. He even went so far as to hand the tow truck drivers his business card (mattress salesman?) and they left.
Myself, T.J. and Curt then had to wait for just over two hours in a nearby Wendy’s/Tim Horton’s for my mom to come and pick us up. All the while I just sat there processing “what in the fuck” had just happened.
My ticket was the main puzzler, as I had always considered careless driving a very serious offense for serious accidents. This is the MTO's breakdown of high point offenses. Somehow I am on par with people who pass stopped school buses and street race.
7 Points –
Failing to remain at the scene of a collision
Failing to stop when signaled/requested by a police officer
6 Points –
Careless Driving
Racing
Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more
Failing to stop for a school bus
Here are 3 quick examples of cases that resulted in Careless Driving Charges being pressed.
1. “A road rage incident in downtown Owen Sound Thursday morning quickly escalated into a chase and a mini smashup derby. The incident ended near an elementary school with both drivers charged under the new stunt driving section of the Highway Traffic Act, along with careless driving and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.” http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1020075
2. “The most extreme case of the long weekend involved a 17-year-old Barrie driver who was charged with going 239 kph in an 80 zone on Highway 26 north of Barrie. His father's Lincoln was impounded and the youth was charged with street racing, careless driving and failure to surrender his license”
- http://www.wellandtribune.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1035041&auth=The+Tribune
3. “Police say a compact car heading eastbound on East Main Street was attempting to make a left hand turn on to Moyer Road. The vehicles collided and the man was thrown from the bike. The sole occupant of the car, a 34-year-old Port Colborne woman, was unhurt.
Police say Catherine Bowen has been charged with careless driving”
http://www.wellandtribune.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1000750
You can decide if I’m really a “careless driver” after reading those particular incidents.
If convicted my insurance rate will go up by 480%, from $2500 per year to a whopping $12,000 a year. I, of course had no choice but to fight this ticket. The catch to that is, you have fifteen days to file for a court date, and the kicker is I have to drive down to Mississauga to file in person, whilst the court houses hours are 9am-12pm and 2pm-3:45pm only on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. Leaving a rather inconvenient window to arrive in. A rather clever structure built specifically so that people become deterred from fighting tickets, thus garnering more money for the province. Fuck.
After driving for two hours, standing in line for ten minutes and driving back home I have my date booked. Wish me luck on December 23rd, 2008 at 10:30am as I am to plead my case of not guilty of careless driving.
Chapter two will come within a week or two and it will include info about insurance dealings with my car and some further ugliness in the situation.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Marijuana
It enrages me to no end when something I myself enjoy manages to become associated with people I loathe. Though my friendship with marijuana itself hasn't waned at all, I can't help but become disenchanted with it as a whole when I think of all of the useless fucks who are ruining it for everyone by acting like jackasses.
Let's get this fucking crystal. I'm not an anti-marijuana advocate in any fashion, I'm just an anti-retard advocate. There are those out there who smoke marijuana but don't piss me off at all. This rant is not about them. Now then, I enjoy dope like there's a future in it for me, but that's the end of it, I enjoy it, it's not my entire fucking life. You want to spark a joint after a long day to take the edge off and relax? Fine. You want to kick back and smoke a bowl while re-watching the movie Willow? I'm there. But for the love of Christ do not just sit on your dumb ass and smoke dope all day everyday, you look fucking stupid.
Seriously though, 420? Why the fuck is this considered such a big deal to everyone? You can smoke dope every single day of the year you jackasses, you don't need a holiday to take a day off from sitting on your ass and being pathetic just so you can sit on your ass and be pathetic. All I end up doing on 420 is laughing at all of you twats who have nothing better to do with your lives than sit around and smoke pot.
I just love it when those fuckers get baked and decide to wax philosophical. And when I say I love it, I mean I'd rather dig at the vein in my cock with a linoleum knife than listen to the shit that falls out of their stupid mouthes. It just ruins the entire prospect of smoking dope. I smoke this shit to mellow out and relax, not speculate on the world's problems and take on your idiocy in tandem. Stop trying to unlock the keys to the universe you stupid twats, you can come find me when you want to discuss whether or not Bob Barker got a lot of pussy. And for the last time, I don't care that you've become intertwined with the fabric of space and time, pass the fucking Doritos. Assholes.
You'll surely find that it's all too common for people to bemoan the current state of the world or bitch about Tibet or some other horse shit after they get stoned. There is tons of shit wrong in this fucking world, that's a given. However, you can't claim moral superiority to ANYBODY when all you do is sit on your ass, get high, and eat fucking Chex Mix. There is seldom in this world that is more selfish and greedy.
I should probably mention at this point that I think it's absurd that marijuana is illegal in the first place, given that the government already makes ass loads of money selling you a wide variety of narcotics. The only reason marijuana is illegal is because the government doesn't like you medicating yourself in a way that doesn't make them money, they want you to pay them to use THEIR drugs.
While I find that fundamentally repulsive, let me also say this: what do you think those critical of marijuana legalization think when they see a bunch of shaggy mouth-breathing college students yelling "legalize it, man!" You're not fucking helping you pieces of shit. Those responsible for changing the current laws see this behavior as a reason to keep the shit illegal in hopes that it will maybe deter this type of idiocy, and it's hard for me to blame them. This is really embarrassing, I've never seen anything defeat it's own purpose so well. I'm all for the protest and activism that can change these laws, but for God's sake conduct yourself in a responsible and intelligent manner if you want anyone to take you seriously.
It irritates the piss out of me when the amount of weed you inhale becomes a point of pride. So you smoke x amount of dope y times a day and get "so high"? Who fucking cares? News flash morons, anyone can inhale smoke, it's not a skill you loathsome fucking twats. Claiming how often you get high every day does not impress me, dealing does not impress me, grow ops do not impress me, YOU DO NOT FUCKING IMPRESS ME! Stop trying to be a badass by doing something that is already so tired out and mundane. You're smoking a plant, big fucking deal. You want to be truly awesome? Do something creative and unheard of, like, I don't know, punch a dragon to death. Do that and you'll get my fucking attention.
While we're on the subject of chemical dependency, I will say this: while I have no inherent problems with pot itself, I have a major problem with people who are addicted to the least addictive drug in the fucking world. If you're even going to talk to me about addiction you'd fuckin' better be shooting heroin into your fucking tear ducts or smoking meth. If not, shut your god damn mouths and give me a fucking break you useless douchebags.
I love marijuana, but the underlying selfishness and weakness that comes with a large portion of those who smoke pot is intolerable. All this tells me is that you have no real skills to offer the world and need to escape the harsh reality of existence so often it proves that you are a fucking pussy. You are not hardcore for being a perma-fried asshole, the real badasses are those who take all the shit the world has to throw at them without chemical dependence as a crutch. Go out and make something of yourself you weak son of a bitch.
I don't give a shit if I'm harshing your mellow, I still hope your children get molested.
Let's get this fucking crystal. I'm not an anti-marijuana advocate in any fashion, I'm just an anti-retard advocate. There are those out there who smoke marijuana but don't piss me off at all. This rant is not about them. Now then, I enjoy dope like there's a future in it for me, but that's the end of it, I enjoy it, it's not my entire fucking life. You want to spark a joint after a long day to take the edge off and relax? Fine. You want to kick back and smoke a bowl while re-watching the movie Willow? I'm there. But for the love of Christ do not just sit on your dumb ass and smoke dope all day everyday, you look fucking stupid.
Seriously though, 420? Why the fuck is this considered such a big deal to everyone? You can smoke dope every single day of the year you jackasses, you don't need a holiday to take a day off from sitting on your ass and being pathetic just so you can sit on your ass and be pathetic. All I end up doing on 420 is laughing at all of you twats who have nothing better to do with your lives than sit around and smoke pot.
I just love it when those fuckers get baked and decide to wax philosophical. And when I say I love it, I mean I'd rather dig at the vein in my cock with a linoleum knife than listen to the shit that falls out of their stupid mouthes. It just ruins the entire prospect of smoking dope. I smoke this shit to mellow out and relax, not speculate on the world's problems and take on your idiocy in tandem. Stop trying to unlock the keys to the universe you stupid twats, you can come find me when you want to discuss whether or not Bob Barker got a lot of pussy. And for the last time, I don't care that you've become intertwined with the fabric of space and time, pass the fucking Doritos. Assholes.
You'll surely find that it's all too common for people to bemoan the current state of the world or bitch about Tibet or some other horse shit after they get stoned. There is tons of shit wrong in this fucking world, that's a given. However, you can't claim moral superiority to ANYBODY when all you do is sit on your ass, get high, and eat fucking Chex Mix. There is seldom in this world that is more selfish and greedy.
I should probably mention at this point that I think it's absurd that marijuana is illegal in the first place, given that the government already makes ass loads of money selling you a wide variety of narcotics. The only reason marijuana is illegal is because the government doesn't like you medicating yourself in a way that doesn't make them money, they want you to pay them to use THEIR drugs.
While I find that fundamentally repulsive, let me also say this: what do you think those critical of marijuana legalization think when they see a bunch of shaggy mouth-breathing college students yelling "legalize it, man!" You're not fucking helping you pieces of shit. Those responsible for changing the current laws see this behavior as a reason to keep the shit illegal in hopes that it will maybe deter this type of idiocy, and it's hard for me to blame them. This is really embarrassing, I've never seen anything defeat it's own purpose so well. I'm all for the protest and activism that can change these laws, but for God's sake conduct yourself in a responsible and intelligent manner if you want anyone to take you seriously.
It irritates the piss out of me when the amount of weed you inhale becomes a point of pride. So you smoke x amount of dope y times a day and get "so high"? Who fucking cares? News flash morons, anyone can inhale smoke, it's not a skill you loathsome fucking twats. Claiming how often you get high every day does not impress me, dealing does not impress me, grow ops do not impress me, YOU DO NOT FUCKING IMPRESS ME! Stop trying to be a badass by doing something that is already so tired out and mundane. You're smoking a plant, big fucking deal. You want to be truly awesome? Do something creative and unheard of, like, I don't know, punch a dragon to death. Do that and you'll get my fucking attention.
While we're on the subject of chemical dependency, I will say this: while I have no inherent problems with pot itself, I have a major problem with people who are addicted to the least addictive drug in the fucking world. If you're even going to talk to me about addiction you'd fuckin' better be shooting heroin into your fucking tear ducts or smoking meth. If not, shut your god damn mouths and give me a fucking break you useless douchebags.
I love marijuana, but the underlying selfishness and weakness that comes with a large portion of those who smoke pot is intolerable. All this tells me is that you have no real skills to offer the world and need to escape the harsh reality of existence so often it proves that you are a fucking pussy. You are not hardcore for being a perma-fried asshole, the real badasses are those who take all the shit the world has to throw at them without chemical dependence as a crutch. Go out and make something of yourself you weak son of a bitch.
I don't give a shit if I'm harshing your mellow, I still hope your children get molested.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The UN Self Interest Council
Dear faithful readers, I'd apologize for the lack of posting as of recent, but it’s not part of my cold and decisive nature to apologize for anything. Now let’s get straight to business.
Get rid of fucking full veto power to permanent members of the UN Security Council. For arguments sake I will elaborate on that statement, but it'll be brief because frankly, I type a lot. For those of you unfamiliar with how the Security Council works here's a quick overview of how shit goes down...
The UNSC is responsible for quelling international squabbling and keeping general order throughout the world. There are five permanent members; France, UK, United States, Russia and China. Ten other members are elected on a 2 year cycle, 5 are replaced per year. A single permanent member can veto an entire motion while it takes 9 pro-votes for action to be taken on a matter.
Now this is fantastic, if you are thinking ahead then you can smell the conflict of interest that could potentially happen if one of these permanent members decided it was in their best interest to not act on a given motion. These criticisms can be noted in how NO action was taken in Rwanda in 1994 even though there was substantial evidence of the atrocity occurring. Yet in 1991 when incredibly resource rich Kuwait gets harassed and invaded by Iraq the council could not act fast enough to send a coalition force to thwart the invasion.
Now me discuss why the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan (Yes it's in Sudan, because I doubt many of you actually knew that) can never be resolved so long as the veto power of the Permanent 5 (hereafter referred to at the P5) continues to hold the rest of the world hostage.
China has invested lots of money in Sudan, particularly in their oil reserves which although negligible in comparison with most oil producers, is still enough to raise interest in shitty Sudan. Sudanese government exterminates people in the Darfur region using weapons sold to them by... CHINA! China then uses that relationship to further investment, because China is the man on the inside at the UN. If anybody wants to take action in Sudan then the Chinese just say "How about no, since we gots lots of renminbi invested there, maybe you should just fuck off or I’ll go veto on your ass."
Another problem is the UNSC holds much similarity to beatnik parents. They tell you to do something, but if you don't obey then there are no consequences. The council can say "Stop" and the offender can reply with a wholehearted "FUCK YOU!" and the council will just reply to that with "Stop... please."
End point, conflict of interest is alive and well at the UN headquarters and nobody seems to give a fuck. The P5 needs to be dissolved (preferably in acid) or at least take away their excessive veto powers or things will further degrade into a steaming pile of bureaucrats shit with a UN flag planted on top. No system is perfect, but sitting idly around won’t fucking change things. Protesting anything related to Darfur/Sudan is futile because as long as China is waving veto power around then there is little to no legal action that can be taken by any nation that wishes to assist in the manner.
Fuck the UNSC.
Get rid of fucking full veto power to permanent members of the UN Security Council. For arguments sake I will elaborate on that statement, but it'll be brief because frankly, I type a lot. For those of you unfamiliar with how the Security Council works here's a quick overview of how shit goes down...
The UNSC is responsible for quelling international squabbling and keeping general order throughout the world. There are five permanent members; France, UK, United States, Russia and China. Ten other members are elected on a 2 year cycle, 5 are replaced per year. A single permanent member can veto an entire motion while it takes 9 pro-votes for action to be taken on a matter.
Now this is fantastic, if you are thinking ahead then you can smell the conflict of interest that could potentially happen if one of these permanent members decided it was in their best interest to not act on a given motion. These criticisms can be noted in how NO action was taken in Rwanda in 1994 even though there was substantial evidence of the atrocity occurring. Yet in 1991 when incredibly resource rich Kuwait gets harassed and invaded by Iraq the council could not act fast enough to send a coalition force to thwart the invasion.
Now me discuss why the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan (Yes it's in Sudan, because I doubt many of you actually knew that) can never be resolved so long as the veto power of the Permanent 5 (hereafter referred to at the P5) continues to hold the rest of the world hostage.
China has invested lots of money in Sudan, particularly in their oil reserves which although negligible in comparison with most oil producers, is still enough to raise interest in shitty Sudan. Sudanese government exterminates people in the Darfur region using weapons sold to them by... CHINA! China then uses that relationship to further investment, because China is the man on the inside at the UN. If anybody wants to take action in Sudan then the Chinese just say "How about no, since we gots lots of renminbi invested there, maybe you should just fuck off or I’ll go veto on your ass."
Another problem is the UNSC holds much similarity to beatnik parents. They tell you to do something, but if you don't obey then there are no consequences. The council can say "Stop" and the offender can reply with a wholehearted "FUCK YOU!" and the council will just reply to that with "Stop... please."
End point, conflict of interest is alive and well at the UN headquarters and nobody seems to give a fuck. The P5 needs to be dissolved (preferably in acid) or at least take away their excessive veto powers or things will further degrade into a steaming pile of bureaucrats shit with a UN flag planted on top. No system is perfect, but sitting idly around won’t fucking change things. Protesting anything related to Darfur/Sudan is futile because as long as China is waving veto power around then there is little to no legal action that can be taken by any nation that wishes to assist in the manner.
Fuck the UNSC.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)