Raising The Speed

Ehrlich Was Right: One Man's ExperienceRegarding The Sun's quote of Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., who supposedly said "all or most of us resent having poor people move next door," meaning "us" to be the public. And, the follow-up letter on Jan. 11 from a Towson constituent concerning poor people being moved next door. Here's an example of "real" Democratic arrogance.My personal experience:An unwed mother had eight children, all born on welfare. She received monthly welfare checks (deposited to her bank account)

Trooper William McMeins pulled his State Police cruiser onto Maryland's "autobahn" and began searching for prey.In less than a minute he found it: an 18-year-old shampoo attendant who was late for an appointment with a friend. Late enough to hit 70 mph on southbound Interstate 97, just before it dumps onto U.S. 50 outside Annapolis.McMeins swung his big Chevy Caprice across the median and pulled the teen over."I hate this road now!" she exclaimed. "Everybody speeds. Most of the traffic on I-97 does between 65 and 70."

RecyclingEditor: We live in one of Baltimore City's curbside recycling zones and are very pleased with the service.Every other Thursday we put out glass and plastic bottles, aluminum and tin cans, newspapers, flattened boxes and even telephone books, and these items are taken away by the city's contracted recycling hauler. This program has cut in half the trash that we put out for our regular collections.Another way that the city could reduce the amount of trash going into landfills would be to recycle grass clippings in the spring and summer and leaves in the fall.

How is traffic safety improved by telling people that traveling 12 mph above the posted speed limit is acceptable? I suggest Increasing most speed limits by 10 mph instead. That would stop the practice of slowing down otherwise safe traffic flows simply for the purpose of raising revenue. Drivers obeying speed limits that are set too low cause accidents when other people are forced to change lanes trying to get around them. Dan Griffin, Perry Hall Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

To hear the insurance industry tell it, only Governor Schaefer's veto stands between the pedal and the metal.But we hope that the governor resists the pressure from that lobby and signs the bill passed by the General Assembly raising the speed limit on rural interstate highways from 55 to 65 mph. The new limit would not instantly turn Maryland highways into drag race corridors as some direly predict.No doubt it's true that, statistically speaking, an increase of 10 mph in the speed limit might translate into a higher highway fatality rate in Maryland.

The state will be raising the speed limit from 55 mph to 60 mph next month on the Intercounty Connector, Maryland's first all-electronic toll road. The decision Monday by the Maryland Transportation Authority came after more than six months of study of engineering data and the 20 single-vehicle crashes that occurred in the highway's first year of operation. It also renders moot a bill filed last month by two Montgomery County lawmakers to increase the speed. State officials estimate the higher speed will shave 90 seconds off a trip from Interstate 270 in Gaithersburg to Interstate 95 in Laurel.

SENATECorporal punishment ban OK'd, goes to HouseThe Maryland Senate voted yesterday to ban corporal punishment in the rural counties that still allow it, despite objections from lawmakers who said corporal punishment makes Eastern Shore schools better than their urban counterparts.The Senate vote was 27-19 to approve a statewide ban on corporal punishment just two days after the measure had failed, one vote short of a majority.The bill now moves to the House of Delegates, which in previous years has introduced and supported similar legislation.

Vetoes were kept to a minimum as Gov. William Donald Schaefer wisely resisted the temptation to initiate a new pitched battle with legislative leaders over bills sent to his desk for his signature or rejection. The governor's willingness to take a pragmatic view of the Annapolis scene strengthens his position with legislators and enhances the chances that most, if not all, of his 11 vetoes will be sustained.Some legislators were relishing the thought of the governor rejecting popular bills.

THEY'RE BA-AAACK. The horde of motorcyclists who ride into Annapolis each winter protesting Maryland's motorcycle helmet law have become more expected than snow in February. "I know every [year], 500 motorcyclists or so ride around the State House," former Gov. William Donald Schaefer once complained. "The only thing it does is annoy my dog."The cyclists have come and gone before, usually turned back by statistics showing a decline in deaths for the years the state's helmet law has been in effect.

Due to an editing error, a story yesterday incorrectly stated the intent of a bill affecting speed limits. The bill would allow state officials to raise the speed limit from 55 mph to 65 mph on rural interstate highways in Maryland but would not require them to do so. The Evening Sun regrets the error.Gov. William Donald Schaefer is having a tough time deciding whether to sign into law a bill that would allow Marylanders to drive 65 mph on certain rural interstate highways.Schaefer, who has opposed the higher speed limit in the past, did not divulge which way he was leaning on the bill after a veto hearing yesterday.