Buckle up, Fluffy

On the face of it, this sounds like a pretty dumb thing to be reading about. But in reality, I think it's a pretty darned good idea and I hope it catches on. How many times have you driven down a street where the traffic is moving at a pretty good clip and seen a dog hopping around on the driver's lap, alternately getting between them and the wheel and sticking their head out the window? Or seen a Lab in the back of a pickup running back and forth in the truck bed at a traffic light then lurching to keep its balance once the light changes? Or seen a mid-size dog with more than half its body sticking out a window, feet propped up on the window opening, where it seems only a good bump would have them flying out onto the pavement?

I recently read a letter in the Merc from a driver who witnessed a woman on the Lawrence Expressway (a busy, four-lane, 50mph+ road) who was grooming her dog in her lap while speeding down the road! People like that are clearly short of common sense all on their own and maybe a requirement to restrain their beloved pets would give them the guidance they obviously need. Before they find out that Fluffy, in addition to being a loving and wonderful pet, makes a wonderful (if messy) air bag in the event of an accident.

Feel free to share your "You won't believe what I saw...!" stories in the comments.