Letters

Letters to the editor, Dec. 15

TBO.com
Published: December 15, 2011

Commissioner needs to be replaced

I salute Chuck Schlakman for having the courage to expose the commissioner who is never here, does not care what the people have to say, does not return telephone calls or emails and gets paid $61,000 plus benefits. For what?

However, Mr. Schlakman failed to mention the commissioner's name. Allow me to do that Chuck. His name is Jeff Stabins, the New York commissioner. Come next November let's send him to New York on a one way ticket!

Anthony Palmieri

Spring Hill

On target

Finally, a government agency is going against a giant lobby – cell phone companies. The recent story about the National Transportation Safety Board "urging" all states to enact legislation banning, not just texting, but any use of cellular phones while driving is long overdue.

Some states already have texting bans. Not Florida of course, that might just save lives, prevents injuries and lower insurance rates. And heaven forbid the Florida Legislature from actually doing something for the people of Florida rather than for their moneyed supporters in the cellular industry.

A texting ban is just not enough. I have seen drivers of 18-wheeled trucks on I-75 weaving in and out of their lane only to see them reflected in their outside mirror talking on the phone while going 65 to 70 mph. That is dangerous to the extreme.

How many have to die or be injured before action is taken? In Florida the answer is simple, infinity. There is no maximum number of injured or dead that will move our legislature to action. Only the voters can overcome collective legislative inertia and the voters are fighting the money from cell companies.

Now Purdue's Professor Mannering is bringing up "situational" use of the cell phone. What possible situation, short of a life or death emergency, could warrant someone driving several tons of metal at any speed on any roadway and make or answer a phone call? One wonders how much Purdue receives from cellular contributors?

He mentions a rural freeway, whatever that is, with no surrounding traffic. That would be a fine place to chat on the phone. Really? If there is no traffic and it is a rural area why not just pull over and make or receive the call? While you might actually lose 2 or 3 minutes in travel it is better than someone losing their life!

I looked in the Florida Statutes but was unable to find a definition for rural freeway – I guess that is a definition unique to the professor's state.

Talking on a cellular telephone while driving, no matter where, is bad. Texting on a cellular phone, no matter where, is worse and ignorant. It is time for someone with some backbone to take action to protect the motoring public from these killers on the road. Forget Tallahassee, they haven't seen a legislative backbone since the Big Bang.

While I am no fan of federal intervention into state affairs I believe the withholding of federal road funds from states that do not pass and enforce legislation prohibiting cellular use in a moving vehicle without some very compelling reason for exemption is one solution. Once again it's money that must do the talking!

John Stansbury

Brooksville

Joining together

Once again it is the Christmas season and unfortunately once again you have those intolerant people who have an issue with Christmas, which by the way is a federal holiday.

Of course I am talking about the various atheist groups who whine and complain about Christmas. In the end these people are bigots no better than the Ku Klux Klan.

Let's be clear, history has shown that throughout history, people have been known to abuse religion for their own purpose, and on the other hand some of history's worst monsters were atheists.

Throughout the history of Mankind, religion has been the basis of some of the great civilizations. It has also the basis for bring law and order and for some the greatest pieces of art and literature.

For some reason atheists have a hatred for Christianity, making them bigots. Why, I don't know as there is no way they can prove there is no God.

So, I say to all of my Christian friends merry Christmas and to my non-Christian enjoy your holidays as well and request that we all join together against this new form of bigotry.

Peter Stathis

Spring Hill