Don't use me-me-me standard for VRE

October 14, 2008 12:15 am

Maybe only 2 percent of us "use" the Sheriff's Office, the health department, Head Start, etc., but 100 percent of us benefit from them.

So why is it that some people demand that public transit be measured by a different standard than these public services? ["Stop trying to 'Fairfax' us, Spotsylvania!" Oct. 6].

I don't use VRE, but we all benefit as more cars are taken off the roads by transit. VRE is far from perfect, but it's a first step toward pulling ourselves out of our auto-dependent mire, so let's join so we can make it better.

By doing so, we would also stop shelling out millions when we buy gas that could have been used to improve Spotsylvania, but are now being effectively tossed down the drain.

However, we won't get very far toward these goals if we keep confusing those who "use" a service with those who "benefit."

Rupert Farley

Spotsylvania