Entry bubble Wear Your Seat Belt

By: Joanne | May 19, 2009 | Category: Travel

click it or ticket

Here’s a tip: wear your seat belt when you’re in the car this week, because the police are cracking down and ticketing people violating seat belt laws.

This week is the Click it or Ticket National Enforcement Mobilization Campaign. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only 83 percent of Americans are using seat belts. What really surprised me was that the national data actually indicates that seat belt usage actually went down in many states between 2007 and 2008. I was also surprised to see that night time seat belt usage is significantly lower than day time usage.

I’m a big seat belt advocate. When I was a kid, my parents always insisted that I wear a seat belt in the car – they even got seat belts in the back seat when that was optional equipment. I started wearing seat belts when I was young, and I never stopped. I’ve been in 3 car accidents in my life, and I’m certain that each time my seat belt saved me from injury. I remember getting in the car with my cousin one day and scolding her for not wearing a seat belt. She told me that she didn’t like seat belts because they’re uncomfortable. “So’s a traumatic head injury!” I replied.

So once you get into the habit of wearing your seat belt this week, keep it up.  It’s one of the many little things you can do to help yourself and your loved ones stay safe and healthy.

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: belt   car   joanne   police   safety   seat   ticket  

 

Entry bubble Parking Tickets

By: Colleen | January 25, 2008 | Category: General

parking ticketI got a parking ticket the other week because I have high arches in my feet.

Kind of.

While home in Philaburbia, I was on a quest for new sneakers. But not just ANY kicks.

A daily runner, I beat up my footwear pretty quick. And my feet? They're "special." (read: I have an insanely high arch - making me the ideal en pointe ballerina. Having the grace of an elephant hinders this somewhat, however.)

Thus, I buy running shoes made specifically for people with Everest-like arches. These are not always available at general sporting goods stores that have sprawling free parking lots.

My mission led me to a running-specific store in Bryn Mawr, PA. I park at a meter. It was Saturday. I checked for signs indicating whether or not one had to pay meters on weekends. No such sign existed. Proceeded to store. Bought shoes. Everyone wins.

Not so much.

Back at my car I was greeted by a crabby meter-maid and a hand-written bright yellow ticket. (Apparently Lower Merion Township is pretty old-school.)

Ticked off but distracted, I tossed the ticket onto my passenger's seat and there it remained.

Yesterday, my Dad called. "Colleen, do you care to explain the letter I received in the mail from the Lower Merion Police Department?" Apparently a township that still hand-writes their tickets likes to be paid rather promptly, and when your Dad's name is also on the title of your car, they send failure of payment notices his way.

The meter thing still bothers me. I decided to do some local government research to see what the real deal is with parking meters.

Turns out, "All may park, all must pay"- including Saturdays. I stand corrected, even with my high arches.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   government   local   parking   running   shoes   ticket