The Editor,

Re: "Lighten up, folks; let your kids be kids," the Now, Jan. 19.

My best memories were from the 1970s, when it was normal to ride in the back of a pick-up truck. People smoked cigarettes, drank beer and enjoyed themselves. It only took one working parent to sustain a household. Seatbelts were something you might find on an airplane, not in a car and helmets were for astronauts.

It seems like every day, some new "safety" thing comes along. For example, we never used to have flag people at every roadside construction site. Now, it actually puts their safety at risk, simply because they're in the way.

In the past few decades, people have had safety slowly rammed down their throats - after all, who can argue with safety?

I think it all started when we let government look after health care. We had to tax the fun stuff out of existence with a "sin tax" or outlaw it altogether, because it might cost "the system."

Bring back the days of sharp corners on the playground and minor injuries that made life memorable. It's nice that some of us can still do the odd dangerous thing, like skydiving or skiing - unless the safety patrol takes them away too.

Tim Davidson, Surrey