Speeding conspiracy theories

I’m writing in response to Mr. Tom Mc-Carey's scathing letter (June 28) vilifying the use of radar for speed control, identifying what he claims per the Federal Highway and Safety Administration that speed limits were found to be set too low 90 percent of the time by 8-16 mph.

Mr. McCarey felt that “hunting down drivers with radar guns will not improve highway safety, and the unnecessary enforcement of too low limits will foster contempt for law enforcement.” He also asserts that the use of radar is ineffective, “notoriously inaccurate” and refers to its inappropriate use in “speed traps” to take money from safe drivers.

Mr. McCarey scares me and I’ll tell you why. Drive on Old Bloom Road and the speed limit is 35 mph. There are often drivers who feel they are entitled to drive faster zipping by or tailgating me and other drivers trying to bully us to drive faster. People walk along that road and school buses drop kids off on that road. It’s a residential area with a speed limit for a reason. I wish the police would soon get radar there. Further out Bloom Road near Bloomsburg, there are homes and the speed limit drops to 35 mph and a sign says “watch for children,” then another sign says speed limit enforced by VASCAR. Often along that strip there might be kids on bikes or walking, and again, tailgaters trying to bully me or other drivers to speed. I’m kind of getting an idea from Mr. McCarey’s letter where they come from.

I’m all for radar. It is accurate and it catches people who have contempt for the speeding laws like Mr. McCarey’s letter clearly indicates and it does make our roads and our society safer. I just hope drivers who are radar-phobes forget the conspiracy theories and comply with the laws of physics that apply to the rest of us before they hit a child or cause an accident tailgating going 8-16 mph over the speed limit feeling it was set too low. After all, there is a simple way to avoid speeding tickets, don’t speed.

Tom Kane,

Danville