Letter to the Editor: Lowering speed limits not likely to help with safety

I’ve been hearing that Milford wants to lower the speed limit there in one area. That’s not going to make a difference, as only the ones that obey the speed now will do it then.

Look at Dover. They have done that to several roads, and people are still speeding, and now, instead of 5 or 10 miles over, they go about 15 or 20 over the limit. The only road that I saw police on to enforce the new limit was Mifflin Road.

On Forrest Avenue, the speed limit is 35 mph heading west almost 2 miles past the high school. Then, it’s 45 and, in 50 feet, goes up to 50 mph. Why even have 45 there? Heading west after the school the speed should be at least 45 mph until you get to the 50 mph. And heading east, 45 mph until the school.

The problem is that everyone has been able to speed, no matter what road you’re on, and the government and police have let us get away with it. First, you go 5 over and then 10 over, and some go higher, and as long as you don’t get stopped and reminded that you’re speeding, you keep doing it.

Just enforce the speed limits that are in place and let people know that you might allow 5 over, but 6 over and you are going to get a ticket. Since they let people go so long, the only way to correct it is to start giving out warnings and let the warning be on record, so that if you’re stopped again, you get a speeding ticket that you got to pay. Since it’s gone on so long, you just cannot give us tickets to start. Put up signs that let people know that you’re going to get ticketed if speeding.

On Forrest Avenue, I have had people pass me on the right and left in no-passing zones, just because I was doing the 35 mph speed limit. Once, there was a guy in the left-turn lane to the high school, and when the light changed to go, he went straight just so he gets around everyone. And, if you want to check out the speeds that people are going, the state has counters now at almost every road. Get the ones from Forrest Avenue, and publish the results of how many are going the speed limit.

Just a thought, and I guess I better get back to driving the limit, as I cannot afford a ticket and insurance going up.

Marvin Fortney

Hartly