THUMBS UP/DOWN: GETTING RID OF OLD LANDMINES

To drivers who ignore the "Move Over Law." Wisconsin's law, enacted in 2001, requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down to provide a "safety zone" for a squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the roadside with its warning lights flashing. All too often, vehicles rush past within a few feet of officers at traffic stops. These discourteous drivers risk more than $249 fines. "Failure of motorists to move over is one of the reasons that motor vehicle crashes kill more law enforcement officers on duty than any other cause," State Patrol Superintendent David Collins says. Because many motorists ignore this law, the state Department of Transportation has made it the "March law of the month." Likewise, many drivers won't move over for a vehicle stopped on the Interstate for mechanical trouble. Imagine trying to change a tire while motorists blow past at freeway speed, just a foot or two from your backside. Play it safe and give them a break.