Cutting down on speeding saves lives. Why doesn’t Tampa Bay do it? | Column, Nov. 23

I’m not a fan of NASCAR. I don’t follow Indy racing or in-depth looks at Formula 1 racing on Netflix. Why? Because I’m involved in motor vehicle racing every time I drive on Interstate 275 from St. Pete to Tampa.

When we moved here, I had no idea that the Howard Frankland Bridge was actually a test track for wanna be race car drivers. And not just cars. I didn’t know there was a professional race league for commercial vans or pickup trucks towing trailers. That must be what these drivers are training for as they swerve around me at 80 mph. And I’m going 70 mph to keep up with the flow of traffic!

Just stay in your lane, I think. If I try to change lanes, either someone is going to fly up behind me and probably honk, or they will whip around me while telling me I’m #1 with their middle finger.

Why is everyone driving so fast? They all know they’ll hit a traffic jam at the Dale Mabry exit when heading into Tampa and probably 38th Avenue north heading toward St. Petersburg. Maybe those 20 seconds gained will make a huge difference in their lives. Maybe they think that a motor sport career is somewhere in their future.

Brian Fox, St. Petersburg

Cutting down on speeding saves lives. Why doesn’t Tampa Bay do it? | Column, Nov. 23

Just another thought to protect pedestrians: Wouldn’t it benefit pedestrians if all crosswalks were painted the same orange color that traffic cones are or the iridescent green or yellow reflective vest colors that road crews and crossing-guards wear?

Karen Mazurek, Palm Harbor

Cutting down on speeding saves lives. Why doesn’t Tampa Bay do it? | Column, Nov. 23

In today’s climate, are speed and red light cameras still considered government overreach? Half the country supports masked federal agents with black helicopters disappearing people from their jobs and doctors’ offices without charges or trials, all while tracking millions of Americans’ movements with license plate readers. At this point, a machine snapping photos of reckless drivers doesn’t seem as un-American as it used to.

Francis Pomme, St. Petersburg

Cutting down on speeding saves lives. Why doesn’t Tampa Bay do it? | Column, Nov. 23

I read the column about the speeding situation here. I have lived in many places, and I must admit, I have never lived anywhere where the drivers are so bad. Way too many of these people think they’re Grand Prix drivers! If they can pass you in any way, they act as if they’ve won.

The column was very informative, although not surprising to me. The problem, as I see it, is a lack of enforcement. Nice that the columnist had a radar gun, but too bad he didn’t have a badge, a gun and the ability to write tickets to go with it. Tampa is way too lax in enforcement.

I have been driving for 62 years, lived in most parts of this country, and have driven all over the entire United States, so I think I can speak with some authority on the subject. Tampa needs to get its act together.

R. Miller, Palm Harbor

FDOT study used to scrap a lane from SunRunner ‘incomplete,’ experts say | Nov. 26

The minimalist study the Florida Department of Transportation conducted to justify removing the bus-only lane from Pasadena Avenue appears to have been done solely to justify the bus preferential treatment. It’s no surprise that Gov. Ron DeSantis and his FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue are pro-highway first and foremost. It’s as if DeSantis views transit as “woke.” Whit Blanton, executive director of Forward Pinellas, rightly posited that the state’s decision to scrap the lane was based on ideological opposition to transit.

Howard A. Smith, Timber Pines

Why Castor, Bilirakis’ VISIT USA Act matters for Florida’s economy | Nov. 26

Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada’s column on Brand USA would be more convincing if the current administration weren’t arbitrarily refusing to issue tourist visas. I don’t know how many visa applications are rejected, but my family had to relocate a gathering to Mexico instead of Florida. That deprives Florida of a lucrative vacation and forces some state residents to take their normal spending elsewhere.

John Chamless, Pinellas Park

Trump administration proposes oil drilling closer to Fla. shores | Nov. 21

What a bunch of hypocrites! Most of Florida’s voters voted for President Donald Trump despite his campaign slogan, “drill, baby, drill!” News flash: The Gulf of Mexico holds a lot of oil, and if you want to drill, baby, drill, guess where you go? Where did the MAGA crowd think he was going to push for oil drilling? My only question is whether Trump will authorize drilling off of Mar-a-Lago?

Gregory Kuebler, Dunedin

• • •

Submit letters at www.tampabay.com/opinion/submit-letter/. Letters are edited for clarity and length.