This tough measure seems to discriminate against the poor tenants of public housing flats. They are deprived of the right to have a pet because they can't afford private housing. Yet public housing flats which are sold are immune from the tough new measures.

The pets being raised in public flats are usually small and obedient. How can they create hygiene problems for neighbours?

In order to save these pets, I suggest the housing authority postpone this tough and controversial measure and give amnesty to those tenants who are already raising pets. For example, those who want to keep their existing pets would have to apply for a one-time licence which would only be issued to existing tenants. No licence will be issued again and it would expire on the death of the pet. I believe this is a win-win arrangement.

Chong Yuk Fai, Tuen Mun

I realise that the law should be followed. But I think that the government should consider relaxing this law rather then enforcing it. There are already a lot of stray and abandoned dogs in Hong Kong, and they cause a lot of trouble by sometimes being aggressive, or by fouling the streets and toppling garbage bins.

It is much worse for the environment to have stray dogs than having dogs kept as pets. It is also proven that pets are good for us. They make us feel better, lower our blood pressure, and make us feel less stressed. They are also wonderful companions for sick and lonely people.

I support the law in prosecuting people who let their pets foul the streets and public places, but don't force people to abandon their pets.

Instead, look at ways to relax the law about keeping pets in public housing.

Gunilla Bengtsson, Sai Kung

Q How can road safety be improved?

The letter in Talkback on Thursday echoes a previous correspondent's suggestion that speed is the dominant factor in accidents. It suggests speed limits in places like Central should be reduced to 32km/h, while large vehicles including buses and goods vehicles should be limited to 50km/h on expressways.

We may as well bring back the ancient requirement to have someone waving a flag in front of each motor vehicle to warn others that it is approaching.

Even the current speed limit of 70km/h on some expressways is ridiculously low.

Others go on about Tuen Mun Road being sub-standard and a challenging route to drive due to its many bends.

Elsewhere in the world, undivided highways with far greater and more frequent bends, inclines and declines have speed limits far greater than 70km/h, yet tragic accidents such as the recent one here do not occur there - even when the road surface is covered with compact snow and ice.

What gives? Could it be the drivers? How many times in Hong Kong do we hear the official explanation that 'the vehicle went out of control'?

Several years ago, I was one of nine people taken to hospital when a green minibus rear-ended the vehicle I was in. The minibus was going 50km/h yet left skid marks more than four metres long. This morning, I let loose with my horn as several green minibuses drove right through a zebra crossing where I had stopped because there were pedestrians using it.

Everyone looked at me like I was nuts. I am sorry, but we have a road system that is pretty darn good for such a compact place, despite having been built in a somewhat hodge-podge manner over the years. Tuen Mun Road, for example, was not intended to become the major route that it is today - the people who live in that satellite town were meant to work there, not commute into the urban areas.

Sure, there are some improvements to be made, such as widely adopting the design of the safety barriers on the Tsing Ma and Ma Wan bridges - but even at greatly reduced speeds, I am sure that a Hong Kong driver will manage to crash through one.

That same driver probably exits roundabouts from the offside lane, signals the opposite direction to that which they are turning (if they use turn signals at all), and follows too closely.

Other typical Hong Kong driver faults are failing to keep to the near side on expressways unless going faster than other vehicles, and hugging or even straddling the centre of a road going around a corner. I see this kind of driving every day.

The solution is simple - ban licences for people who can't drive.

Graham Brett Alexander, Tai Po

Q Is the Secondary School Places Allocation System fair?

The allocation system is so unfair, especially in marginal cases. One of my students is one of those unlucky ones. Based on his ranking in Primary 6, he falls on the borderline between band-two and band-three.

Unfortunately, he has been allocated to the worst band-three school in the district. This is really his last choice and he is so frustrated. This is so unfair to him. He has been working very hard but the outcome is so disappointing just because he had a poor random number!

Winnie Chow Pui Man,

Hong Kong South