What do you think about seatbelt laws? Is it ridiculous to make someone do something if not doing so would only hurt themselves.
In general I agree that crimes which have no victim, or where the only victim is the perpetrator, should not be crimes. I do not think it is the purpose of the law to dictate what we "ought" to do.
But arguably, failing to wear a seatbelt potentially affects more than just yourself. If you are seriously injured or killed (events which seatbelt usage is proven to limit), you become a burden on the healthcare system, ambulances and police and and paramedics have to be dispatched to your location, and you'll have to be taken to a hospital, all of which has a cost that is being paid by many more people than you.
This, in and of itself, makes it at the very least understandable why the government has an interest in compelling people to behave responsibly, but I do think that there is a limit to what's reasonable. For example I have argued on multiple occasions for the decriminalization of most drug use (although for some drugs, it may be reasonable for the same reason given above).
Regardless, wear your seatbelt tho
But arguably, failing to wear a seatbelt potentially affects more than just yourself. If you are seriously injured or killed (events which seatbelt usage is proven to limit), you become a burden on the healthcare system, ambulances and police and and paramedics have to be dispatched to your location, and you'll have to be taken to a hospital, all of which has a cost that is being paid by many more people than you.
This, in and of itself, makes it at the very least understandable why the government has an interest in compelling people to behave responsibly, but I do think that there is a limit to what's reasonable. For example I have argued on multiple occasions for the decriminalization of most drug use (although for some drugs, it may be reasonable for the same reason given above).
Regardless, wear your seatbelt tho
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Clifton Mays
