Letters to the Editor: Many car ads glorify dangerous driving. Should they be banned?

To the editor: Alcoholic beverage advertisers won't show a person sipping a beer on TV, but car companies can and do show sleek, new, overpowered cars speeding, burning rubber and careening to upbeat music tracks. ("Unsafe speeds and reckless driving: Deadly Windsor Hills wreck 'is the tip of the iceberg,'" Aug. 19)

I don't think a kid of 16 will heed the unreadable warnings at the end of the spots that the stunts are done by professional drivers. "Do not try this at home" at the end of a TV commercial is hardly a deterrent to the auto idiots.

Numerous intersections with tire tracks and skid marks from street takeovers are grim reminders of this ridiculously irresponsible behavior.

As an ex-adman, I hate to lay blame on the advertisers, but something must be done. Maybe there should be a limit on horsepower on city streets.

It's simple: Irresponsible advertising is causing deaths.

Newell Alexander, Valley Village

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To the editor: There is a low-tech and cost-effective solution to high speeds on the road that will solve more problems than reducing speed limits or installing expensive cameras. I'm talking about speed bumps, and not just in residential neighborhoods, but on any roads where people race their cars.

It's physically impossible to go fast where there are speed bumps and not hit your head on the ceiling of your car. I would certainly install speed bumps wherever there are gangs of drivers closing off streets and doing donuts.

My solution, however, is probably way too simple for our civic leaders to wrap their heads around.

Doug Weiskopf, Burbank

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.