Safety Dots

Re “Farewell to ‘Rrrrrrppp,’ ” editorial, Jan. 26: Farewell? You mean good riddance. And while you’re at it, also throw out child safety caps, cars that don’t allow you to engage “Drive” unless your foot is on the brake, polarized electrical plugs and any other clumsy and annoying safety device made for morons.

How many times have I been “saved” by Botts’ dots? None. How many times have I been annoyed? Every time I drive over one of the infernal little noisemakers. Get the government out of my life and attack the real problem: the low standards for gaining a driver’s license.

KEVIN MacMANUS

San Pedro

* Good grief! Now, they’re messing with our wonderful Botts’ dots. You report that the dots “are on their way out because of better technology.” I question that premise. You report that they will be replaced with a “bump.” But, hitting a bump in the road is a poor warning signal of lane-straying. A bump could be a poorly patched bit of pavement or pothole repair, or running over the ubiquitous freeway jetsam. Botts’ dots alert the driver with their special sound, bumps do not. If our technocrats can successfully glue bumps to the road surface, why can’t they secure a series of Botts’ dots?

LOUISE HAUTER

La Canada