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��It would be interesting to see the data attached to the tickets that the ɫɫ�� radar cameras have issued. Premier Doug Ford whined����that drivers should not be penalized for driving 5 km/h over the limit and I would tend to agree with him on that point. What about the drivers exceeding the limit by 20, 30, 40 or more �쾱���dz���ٰ������per hour?

Ford’s comments about speed cameras being nothing but a tax grab and not calling for punishment for the individuals responsible for the vandalism of this infrastructure would seem to indicate that he is condoning these criminal acts. Now he is threatening to cave in to the criminals and legislate the cameras out of existence. That is sad coming from the premier of our province.

Perhaps it’s time to go old school and assign police cars with radar to issue tickets that result in demerit points, increased insurance premiums and perhaps some other infractions. While we are at it, let’s put a cruiser up the street to ticket the drivers who flash highbeams to warn oncoming drivers. I believe that is also an offense. Far too many people are killed and injured due to speeding. Ford should realize this.

John Walton, Etobicoke, ON

Careless driving puts everyone at risk

Enough already. It’s obvious what happens when there is no accountability for drivers going a few �쾱���dz���ٰ������over the speed limit. Give them an inch and they take a mile. And red light running has also become an epidemic. I wonder if these drivers are as tolerant of this behaviour when it occurs in their own neighbourhoods.

There are solutions, such as speed bumps, but the problem is those slow down emergency vehicles. No one would say it’s OK for an ambulance to take a little longer to get to their home in the event of a heart attack as a solution to deter speeders. The erosion of consideration for the safety of others is at play here. The next victim of careless driving could be your own child.

Julia Bowkun, ɫɫ��

This ‘tax grab’ makes roads safer for vulnerable pedestrians��

Shame on Premier Doug Ford for implicitly encouraging vandalism to cameras by claiming that they are nothing but a tax grab. This “tax grab” is not paid by any innocent taxpayer, but only by speeding offenders. This “tax grab” has proven to slow people down and make it safer for vulnerable pedestrians like seniors and kids. Instead of having police officers spending a lot of time trying to catch speeders they will have more time to fight crimes, such as reckless driving, car thefts, home invasions and violent crimes. I hope they catch these vandals and punish them to the full extent of the law.

Rut��Damen, Brampton, ON

Speed bumps work!

If I understand things correctly, speed cameras, besides being treated as cash grabs by some, are replaced by the company that supplies them. The city would have to pay for and maintain speed bumps, so no skin off Premier Doug Ford’s back. I hear that snowplows can tear them up if not installed correctly. However, they work amazingly well on my street in Mississauga where I live close to a school zone. Many local people, including myself, go the long way around just to avoid them and thus increase the safety of our children.

Melanie Blake, Mississauga, ON

No one enjoys being constantly watched

There’s more than just criminal mischief going on when you see a systematic attack on the city-wide speed camera network. This has become a form of political protest in which laws are getting broken.

I do not condone breaking the law, but it has been broken in the past for the purpose of political “protest.” I’m sure the police would love to find whomever is cutting down these cameras, but the resources required to pursue them are probably better spent elsewhere.

The situation has become fraught because no one enjoys being constantly watched and they’re more than willing to give Big Brother a black eye. You want to slow traffic? Add a light. It’d be cheaper at this point.

Paul Graham,��Mississauga, ON

Getting hit by a speeding car is not fair

I should have stopped being awed by the ignorance of Doug Ford long ago. His said tickets issued by speed cameras are “not fair” since they can be issued for cars going five or 10 kilometres over the speed limit. Yet, many studies have shown the death rate of pedestrians struck at 40 km per hour is 50 per cent while at 50 km per hour, the rate rises to 80 to 85 per cent.�� Ford has once again played for votes by putting people at risk.

Peter Pinch, ɫɫ��

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Doug Ford’s recent statements are shocking

I am shocked at Premier Doug Ford’s recent rants. He wants to ban medical testing on animals, knowing that because of medical research using animals, doctors have perfected surgeries and new medicines. He attacks Crown Royal for making a business decision, knowing that Crown Royal is made in Canada and the majority of Crown Royal is sold in the U.S. He wants to eliminate speed cameras, knowing that the number of people speeding has drastically increased. Does he not care about people’s safety?

Finally, he wants to eliminate school boards, using the excuse of a handful of irresponsible trustees. The real issue is trustees have been making the public aware that there is a serious funding problem. The PCs have put a moratorium on school closures and now there are hundreds of schools that are half empty and very old, costing boards literally millions of dollars a year in maintenance and salaries. The Ministry of Education also will not adequately fund special education with EAs. We do not need smaller classrooms we need EAs to help manage high needs students.

Linda Ward, Sarnia, ON

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What’s with all the senior unfriendly customer service?

It’s high time that seniors band together and do something about the lack of in-person customer service available to them. I am a senior and fairly tech savvy but I must admit there are many times I’m literally left holding the phone saying what just happened? Robots that hang up on you halfway through your keypad journey, hours waiting on hold listening to annoying music always being directed to a website like some off-ramp to God knows where, chatbots that direct you to frequently asked questions pages to solve your problem which often doesn’t address your particular question. Seniors are a large and financially secure cohort that is being ignored or dare I say mistreated. Where is the senior-friendly customer service? Afterall, we even have dog friendly services. The other day I encountered a chat assistant that only works from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — even the bots are bunking off. Corporations and governments can do better. Please do.

Sandra Romanuk, Ottawa, ON