Ga. should weigh lower speed limits
Regarding the recent dramatic increase in traffic deaths in Georgia (“Deaths on Ga. roads take alarming jump,” News, April 20), why is no one connecting the fact that this surge began immediately after we raised speed limits on Georgia highways? Faster speeds cause more serious wrecks. Energy increases proportional to the square of the velocity, meaning that with increased speeds, damage to vehicles and passengers grows exponentially. Increased speed also reduces reaction times to avoid collisions — a deadly combination when mixed with distracted drivers — and increases stopping distances. Georgia DOT should study whether the increase in serious accidents is disproportionately occurring on roads where speed limits have been raised, and if so, consider reducing them.
ART ITALO, MARIETTA
Scandals malign Maloof’s name
As a friend and admirer of the late DeKalb County Commission Chairman Manuel Maloof, I would like to suggest that consideration be given to removing his name from the county office building in Decatur. Being associated with the current bunch of scoundrels and miscreants running (ruining?) DeKalb is a disgrace to his memory.
Manuel was an honorable and decent man who served DeKalb for many years without a hint of scandal associated with his good name. When he was chairman, commissioners shared one small office with a spartan desk, chair and phone, which they took turns using. Today, taxpayers spend millions of dollars on office space, personal aides, secretaries and gofers for a bunch of people who spend much of their time trying to stay one step ahead of the sheriff. Manuel would take his cane to the lot of them.
JAMES T. MILLER, HOSCHTON
Send a message to bank officers
Five of the world’s largest banks have been fined $5.5 billion for criminal currency exchange rate manipulation (“Global banks fined more than $5 billion,” Business, May 21). Ever since the financial crisis of 2007-2008, banks and other financial institutions have been fined billions of dollars for illegal financial actions by the U.S. Justice Department. In every case, no senior bank officers have been prosecuted, let alone served any jail time despite admissions of guilt. The old saying that you cannot change a person’s behavior if there are no individual consequences is once again true in this case. Of course, $5.5 billion is a significant fine, but in the scheme of things, it’s small change in light of mega bank profits.
IAN SHAW, CUMMING
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