Ron Paul Hot Air Balloon Cited for 'Improper Lane Use'
A supporter of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has been warned about "improper lane use" after his hot air balloon backed up traffic for miles on a South Carolina highway.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol asked two supporters to deflate the balloon bearing Ron Paul's name, which was hovering near I-85's mile marker 52 outside of Greenville during rush hour Thursday morning. A written warning was issued because the balloon was set up in the middle of a frontage road.
"We were trying to get people to vote for Ron Paul," one of the men told WSPA-TV. "We were pleading with people to go vote for Ron Paul in the primary. We wanted to be seen."
"We didn't think it was causing too much danger," he added.
South Carolina Department of Transportation cameras showed traffic -- which reports said was backed up for four miles -- coming to a near standstill on the busy highway.
Paul recently said that the U.S. Department of Transportation only needed "one guy and a computer" to administer billions of tax dollars. It's not clear if the libertarian feels the same about transportation departments run by the states.
As much thought went into this stunt as Ron Paul has put into his policies. The little racist reminds me of so many of those Nazis who were so appealing to the German Veterans of WWI with his little beady eyes and his old little fingers. I can almost see the little Hitler mustache. But enough of that...
The most dangerous thing about commuting is rear enders. I guess if you have never had to do it then you wouldn't appreciate the fear of it. The guy who spoke to the camera didn't look like he had done a lot. It also didn't seem like a good place to launch a hot air balloon based upon my piloting experience. The turbulence and heat from trucks and cars on the highway could easily drive the craft into nearby obstacles or with temperatures as they are, it could have pulled it over the main highway.
Besides, if a wreck had occurred the side roads that they had blocked are used to divert traffic around the accident to reduce the backup.
A total mess and a black eye for Paul the First. The real question, and the purpose of this entire exercise, is will it injure the rise of Paul the Second?
Somehow I doubt the irony would be lost on them. >_>
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