Monday, June 9, 2008

Morons at Minneapolis City Hall Pass No Idling Ordinance for Vehicles

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We interrupt this peaceful blog to bring you an important public service rant.

The morons on the Minneapolis City Council, led by the mayor who is totally ashamed of his first name, R.T. Rybak, have passed another ridiculous ordinance trying to resolve a simple problem. That's because they don't understand difficult concepts and issues, so they choose simple things to impress their constituents. I would imagine the debate over which brand of office paper and pencils to purchase much be something to behold.

To a man, these guys (oh, yeah, I know there are women on the council) are devotees of the impending Gore-ismic cataclysm of Global Warming and want to prepare Minneapolis, about 13% of the population of the metropolitan area, to begin the reversal process by limiting the length of time a person may idle their vehicle, to save gas and limit air pollution. No more than three minutes or they will be in violation.

Wonderful. They failed to ban circuses from the city. But I would imagine that issue will come back next year. They provided WiFi for the rich so that Seattle and NY will be impressed with us. They built a fancy new building for the library, designed by a fashionable architect, and then they realized they couldn't afford it and had to turn it over to the county. What idiots!

These guys with the cushy jobs, expense accounts and car allowances all have heated or underground garages. Just guessing, I'd say that 30% of their constituents, or more, don't have such luxuries. How do you suppose we warm up our cars when the temperature drops to -25 occasionally? Many people I know get up in the middle of the night and go out and start their car and let it warm up a bit.

Many folks who work in large office buildings, use remote starters to make their car toasty warm by the time they get to it in the outdoor parking lot or ramp. God help them if they have to wait for a light and it takes them longer than three minutes to get to their car.

What about backyard mechanics? Will they be required to take their car to a garage when it needs fixing? What about garages? Will they be able to idle the car as they are doing the computer and other observation testing needed in the process of fixing a car?

Will visitors be eligible for warning tickets?

Who's going to enforce the "no idling" ordinance? I suppose I should apply. Sounds like a great cushy part-time job. I hope I would be exempt from penalties as I slowly drive through neighborhoods looking for violators.

If the idiots at city hall want to do something about cars idling, they should do something about the "left turn on green only" signs and lights on Hiawatha (and probably other streets). Do the slow learners at city hall think we are so stupid that we will drive into oncoming busses because we don't realize how big they are? I've spent more than three minutes many times waiting for the opportunity to turn left off of Hiawatha with no cars visible moving in any direction. Idling. I wonder if that is a violation?

And half the stop signs and red lights in the city date to a time when the man (probably correct in those days) responsible for their placement was an alderman. That was his only way to get votes. A good share of them should be removed. I have seen a few taken down and am grateful.

End of rant. We now return you to more blessed subject!


1 comment:

Joe of St. Thérèse said...

hahahahaha, well if you're in my area, you get geniuses who expect you to slow from 75 to 15 to get off an exit, and stop signs at begining of curves.