Don’t punish all of us because of the few (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Don’t punish all of us because of the few

8:00am Thursday 18th March 2010

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I READ the article “Put the brakes on boy racers” with dismay!

While I agree that boy racers and loud exhausts are annoying, they should not be solved by causing the rest of the population grief.

It should by now be obvious that traffic-calming measures do not work and as for speed being the cause of accidents, it has, as I understand it, been totally disproved by Home Office and police statistics that show speed only causes two per cent of accidents.

The other problem we have is that the police are never seen. Where are they when some maniac does all the wrong things apart from speeding?

I will agree that speed plays a part but it is the ‘road user’ who has the responsibility to ensure they know the Highway Code and treat all other ‘road users’ considerately.

The A449 has always been a road that has given rise to accidents, some tragic, but in my opinion, the people who restrict dual carriageways to single lane and paint all over the road with more and more signs, do nothing to make it safer. They should close all the crossing points in the central reservation and put roundabouts in where needed.

We basically have a people problem. They need more training. How many ‘road users’ have purchased a new Highway Code since they passed their test? Or even looked at it again? Also, I expect some pedestrians and cyclists have never even glanced at its pages!

Speed limits seem to be dictated by people who wish to control us. I think 30mph is too high for built-up areas, but do you see any 20mph limits around? Not many.

And the ones breaking the speed limits will be the parents rushing to drop off the little darling at school, not responsible ‘road user’.

The speed on motorways should be set at 80mph with limits on other roads suitable to the hazards on that particular road.

I would suggest charging more for the test and ensuring all drivers take further driving instruction in the following years with licences only being renewed if this instruction has been undertaken to a satisfactory standard.

Get the police out with their mobile TV equipment and catch a few hooligans if that’s what’s needed, but don’t screw up the rest of us because of the few.

KEN MERRY Whinchat Grove, Kidderminster

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