Natural consequence teaches better

Those that read this blog know that I am a Green person (when it is semi-convenient) and ride the train to LA from the OC every day for work. This gives me the opportunity to meet interesting, and sometimes scary people (think Sociopath). One of the interesting people, is a man that is closing in on retirement. He is one of the more cantankerous people I have ever met. He often feels that it is his job to monitor the behavior of all other train riders and correct their actions. An example is the young man that he called the Sheriff's office on, because he was riding his bike on the train platform. While not safe to ride his bike there, it is far more dangerous to him, than it is to anyone else. Or the example that inspires this post: he told me that I should not break the law...

I wasn't sure what he was referring to, so asked him to explain. He then in a rather patronizing way explained that he saw me cross the tracks when the gates were coming down, and that if I am an honest person I shouldn't do that because that is breaking the law. I opened my mouth to respond in a less than respectful manner... and stopped. He is right, in the strictest sense. So, instead I simply said: "you are right, I will work on that."

But this little incident brings up a point that has been rubbing me raw for awhile now. Why do we have these stupid laws? I can't cross the tracks when the gate is down? I think that should be up to me, because I saw the warning sign. I understand the risk. I am not taking anyone with me (meaning I am endangering only myself). I look both ways, assess the probability of injury or death, and make a choice. I obviously wasn't hit by a train.

I think it is good that we have signs. It is good to warn people that there is danger. But that is all we should be responsible for. Warning them. They are then responsible for what they choose to do. If I were to be hit by the train, then we would have to say, that I was foolish. Not that Metrolink is to blame, or the city, or the county. They did what they were supposed to do. They called attention to the danger.

The point of this barely intelligible rant is this: Natural consequences teach us better than a citation, or something of that sort. It would increase personal responsibility among society; something we need more of! More importantly, it would cull the stupid from the herd of humanity, which is never a bad thing.