Just got back from Oahu where a new statewide law protects folks from the imaginary health risks of second hand smoke:
The Smoke-Free Hawaii Law makes Hawaii the 14th state to enact wide-ranging laws against smoking in public. The law bans smoking in all public places including restaurants, bowling alleys, malls, and from curb to cabin at airports. It also updates strict county no-smoking policies by making it illegal to light up in partially enclosed areas, bars and less than 20 feet from doorways and windows.
The bad ideas don’t stop there. Honolulu’s politicos are pretty giddy about plans for a hugely expensive rail line. Sure these projects are always pricey, but on a per capita cost basis this one is off the charts. For the latest developments, check out Honolulutraffic and the Grassroot Institute. I was there speaking on various mobility-related themes and plugging The Road More Traveled. Speaking of plugging, I found out that Instapundit had some nice things to say about the book:
Ted Balaker and Sam Staley’s The Road More Traveled: Why the Congestion Crisis Matters More Than You Think, and What We Can Do About It. They argue that traffic congestion does much more harm than is generally appreciated, and that municipalities’ programs aimed at making traffic worse in order to encourage people to use mass transit are deeply mistaken. They also argue that fixing traffic problems is easier and cheaper than is popularly thought. I’ve read the first several chapters and it’s very interesting; I hope it gets a broad readership.
Me too!