YP Letters: Zero-tolerance speed limits is a flawed idea

THE idea proposed by the police of enforcing the speed limit without any leeway is utterly absurd and I ask is this another way of making money from the already beleaguered motorist? I agree that speeding is a problem. However a zero-tolerance attitude will create chaos as regards paperwork, create animosity towards the police and will not help the problem one bit.

The vast majority of us do try to abide by the speed limit, but a zero-tolerance approach will mean most of us will have our eyes glued to the speedometer and not on the road, probably resulting in more accidents, especially in built-up areas.

The other issue is that car speedometers are inaccurate. I own two cars; one a Rover 75 which when bought new had the option of either 15in, 16in or 17in inch alloy rims and a selection of different tyres.

However Rover only fitted one type of speedometer which covered all options, so it’s obvious that the accuracy of the speedo will be in question, but I’m not to know that, or indeed the variance that could be two or three miles per hour out – either plus or minus.

My other car is a 1979 classic car, again with a speedo that is 40 years old and so will not be as accurate as perhaps a brand new car with digital equipment, so once again where does that leave me as regards zero-tolerance?

Presumably we will be allowed to contest any fines or convictions in court because, arguably, one has unwittingly committed an offence not due to negligence, but through misinformation by equipment fitted. Are the police going to check everyone’s speedometer for accuracy? Do they expect the owner to? A two to three mph error is quite common on cars and always has been.

Admittedly sat-navs can inform you of your true speed, but how many of us use a sat-nav all the time? I, for one, only use one when I’m unsure of a location I need to find, the rest of the time it resides in the glove box.

Frankly I think this is a flawed suggestion by the chief constable, and the police would be far better off catching the real speeders with unmarked traffic patrol cars. However, living in a rural area, it’s very seldom I ever see a police car at all.

11-plus long discredited

From: John G Davies, Alma Terrace, East Morton, Keighley.

COUNCILLOR Tim Mickleburgh (The Yorkshire Post, August 17) needs to do his homework regarding grammar schools.

There is plenty of research that shows the pernicious effects of selection on children at all levels and in all types of school, yet this particular educational zombie keeps rearing it head. The simplistic concept of intelligence through the 11 plus exam has long been discredited. Human abilities are far too complex to be defined in this way and 11 years of age is far too young to start sorting the sheep from the goats, so to speak.

To take myself as an example; I am quite logical in my thinking, rather than emotional; I have a facility for learning languages; I can get by in maths, and that is about all and I am very clumsy which meant that I struggled to get a degree in zoology which is very dependent on manipulative skills.

Other individuals have a similar complex set of “abilities”, what we need is an educational system that takes each person into account, and which goes beyond “academic skills”.

From: Neil Richardson, Kirkheaton.

YOUR Editorial (The Yorkshire Post, August 16) seems to describe support as a post-enrolment feature, active within a programme of study. Is there already sufficient support before students agree to years of academic work?

I imagine such support would include anonymised examples of students’ financial budgets (income and expenditure within a region) and sample pages from the textbooks to be read – some of which may appeal a lot more to established academics than newcomers.

University departments could also include a paragraph on the role of a student within their patch, and its implications for the weeks ahead.

I suggest the role gets displayed in logic which allows flexible action (rather than cliches and hopeful outcomes), and is reviewed during the course according to staff and students’ responses.

Nothing new about the cuts

From: Bob Holland, Skipton Road, Cononley, Keighley.

NORTH Yorkshire County Council says it unexpectedly needs to find £11m “because of increased support required for children with special education needs”.

Pull the other one. Are we really to believe that when Tory councillors campaigned in April this year, these children were unknown? It is extremely unlikely (for example) that 2,000 new children suddenly appeared in the summer term urgently needing £5,000 extra spending before April.

Before local elections this May, national campaigns warned of cuts by the Tory government, but, of course, no problems here. Now we are told. This looks like a false budget, hiding for party political reasons the cuts the Tory government is inflicting.

This council has been subjected to cuts of £170m from the Cameron and May governments, and now local children must suffer. The cover up by the County Council is over.

Vaping risks

From: Paul Morley, Ribblesdale Estate, Long Preston, Skipton.

SURELY the same rules should apply to both vaping and real smoking, if only because there is no long-term proof that vaping is not harmful to both vapers and passive vapers?

After all, it took nearly 400 years before we discovered that smoking tobacco was bad for your health. I’m not trying to be a killjoy because I’m a tobacco smoker myself, but believe a bit of common sense is called for.