A Rush to Judgment About Speeding Doctors

As a physician taking frequent emergency room calls, I found “Doctoring the Speeding Law” (editorial, March 14) extremely offensive. For the editorial page of a major newspaper to portray physicians with such contempt is very troubling. There have been many times I have been called to the hospital in the middle of the night to treat patients who are bleeding to death from gunshot wounds or ruptured aneurysms. I find myself driving to the hospital quickly, hoping that I won’t be too late to help and also hoping that I won’t be pulled over by the Highway Patrol to explain myself, thus wasting valuable time.

To suggest that I would abuse an MD sticker to speed to the golf course or the market is abhorrent and not worthy of The Times.

I am sorry that someone on your editorial staff has had a bad experience in a physician’s office, but don’t denigrate those of us who truly devote ourselves to saving lives.

Brian J. Acker MD

Director, Trauma Services, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center