Control challenges

Inattentive enforcement

Regarding “Out of control” (Page A1, Sunday), one answer to the horrendous number of deaths is speed kills! My travels on Houston's freeway system finds that law enforcement has virtually deregulated freeways so that speeding is the norm, not the exception.

When you travel the speed limit most drivers are traveling 10 mph to 20 mph or faster.

Where are police, actively stopping people? Very rarely do I see such a sight. It's time to stop the carnage. No more free passes. Pull them over!

Brandt Mannchen, Humble

Distracted driving

Regarding “The way forward: What can be done? (Page A20, Sunday), the suggested methods for slowing drivers down is as misguided as the suggestions that are rolled out in gun debates. Narrowing lanes as a speed control is ludicrous; it causes angst in older drivers and does nothing to slow down those that fancy themselves Indy drivers. Why not try a novel approach and enforce the speed limits already in place. Many of us already are fearful of receiving a citation.

One of the root causes of traffic accidents and deaths is distracted driving. I am not on the highway that much, but driving and texting, or just looking at a phone instead of paying attention is very much alive and done openly. Traveling in a vehicle with a higher viewpoint, like I do, affords a look at the people gleefully traveling at 70 mph or 80 mph and only looking at the road infrequently.

There seems to be a reluctance by law enforcement, not that I blame them, to intercede with those blatantly breaking traffic laws, but more visibility on some roadways would help.

You want to see disregard for safety and traffic laws? Try a trip on Beltway 8 and put your phone down and observe the lunacy.

James Connealy, Baytown

HPD, where are you?

Regarding “Slam the brakes” (Page A37, Sunday), great editorial on traffic safety, or lack of it, rather, in Houston. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve uttered “where’s a cop when you need one?” while driving.

Does the Houston Police Department even have a traffic division? Seems to me enforcement is left up to the constables and Department of Public Safety.

David Kelly, Spring

Absence of mass transit

Sunday’s “Out of Control” is a great piece of research and documentation that should be read over and over by every local and state politician.

I firmly believe that part of the problem is that too many people are forced to drive in the absence of any form of mass transit (street cars don’t count).

Countless studies have shown public and mass transit to be anywhere from 20 to 60 times as safe as driving. So then, why do Houstonians and politicians continue to push for more roads and additional lanes to existing highway? Giving more speeding tickets is treating the symptoms and not the real problem.

As a retired transportation consultant I continue to be baffled by the logic of our decision makers. We’ve reached the point where road building is approaching or exceeding the cost of building mass transit alternatives and exacerbating the carnage of deaths, injuries, property destruction, and frustrating traffic delays.

Bob Leilich, The Woodlands