To the editor:

I read with great amazement the article “Buffer zone” and “On the Street” in the July 6 Journal-World and the reasons given for exceeding the speed limit. The predominant one being “if I don’t, it causes me to be late.” Or “I cheat just enough so I won’t get stopped.” Did you never hear of leaving five minutes sooner? To have a five or 10 mph buffer only encourages us to break the law and then make excuses for doing so!

I worked just short of 44 years for the Santa Fe Railroad where we often handled trains exceeding 10,000 tons and over a mile long and yet were expected and required to operate within the posted speed. To do otherwise resulted in 90 days vacation without pay.

The red signals were called “positive stop signals” which required you to stop short of the signal; to fail to do so could result in a head-on collision if another train happened to be there. Even if there was no other train involved, the penalty was the same as exceeding the speed limit. Time off without pay.

Needless to say, we did everything within our power to adhere to the rules. If a 10,000-ton, mile-long train can be operated within the rules, can’t an automobile weighing much less be expected to do the same?

The answer: no excuses, obey the law or pay the penalty.

Wilford Aday,

Lawrence