01/04/06  Uninsured Drivers and Dallas Police Situation.

Good article, Tow that car.  You are correct that laws should be enforced, and uninsured motorists are a huge problem in terms of safety and public cost. 

The enforcement/compliance problem is an issue with deep roots.  When a government entity chooses to enact clear and necessary laws, provides adequate police power to enforce these laws and actually enforces the laws fairly, the result is generally a safer and better community. 

On the other hand, when a public entity burdens its citizenry with complex and petty ordinances at every turn, under-funds its police force and engages in selective (or non-) enforcement, the results are likely to be disregard and resentment of all/most laws.  If you add to this mix rampant abuse of the law by elected officials and other "leaders," then it is unrealistic to expect public compliance.  Such a community is not an attractive place to live or work.

This seems to be the case with Dallas.  The comparison with Fort Worth is telling, especially your comments about the attitudes of the wealthy.   This is a fascinating subject to me because I have seen it evolve over several decades. 

In Dallas, the wealthy now tend to get away with whatever they can within the law (most of the time).  If the laws present a problem,  Dallas wealthy generally find a way to get politicians to grant exceptions or write new laws that suit their purposes.  The attitude is that Dallas owes them something for just being here. 

In Fort Worth, the wealthy tend to support the city simply to make it a better place to live.  I believe it's because Fort Worth wealthy are basically simple hicks from "West" Texas who are so naive as to think businesses and classy residents will locate in a city that provides a nice, safe and proud place to live and work.  They are foolish enough to expend their efforts on improving their community rather than paying lawyers and bribing politicians to find ways to screw their city. 

The "game" in Dallas seems to be scored by how often one can get away with torturing the law or the system to get away with something.   In Fort Worth, the game seems to be more about making  your community a better place to live. 

In Dallas, the wealthy sit around and brag about how they got away with this or that.

In Fort Worth, the wealthy go downtown, or to the zoo, their museums, etc., and have a great time.  When they do sit around, they tend to chuckle about their "world-class" neighbor, Dallas. 

Intolerance of uninsured motorists would be a small step in the right direction for Dallas.  Tolerance of "business and politics as usual" remains a huge step backward. 

Ultimately, the efficacy of laws depends on their acceptance by the public.  If  lawmakers and government warrant no respect, the community remains unsafe and the city rots in shabby disrepair, they can't expect public respect for (their) laws. 

More police will help.  Of course, more enforcement will help, too.  But, until Dallas city "leaders" start to behave so as to elicit respect, there is little cause for optimism. 

Then again, what do I know, being as I am a bumpkin from Fort Worth?

W. K. Gordon, III, Ph.D.