Don't get me wrong, if you are behind the wheel and swerving all over the place because you are falling asleep then the police should pull you over. I have to wonder though just how the New Jersey State Police intend to determine if you were tired while driving giving them enough reason to pull you over. You see, according to this article, that is what they intend to do along with pulling over drunk drivers this Labor Day weekend. They also plane to pull over distracted drivers.
So let's see, a police car up ahead pulls over someone, you are driving along and see it, you rubber neck as you drive by and the officer sees you. Does he radio ahead for another officer to pull you over because you were distracted?
How about this - an officer is working the midnight shift. He is tired, so he goes to buy a cup of coffee at the local doughnut shop. He also buys a chocolate creme doughnut. He drinks the coffee that he loaded with sugar and eats the sugar slimed ringed morsel. About 20 minutes later he is feeling sleepy as he drives his cruiser down the highway and its only 4AM. His partner realizes that he is sleepy - does he make him pull him over and issue him a citation?
A motorist is driving down the road and an officer in a car in the next lane realizes the motorist is talking. There is no one else in the car with said motorist. Should the officer pull him over because he is: a) obviously distracted because he is talking on his hands free cell phone, b) pull him over because the guy is acting loopy from lack of sleep as evidenced by his talking to thin air, c) pull him over because he must be drunk and singing along with his stereo?
I hate driving through New Jersey because over the years that I have been a licensed driver I have come to the conclusion they incessantly look for new and absolutely ludicrous reasons to pull someone over for nothing in what mounts to a witch hunt. I have heard tell they have pulled people over for race (racial profiling not racing mind you), length of their hair (guys with long hair and beards must be hippies who have drugs), if you drove over the Washington Bridge into NJ at an early AM hour (must mean you were in Harlem buying drugs), if a guy was in the car with a younger female companion (must mean she was a runaway), if you were driving at the speed limit in the left lane (you must have been impeding traffic) and on and on. Next thing you know they will be reading your mind and pulling you over because you were thinking about speeding. Of course they also pull people over for motor vehicle infractions as they should do - but how about they just stick to pulling people over for actual violations.
As for you, if you plan to drive in NJ, or anywhere, be aware you just may get pulled over for being tired while driving - and then what - maybe get a tongue lashing! Folks I just don't know, there was insufficient information in that wee article but you can bet you are going to get hammered by the police if you drive while hammered. So you should be.
As for me, yawn! I am going out to take a drive and get the wind in my hair so I can wake up. Now really folks - I do not recommend driving while to tired to drive safely, nor do I recommend driving while distracted (do not try to drive with closed eyes to avoid all the distractions), and I definitely recommend against driving while intoxicated. Be careful, stay sober if driving, use a designated driver if drinking and traveling in a motor vehicle, stay alert and awake, drive safely. Your life and the life of others may depend upon it.
All the best,
Glenn B
