Should the US adopt a demerit system?
103381
of course not. they have a hard enough time with the current system of punishment.\n\nand do you really want someone else deciding what you get merits and demerits for? if so, look into Christianity, particular Catholicism
1162716
I think it should be treated just like beer and unfortified wine are (in the US).  Taxed, sure. Age-restricted. Available through retail stores (not ABC/state stores).  Available in bars/pubs/etc. And, just like beer and wine, individuals should be allowed to produce up to a certain amount at home annually.  DWI laws already cover driving offenses.\n\nOh, and revenues would roll in from production and sales. Some depressed economies would turn around and become boom economies.  Tax revenues would be enormous.  PLUS!!!  We'd save billions on police, courts and jails by not arresting and jailing people for pot!!!!!!!!!
818479
Yeah but I think it would be cool to have a new national holiday called NO DRIVING DAY.  One day per year no one could drive a motorized vehicle except for police, fire and ambulance.\nIf you had to get somewhere, you had to walk or ride a bike.  \nIt would give perspective of how good we have it and what politicians/city planners have to deal with.
379961
Your idea has been proposed a jillion times, but the fact is, we Americans are too selfish. Let the other guy protest, is what most are thinking.  So it just doesn't happen.\n\nI think it would work, though, except many of us live in rural areas with no mass transit...and we gotta work, ya know?  I tried to carpool, but no one in my rural area goes to the same area to work as me.\n\nI AM tired of it (the gas prices), though.  I think it would have been easier if there were a gradual rise over several years, instead of all at once.  My understanding is that places like Australia have been paying these prices for over 15 yrs (?).  Not sure if that's right, but we've had it pretty easy here.  \n\nAnother thing to look at: certain govt officials are looking at taking the restrictions off fuel taxes, so they can be used for things other than highway/transportation improvement.  SURE hope this doesn't happen...look at how they handled the supposed income from lottery (was supposed to all go to schools, remember?).  Imagine how much better our classrooms would be if they had done what they said.\n\nAnyway, good observation you have there.
777423
I agree.  I also feel that if you have to take a test and prove your skills to drive a car the same should be true for parenting.  I don't believe the Government should regulate our personal lives but it seems that the people with the most kids are the worst parents.  They did something similar with welfare...they stopped giving bigger checks for more kids so they should do the same thing for taxes.
863882
Makes a whole lot of sense to me!  Never thought of it, but great point!  I agree that the USA would do something about it if they wanted to.
721194
Check out this really good article: "The Emerging Paradigm for Policing Multiethnic Societies:  Glimpses from The American Experience", available at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/publications/specialissue/10McDonald.pdf\n\nLook through the paper's endnotes to find other sources on the topic...there seems to be a lot there.
1138050
Some laws which deal with public safety should not be ignored.\nSeat belts. Speed limits. Drunken driving\nLaws which deal with personal choices/freedoms are so stupid one cannot help but ignore them. Drugs.
666691
The problem is too many people DIE from dumb a$$es who get behind the wheel drunk. The solution would be to stop letting them get off with a slap on the wrist and lock their a$$es up for about a year on the first offense instead of 3 days.
446204
In a ideal situation we should remove the laws that restrict posession by law abiding citizens.\n\nBut more importantly...\n\nENFORCE the laws we already have.
625608
I agree we should switch and the government has tried to get us to use it before but many Americans just don't want to learn it.  In the UK they are  complaining about it and an Australian told me alot of the older generation there still refer to everything in miles.  The best thing to do is prepare the next generation for it and maybe put signs in both the metric and miles and then eventually take away the miles part.
653889
only if it is free to do as it wishes without govrnment laws and rules .                 yes i do in fact make it its own country the idea that every state should be the same is just nuts people need a variety of choices we should have at least one state where doing whatever you want is ok lets make it new york then we could get ride of people who cause us problems like people who hate others and only allow you to do what they beleive is right. enough peoplelive in newyork to make it the kinda place thats deverse enough to handle its freedomif the government didnt take so much from newyorkers maybe they could fix a few problems they have put out all the homeless and sick people and the lazzy ones on welfare the biggoted ones who spread hate the hetero sexuals that fill the city till it over flows wait i have gone to far all these rules and laws ruin a people as diverse as americans and making all states the same is no freedom at all let california have legal pot if you dont like it move .let georgia have drunk drivers give florida all the petofials they well have a tough time finding people young enough to molest lol but you do  get the point i hope we all cant agree all the time so the needs of all the people should be met if 50.000 people are killed because of drunk driving that means alot of people wanna drive drunk if 1,000,000 people are in jail for drug crimes then alot of people wanto do drugs if you dont want to live by these peopledont make them criminals give them someplaceto call home new york sanfransisco la. atlanta chicago  create unsafe zzones where people can be free to choose  rebuild new orleans  but make it free maybe .
253637
It should be part of the future of American politics. Personal responsibility is a value that far to many of us are lacking, especially politicians.
821980
It should be reduced to a misdemeanor offense. By doing this we could cut prison populations in half.\nUS has the highest prison population per capita of any nation on earth
723654
I think we should focus more on drunk drivers and teaching teenagers how to drive safely.  I imagine we'd save more lives focusing on that than on these idiots that tailgate.
125209
NO!!!!  Ever been in line to get a drivers license?  Actually, quite the opposite.  I believe we need to privatize schools.  Capitalism will only make the product better. Instead of government controlling everything if we allow the private sector to compete for our children and their education they will have no choice but to be better schools.
239338
it is the gov't responsiblity to make sure you are safe.  that's is why there are laws against things that could potentially kill you.  so yes it's a good idea for wheelies to be illegal.  i wouldn't want my son seeing some idiot doing such nonsense on the freeway and then trying to go home and copy and kill himself.  plus doing wheelies on the freeway not only endangers your life, it endangers the innocent lives around you.  is that fair to us just trying to drive?