Dear Editor:

This letter has to do with the state of Maine's use of liquid salt or brine on roads. The company that produces this product lobbied the states and the insurance companies so they could get them to use it under the falsehood it would save lives.

The fact is people think the road is safe and they drive faster. There have been many accidents caused by the adverse affects of this product eating away break lines, suspension parts, brake rotors, body parts, and this is the best one of them all: I personally know someone who lost a drive shaft in their Volvo while they were on the road and nearly had an accident. A drive shaft is a fairly thick-walled piece of material; that is how bad this liquid is.

A couple of years ago I was driving on the interstate and I was behind a Maine plow truck. This was on a dry day. The liquid salt that had dried and turned to dust was being lifted up by the state truck. The dust got into the cab of my truck and was so strong it was burning my throat and making me cough uncontrollably. I did not have any water with me and had to beeline it to the nearest store to get water. When I got home that day, I called the state department of public health and told them what happened. I never got a response from anyone else from the state.

The people of the state of Maine cannot afford the kind of repairs caused by the use of this product. The garages and the mechanics all know this. All the ones I talk to agree it should be taken off the roads; it is a danger to the people of Maine.

The car companies love it; they sell more new cars, the parts manufacturers love it as they sell more parts, and don't forget the politicians ... they love the sales tax revenues. This has to come to a halt; email the governor, email the Maine Department of Transportation. Let's get this stuff off our roads.

Robert Muzeroll
East Boothbay