The murder of a person on the SEPTA 23 bus is tragic and alarming. But is it really safer to drive a car on Philadelphia streets?
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The murder of a person on the SEPTA 23 bus on May 24 is indeed both tragic and alarming. The thoughts and sympathy of all of us go out to the family of the victim as well as to the driver and the other passengers on the vehicle.
That said, the Local's front-page coverage in the June 3 edition seemed to this writer somewhat hysterical and generally unhelpful. The article suggests that to ride on SEPTA is a dangerous proposition. But, in terms of "passenger miles," is it really safer to drive a car on Philadelphia streets?
As a motorist, I encounter red-light violations, speeding and reckless behavior from others on a regular basis. I have multiple friends who were killed in auto accidents but can't think of one killed riding public transportation.
My hunch is that, as a matter of statistics, you are significantly safer on a SEPTA vehicle than in a car. And if we are going to make our wonderful city a better place, we will need more people on SEPTA and fewer people clogging our streets and roads with automobiles.
John F. Meigs
Chestnut Hill
