The letters regarding seat belts and the police enforcement are quite interesting, but misguided, to say the least.

There are a couple of good reasons to object to the police using bikes in the street to catch people not wearing a seat belt, such as it being dangerous and illegal. The police do not have an exemption to all laws at all times.

The concept of personal choice is nice, but until the concept of personal responsibility returns, the choices are limited. I agree that people should have a choice, but then they should pay the price for their choice, such as higher insurance costs and bearing the responsibility for all the injuries should an accident occur.

Contrary to what was stated in a letter, police officers face safety issues with respect to wearing a seat belt that others don't face.

Officers wear many things which can get caught on a seat belt, and they often need to exit their vehicle quickly to go after a criminal, so it makes sense to exempt them.

The use of percentages to justify nonenforcement of a law is not honest, and some of the numbers are obviously false. While studies have been done, people lie about their seat belt use, and it is impossible to determine the real seat belt use.

If the police did not catch anyone, there would be no need for the enforcement. As was stated, some people "forget" or feel "defiant," and getting a fine is a nice way for those people to remember to use a seat belt. Why should a warning be given to someone who is defiant?

The claim about who pushed the seat belt law sounds like a conspiracy theory. If the evil insurance companies pushed the law— would it not be moral to push a law to reduce injuries, even if it saved money? Somehow it becomes a profit center for the government in the next paragraph.

It seems to me that the responses are just an attempt to justify why the person should not be fined for violating the law.

If you think that the law is not just, then work to get things changed so that others don't pay for your poor choice. Ken Sandberg Simi Valley