Today’s letters discuss speed bumps, George Bush, the the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, the Broxden roundabout grouse, council absence rates, and the Edinburgh tram project.
Fife’s speed humps punish law-abiding drivers
Sir,-While undergoing a Fife education in the 1940s and 1950s, we were constantly advised that Scottish education was the best in the world and that Fife education was the best in Scotland.
Can I assume that the Fife councillors and officials who have covered the county with 20mph villages and speed bumps were not lucky enough to have benefited from the Fife education system?
The practice of punishing all drivers for the sins of the few follows the old system used in the forces of collective punishment against the majority if it was too much trouble to find miscreants.
Perhaps if the police were to catch more speeders and take punitive action, then it would be possible for Fife to be returned to normality.
C. R. Garland.102 Califer Road,Forres.
Dignified silence of Bush
Sir,-Time puts events into perspective and presidential decisions address the flying moment so that the days when Democrats could blame everything on George Bush are over.
In retirement he has earned respect by remaining above the current political fray and refusing to follow the example of Clinton and Carter who rubbished their successors.
Predictably, given the insanity which accompanied his election, a recent poll found that less than half of America now thinks Obama is a better president than his predecessor.
The most popular T-shirt in US souvenir shops has the image of Bush and the logo, Miss Me Yet? This is reminiscent of the New Labour era slogan, Don’t blame me I voted Tory.
A graduate of both Yale and Harvard, universities into which few British students could dream of gaining entry, he was much more able than European pundits wish to admit.
(Dr) John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.
Independent agenda of SPUC
Sir,-I am writing in order to answer Mr Hinnrich’s question (November 4), does SPUC (the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children) support the Pope?
Mr Hinnrich accuses SPUC of being a religious organisation. This is not the case. Although many of SPUCs supporters adhere to various religions, the organisation itself is indeed secular.
Mr Hinnrich suggests that SPUC is hiding its position on abortion under the guise of “caring about women’s health and well being.”
While genuinely caring about the health and wellbeing of women, SPUCs’ central mission, as indeed the society’s name clearly states, is to campaign against abortion and the aim of the society is to protect unborn children.
To suggest that this is in some way hidden is preposterous.
So, to answer the question of whether or not SPUC supports the Pope, in so far as the Roman Catholic Church states that life begins at conception and that the child in the womb is human and has a right to life that is inviolable, yes, we agree.
On the question of the use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa, the society does not take an official position on the use of non-abortifacient contraception and, therefore, cannot be accused of pushing any religious agenda in this regard.
However, individual members would be well within their rights in a democratic society to support the Catholic Church’s view on condoms should they wish.
John Paul Cecil.Chairman,SPUC Scotland,3 Wemyss Crescent,Monifieth.
Perth bird should migrate
Sir,-Of all the treacherous circles of tarmac in Scotland, it takes a lot to beat the Broxden roundabout.
Ask any seasoned lorry driver who travels this route and they will say it takes a great deal of concentration and eyes in the back of your head to safely traverse this road. It is a notorious path which takes drivers to Edinburgh, Inverness, Perth and Glasgow.
Tayside Police were quoted as saying that, in one year, there were 71 reported accidents there.
Approaching this roundabout there are signs to watch out for unbalanced lorries. So it is no secret that this is indeed a difficult road. So what do the authorities do? Create slip roads or direct some bulk around another route?
They give permission for a giant metal grouse to be erected right bang in the middle of the roundabout.
Now build the bird but, for goodness sake, put it some place else.
In the tourist season there will be foreign visitors who head along that route not to mention the snakes of football fans heading to McDiarmid Park.
David Smith.1 Glenturret,Crieff.
Council staff shirking duty
Sir,-I noted with interest your article (November 4) which reported that certain council staff take an average of three days off each month.
As I read this, I thought back to my own working life when one had to think twice about taking a day off work. It meant that someone else had to do your job and, in my case, the loss of a day’s pay.
It is not every company that pays a wage if one is absent from work. We all get sick but three days off a month is unreasonable.
Thomas Brown.6 Tulliebelton Road,Bankfoot.
Foreign contract is a tram cheek
Sir,-Edinburgh is in deep trouble over its trams project but, for goodness sake, who gave the contract to a German firm?
Our history provides enough examples of wonderful work done by Scots over the years and I have only to mention Clyde built as an example.
Neil G. Sinclair.New Fleurs,St Martins,Balbeggie.
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