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Pa ge 6 T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 2 5, 2 01 4 - T he IF P - H al to n H ill s - w w w .th ei fp .c a crossing before the light changes.  According to letter writer B. Ab- dul, "The lights change so quickly one can hardly escape being cap- tured by the red-light camera. It is even more difficult to anticipate the light change and slow down or stop during winter weather or snowfall, when the light changes quickly."  No. If you are a good driver you always anticipate a traffic light to change. If you are travelling in winter weather/snowfall, you should ad- just your speed accordingly. That is how drivers can avoid running red lights and any inability to slow down or stop. The only people responsible for avoiding being caught on red-light cameras, running red lights and possibly causing accidents, are the drivers themselves. Period. I have been driving since 1979 and have not, in any weather, ran a red light. Hans Tunney, Acton The Independent & Free Press is published Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Independent & Free Press is a member of the Ontario Press Coun- cil, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns. For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ ontpress.com or call 416-340-1981. The Independent & Free Press Happy holidays Letters to the editor Do you believe in Santa Claus? • Yes (72%, 73 Votes) • No (28%, 29 Votes) WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.theifp.ca) 905-873-0301 Publisher: Dana Robbins General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: Chris Vernon (cvernon@metroland.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds/Real Estate Kristie Pells (realestate@theifp.ca) Classified Call Centre 1-855-415-8237 classified@theifp.ca Accounting 1-866-773-6575 Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox by signing up for our twice weekly electronic newsletter. Go to www.theifp.ca and click on 'Newsletter sign-up' at the bottom of the homepage. Holiday chorale was fantastic Letters must include the author's name, address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: cvernon@metroland.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 77, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Letters policy As Christmas drew closer most of us were caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holi- day. We were either busy trying to decorate the perfect tree, planning the perfect meal or buy- ing the perfect gift. But as the festivities kick into to full gear it's also important for each one of us to stop and take a moment to reflect on what the holidays are really about. The holidays are an opportunity to spend time with loved ones and family if you are fortu- nate to have those blessings. It's about realizing that, as rough as you may think you have it this year, things could be worse. Remember, there are many who would love to be in your place-- have a roof over their head, food in the refrigerator and loved ones nearby. The spirit of the season shouldn't rely on ma- terial goods. The real magic lies in celebrating family tra- ditions and memories, which for many entail eating delicious foods, participating in fun- packed outdoor activities and understanding the importance of faith in one's self and family. The holidays are also a time to give back to the community. Give your time to a charitable organization. Visit seniors or volunteer at a soup kitchen. If not, give a monetary gift to a worthy cause. While everyone loves receiving and giving that perfect gift, many cherish the traditions that make this time of year so special and that includes sharing a bit of your time with those less fortunate. All of us here at The IFP would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a healthy and pros- perous 2015. Bravo! Once again, I had the pleasure of attending Handel's Messiah performed by the Georgetown Bach Chorale and conducted by Ronald Greidanus. We are truly privileged to have such superb talent amidst our community. It was also great to see some "young faces" in attendance and to be given ex- posure to a wonderful Christmas tradi- tion. Bravo! Janice Rumley, Georgetown RE: Some roads need better signals. No. All roads need better drivers. Countdown signals will not, in any way, deter motorists from run- ning red lights. In fact, all that countdown signals do is encourage drivers to speed up in order to make it through the As an Ontario Grade 9 student I can say from experience that the "new math" is fundamentally flawed. Rather than providing kids with solid, basic math skills through the memorization of times tables and daily "bell work," the "new math" curriculum forces students to learn multiple approaches to solving math problems and to write in sentence form mathematical equations and expla- nations of answers. Sebastian Smith OPINION We need better drivers, not signals Student says new math is flawed