It was interesting to read the views of Bob Waite and John Beisley (Letters, October 22).

Attempts to defend the indefensible are always illuminating in the way that they bring out strange perspectives on life.

I would remind the above gullible people that the news item about Coun Reid and the traffic lights received headline attention not only in our own national newspapers, and on TV and radio, but in newspapers throughout the world.

The "gullible" should be reminded that the reason was not because, as they describe her, she was showing "leadership, initiative, courage, common sense and money-saving intent."

It was because the general perspective was that it was something far more sinister than that. The real world sees it for what it is.

A P Clayton-Chance,

Richardson Street, York.

Updated: 09:28 Thursday, October 27, 2005