THERE was much food for thought in John Black’s letter (December 14). Crucially his observation that “if you can’t stop within your sight line, you are driving too fast” gets to the heart of the matter, but his solution, banning cars from towns, or physically separating vehicles and pedestrians, misses his own point. If you are driving in an urban or suburban area, you must assume that a child, a cyclist, or a parent pushing a pram, or a person under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or someone blind, deaf or mentally challenged will suddenly leave the pavement, perhaps blindly between parked cars and cross your path.
Should you, the driver, be unable to stop, you are driving too fast. Should you kill someone the homicide is culpable. You are guiding a ton of metal through shared space. The collision, should it occur is your fault. If you can’t see all the risks, you should take none.
AJ Clarence,
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40 Biggart Road, Prestwick.