Points: Letters of the week, July 6
The issues that got you talking this week
Selection process
So Andrew Maynard (“Legal paradise”, Points, last week) believes that the French motorway police are merely “enforcing the law” and on that basis he’d like to live there. That’s not the point: it seems that they are enforcing the law selectively. Worse, their selectivity is based on nationality. That’s a whole different kettle of poisson, isn’t it?
David Hoggard, Malton, North Yorkshire
Forward thinking
To avoid the ludicrous delays at the Dartford crossing, it should be possible to prepay (“Heavy toll”, Points, June 22). How difficult would it be for drivers to do so in advance online? Then there would be no need to stop.
Angus Swanson, Lancing, West Sussex
Licentious thoughts
I’m pleased we will be protected from seeing apparently indecent 64 plates (“2 RUDE: blushing officials slap ban on risqué 64 plates”, News, last week). “YON 1” always amused me when I saw it — readers of the Kama Sutra will appreciate why.
Mike Jakeman, Birmingham
Inappropriate behaviour
What type of democracy do we live in where an unelected government body can deem what is and what is not appropriate to display on car numberplates? Who are these sensitive souls whose fragile lives must be increasingly protected by an ever-growing welter of laws and directives?
Nicky Samengo-Turner, Hundon, Suffolk
County line
Please inform Jeremy Clarkson, who claims that adults “pick up and absorb information even when we don’t want to”, that Humberside no longer exists as a county and that Spurn Point is now in East Yorkshire (“By Jimny, even hairdressers will give it the brush-off”, last week).
Mark Turner, via email
User error
Not having the means to charge an electric car at home is bound to affect adversely the way it performs (“Nanny hybrid has shattered my electric dream”, last week). Eleanor Mills should have realised it is not necessary to tell the car which language to use — it does it automatically — and the systems she accuses of being nannying behave that way in all cars to which they are fitted. And my Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has no delay between starting and engaging the Drive mode.
I changed from a Mercedes ML 250 to the PHEV two weeks ago and I am very impressed by it. It would be a shame if one bad review put people off buying a plug-in hybrid, which is very economical and usable as well as environmentally friendly.
John Gaskin, York
