Lowering the speed limit won't change anything

It is a combination of frustration at being stuck behind lorries and other vehicles at 45-50 mph and the lack of safe opportunities to overtake vehicles which lead to dangerous overtaking manoeuvres. A recent court case quoted the switching between single and dual carriageways sections as one reason for a fatal accident as it can make people think they are on dual carriageway when they’re not.

Many people will speed up to overtake on straight sections as they know the next opportunity may be 10 miles down the road. They take risks, break the speed limit and often put themselves and others in danger.

Lowering the speed limit will not change any of these behaviours. This is just another shooting from the hip reaction by the SNP to a problem it doesn't want to fix by investing money.

Jane Lax, Aberlour.

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• POLITICIANS may tinker with vehicle speed limits on Scotland’s single-carriageway roads from now to eternity. This will have little or no effect on the number of fatal and serious injury road traffic accidents occurring. The root cause of the majority of serious vehicular accidents is a sizeable minority of inconsiderate drivers, who persist on driving too fast for the prevailing conditions.

While the speed limit may be set at 20mph (or whatever) the appropriate speed in certain circumstances should be, perhaps, 5mph.

I hope these proposals are not a cynical political smokescreen to mask the historical inadequate investment in Scotland’s highway infrastructure.

I have my doubts.

Dan Edgar, Rothesay.

School troubles begin at home

GEMMA Clark's article ("It’s no wonder girls and women feel unsafe in our schools amid little or no government action", The Herald, November 27) made for horrific reading. As one whose schooling started during the Second World War, when up to 75% of teachers were female, I find the current level of abuse is breathtaking. Our teachers were all treated with respect with the very occasional minor infraction. While the belt was a supposed tool to ensure good behaviour I remember that many of the female teachers never ever resorted to its use but still exerted control over the classes.

One of the vital factors was that the teachers had the full support of parents, again with the extremely rare exception, and this included those from a "deprived" background. Any serious issue, including any parental anxiety, would be dealt with by the headmaster. Unfortunately in modern times many parents appear to be of the opinion that their offspring can do no wrong and that any sanctions by the schools are undermined by confrontation with the teachers.

An unfortunate element of modern society is the demand for rights but with no element of responsibility. One of the great benefits of the much-maligned National Service, which I experienced, was the instillation of discipline and self-discipline which has served me and many others well over the years. A lack of respect emanates from the home and recent generations have carried this into schools, with the appalling behaviour we are now seeing.

It is easy to say that the Government should do something about it but this is a society problem with no easy fix. As your contributor pointed out, examples such as the incoming President of the United States do not bode well for future respect for women and girls. I confess a vested interest in this subject as the father of two daughters and grandfather of four granddaughters.

James Graham, Clydebank.

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Positivity of the internet

WILLIE Towers' tale of his 10-month-old grandson's laughter (Letters, November 26) prompted me to class it as a “good “ story.

Here is my “good” story.

In 1996 I signed up to support a charity called PLAN. The idea was that a young child in an undeveloped country would be twinned with me and would communicate via mail with short letters and photos. The first child was eight years old and called Freeman and lived in Zimbabwe. We corresponded for about six years until Freeman was 14 and considered too old for the scheme. I have had quite a few other children writing to me and I still support PLAN.

Two years ago - after 20 years - via the long reach of the internet Freeman contacted me and we have since corresponded via email. He is now 37, married with one child and he lives in South Africa.

I think this is a “good" story highlighting the positivity of the internet.

Eric Macdonald, Paisley.

Trying times with the rugby

LAST Sunday's rugby international between Scotland and Australia was a wonderful game, only spoiled for me, watching on TV, by the match between the two commentators.They seemed to have a private battle to speak the most, much of it unnecessary and often childish. Don't the broadcasters realise most rugby watchers can usually see and understand what is going on? And why have two commentators?

Oh for the late great Bill McLaren. His composed match descriptions, sometimes with a quiet comical comment, made TV watching a joy, no matter who won.

Norman Adams, Giffnock.

Onward Christian sailors

EILEEN Stables (Letters, November 27) believed that He was called Harold after hearing 36 children mumbling The Lord 's Prayer. Attending Sunday School at a very young age, I stood with about 25 others to sing the hymn "O worship the King". Singing was quickly interrupted by the Superintendent, Miss McCulloch, with the words: " It's worship, not warship!"

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings?

David Miller, Milngavie.