• ‘Worst drivers’ award goes to Kaua‘i • MMA a regulated sport • A.T.Vs and Superferry a problem for island • Enforcement of beach driving laws lacking on Kaua‘i ‘Worst drivers’ award goes to Kaua‘i Kudos again to Michael Mann!
• ‘Worst drivers’ award goes to Kaua‘i
• MMA a regulated sport
• A.T.Vs and Superferry a problem for island
• Enforcement of beach driving laws lacking on Kaua‘i
‘Worst drivers’ award goes to Kaua‘i
Kudos again to Michael Mann! After a lifetime of driving California roads and freeways, the trophy for “worst drivers” could well be awarded right here on Kaua‘i! Does anyone know about signaling? And where are the police?
The tourists are not immune either. They think nothing of stopping in the middle of the road to take a picture. I won’t even touch on the dangerous moped drivers — they are unreal! Of course, if the police cited any visitors they may not want to come back! But that would alleviate some of our traffic mess — can’t have that!
Liz Stevens
Lihu‘e
MMA a regulated sport
In regards to Simon Beatty’s letter dated June 24, you might want to do a little more research in MMA and Ultimate Fighting because, as far as I know, men aren’t “thrown in a cage to fight it out,” they go out on their own free will. A fighter can stop the fight at any given time.
Football is just as dangerous as fighting. In fact, there are fights in just about every sport. Do I have to mention that basketball and hockey are the worst ones? The difference is that the Mixed Martial Arts fights are controlled sports with a referee just feet away.
Tell me, how many times do you see a referee in a basketball game break up a fight? Not much, because I usually see the teammates pulling them away. And what about the hockey games? I swear there has to be a fight in at least one out of five games. Where’s the ref? Help me to understand how you and Betsy Rivers can blame Ultimate Fighting when boxing and wrestling were here long before this sport?
I’m pretty sure everyone remembers Rocky and how exciting his fights were.
I’m not sure how long you’ve been in the islands, Mr. Beatty, but it seems like you obviously don’t know how it is. Well, here in the islands, the majority of us use our hands to fight. Real men usually do. No guns, knives or weapons. I’m not sure what’s going on in the fighter’s mind when they walk in to that ring, maybe it is negativity (like you say), maybe not. But what I do know is that if I were in that ring, I would let out all my frustrations. And maybe, if more people would get in that ring, we’d have less abusers and more people to look up to. You may think they’re hoodlums, but they are husbands, fathers, sons and hard-workers just like everyone else. In your eyes, this may hurt our youth, but this is the only sport that will be useful when applying for a job as a police officer or corrections officer.
Kelsey Alisna
Lihu‘e
A.T.Vs and Superferry a problem for island
This letter concerns both motorized 4×4 motorized (A.T.V.s, etcetera.) vehicles at the beaches and a solution for the Superferry.
When at the cove end of Lumahai Beach a couple weeks ago, I couldn’t believe seeing and hearing a man on his motorized A.T.V. go up the little trail that leads down to the beach.
Is anything sacred anymore? Absolutely no respect to the environment and those of us who go to this cove for some peace and quiet.
If this man has trouble walking, he could have gone to the north end of the beach, which doesn’t require the hike down and back up.
But he looked and acted oblivious to the natural surroundings as he obviously just wanted to just drive his vehicle. I say enough is enough already.
As far as the Superferry goes, I am against it because it will just bring more cars and problems to this small island community.
On a humorous note, why not sink the Superferry (with no one on board, of course) and call it “Titantic 2 : Kaua’i Style.”
Visitors could then go see it via scuba, snorkel, etcetera.
This would be a boost to tourism and help the local economy.
Gary Saylin
Davis, Calif.
Enforcement of beach driving laws lacking on Kaua‘i
On the June 25 Forum page, a reader laments about children’s safety at Kamalani Park, saying, “Are there any kind of enforcement or restrictions for vehicles on the beach?”
The answer is simple: NO, there is no enforcement; and, YES, there are restrictions.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources regulates state public lands in Hawai‘i. All beaches are public land, and although the public is constitutionally guaranteed access to all beaches, that does not mean travel on the beach can be by motorized vehicle. In fact, in Hawai‘i, all vehicles — including four-wheelers, off-road bikes and A.T.V.s — are not permitted to drive on beaches. Period. It is not just for safety reasons.
On Maui the law is taken pretty seriously and so are beach setbacks. On Kaua‘i … not so much. The Eastside near Kamalani is losing a couple of feet of beach a year to erosion. The Wailua Golf Course is now threatened. Beach driving accelerates the erosion process dramatically.
On O‘ahu, the chairman of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, when asked what the public could do about illegal beach driving, said, “Get their license plate number and give it to the police.” To be read as “You’re on your own.”
Kamalani Park was completed with the understanding that the current vehicular beach access would not run through the playground. For weeks, thousands of volunteers came together as ‘ohana to build the structure. They did not come to build a deathtrap.
But after getting lots of heat from recreational drivers, Mayor Bryan Baptiste caved. His “compromise” solution was to permit the intersection of children and vehicles in the middle of a playground. It is a tragedy waiting to happen. When the first toddler goes under the wheels of a monster truck we’ll know who to talk to about it.
The State of Hawai‘i does nothing on Kaua‘i to restrict beach driving, other than the placement of an occasional boulder or log barrier. The public could ask the Department of Land and Natural Resources for a boulder barrier at Kamalani Park.
The department assumes that county officials will enforce state statutes and regulations on their own turf. The public could demand that the police stop illegal beach driving through Kamalani Playground for the sake of our keiki. But, unfortunately, the monster trucks will likely make more noise down at the Historic County Bu ilding.
Juan Wilson
Hanapepe Valley
