Authorities simply don’t care about traffic laws

Since you published my letter (October 10th) regarding common infringements of traffic law – and the abject failure of the appropriate authorities to do anything about that – there have been other letters referring to specific accidents, together with an article by Ken Hind, which made similar points to mine.

It is to be regretted that many reports of road accidents state something like: “two cars were in collision”, as though it were somehow the fault of the cars. But if two cars collide it will, in most cases, be due to one or both drivers infringing those laws, which are there simply to protect them, not to mention other road users and pedestrians.

Neither does it need to be stated that families are left reeling from such tragedies; so much is obvious.

But such post-accident hand-wringing is not sufficient. In my original letter I asked a simple question: “Either (the authorities) are unable... or they are unwilling, to enforce the rules they make and on which they squander taxpayers’ money erecting signage to be ignored, and smiley face speed reminders which never last more than a few days. Or, of course, they simply don’t care. Which is it?” And I concluded: “I think we’re entitled to know”.

It would seem senior officers and councillors – probably too busy spending their substantial salaries and munificent allowances – don’t care. Neither do they think we are entitled to know that. Not one responded to my letter, either through your newspaper or directly – all we have experienced is a deafening silence.

Don’t we have an elected Crime Commissioner (or whatever the grand title is) who is supposed to respond to public concern?

So I ask again: why don’t those who make the laws bother to uphold them? Because we who fund them are entitled to know.

(Dr) Peter Shepherd,

Eastham Street, Clitheroe