On occasion I like to believe that people can change their behaviour. I suppose I am an optimist in that regard, at least until I am proven wrong. This past week I was deeply troubled by the report about some recent statistics as they do not bode well for our ability to change our behaviour. Those statistics? The traffic infraction numbers for February to March 27 2013 on Highways 63, 881, and 69.
Why should their money go to pay for my highway? Well, why should my tax dollars go to pay for their hospitals? Why should my tax dollars pay for anything in their region or community? Because that's just how it works, folks. My tax dollars might be allocated to your regional needs just as your tax dollars might be to mine. But there is a far larger reason at work here. Where EXACTLY do people in this province think the money in our economy is coming from? Who is the economic driver of this province? What is the economic engine?
You can talk about bad driving and negligence and speeding all you like and about how if we just address all those things the problem would end - but the reality is you cannot completely change human behaviour. While some people may change there will always be someone who chooses to drive 200 km per hour instead of 100, or pass a dozen vehicles and play chicken with oncoming traffic.