Your opinion

British speeders should take a lesson from US counterparts

Sir– I respond to the ongoing debate about speeding. I have homes in both the USA (Colorado) and southern UK and I believe the USA manages traffic speed a whole lot better than the UK.
Here are a few rules from the USA:
The speed limit is mostly 55mph with major roads set at 65mph and Interstate Highways varying from 65 to 75mph. The centre of the town where we live has a limit of 15mph, with graduated speed limits as you approach the town centre stepping down from 55mph to 45mph, to 25mph to 15mph, over a half-mile stretch of road. This allows drivers to adjust their speed as they approach the town centre.
While the 15mph speed limit in town seems slow, the traffic flows well and cars often stop to let people cross the road. It is no big deal to stop from 15mph.
I find motorists are much more compliant with the speed limits, maybe only exceeding by 5mph or so on main highways. The police strongly enforce the limits and have a greater presence on the highways, especially near towns.
Traffic police will often stop a driver to give advice and or mild admonishments regarding their standard of driving, even for things such as not dipping their headlights early enough. This is usually done in a polite way. I know the situation differs in the USA with its low density population and that different states have different rules, but it would seem from my own personal experiences that we could learn some things.
I am not saying the USA is perfect and not all their police are friendly and polite, but I am describing the situation as I have found it.

Peter Young
Facilities manager, Veritas DGC

Timely advice for moaners

Sir – Why is the general public so intent on willingly breaking the law by speeding? It is not acceptable to break a speed limit, even though vehicle manufacturers insist on producing vehicles that do 0-60mph in milliseconds. Why can’t these speeding people spend more effort trying to control their impatience, rather than constantly whining about not being able to drive over 70mph? The reason for the limits are clear – our road users are not able to react in enough time to avoid a collision.
My response to the thousands who moan about speeding is to get up earlier, leave for appointments earlier, take your stress out on a punch bag at the gym and buy slower cars.

Shelley James
Vehicle insurance claims administrator, Maidstone, Kent

Was Transit always red?

Sir – I’m baffled. Neil Cottam’s 1966 Ford Transit twin wheel model ‘has been on the road for 39 years now’ (Fleet NewsNet March 3). But it’s an ‘E’ suffix registration – January 1 to July 31, 1967.
The Transit may have been manufactured in 1966 but, in my professional opinion, 38 years is nearer the mark.
Still, miraculous survival for a builder’s van – I wonder if it was always red?

Leon Perkin
Leon Perkin chartered accountant