YP Letters: Motorway speed signs driving me to distraction

Are motorway speed limits too confusing?

THE other week, I drove from Leeds to Guildford on the M1 and M25. I hadn’t used the M1 for a couple of years and was surprised to find myself being subjected to a constant stream of variable speed limits (VSL) with cameras on every gantry going.

By the time I had reached Leicester, my acceptance in good faith of VSLs serving a purpose by making motorways safer places had waned and by the time my A3 exit on the M25 had arrived, I was shouting out expletives every time I saw another one ahead. Not good for the health.

There were so many speed changes on my 225-mile trek  that I sometimes couldn’t remember what the limit was, particularly when the traffic on my left often seemed to be moving at about 40mph and on my right it was whizzing past at 70mph!

I was forever cruising along (happily) at 70mph only to be ordered to reduce speed to 60mph (if lucky) or even worse 40mph followed by the inevitable congestion caused by everyone slowing down.

What a joke. Apart from roadworks, I saw no breakdowns or other hazards to explain or justify these VSLs.

I saw only more congestion and felt a growing sense of frustration as my journey progressed.

I was also concerned that I may well have a pile of speeding fines awaiting my arrival back home in Yorkshire.

I hope I never have to suffer such trauma again. I wisely returned using the A1.

It was like a holiday and I arrived back home chilled and relaxed and, miraculously, there were no nasty fines waiting for me.

Why world is always right

From: David Collins, Scissett.

I WAS interested in the recent article on left-handed children and applaud efforts to help in learning to write.

However, as a ‘cackhander’ myself, I think it is very important that not too much emphasis is placed on this.

Left-handers will throughout their lives have to get used to living in a right-handed world.

There is no help on a day-to-day basis. If children grow up thinking there is, they will be sadly mistaken.

Writing in English itself is right-handed. If you are left-handed you have to push a pen rather than pull and you can’t see what you have just written.

Books are right-handed. Cheque books (remember them) were particularly difficult.

A wired computer mouse is set on the right. A computer keyboard is right handed as all the common user keys are on the right. Bread and other serrated knives are usually one sided. You should see a loaf after my wife and I have cut slices (she is right-handed). Even table settings are right-handed, why is a glass put on the right and not in the middle?

Scissors, tin openers and potato peelers are right-handed. Yes you can buy left-handed versions but they are expensive and not always available to you. ATMs are right-handed.

The only thing I can think of that is left-handed is the gear lever and hand brake in a right-hand drive car. The righties are even designing these out.

I could go on but please don’t treat left-handed children as having a disability because,  as they grow older, they will have to get used to a right-handed world.

Bags for life so easy to make

From: Beryl Armistead, Green Park Avenue, Cayton, Scarborough,

MY husband and I both enjoy your excellent paper, thank you for your hard work on it. As an editor himself, of a Christian magazine, my husband Norman appreciates what this entails.

What Jayne Dowle writes often resonates with me and  her piece (The Yorkshire Post, August 14) was of particular interest.

I made my first permanent shopping bag in 1979, from a piece of denim left over from jeans our daughter made at school, and only once have I had to make a small repair on it.

I have made countless ones since, and a lot have been sold to help our Big Collection for the Salvation Army, of which we were both full time officers for 46 years.

They are so easy to make and so economical – I have often used very nice strong duvet covers from our own charity shop, or whatever else that is brought in. I am an avid recycler so I love doing it. God bless.

Please Jayne, do not put plastic in landfill – it is causing havoc in our seas.

We’d be better off in prison

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

WHILe having a coffee in Leeds, I overheard a young man telling his aunt that his friend had recommended prison to him, having just served a spell.

They get up at 8am. do some exercise, breakfast, then go to their job of their choosing  until 1pm, lunch, then more  work until 5pm, followed by dinner, the gym or TV and  then bed.

Three meals a day, access to a good gym, no travel costs, rent, heating, lighting water bills or council tax. I’m sure many pensioners would love that life.

No wonder re-offending rates are so high. What a country we have become.

Now time to end fracking

From: Michael Farman, Willow Grove, Beverley.

NOW that scientists at Herriot-Watt University tell us that the UK shale industry is “over-hyped”, now that the UK is predicted not to meet its Paris Agreement emissions target and now that fracking company Third Energy is in trouble  over its traffic management plan through the country roads around Kirby Misperton, isn’t it time for the firm to give up  and turn its hands to more  useful and environment-friendly work?