Some time ago I wrote to you about the arbitrary way that the authorities closed motorways without any regard for the appalling consequences to the motoring public. A critical reply was received from a Chief Constable in Wales who obviously confused an accident (an event without an apparent cause) with a crime, (a premeditated, evil act). He claimed that it was in the public interest to treat the event as 'a crime scene' and to keep the motorway closed as long as necessary. Last week the authorities closed a motorway, with smug satisfaction, for six and a half hours. Boris Johnson has suggested that London needed a 'rent a cone' system to penalise those who close roads for long periods without consideration for the congestion and inconvenience of road users. Should we not apply this splendid idea to our motorways?