Get Pissed off on 128? Lose your LTC!

[C-pher]

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2007/09/26/news/news4.txt

Getting rage off the road
BY DAVID LINTON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Wednesday, September 26, 2007 1:11 AM EDT

Motorists will have to check their anger at the curb before putting their keys in the ignition if proposed legislation to crack down on road rage becomes law.

The Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee is considering a bill to crack down on a range of bad behavior on the roads - from tailgating to unnecessary honking to making threats or obscene gestures.
Under the legislation introduced by state Rep. Harold Naughton, D-Clinton, those convicted of road rage could be sentenced to up to 2 years in jail.

Violators will also be required to attend anger management classes and risk having their licenses revoked for up to five years.

Mansfield Police Chief Arthur O'Neil, president of the Massachusetts Association of Police Chiefs, said he is interested in the legislation.

O'Neil said the association has not yet been asked to formally comment, but he said he supports any legislation that is clearly defined and cracks down on road rage.

"Road rage is a dangerous thing," O'Neil said. "There is no place for it on our roadways."

The committee is also considering bills that would toughen the penalties for drag racing and for involvement in high-speed chases with police.

The drag racing bill, which is co-sponsored by state Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, would increase the penalties from a license suspension and $500 fine up to a $1,000 fine and 2 years in jail.

O'Neil said drag racing does not belong on roads and that drivers who lead police on high-speed chases deserve harsher punishment.

"We try to avoid them because they are dangerous for police and they are dangerous to the public," O'Neil said of the chases.

The only thing...the yesterdays paper, the time for jail time said two and a half years. On-line, it's just saying two.

So, if it is in fact two and a half years, then that's what he line is for losing your Permit.

 

[sksguns]

Don't we already have laws that allow a cop to write you a ticket for this stuff? As if our jails aren't crowded enough......

The can't even keep violent criminals in jail and now they want to put aggresive drivers in jail....how pathetic.

Again...Welcome to Massachusetts...where we make criminals of our residents one stupid law at a time.

 

[Adam_MA]

Don't we already have laws that allow a cop to write you a ticket for this stuff?

Yes, this law though goes the extra mile, and will screw you over for you f***ing feelings!

This idiot was on Michael Graham yesterday, and was saying shit like "Right now, if you bump into someone with your car out of anger, there isn't any law to punish you"

f***ing tool!


Libholes ARE going to kill this country!

The second revolution is coming!

 

[C-pher]

This idiot was on Michael Graham yesterday, and was saying shit like "Right now, if you bump into someone with your car out of anger, there isn't any law to punish you"

Yes there is...it's called, "Hit and Run."

Someone did this to me a while back. He got all pissed off at me. Was freaking out...driving all around me. I called 911 and said that some wacko was nuts. Just then, he swerved over at me and hit my car. Now, thank goodness it was my Jeep TJ and all it did was hit the plastic bumber and my wheel. But it did a number on his car.

He called the RI SP when he got home and told them that it happened on 295 in RI. When I said that there was a report with the Foxboro barracks regarding this guy from about two hours before, he asked why I called Foxboro. I said, "Because when I called 911, that's were I was routed because that's the closest police station where we were." He got upset because the guy lied to him. My insurance company denied his claim. His didn't pay, he was screwed and got hit with a "Hit and Run" charge. As well as some other things like reckless and intent to damage or something.

But it wasn't cheap for him.

So, there are laws out there....they just need to be enforced.

And for the most part, if people freak out and yell at me, or flip me off...I don't really care. Usually I just blow them a kiss, smile, and keep driving.

But when they come after me, I just call the cops...which was only that one time. Most of the time, after a yell and a flip, people are done.

 

[C-pher]

Also, my fear with this is that it's going to be abused. All someone has to do is get pissed because someone came into your lane without a turn signal.

You call the cops, report the license plate...and that person could be screwed.

 

[stoneypete]

Welcome to Massachusetts...where we make criminals of our residents one stupid law at a time.

I just found my new signature line.

 

[dwarven1]

My problem with this is how do you define "rage"? When someone tailgates me or flips me off, I smile and wave at them - infuriates them no end that I'm not getting upset. Is that considered an "obscene gesture", or do they specifically mean

?

And since when is flipping your headlights a symptom of road rage??? When I learned to drive, we were taught to do that to signal the person in front of you that you wanted to pass!!! Not to mention that it's used to warn people of a speed trap ahead.

 

[Adam_MA]

http://www.telegram.com/article/20070926/NEWS/709260679/1116

More info here... Scary the power this will give the police!

 

[JonJ]

Anyone have a link to the text of this bill?

 

[Adam_MA]

Anyone have a link to the text of this bill?

No, I looked all over for it yesterday after I heard it on the radio, and can't find it anywhere...

 

[JonJ]

Just looking at the article, all of those "things" listed and more can be cited for or charged with without this bad legislation. The real bad part is having to notify God (the RMV) for a license suspension.

I like this line "That would include...purposely braking to endanger or annoy the driver of a following vehicle..."
Now go away before I taunt you some more!

What do you do with 2 footed drivers? You know the ones who rest their foot on the brake and the brake lights are constantly flashing.

 

[LoginName]

Anyone have a link to the text of this bill?

Excuse the formatting....

HOUSE – No. 3585 2
regulations of the registry of motor vehicles regarding the administrative
suspension of licenses.
An incident of road rage shall be deemed to have occurred when an individual
operates a motor vehicle on any way or in any place to which the public has a
right of access, or upon any way or in any place to which members of the public
have access as invitees or licensees, aggressively, maliciously or recklessly so
that the safety of at least one other person might be endangered. Such operation
may include but shall not be limited to some or all of the following acts:
speeding, following too closely, failure to give way to a passing vehicle, unsafe
lane changes, purposely braking to endanger or annoy the operator of a
following vehicle, threatening to commit bodily injury or another crime,
menacing or obscene gesturing and unnecessary sounding of the horn.
If a police officer observes a person operating a motor vehicle on any way or in
any place to which the public has a right of access, or upon any way or in any
place to which members of the public have access as invitees or licensees, in an
erratic manner fitting the definition of road rage, he may arrest without a warrant
the person responsible for such operation.
Any person found guilty of committing an incident of road rage shall be
punished by a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $1,000, or by
imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years in a house of correction,
or by both such fine and imprisonment. A sentence imposed under this section
shall not run concurrent with any sentence imposed under any other chapter and
section for the same incident. Any person found guilty of road rage shall be
required to attend anger management classes or an anger management program.
The frequency of mandatory attendance at such classes or length of program to
be recommended by probation shall be based on a probation officer’s
assessment of the individual including prior criminal record and driver history.
Upon conviction of this section, the registrar shall revoke the license or right to
operate of such convicted person for not less than one year nor more than five
years, unless the person convicted has been issued a commercial driver license,
in which case the registrar shall revoke the commercial driver license for not
less than two years nor more than five years.
A police officer of any jurisdiction through which part of an incident of road
rage occurs shall have the authority to investigate and seek charges through his
district court for the entire incident even though some of the incident may have
taken place within other jurisdictions. This section shall not be construed as
extending police power of arrest, outside the jurisdiction in which such officers
are sworn. Any district court having jurisdiction over any area through which
the road rage incident occurred shall have jurisdiction regarding all charges
stemming from the same incident.
The registrar of motor vehicles shall make rules and regulations pertaining to the
length of suspension or revocation of license or right to operate of those
convicted under this section who hold a commercial driver license, for second and subsequent offenders, or those convicted under this section coupled with
convictions for other crimes during the same incident such as, but not limited to:
operating after suspension of license or operating under the influence and any
felony.

 

[Chris]

Making new laws is all these pompous liberal legislators know how to do. Heaven forbid they actually 'solve' a problem.

And once again, we'll add some pages to the bookshelf of MGL which few if anyone will know, understand, or use. And life will go on as usual on our streets. The decent people will behave for the most part (we all have our bad days) and the 'problem' people will remain the a$$holes that they enjoy being.

Oh yea, and legislator X who proposed the bill will use its passage to stick "Spearheaded massive reform on roadway aggression." in his next campaign.

 

[Pilgrim]

If the reportis substantiated,or the incident occurs in the officer?s presence, the officer shallissue a citation to any violator, and if such citation is issued, the officer shallnotify the registrar of motor vehicles of the incident and the violator by filing RMV form Request for Immediate Threat License Suspension/Revocation. The registrar,upon
receipt of the immediate threat form shall immediately suspend thelicense of the
violator

Where is the due process under the law? Guilty until proven innocent !

 

[rwl1955]

Road Rage

Our road`s are total chaos. Nobody follows the rules. Mass drivers are so incompetent it`s scary. Every day I want to pull someone over and beat the shit out of them. It`s a free for all.
Cops pull over motorists for speeding but not for poking along in the left lane, tying up traffic for miles. I get this a**h*** every morning on RT.2 who drives at 50mph in the right lane. The whole highway slows down as everyone has to switch lanes to pass him. He doesn`t give a shit that he is causing a potential accident.
We wonder why our insurance rates are so high.

 

[pdm]

Our insurance rates are so high because the Commonwealth regulates what we can be charged.

 

[JonJ]

What a stupid bill.

Any person found guilty of road rage shall be required to attend anger management classes or an anger management program.

"Reeducation" camp.

Rep Harold P. Naughton, Jr is a lawyer. Guess he's trying to make sure his buddies have enough work.

 

[pipmaster1971]

Although I do think tailgaters should be shot on the side of the road.

To be honest, I've lived in several states and several countries. Mass (and RI+CT) drivers are about the worst anywhere. God knows what passes as driver's education in this state?

Folks dawdle along at 50 in the passing-lane, folks tail-gate, switch lines faster than an AC-current, and as for turn signals - I think they must be an optional extra on cars in Mass.

I do think this law is stupid. Just pass a generic dangerous driving law and use that (would also cover any other stupid road behavior).

 

[C-pher]

Our road`s are total chaos. Nobody follows the rules. Mass drivers are so incompetent it`s scary. Every day I want to pull someone over and beat the shit out of them. It`s a free for all.

That's part of what scares me. I could be doing nothing wrong. Some a**h*** gets pissed off at me because I didn't let him over... Then I lose my LTC because of the sentence time.

Any person found guilty of committing an incident of road rage shall be punished by a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $1,000, or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years in a house of correction, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

And, if I get it right...even if I'm not charged that...because it's a possibility, it's an automatic loss of your LTC. Isn't that correct?

 

[JonJ]

I do think this law is stupid. Just pass a generic dangerous driving law and use that (would also cover any other stupid road behavior).

We have one. It's called operating so as to endanger or operating negligently.

 

[Dick]

. . . and as for turn signals - I think they must be an optional extra on cars in Mass.

Using turn signals in Massachusetts is considered the moral equivalent of passing information to the enemy in wartime.

I'm as uncomfortable with this proposed legislation as the rest of you, but I gotta admit I see behavior on the highways every day that provides pretty convincing evidence that whoever's behind the wheel is mentally and emotionally unfit to own firearms.

 

[LoginName]

And, if I get it right...even if I'm not charged that...because it's a possibility, it's an automatic loss of your LTC. Isn't that correct?

Yep, FID also.

If found guilty and sentenced to even 1 day in jail, the loss/revocation of ones LTC/FID kicks in because of what the max sentence could potentially be.

Maybe I'm being delusional, but I swear the MA Legislature deliberately increases sentencing to more than 2 years for the sole purpose of denying a person their RKBA.

 

[badmotorfinger]

Using turn signals in Massachusetts is considered the moral equivalent of passing information to the enemy in wartime.

+1, very true.

I am one that gets infuriated when driving on 128/495 and I no doubt WOULD have been issued one of the first citations due to the fact that I get real animated after a pinhead on cell phone at 6:30am, in his/her SUV drift into my lane (w/out signaling and almost take my fender off).

But alas, since I start my new job next week, in the next town over (5 min away), I will liberated from the highway. Although, I will still see very intelligent drivers putting around, as was the case last night: I am at a red light, waiting to turn right, in front of some MBTA train tracks, and a minivan pulls in front of me (on the left) and goes through on red onto the tracks and stops and waits for the light to turn green.

I then rolled down my window and ask the driver to my right if he witnessed that remarkable act? His response: "Nothing surprises me anymore in this state".

 

[C-pher]

Maybe I'm being delusional, but I swear the MA Legislature deliberately increases sentencing to more than 2 years for the sole purpose of denying a person their RKBA.

I wanted to post that...but didn't want to be labled as a "tin foil hat" wearer.

But I really do think that that's what they are doing?

How many other things in the state require a 2-1/2 sentence to lose?

 

[TonyDedo]

just another nanny law that's going to cost the taxpayers more money, while expanding the role (and payroll) of government...

 

[csharpdev]

Our insurance rates are so high because the Commonwealth regulates what we can be charged.

Our insurance rates are not set, there is only a cap. Companies are free to charge as little as they want to. I agree $620/year is way too much to pay for full coverage on an old 2002 Explorer. But I pay less in MA for more coverage than anyone I know who lives outside of MA.

In MA we do crazy things like base insurance rates on your driving record. Dumb I know. In other places it's based on credit score, what kind of job you have, college degree, GPA if student, etc.

I pay about half as much for insurance as my fiancee's father does and he's never been in an accident in his life, he's 50 something, I'm 25. But he lives in VA.

 

[LoginName]

I wanted to post that...but didn't want to be labled as a "tin foil hat" wearer.

But I really do think that that's what they are doing?

Nothing wrong with that... "Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you".

How many other things in the state require a 2-1/2 sentence to lose?

I have no idea how old this list is and/or if other misdemeanors have been added since...

MASSACHUSETTS 1998 GUN CONTROL ACT
Misdemeanor Conviction Disqualifier for FID cards and LTC’s
Under Massachusetts law, misdemeanors punishable by imprisonment for more than two
years 1 include the following offenses 2 :
Crimes Against the Person:
Assault (c. 265, §13A)
Assault & Battery (c. 265, §13A)
A&B on Public Employee (c. 265, §13D)
A&B on Ambulance Personnel (c. 265, §131)
Permitting Injury to a Child (c. 265, §13J)
Gross Negligence by Common Carrier (c. 265, §30)
A&B/Property Damage to Intimidate (c. 265, §39)
Causing Injury in a Physical Exercise Program (c. 265, §40)
Resisting Arrest (c. 268, §32B)
Crimes Against Property:
Failure to Report Hotel Fire (c. 266, §13A)
Larceny from Common Carrier/Business (c. 266, §30(1))
Larceny Under $250 from Elder/Disabled Person (c. 266, §30(5))
Shoplifting Over $100 (c. 266, §30A)
Falsely Obtaining Commercial Computer Service (c. 266, §33A)
Receipt of Deposit by Insolvent Bank (c. 266, §54)
Receiving Stolen Property Under $250 (c. 266, §60)
False Statement to Motor Vehicle Insurer (c. 266, §111B)
Obstruction of Medical Facility - Subseq. Offense (c. 266, §120E)
Wanton Destruction Property Over $250 (c. 266, §127)
Destruction Church/School Property (c. 266, §127A)
Destruction Jail Property (c. 266, §130)
Motor Vehicle Offenses:
Operating After Suspension for OUI/MVH, etc. (c. 90, §23)
Operating Under the Influence (c. 90, §24(1))
Motor Vehicle Homicide While OUI or While OTE (c. 90, §24G(b))
OUI With Serious Bodily Injury (c. 90, §24L(2))
OUI on a Vessel (c. 90B, §8(a))
OUI on a Vessel With Serious Bodily Injury (c. 90B, §8A(2))
Homicide by Vessel While OUI or While OTE (c. 90B, §8B(2))

 

[Weerd Beard]

What do you do with 2 footed drivers? You know the ones who rest their foot on the brake and the brake lights are constantly flashing.

Throw them in jail to rot. You know the same jails we AREN'T sending Illigal Alien Drug-dealers and child rapists to.

We have our priorities right on straight!

 

[Chris]

And, if I get it right...even if I'm not charged that...because it's a possibility, it's an automatic loss of your LTC. Isn't that correct?

I have an acquaintance that ran into this. When he was 18, he bought a bicycle from a neighbor so that he could get to his after school job. Turned out the bicycle had been stolen, and the original owner was able to positively ID it.

My friend went to court on "Receiving Stolen Property" and was told by his lawyer just to plead guilty and get the 'slap on the wrist'. My friend had to do something like 8 hours of community service, and the fines and fees were waived.

Well, guess what happened when he went to get his new FID after Chapter 180 of the Acts of 1998 kicked in. You guessed it, he was denied his RKBA based on that one acceptance of a plea bargain.
He ended up getting lucky in that the actual ruling wasn't 'guilty', but "Continuance Without A Finding". But it cost him several thousand for the lawyer to get the mess cleared up. We are not even talking about an LTC, but an FID for his deer shotgun.

I have not spoken to this person in years - last I knew he was living out west somewhere - anywhere but here in MA.

 

[C-pher]

Yep, FID also.

If found guilty and sentenced to even 1 day in jail, the loss/revocation of ones LTC/FID kicks in because of what the max sentence could potentially be.

Maybe I'm being delusional, but I swear the MA Legislature deliberately increases sentencing to more than 2 years for the sole purpose of denying a person their RKBA.

I was under the impression that you don't even have to spend a night in jail. Just being found on this, even if you just have to do 8 hours CS, or even just pay a small ticket...it counts.