• On government and individual responsibility • Alternatives to multi-use path • Rules for dogs and bicycles • On government and individual responsibility In response to David Thorp’s letter (Letters: Jan. 12), I’m not lying when I tell you I
• On government and individual responsibility • Alternatives to
multi-use path • Rules for dogs and bicycles •
On government and individual responsibility
In response to David Thorp’s letter (Letters: Jan. 12), I’m not lying when I tell you I believe:
That our government does provide valuable services that collectively benefit us all;
That politicians who want to take care of us presume to know what’s best for us;
That our politicians have gone far beyond fulfilling the basic needs of security, safety and sanitation;
That our government has destroyed families by paying parents not to marry;
That the Department of Energy, created to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, has been 100 percent ineffective, at great expense;
That our government has corrupted our education system to the point where teachers collude to increase test scores to retain federal aid (This occurred in Atlanta, Georgia);
That discipline and respect need to be returned to the classroom;
That our government has buried our country in debt, “taking care of us;”
That there aren’t enough resources on earth to take care of everyone all the time;
That mutual respect requires us to expect our fellow citizens to be independently capable;
That we can, and must, create a better country, by relying on and exercising our own individual initiatives;
That we are individually responsible for our own well-being, that of our family and of our community;
That we cannot delegate this responsibility, no matter what the politicians promise.
I’m a Republican, and I’m not lying.
Mike Curtis, Koloa
Alternatives to multi-use path
About the $30.18 million we tax payers contributed to the multi-use path. As Jose Bulatao Jr.’s letter, “Coastal versus inland path,” (Letters: Jan. 14) stated, “Funds to pay for what may (if you will, may I change the word may to will?) eventually disappear with the realization that the ocean will someday claim many of low-lying coastal areas.”
In one of my letters to the Forum, I suggested, when building the Westside multi-use path, the old cane haul road between Waimea through Kekaha and onto Poli Hale. I also suggested that the path could eventually tie in with Route 554/Waimea Canyon Drive for five to six miles, then cross over to route 552/ Kokee Road, since these routes are already being used by bicyclist and hikers/joggers.
Going back to the subject of the $30.18 million taxpayers’ share of the multi-use path, can we claim it on our tax returns as a donation or charity for the Eastside to commute to work from their homes to their job sites or other daily activities, since we Westsiders are paying for it and don’t get to use it very often?
Furthermore, why not use taxpayer money to fix bypass roads and build more alternative roads around the island one stretch at a time?
All alternative roads that will be built and paid for by taxpayers should always be open for traveling from one end to the other end of the island — not for multi-use and emergency routes only.
Until we invent vehicles that can fly, let’s think of alternate roads or highways.
Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
Rules for dogs and bicycles
Ke Ala Hele Makalae already has rules for bicyclists, pedestrians and dogs. Among those, the dogs are doing the best job so far. We do not need more rules; they simply need to be better disseminated and followed.
They are posted at www.kauaipath.org/content/path-etiquette-guidelines. Although it might be good PR for KPD to post a bicycle patrol, I think the key is education, not enforcement.
Bicyclists, if you want to ride faster than about 10 miles per hour (this is approximately three times faster than the average pedestrian walks), then use the road.
Clearly, bikes going 18 to 20 mph on the path are a hazard to pedestrians. Those bikes should be on the road. If the road seems too dangerous for bicycles, please contact your county council and the mayor to let them know we need safe bike lanes. This is part of the Complete Streets initiative so they should be all over it.
Meanwhile, the path is a mixed-use path, not a bike path, so use moderate speeds and a moderate pace, use a bell and be ready to stop when the path is crowded. The problem is, pedestrians often ignore the bell, or have no idea what to do, so you have to wait, be patient, be kind.
Few pedestrians on the path are hard core like you, so give them a break. Same with bike rentals. Likely they have not been on a bike in years and so they are not going to get out of your way very fast. Ride with aloha.
Kurt Rutter, Kapa‘a
