Recently, my wife and I made a two-month trip across the United States. The trip was not made on superhighways, but rather using regular city and town streets. We traveled through the largest cities in the U.S. and through hundreds of small towns and villages.

We never encountered the total disregard for traffic laws as we encounter daily in Auburn.

Here, speed limits seem to be guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Stop signs are rather like yield signs. Traffic lights — run them if you can. Crosswalks evidently don’t exist in reality, as seldom do I see a motorist stop for someone crossing and waiting until they have completely crossed the roadway before proceeding.

Where do such drivers get their licenses? And why is nothing done when major infractions occur?

I have been told by those who are sworn to serve and protect, “We have more important things to do,” and “It’s not my job.”

Then what exactly is their job?

Alan Elze, Auburn