Slow down
This letter is devoted to stopping a moving vehicle. As Platteville and UW–Platteville have grown, traffic density has increased. Driving too fast is a major cause of crashes, injuries and fatalities.
Some factors to consider, most from the Internet or AAA:
• Human Perception Time/Distance is the distance our vehicle travels from the time our eyes see a hazard and the brain recognizes it. This time is about 0.75 seconds. At 55 mph, one travels 60 feet in 0.75 seconds.
• Human Reaction Time/Distance is the distance traveled from the time your brain tells your foot to react. With reaction time of 0.75 seconds, this will take an additional 60 feet at 55 mph.
• Vehicle Reaction Time/Distance: Once the brake pedal is applied there is vehicle reaction time which depends on the brake pedal free-play, hydraulic properties of the fluid and working order of the braking system. This time may be about 0.25 second. This is why a tailgating car can rarely stop when the brake light ahead comes on.
• Vehicle Braking Distance is the distance it takes the vehicle to stop once the brakes are applied. At 55 mph on dry pavement, it takes a vehicle with good brakes about 4.25 seconds to stop, during which the vehicle may travel another 182 feet. This last factor relates to the vehicle’s braking capability which depends on the type of braking system, brake pad material, brake alignment, tire pressures, vehicle weight, suspension system, coefficient of friction of road surface, wind speed, road slope, and surface smoothness.
• Speed vs. stopping distances: As speed doubles, stopping distance increases exponentially. At 20 mph, the driver’s reaction time is 44 feet, and the car takes 20 feet to stop, so the total stopping distance is 64 feet. At 40 mph, the driver’s reaction time is 88 feet, and the car takes 80 feet to stop, so the total stopping distance is 168 feet. At 60 mph, the driver’s reaction time is 131 feet, and the car takes 180 feet to stop, so the total stopping distance is 312 feet. At 80 mph, the driver’s reaction time is 176 feet, and the car takes 320 feet to stop, so the total stopping distance is 496 feet.
Comment: As an older driver, I would feel better if I could see the front of a vehicle behind me in my mirror. Alas, this is not always so. Note Main Street is 15 mph.
Roy Shaver
Platteville
Not a Hillary fan
It is not hard to feel the evilness that exudes from Hillary Clinton’s lips every time she promotes her vacuous and self-serving pronouncements. The best way to describe those who vote for her is with that folksy quote that states: “Birds of the same feather flock together”!
This country is unwittingly going from the worst ever to a clone of the worst ever if the birds of her feather are insensitive to her seductive and self-serving ambitions. The American people should understand that the wool was pulled over their eyes once and should be ashamed at themselves if they let it happen the second time. It will only be a matter of time where it will not matter who is the next leader of this country when everything that was good is now bad and everything that was bad is now good.
I wonder how long it will be before God says enough is enough. And don›t tell me it can never happen to America. Historian Arnold Toynbee said it well: "Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder."
Hillary may want us to drink her pronounced Kool-Aid but there are multitudes of us who don't! With all I have said, I expect her feathered boo birds to take issue with my assessment of Hillary and come at me blasting both barrels of vicious smears that in reality only describe their support of evil and death of our country by suicide. Sob! Sob! Sob!
David Teiwes
Richland Center
Sanders vs. GOP
Well, look at that: our governor is still in the race for the GOP nomination among the 16 or 17 other Republicans who are all after the brass ring. The 16 are all campaigning on repealing Obamacare; being hostile to Mexicans, women, and our own poor; and rattling sabers in the Middle East.
On the Democratic side, only about six or seven candidates are campaigning on subjects the Republicans have barely mentioned, such as supporting Social Security, strengthening Medicare, making voting easier not harder; all social safety net issues. The most forward of the Democratic candidates is Bernie Sanders, the Senator from Vermont.
Most people are, understandably, ignoring the political races for an election over a year away, but it’s difficult to ignore Bernie; his stump speech is classical “We the People” had enough rhetoric. His website, berniesanders.com, holds his list of “12 Steps” for recovery from the loss of democracy we now suffer through.
As for me, I’m not ignoring the too-long campaign. Hate it, but can’t ignore it. I’m going to a Bernie support rally at the Badger Bar this week and see how volunteers can work to get him nominated.
Walt Wisniewski
Platteville
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