Inconsistencies downgrade the importance of laws
I’m relatively new to Hawaii and, as such, perhaps I fail to see the logic in some of the Hawaii regulations. For example, yesterday I saw a pickup truck driving through Waimea with three young people in the box. They passed through the intersection directly in front of a police car wherein the officer’s gaze tracked the pickup through the intersection and into a parking lot. When the light changed both vehicles continued on to their respective destinations. This is the second time I have witnessed this. The first time was at 50 mph on the Mamalahoa Highway, again with a police officer having the truck and box passengers in full view with nothing else going on in his world. Nothing was said or done.
Further to this, helmets are not required while riding a motorcycle.
This is occurring while numerous signs are displayed out around the island advising of a $102 ticket for failing to use a seat belt.
Let me see if I have this straight: You may without legal repercussion, ride a motorcycle bare headed or ride unrestrained, unprotected in the open box of a pickup truck neither of which offer any peripheral protection whatever yet in the steel encased interior of a vehicle equipped (most likely) with air bags the occupants are required to use seat belts.
To be clear on the subject, this is not a condemnation of seat belt legislation. To the contrary. I recognized and have been using seat belts for 50 years which commenced long before it became law.
Obviously, the point is one of consistency or lack thereof which makes the whole process look bad or even a little silly.
On this same subject, a visitor commented that perhaps the regulations are being made by the same guy who sounded the missile attack a couple of years ago.
Inconsistencies like this downgrade the importance of all our laws particularly when they negate or ignore the importance of human life.
Gene Moody
Waimea
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