Posted: Tuesday, October 3, 2006 7:00 pm
I totally agree with Cristina A. Miller in regard to the downtown bike lanes (letter, Sept. 28).
On Sept. 20, a cyclist in the bike lane on 14th Street tried to turn left onto O Street. My daughter was in the left lane, and the cyclist hit her car. Thank God the cyclist was not seriously injured. She (the cyclist) received a ticket for an illegal turn. My daughter’s car received $2,700 worth of damage.
Because people are not required to carry liability insurance on bicycles, my daughter’s car insurance will have to pay for the damage, with my daughter having to pay the deductible.
Cyclists want all the rights on the city streets that cars have. Shouldn’t they have all the responsibilities as well — liability insurance and wheel tax?
Teresa Dageforde, Lincoln
After-school traffic safety
What will it take for parents to think about children’s safety when picking up their children at school? I have continually observed cars double-parked, parked in no-parking zones and calling children out into the street during pick-up time at our Lincoln elementary school. Does it require an accident leading to injury or even death to convince these parents that safety is more important than saving a few minutes of time?
I cringe when I see children running between moving cars, and I wonder what lessons we are teaching our kids outside of school. Is it really OK to ignore the rules when police are not around to enforce them? Double-parking is rude, selfish, dangerous and illegal. It blocks other cars that are stopped in pick-up lanes so they cannot move in and out properly and safely.
There are many alternatives to parking or stopping illegally. Park and walk to school, or have your child walk to your meeting spot. Arrive five minutes after the rush when it is not so congested. Explain the rules to your children, and follow them even if you are in a hurry to get somewhere else.
Saving a child’s life is worth so much more than saving a few minutes’ time. Please, let’s protect our children and teach them safety and to respect the law.
Carol Snow, Walton
Let’s fix ourselves first
It seems to me that each day while reading the opinion page, I read more and more negative thoughts and opinions.
The world is a very scary and crazy place right now. I have my views on everything, just like everyone else. I get angry, sad, terrified and then angry again. It is amazing how these feelings can overcome us all and reflect on our day-to-day actions.
We have enough negativity right now. Why tear our society apart even more by bickering and fighting over such mundane things?
Why not work on your own self first before working on others? Why not realize that we all have individual faults? Why not accept them and work on them? Why not try and get along; make a change, a change for the good? Why not unite as people, and learn to love and respect one another’s differences?
“We must become the change we want to see.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Jessica Bates, Lincoln
Vote no on Initiative 423
It is important that Initiative 423, which sets a ceiling on state expenditures, be defeated for the future of this state.
The power behind this initiative is apparently a group, led by a Howard Rich of New York (probably an appropriate name), which reportedly has spent millions of dollars supporting this initiative.
Since this measure would be in the constitution, it could not be changed without a constitutional amendment. Initiative 423 would cripple this state, as it did for Colorado, which has suspended it.
Who knows what the future responsibilities of our state will be, especially in view of the federal government transferring financial obligations to the states.
In addition, this provision would probably make it necessary for local property taxes and others to be increased.
Bill Blue, Lincoln