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Alert: Road travel banned in Massachusetts after 4pm
I don't like the precedent. To ban all Motor Vehicle traffic statewide is ridiculous and I don't think the government has any right to do so, especially for something relatively minor such as a snow storm.
Since when can the government ban the use of cars on the roads?
We should be asking this about many things the government is doing nowadays. Sadly, most of us do not. And THAT, in a nutshell, is why they can do it.
Actually, while this would be an outrage if the Fed govt did it, there is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that says states can't do it - which means, the states and localities CAN do it.
Whether they SHOULD, is a different question.
Massachusetts citizens, are you going to let your government take this kind of power over you?
So you think it would be better to have people trying to get somewhere unimportant and have their cars stuck in snowbanks all over the roads, making it harder for roads to be cleared?
And then people start complaining because the NEXT DAY then cannot get out to the store or work because the roads aren't clear yet?
Since when can the government ban the use of cars on the roads?
We should be asking this about many things the government is doing nowadays. Sadly, most of us do not. And THAT, in a nutshell, is why they can do it.
Actually, while this would be an outrage if the Fed govt did it, there is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that says states can't do it - which means, the states and localities CAN do it.
Whether they SHOULD, is a different question.
Massachusetts citizens, are you going to let your government take this kind of power over you?
Sure they will. The people of Massachusetts are smart enough to realize that driving is a privilege and not a right defined by any local/federal constitution or governing statute.
If a weather event makes roads impassable statewide, then that should happen. I don't remember this ever happening here in Colorado, but Colorado is 13.5 times larger than Massachusetts.
They a public roads, and they don't want people to get hurt...or risk rescue personnel for stupid people. They pay for people to come rescue motorists who get stuck as well. Unless you want people to just freeze to death.
Go drive in Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington...there are barriers all over the place. It's not rare in the North East either.
If you haven't heard of it then either you don't watch the news a lot, and/or you have never lived in the North.
Almost every year, I-90 and I-94 -- out on the prairie -- are shut down one or more times due to blizzards.
The government can and often does close all roads in an area affected by a natural emergency. I've seen it all over, including a few miles from where I live after the tornadoes in 2011.
As for the "unprecedented" closing of all roads in the entire state, well, Mass is a relatively small state and this is a relatively MASSIVE blizzard.
They won't let us drive around during hurricanes either.
Hurricane is much different imo. Maybe I have been oblivious, but I have never heard of this. Particular highways, and particular cities shutting down the roads, yes I have heard of that. But an entire state banning travel on the roads completely is not something I have ever heard before.
I think people should be able to make up their own minds. Some things are actually important enough to need to drive, yet not something to call 911 over.
I don't like the precedent. To ban all Motor Vehicle traffic statewide is ridiculous and I don't think the government has any right to do so, especially for something relatively minor such as a snow storm.
It is called police power, it happens all the time when a major storm comes in. I grew up in Virginia and that would happen with every hurricane that hit the area. You don't get a ticket or arrested being on the road, but you might get an officer telling you to go home for your safety.
Hurricane is much different imo. Maybe I have been oblivious, but I have never heard of this. Particular highways, and particular cities shutting down the roads, yes I have heard of that. But an entire state banning travel on the roads completely is not something I have ever heard before.
I think people should be able to make up their own minds. Some things are actually important enough to need to drive, yet not something to call 911 over.
This is going to be a white out blinding blizzard. This is a bad storm for those in the heart of it. It isnt really a big deal, so calm down.
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