Pam in Fuquay writes with a municipal mystery for you conspiracy theorists: "Not too long ago, the speed limit on the stretch of Sunset Lake Road between Bass Lake/Hilltop-Needmore roads and Holly Springs Road was reduced from 45 mph to 35 -- but nobody seems to know why."

Intriguing, Pam. Tell us more.

"Some folks speculate it is because that stretch of road is now under the control of the town of Holly Springs, but the stretch of Sunset on the other side of Holly Springs Road is still 45. Nothing about the road has changed to justify the reduction that we can see. Can anyone out there offer some insight?"

Ah, nothing stirs the juices like a good civic caper. Is there sound logic involved in the lowering of the speed limit? Does it have to do with safety plain and simple? Or is there something "deeper" at work here. And by "deeper" we have no idea what we mean. But we're guessing you do, especially those of you for whom Holly Springs Road is a part of life.

Write. Share your thoughts and idle speculation. Together, we can find truth. Or at least come up with an outlandish and off-the-mark rationale behind this 10 mph markdown.

(Stop) sign of the times

Carl, our simple country programmer (retired) from Raleigh, has another one for you: the disappearance of the four-way stop. "Are four-way-stop intersections illegal in NC? There used to be one at N.C. 42 and Old Stage Road, but it was replaced by a stop light. This cost the gummint (i.e. you and me) about $40,000 plus the electricity to run it, and the average wait time is up from 5 seconds to a minute (30-fold)."

About your math, Carl. ...

"Seems like a foolish waste of gas and money (OUR gas and OUR money) for a net-zero improvement in intersection safety. People speed up to make a green or yellow light, defeating the intersection-area 45 mph limit totally."

Demise of the four-way-stop intersection: Real or perceived? Good or bad?

Discuss.

Doctored vanity plate?

And we hear from senior correspondent Terri in Clayton, who made use of idle time in traffic on Shotwell Road (at a four-way stop now governed by a tyrannical traffic light?) by pondering the vanity plate in front of her on a Nissan 350Z: SAVNYRAS.

"Save New York Rays?" she wonders? "Were stingrays in trouble in New York? What about a Rays sports team? A pizza parlor owned by guys named Ray?

"Then I looked at the item hanging from the rearview mirror: a stethoscope. No way, I thought.

"Savin' your a--"?

Hmm.