Because I spend most days behind the wheel of a Nissan Versa, driving research participants to and from their research visits, I spend a lot of time on the roads of Cape Girardeau, I-55, and several other county roads. After clocking at least 300 hours behind the wheel, I’ve seen a lot of crazy things on the highway.

Speeding is the most common, followed by texting and driving, or talking on the phone with the speaker on while holding the phone vertically to speak into it. What I haven’t seen is the Missouri State Highway Patrol on I-55. I’ve seen plenty of State Troopers assigned to the Department of Transportation, focusing their efforts on pulling over semi-trucks. But seeing someone stopped for speeding? That’s a rarity anymore.

Even on local roads, it’s rare to see a Jackson Police officer or a Cape Police officer pull someone over for speeding or texting. What I see more often is people being pulled over because they don’t have a license plate, their car looks like a drug dealer’s car, or they’re driving erratically, like weaving in and out of the lane. But speeding? No. Everyone is on their own. Go at your own speed. Risk your life and those who are traveling at the posted speed limit.

So why don’t we eliminate speed limits, let everyone travel at the speed they feel safe, and do away with road rules and laws? I mean, it’s not like there are any officers to enforce the law anymore, am I wrong?

Sadly, I don’t think it’s the solution. But I’m so frustrated by the lack of officers on the road doing something about erratic driving, carelessness, and inattentiveness from other drivers that I’m ready to throw in the towel, join the speeders, and say to hell with it. After all, I’m keeping up with the flow of traffic then, right?

Yeah, I could. But I won’t do that. Not because I’m certain I wouldn’t get caught — there’s no one out there anyway, right? But my integrity won’t let me, regardless of what everyone else is or isn’t doing. And you know something? That ticks me off! I’m the guy doing the speed limit while I’m getting passed by people doing 85 or more – trucks, sedans, SUVs, soccer moms, and FedEx and UPS trucks. Nobody rewards me for it. I’m just doing the right thing, irritated the whole way home.