It’s The Law….Or Is It?

It’s The Law….Or Is It?

Almost every day I step out of my house and break the law. I admit it…almost every day I’m a law breaking citizen, and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty almost everyone breaks at least one law every day. There are probably thousands of laws out there that are broken by mostly law abiding citizens. The question is, when almost everyone breaks the law, what’s the real issue? The lack of respect for those laws or the fact that the law makes no sense.

Here are the laws that I know that I break all the time (at least the ones I’m willing to let you all know about).

No Dogs Off Leash In South Mountain Reservation

Saturday I took Shay for walk in South Mountain Reservation, the section of trails behind Old Short Hills Park. As you can see from the photo above, she’s off leash. For the most part, this section of The Reservation is mostly dogs being walked off leash. There’s only one problem. Walking dogs off leash in South Mountain Reservation is strictly forbidden…and rarely (if ever) enforced. I would estimate over 80% of the dogs in this part of The Reservation are off leash. My opinion is most of the dogs that are on leash really should not be allowed to play with other dogs to begin with. The rule should  be if your dog is so untrained that they can’t walk off leash, you shouldn’t walk your dogs where other nicer dogs might be playing. But that’s just me because I have nice, well trained dogs.

No Mountain Biking In South Mountain Reservation

As long as we are trekking along in The Reservation, let’s discuss another law that really isn’t a law. Several years ago, when mountain biking first became a thing, those on foot decided that those on 2 wheels should be banned from The Reservation. The bikers were deemed unsafe and destructive to the trails. So mountain biking was banned and yet, there they are. Still doing their mountain biking thing. I see them all the time (even at night using head lamps) and, for the most part, they are courteous and never an issue. One time, a couple of summers ago, Cosmo and I almost got nailed by one teenaged idiot coming very fast downhill, but that’s been the only time I wanted I’ve ever had an issue.

This past weekend, I ran into a friend biking while I was walking with Shay. I was quick to point out to him that mountain biking was illegal in South Mountain Reservation. He was just as quick to point out to me that so was walking my dog off leash. Touché my friend….touché.

And The Speed Limit Is….

Well, whatever it is, it isn’t…not really. Right at the start I told you I break the law every day, and here it is. Out of the driveway, right hand turn onto Old Short Hills Road, over South Orange Avenue, and on to a section of road where the speed limit is 35 MPH….only it isn’t. There are 3 groups of people who actually drive 35 MPH on Old Short Hills Road: Those that shouldn’t be driving because they are too old to be driving, those that are just learning to drive, and those who learned to drive in some far away place that I will not mention for fear of being called a racist (but we all know who I’m talking about).

Seriously, does anyone actually drive the speed limit (besides my wife which is why we don’t ever let her drive)? The speed limit isn’t really a law, it’s more of a suggestion. When was the last time you drove 65 MPH on the highway in a 65 zone? If you do, you’re the slowest one on the road. More often than not, you could be doing 75 and still be the slowest one on the road. I would venture a guess that the speed limit (no matter where or what it is) is the mostly widely ignored law in the land.  That and the yield sign because most people don’t know what “yield right of way” really means, but that’s a tale for another day.

Now I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of other laws that you all break on a regular basis. I’d love to know what those are, so feel free to post in the comment section, unless it’s something so illegal you don’t want the general public to know. Than you can just email me and I will let everyone know, making sure to change the names of the not so innocent…just like me.