Horses aren't reckless, but NM 165 drivers are

Editor:

Someone, for what good it will do, needs to somehow communicate to Sandoval County Sheriff Jesse James Casaus that the problem they need to address is not the "wild" horses, but the insanity of speeding, aggressive drivers on NM 165 in Placitas, especially after dark.

Chief Deputy Allen Mills is "gas-lighting" the anemic, ineffective current enforcement of speeding, aggressive drivers; days and especially nights. If I see a deputy on 165, which is not often enough, they are parked in clearly visible sight, where drivers see them and slow down... until they pass. I don't think I have ever seen an officer on 165 at night.

They pass the parked deputy, then resume their careless, reckless high speed driving, tailgating in a hurry to get wherever they are going a few minutes quicker...Surely, the Sheriff's department can find ways to use unmarked cars, motorcycle officers, and not so obvious officers cruising or sitting in marked black and whites.

The horses are animals that obey the laws of their Creator, unlike humans; they are not careless or reckless in their meandering to find food or water. Until there are consequences in the wallets of these drivers through ticketing and as a result higher insurance rates, nothing will change. The horses are not to blame.

If I may, it is the same case that applies in reforming police. As long as taxpayer money goes to settle cases of police corruption or misconduct and it is costs the officer in question nothing from their employ-ability, their pension, or pay, nothing will change.

They go from one police department to another and repeat conditioned behavior. As in any effort to change behavior, having no consequences of significance only enables, if not encourages, behavior as usual, be it speeding reckless drivers, bad cops or student misbehavior.

Finally, the preventable liability and tragedy that will occur as a result of what can only be described as a laughable if not ridiculous "bicycle lane" on NM 165. Bicyclist are forced to share the road with those same reckless speeding motorist that hit horses. It is only a matter of when a bicyclist will get killed by the high traffic that frequents 165 more and more.

The cost of widening NM 165 just two feet, or making an improvement of the road shoulder to facilitate bike traffic safely, is more important than the cost of a human life. This has the shared connection as consequences for bad cops; the cases in both instances (cost) will be settled and paid for by taxpayer money.

People are the problem; not the horses and not the cyclist.

It is preventable proactively.

Richard Lara

Placitas