There are easily accessible programs to help aging drivers maintain their skills, or recognize when they need to give up their cars.

If the Metro general manager, Paul Wiedefeld, says those extra hours for maintenance are necessary to help fix the system and make it safer, then that gets top priority.

I don't believe any sort of traveler does a better job than any other sort of traveler at obeying traffic safety laws. It's difficult to foresee a camera program that can be used with bikers and walkers.

I can't see a problem with imposing fines on drivers who violate traffic safety laws. The speed limit is the speed limit. A red light means stop. These things haven't changed since people got their driver's licenses.

Back in 2011, when the weekend maintenance disruptions got more aggressive, we were told that the work on weekends and at night and midday would be enough to get the system back to a state of good repair.

Drivers tend to look for other drivers, rather than for pedestrians or cyclists.

Many Saturday mornings, I take 495 from Fairfax to Maryland in the morning, and I'm astonished by the speed of many of the drivers. Even when I drive 70 mph, I'm being passed by people driving 80-90+ at times.