Featured Letter: Legal system is failing

To the editor:

The Feb. 10 Suffolk Times reported that police arrested a Peconic man whose license had been suspended 29 times previously, and now accused him of again driving without a license or car registration. The March 6 issue reported on a Bellport man with 100 active suspensions who was arrested for speeding in an unregistered vehicle, with no insurance, no inspection and “switched” license plates. The police are doing their job. Why is the legal system failing? It appears that punishment does not work, or is totally insufficient. Does no one care enough to change the system or to coordinate the effort to protect the rest of us?

We do not have a right to drive; it is a privilege the states grant us. The privilege is limited by specified conditions (identification, driver testing, etc.) and in particular ways (traffic laws, including an insured, inspected and registered vehicle).

These violations clearly parallel the immigration issue (illegally crossing a border, time and again) and that was “solved” by simply declaring violators “undocumented.” Now some propose we even help children of the “undocumented” pay college tuition.

Why not do the same for Peconic man, our neighbor, and the other driver?

Gunther Geiss, Southold

Mr. Geiss is a former longtime member of Southold Town’s police advisory committee.