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Lack of enforcement weakens speed zone idea

Without dedicated enforcement of speed limits, lowering them would do little good

The notion of reducing street speed limits to 40 km/h is a feel-good, do-nothing gesture, because there is no policing of dangerous drivers who ignore playground and school zone signs.

Esquimalt already tried that on Craigflower Road, with the result that safe drivers are even more likely to be tailgated by jerks despite the presence of speed monitoring signs.

Some drivers are simply careless – and have tunnel vision. They need to be re-educated, which police presence would do.

Many, however, deliberately drive over the speed limit, deliberately tailgate, and deliberately pass in congested areas – even speeding faster through playground zones to do that. If challenged they threaten the citizen. The only thing they’ll respect is police in their face repeatedly, preferably taking some off the road.

Didn’t the experiment on the Malahat prove that continual police presence dramatically reduces accident rates? Most drivers do not live on the Malahat, a great proportion of them live in Saanich, Victoria, and other fiefdoms in the Greater Victoria area. They need to be re-educated where they live.

More police presence on the street would have general effects of spotting drunk drivers and being able to respond much more quickly to emergencies and reports of dangerous drivers, as police would be near intersections and in neighbourhoods. It would also get more novice drivers on the right track early.

Will voters insist that politicians and police do something substantive to protect people by nailing the jerks who endanger good people?

Keith Sketchley

Saanich