Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/634029
VOICES 10 | Overdrive | February 2016 A majority of Overdrive read- ers (56 percent) responded to polling on gun laws in the wake of the killings late last year in San Bernardino, Calif., with favor for main- taining the status quo. As the issue of just how to combat such "soft-target" acts of terrorism emerged, that ma- jority agreed with Congress, which took no direct action relative to gun laws. President Obama subse- quently announced a series of executive actions aimed at stiff ening enforcement of purchaser background checks required to be conducted by anyone in the business of selling fi rearms, aiming particularly at Inter- net sellers, some of whom the administration believes are shirking the responsibility. Despite rhetoric from some Republican presiden- tial candidates, Obama's proposal would do nothing in the way of requiring one-off /private sellers of fi rearms to conduct a back- ground check on the buyer. Two of the guns used in the San Bernardino terrorist act were not purchased by those doing the shooting, but rather by a neighbor. Other fi rearms were obtained legal- ly under the current system by the attackers. A fi fth of Overdrive readers (21 percent) supported the notion of truly universal background checks, which would require congressional action to extend such re- quired checks beyond those in the business of selling fi re- arms. Overall, a 38 percent minority of readers favored at least some additional restriction on fi rearm sales. HOT BUTTONS Straight from the extra-extreme- brake-check fi les to you: Trucker Anthony Johnson says he was running southbound in New Jersey on Route 55 when he was passed on the right. In his video, which you can catch via Over- driveOnline.com/dashcamcen- tral, it's evident the four-wheeler ahead was engaged in some se- riously unsafe behavior. Johnson believes the driver was trying to "get me to run into the back of them" by slowing abruptly after the pass. Thankfully, Johnson's quick thinking prevented that. Other recent reader-up- loaded videos include a GoPro windshield view of some of the extra-long road trains of Australia (from Chris Dinsdale) and an on-highway video of a massive "transformer moving on Arizona Highway 160 near Red Mesa" from trucker Paul Pate. Share your own dashcam adventure via OverdriveOnline. com/dashcamcentral. Surviving an unpredictable four-wheeler GUN CONTROL GUN CONTROL of purchaser background checks required to be conducted by anyone in the GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL Gun laws: Most appropriate move against 'soft-target terrorism?' Leave laws as they are 56% Other 6% Block sales to those on no-fly lists 15% In addition to the no-fly block, make access to 'assault weapons' more difficult 2% Make background checks for gun purchases universal, no exceptions 7% All of the above 14% Most readers favor existing laws Firearm draft legislation still being pursued James Lamb of the Small Business in Transportation Coalition reported continuing work toward garnering support for his proposed "Mike's Law" draft legislation that would allow workers in commer- cial transportation to carry fi rearms across state lines without fear of running afoul of local jurisdictional restrictions. Named after slain trucker Mike Boeglin, Lamb's proposed bill, in his words, "would expand the existing federal 'Interstate Transpor- tation of Firearms' statute into a right-to-carry law for all Americans engaged in crossing state lines whether working or engaged as consumers in interstate commerce." Lamb says he's as yet unsuccessfully worked for National Rifl e Association support of the effort.