Courtesy of Jacy Good
Jacy Good was severely injured as she was riding home from college graduation. Her parents were killed.
Letters to the Editor
Shameful vote
on cell-phone use
I was outraged to learn that even after hearing Jacy Good's horrific story of her accident caused by a driver using a cell phone, State Rep. Josh Shapiro's efforts to ban drivers' use of handheld cell phones was voted down in Harrisburg ("A Pa. disconnect on the cell phone," Thursday).
The idea that limiting this life-threatening practice would infringe on people's civil liberties is ridiculous. Why have speed limits or traffic lights? Isn't it people's God-given right to drive as fast as they'd like? Why even have driving tests?
I am occasionally guilty of using my cell while driving. But I also know this practice should be curtailed for the common good. You won't hear me complaining. In the meantime, I'd like to see a list of all the legislators who voted against this bill. Their names belong on a wall of shame.
Darlene Friedman
Springfield
Enforcement is
lacking in N.J.
Driving while using a cell phone, handheld or not, should be a primary ticketable offense in Pennsylvania. Texting while driving should be even more vilified, at perhaps double the fine. Second offenses should carry points, as well.
The problem, however, is enforcement. New Jersey made handheld cell-phone use while driving a primary offense and had a flurry of arrests when the law first went into effect. Now that the dust has settled, I see just as many people on cell phones as I ever did.
Ed Crocheron
West Chester
Beers downed, but
nothing will change
What does the picture of the beer- drinking session on the White House lawn tell me ("A sippable moment," Friday)? It was a great photo op. The visitors are respectfully attired in their suit jackets, while the president and vice president are sans coats, portraying "just regular guys."
The real story here is that Harvard professor Henry L. Gates will go on to use the experience in his scholarly profession and perhaps make money off of it in his writings, whereas police Sgt. James Crowley will go back on the street and most likely face more of the same.
Stephen Dreher
Philadelphia
How about
turning it down?
Re: "Real fans don't need the noise," Wednesday:
The noise levels at Citizens Bank Park are out of hand. That's the main reason I no longer go.
Why must scoreboards be sources of entertainment rather than information? Answer: advertising revenue. Unfortunately, they are here to stay. But turn down the music. Experiment. Try a few innings of no manufactured noise. Better still, try a whole game of silence. See if the real fans come back.
William Hengst
Philadelphia
Improve signs
at SEPTA stops
While SEPTA thinks about renaming rail lines, here's something else to consider: the signs at individual station stops. Good luck finding or seeing them, especially at night. Conductors are supposed to announce each stop, but that doesn't always happen. When it starts turning dark, you can bet that passengers will have their noses smashed against train windows as they try to determine what stop they're at.
Use reflective lettering on the station signs. Make the signs bigger. Shine lights. Do something!
Sandra Cherrey Scheinin
Willow Grove
Another title
Rian Thal was not just a "party planner" (photo caption, Friday). The title of "drug dealer/trafficker" appears to be just as accurate.
Sean Tobin
Philadelphia
