Where is the law in crosswalk safety?
Where is the law? On March 30, 2004, at 2:53 p.m., the undersigned visibly, with our adjusted to 20/20 eyes, observed one of our true black and whites driven by an officer of the gentle kind stop at the intersection of First and Main in the far right lane to let a group of pedestrians cross. Well before the walkers in this walkers-friendly town had approached the sidewalk on the other side, the black and white had proceeded on its way.
Seems as though one law agency is telling another one — up your nose with a rubber hose concerning its clear the sidewalk law.
A citizen's arrest could be in order here, but mums the word.
PAT GOOBY
TERESA LOVELL
LYNNE WHITAKER
Sandpoint
Paving road would aid environment, people
As a common user of the Sunnyside Road, I believe that I can speak for most of the residents.
In January 2004, the Sunnyside School petitioned residents and other automobilists to have the road paved. Even on that snowy day we received 80 signatures. Here is why we are complaining — access, emergency hazard, the environment and the damage done to the cars.
First, there are 144 homes on Sunnyside past the end of the pavement. In addition, people use this road constantly in the summer for the public beach use and boat launch dock. This area has boating access so traffic is increased to a much higher level.
Second, the road is an emergency hazard. At times it would be practically impossible for emergency vehicles such as fire engines, ambulances, police cars and more to access a crisis along this road.
Third, the environment is in danger. The calcium magnesium chloride put on for dust control is killing the fish, destroying the plants as well as eroding the lake. These unhealthy chemicals are in the water and affecting the air we breathe.
The dust kicked up by the cars can cause asthma and other lung disorders.
Last of all, the vehicles have had to sustain heavy damage over the years. This is very costly for the owners and user of any vehicles traveling on Sunnyside Road.
These problems can be taken care of by paving the road. I hope that the county commissioners will keep these problems in mind when they plan for their projects for the summer of 2004.
LIAM MOONEY, age 12
Sandpoint
Frivolous lawsuits won't end violence
In response to Mary Ann Rowe's letter regarding Larry Craig's support of the NRA, I must say I side with Craig. There are several things I could argue against, but I am going to address Senate Bill 659. This bill does not protect against legal liability issues such as safety malfunctions. It protects against the frivolous lawsuits aimed solely at putting the manufacturers out of business.
To get an idea of what's behind these lawsuits, suppose I don't like Honda Civics. Then I hear that a guy driving a Civic has a heart attack and hits someone, killing him. So I, along with other people who don't like Civics, get together and sue the Honda manufacturer for "creating a hazard." Now suppose there is a guy that owns a Colt handgun. He doesn't keep the included safety lock on it. Then another guy steals it, and kills someone with it. Does that make the manufacturer at fault? Of course not. I wish I grew up before such things were tolerated.
JOHN McCLELLAND