I’ve been reading books that may (or may not) be helpful to me once I start my MBA. I simply did a Google search and started downloading any recommended books available from my library as an e-pub.
The book I’m currently reading is Freakonomics. I actually read part of this book before - I picked it off my brother-in-law’s (an MBA) bookshelf and scanned through it while he and my husband discussed cars. The book is really interesting, probably not just to a geek like myself, but I think a good number of people would be interested in this book.
Alas, I’ll quit rambling and get to my point. I found one story in the revised and expanded edition that could use a call out - “Making Profits from Incivility on the Roads”. Levitt describes the glee felt when a bunch of cars were pulled over and ticketed for cutting a bunch of people off in a merge lane.
We’ve all waited, however impatiently, to either merge onto or off a highway where another empty road beckons us to illegally speed pass the line of cars and cut someone off seconds before the empty road leads off to some unwanted location. Most of us have probably been the jerk to pretend we are taking the undesired road only to whip in front of the long trail of waiting cars, ignore the honks and middle fingers as we happily run off to our destination 15 minutes faster.
In Freakonomics, Levitt talks a little about why we actually wait, but his main point is that we (or the police force rather) should do something about it. Now he’s not suggesting new road construction or flying cars, although that would be nice. All he suggests is that the various law enforcement agencies around the nation take a look at what he observed in NYC. Two cops policing a merge lane that is notorious for this speed and cut in routine and ticket all the offenders.
Typically when I pass someone on I-10 getting a ticket I feel either a sense of relief that it wasn’t me or a sense of pity, because they were probably doing 20 plus over and will have a hefty fine. The only time I am happy that the poor shmuck is getting a ticket is when I recognize a car that had recently cut me off. Now, what better way to make a bunch of law-abiding commuters happy than by ticketing the several inconsiderate jerks who are making the good citizens wait another few minutes in traffic than by ticketing these offenders.
Not only would ticketing the bastards lead to happy commuters but it could raise revenue to help expand our roadways and it might just cut back on the crime. It would probably cut back on accidents too!
I’m very anxious to send this wonderful idea to my brother, who happens to be a state highway patrolman, although I’m sure he won’t be nearly as impressed as I was. At least I can get the word out. Maybe one day you’ll see this tactic in your city, and if you aren’t the one getting the ticket, I hope you’ll think of me.