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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 8, 2008

Speed Not The Problem

Regarding "Bay Area Tops For Lead Foot" (front page, Feb. 1):

As a former traffic engineering assistant for Jacksonville, I performed hundreds of speed studies. If our politicians didn't set speed limits and left it to the experts, we would have approximately 15 percent of drivers exceeding the speed limit. Our rural interstate system was actually designed to not have speed limits, but then revenue could not be collected from fines.

Rate of speed, in and of itself, is not a major factor in accidents. It's the lane changing caused by drivers who are traveling at a lesser speed than the flow of traffic which contributes most to accidents. Approximately 85 percent of drivers will drive at a speed that is comfortable and safe.

While a driver may be breaking a politician's "speed limit" sign, unless the speed is excessive for the conditions of the roadway, then it isn't speeding.

BILL BYRD

New Port Richey

Revenue Generator
The "party line" forever touted by government bureaucrats and police executives is that "speed kills" and that speed-limit enforcement will reduce accidents.

This deception has been around since the early '60s when speed enforcement by radar was first introduced. Greedy state officials, legislators and our courts saw the potential revenue from the millions of speeding ticket fines. Expected revenue from traffic tickets is routinely included in a state's annual budget projection. And, of course, police departments cooperated in the speeding scam with their payoff being "free" federal handouts of radar units.

Most candid police officers know that speed, while it may increase the severity of injuries in an accident, does not in and of itself cause the accident.

Police officers also know that driving under the influence, unsafe lane changes (failure to signal), failure to obey red lights and stop signs and "speed too fast for conditions" - fog, rain, snow, road construction etc - do cause accidents.

P.J. CORR

Wesley Chapel

Racing, Not Highways

In response to Nathan Adams' letter "Cars Built For Speed" (Letters, Feb. 4):

I agree and also question the message car manufacturers are delivering in their advertisements. If a car is built to power-slide to a perfect stop, to race down an icy highway and corner on a dime, is this any different than what the cigarette companies have done over the years in promoting use of a product that will kill you?

The cars that I mentioned above have the features that are designed for closed-course racing, not the public highway where the young and inexperienced drivers mingle with the old folks and everyone else in between. Speed kills - just read your newspaper!

GLENN ANDERSON

Valrico

Accept The Blame

Regarding "Officials Cleared In I-4 Fire" (Metro, Feb. 6):

What a crock. Many of the people involved in the Interstate 4 wreck said that all they smelled when they got out of their cars was smoke. Now the state says that the fire that they set was not a part of the problem. The fog would not have been even half as bad with out the fires that the state set.

I am ashamed to be a native of this state when all they do is lie. Step up and admit that the state caused this and pay the money that all those hurt and killed deserve.

RAYMOND GREENLEE

Riverview

Real Competition Needed

Regarding "Allstate Defends Rising Rates" (Business, Feb. 5):

Home insurance rates will continue to go up as long as there is no incentive for companies to compete. The high rates of Citizens do not generate competition - rather, the direct opposite.

Insurance companies look at Citizens' rates and try to match them. Citizens wants $3,000 to insure a home, private insurance will do it for $2,999, still less than Citizens. Private insurers need to compete against Citizens, not use it as the benchmark and try to reach it.

I suspect most people wouldn't have a problem with the state being in the home insurance business and negotiate better rates. Wouldn't we all like to see consumer ads like the car insurance commercials asking us to switch our home insurance to this company or that company because their rates are better? A girl can dream.

SHARON ELEY

Lutz

Make It All Citizens

I applaud the Legislature and Insurance Commission for slapping Allstate. Now it's time to take the final step and revoke the licenses of all insurance companies selling homeowners insurance in Florida and have every policy written by Citizens.

My logic is that unlike a for-profit company that wants to "cherry pick," Citizens charter can be set that when there is money in the bank to cover "worst case" losses, overages would be returned to the policyholders like rural electric companies return profits now. The other benefit is that the auto rates should drop as companies have to get aggressive to win that profitable business.

RICHARD ROSS

Brooksville

Create Insurance Fund

It's about time the state took a proactive stance in dealing with these bandits. The insurance companies have been robbing the citizens of Florida for way too long. It's also time the state took a look at creating a self-insured entity. They should change their position on gambling.

Like the lottery, create an insurance committee. Insurance premiums from homeowners and businesses go into the insurance fund. Premiums can be determined by calculating the flow of money in and out and by a necessary reserve fund for major events. As with the lottery, the fund can be justified by the good that such money does. Helping the citizens of Florida should be the major concern of all involved in running the state.

RAY TRYPUC

Sebring

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