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-~ ~ Page 16, Whltby Free Prose, Wednesday, May 22, 1996 'I IirTERS I Truck driving tfacts distorted TO the edtoft Re: Letter, %lncreasd speeda threaten drivers' lives,' April 17, Free Pre Herman Van Der Veen'. letter Conan many fadto that have been distorted by the government and the mainstream media. With 16 years of truck drivig on highways acrose Canada and the U.S. behind me, I would like to think he would become aware of ail the fadeo before judging al truckers as lethargic, qspeeding, -burned ont lBars. L Iike most motorias driving on Our highways today, he chooses to demonize trucks and their drivers to make a point of ail that is wrong with the transportation eystem. le he aware that trucks are bauing frmeglt for less money now than they were 10 years ago, before deregulation and free trade? If his wages were rolled back to what they were 10 years ago, would he have to work longer hours to survive? Would the safety of hie truck be compromised? W. do not have humdreds of trucks with worn brakes. I most cases, if a brake problem jes indicated, the brakes are out of adjustment. If the government would mandate self-adjusting brakes, as they should have years ago, the problem would flot exist. la h. aware that driving school programe provide inadequate tannteaching you very little about highway drivig and nothing about truck awareness? he ho awaro that U.S. studies s3how that 72 miles per hour is the safest highway speed and that i. the reason they increased from 55 te 65 miles per hour? IB he aware the average epeed on our highways is already 120 kilometres per hour and the vehicles travelling at lesu than 100 kilometres per hour are the problem? Speed is flot the problem. Education at the point of licencing is the problem. la h. aware, that cars are Buppo.ed to avoid travelling ini the centre Iane, to keep it clear for passing trucks? le h. aware that 71 per cent (MinistiY Of Transportation state) of truck-related accidents, were the fault of other vehicles, flot the trucks? Io h. aware that when a licence i. issued, the driver holding that licence does not have to b. retested until the person is 80 years old? I. ho aware that a new Immigrant or reftmgee to our country May write a drive?.é test without any knowledge ofour language written or verbal, as long as they are accompanied at the test by an interpreter? Io ho aware that most of the truck drivers ont on the highway are human beinge with families and homes? They feel safety concerne ini an effort te do an honest day'. work for an honest daY. puy. Trucker are very aware there are bad among the good in their profession. We are fed up being bashed because of the few, te feed the sensationalistic frenzy of the media and the govorniment. Brim IM Lite mme Campalga For CommonM sens. On Our Hlghways How do you seil Mini-Vans when ail the competifion constantly clamnours thiat their vans are the cheapest? First . agoee with their point about cheaýpness. Then, start pointing out ail the many, many ways that your Minfi-Van is better than aniyother. The 199 Quesqt We off er as standard equipment... *Air Conditioning - 7 Passenger Quest-Trac Seating - V6 Power " A plush, comnfortable interior - The most carlike suspension on the market " An overdrive automatie trahnmission - Creature comforts like AM/FM cassette, tilt and intermittent wipers - A safety group, not only with dual airbags and guard beams, but also headrests and shoulder beits for ail 6 outboard passengers, and the list goes on... " We back it with the the best standard warranty around, which includes 5 year major component coverage and roadside assistance. " When you make your apples-to-apples Mini-Van compaiison, you'Il probably find the Nissan Quest is, well, a real peach... ON SALEAA* FROM $2VWF LEASE $61 o FROM$ IO <Lease based on 36 month term with $2,560 down. Security deposit required) Plus freight and prep, taxes and licence. e centre To the editor. Re: Letter, 'Youth a victim of auto insuranoe,' Free Press, April 17. I know how Chris Byvelde feels. F'm 69 years old and have been driving 53 years. I have owned and operated il vehicles in 53 years. The number Of miles rve driven, I don't knowy probably close to a million. During that time, I bought one new vehicle, a '58 Pontiac station wagon; rest of the cars were al used (I might add the '58 Pontiac was a lemon, that's why no more new ones). My insurance rates are high because of my age and the area I live in. I my life of driving so far I have had one speeding ticket (six mniles per hour over the limit), two parking tickets both in VWhitby, (metres run out), two minor accidente. But my rates are near $1,000. Even with my driving record, I feel rm being classified with other drivers. I have found out that the longer you drive without an accident, your odds are greater you will have one,, so the rates stay high. 1So you're damned if you have F-s--- driven and damned if you hav'an't driven. G. Kerr whitby Check the air in yow tire.. Undsr-infiatsd tire can S im -fel canhlum ptioa by , up to sigt per cent, osn1 you mon.y on gu a icreaung polluto and Envirom.ng Canad 1-Vi Insurance hmgh forseirto i -~ j,, p i. Î;o A [NISSANI E&M ctrîca lete IMéchanical r& Emýe 1 Service 1 s