Dropping speed limit won’t solve anything

Apparently, 10 of our 15 Baltimore City Council members are ready to support an across-the-board reduction of speed limits within the city limits to a maximum 25 mph in an attempt to reduce pedestrian deaths (“Council member seeks to slash Baltimore speed limits to save pedestrians,” Sept. 17). Who couldn’t support such an effort? Me, for one.

Why? Because I believe in the rule of law, and I don’t believe it’s right-minded to pass laws that immediately make most citizens habitual law-breakers. This is what happened nationwide in the 1970s with the 55 mph speed limit, which turned all of America into a nation of scofflaws. No matter how well-intentioned, any law that is ignored by the vast majority of the population is by definition a bad law. This is a philosophical point, but it has practical implications.

If we learn that routinely ignoring the speed limit is the natural thing to do, then we will ignore the limit at times when conditions truly warrant a 25 mph limit. Speed limits should be something we, as motorists, rely upon to guide us about road conditions. They should not be relegated to the dustbin of ignored signage. That could actually make things worse for pedestrians, not better, which, as a frequent pedestrian, is worrisome to me.

It is likely that the 12 pedestrians killed (on average) annually within Baltimore’s city limits are killed by drivers who are impaired, engaged in reckless or illegal activity, or who otherwise have little or no inclination to obey any speed limit. All the proposed legislation would do is increase the number of responsible, reasonable drivers who will be receiving photo citations in the mail payable to Baltimore. Yet another reason to leave the city — just what we all need.

Please keep speed limit laws reasonable and prudent, not needlessly punishing and certain to be ignored.