A chara, – In response to Brian D Byrnes's question on Friday 16th.(April 16th) as to how many points a motorist should receive for simultaneously using his mobile phone and eating an ice cream cone while driving, I think 99 would be appropriate. – Yours, etc,
JOHN HICKEY,
Tralee,
Co Kerry.
Sir, – The total is, of course, 102 – three points for the phone, and the remainder for the cone. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN SMITH,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – A driver with a phone to one ear and a cone in the other hand, and clearly not much grey matter in between. – Yours, etc,
ALEC QUINN,
Limerick.
Sir, – Motorists are increasingly being made more “safe” and comfortable at the expense of pedestrians and cyclists. In Ireland, I have often seen drivers “safely” using their phones, using headphones, eating, shaving and reading newspapers while driving. All while the culprits are nestled in between airbags, cruise-control and side-impact bars.
Urban planners, especially in Germany, are increasingly deregulating the public spaces in which motorists and others manoeuvre, putting more responsibility to the fore of the consciousness of those operating the most dangerous modes of transport, and to great effect. It is time we did so in Ireland. – Yours, etc,
DONAL MacERLAINE,
San Pedro de Atacama,
Chile.