I am surprised no one pounced on this, to rub it in my face and all, but there was an article in WashPost this weekend about a DC police patrol giving out tickets to cyclists and jaywalkers at 16th and L Streets NW.
Note I said one DC police patrol (not sure if it was a lone cop to two in one squad car) but somehow the writer took this small incident, which was the first I’ve ever heard in the District, and then made giant leaps of logic to get to a “nanny state”.
Somehow a handful of $10 jaywalking tickets + a proposed smoking ban + Traffic Enforcement Officers = “the District is turning into a Big Brother nanny state.”
In that case, we all better steer clear of NoVA, since another WashPost article notes:
In Virginia, you can’t frequent a poolroom in Vienna if you’re younger than 18. It’s against the law in Norfolk to trick-or-treat after 8 p.m. or to do it if you’re older than 12. Violations are Class 4 misdemeanors, punishable by a fine of up to $250. Fairfax County ordinances prohibit certain behavior on public transportation, such as using pogo sticks.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
