PAUL O'Reilly makes me look a fool (Letters, January 11) but I am grateful to him and I hope to become a better person after reading his letter.

He is, of course, right.

The overhead motorway signs on the M42 are not pointless and I, of all people, should know.

Until those signs appeared, I would regularly speed home on the hard shoulder, my phone in one hand and a bottle of whisky in the other.

I would not "take a rest", however tired I was and I was totally unaware the huge jams on the lanes inside me were "queues" caused by "congestion".

I was totally oblivious to "gritting" taking place and drove on in total ignorance of the need to "avoid junction 7 of the A14" some 65 miles away.

We need more signs. I have drawn up a list of Very Useful Signs To Be Displayed On the Motorway which are designed not just to be useful on the M42 but on all motorways.

Slow down.

Don't drive on the grass verge.

Don't rob banks.

Fuss a pussy cat at least once a day.

Clunk-click every trip.

Mind the gap.

Consider the lilies in the field.

Go as fast as you can.

Mr O'Reilly also seems to think, in particular, the "don't drink and drive" signs have an effect. On who? People driving to the pub or those driving from it?

He is though, again, undoubtedly right and following this logic, we should have the entire British penal code put onto one huge sign.

Within weeks we could have a crime free society...and a bill for a very large and expensive sign.

Howard Bellaby

Marriott Hotel

Taba

Egypt