I read with interest Robert Burdick’s letter that contained his suggestions for curbing dangerous driving (“Ways to slow dangerous driving,” Our Readers’ Views, June 8). His suggestions all seem worthy. However, a recent incident made me question whether his suggestions of “more stringent laws and penalties” and “prioritizing enforcement of these laws” is something we as law-abiding citizens could hope for.
While stopped on northbound Andresen at state Highway 500 with a marked sheriff’s deputy in front of me and no one in front of him, I witnessed a vehicle turning left onto SR 500 westbound that was traveling at approximately 45 mph to 50 mph blow through a red light that had turned red a full two seconds before. I then watched the sheriff’s deputy in front of me who was not blocked by any other vehicles, sit and do nothing after no doubt witnessing this very dangerous driving, when he could have easily turned his blue lights and siren on and followed the driver to give him a citation.
Good ideas, Robert, but with at least one deputy being unwilling to prioritize enforcement of existing traffic laws, I wonder if this is departmentwide apathy and whether “more stringent” laws would ever make a difference in road safety.
