Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Ken Reid Knows Traffic Dangers

Recent discussions on the Loudoun Times' website in the wake of a tragic accident on Route 15 mentioned Councilman Reid's driving record:
Fri, Sep 02 at 02:47 PM by leesburg mom:
This is an example of why Ken Reid, who has gotten many tickets for speeding and reckless driving, should be ashamed of himself. Aggressive driving is just plain wrong, and it leads to things like this story. So, Ken Reid, remember that an elected official (in your instance, a Leesburg Town Council member) should follow rules of the road, follow the law, and drive carefully.
This comment, and some that followed, draw attention to an interesting dichotomy in Councilman Reid's record as a candidate, and driver.

Councilman Reid got his start as an advocate for fixing traffic problems in Leesburg, specifically through his leadership on the Residential Traffic Committee. His biography on the Town's website explains his involvement in traffic safety issues, regionally.
A longtime civic activist in the transportation field in the Greater Washington Region, Council Member Reid is a past member of the Loudoun County Transportation Safety Commission and Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Policy Committee. - Leesburg, VA
It is commendable to have an elected official stand so strongly for traffic safety rules. Or at least, others adherence to traffic safety rules.

It seems that Councilman Reid has a bit of a problem adhering to traffic laws, himself, as the records of the Loudoun County District Court make clear.


If you look back at the history of these tickets, which occur with regularity throughout Mr. Reid's service on the various transportation committees and boards he is on, a pattern of disregard for the rules of the road emerges. But beyond that disdain for the rules, there is the simple fact that doing 54 in a 35 zone, or failing to obey a highway sign (e.g. stop sign), puts people in danger.

The presence, or absence, of a number of speeding (and other) tickets would not normally be a campaign issue. However, Mr. Reid has made traffic safety a core part of his political persona while serving in Leesburg. It is prominently mentioned in his Town biography blurb on the Town website. As such, it seems reasonable to question the nature of that passion for traffic safety in his politics, when he appears to have a recurring problem with it in his own driving record.

I do not believe it was Councilman Reid's intent to ever put people in danger when he committed these violations. Nor do I believe he is going out looking to break the rules. I do believe, however, that a pattern of tickets represents a certain laxity of attention when doing something important (in this case, driving) that is worthy of consideration. And I believe that the long-term pattern shown here demonstrates that Mr. Reid hasn't learned from his mistakes. And that is a trait we do not want in our Leesburg Supervisor.

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