Be careful driving on Oahu’s roads

Mahalo for your continuing coverage of incidents in which pedestrians and cyclists are injured by motor vehicles. In Wednesday’s Star-Advertiser, there were three news briefs noting such incidents (“Car hits pedestrian in Ala Moana area,” “Woman, 64, riding tricycle hit by car,” “Female pedestrian, 88, hurt in accident”). Although details were sketchy, three people were hospitalized in serious condition.

This situation appears to be a chronic one on this island. And I can attest personally to it being a serious problem. Recently at the intersection of Ala Moana Boulevard and Hobron Lane, as I entered the crosswalk I saw a small car cut in front of a parked bus and proceed against a red light into the intersection.

Possibly due to the bus driver’s using his horn, I escaped being run over when the driver stopped. A few days later I witnessed a similar situation in the same intersection.

For residents and visitors alike, all of us must be more vigilant when using a motor vehicle on Oahu’s streets. Let’s make this a safer gathering place.

Michael Kappos

Waikiki

—

More citizen input on Complete Streets

Thank you for the article, “‘Complete Streets’ key issues ignored” (Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, June 6).

Larry Geller concisely explained how the city administration goes about making changes to our urban environment without respecting the public enough to learn many of the facts surrounding the issue.

If the city administration really cares about the people who live here, they will not only ask for public comments but also implement alterations consistent with those comments.

Who are the decision-makers? A study could find out who was using crosswalks, when they were most in use and how removing the crosswalks would affect residents. The comments about the “toadstools” at bus stops was on the mark. Have any of the decision-makers tried to use them?

The Star-Advertiser’s “Kokua Line” column is a real-time barometer of service alterations (i.e., motor vehicle registration reservations) made without public input. Geller has given the city good advice for including citizen input by using University of Hawaii urban planners and not outside consultants.

Shirley Hamilton

Kailua

—

Critic makes case for better road options

I would like to thank Professor Panos Prevedouros for highlighting several important reasons we should discourage personal automobile usage on our public roads (“It’s just another excuse for government to spend,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, June 3).

He is correct that cyclists breathe much more polluted air as they exercise during their commute, most of it caused by sedentary automobile drivers.

He is also correct that cyclists are much more likely to be injured in a collision with automobiles than the automobile drivers. I can personally attest to that.

And finally, he is correct that a bikeshare station that holds 20 bicycles takes up about as much space as one parallel-parking stall for a personal automobile, although many stations are on the sidewalk.

While some cities have removed bike- or pedestrian- friendly thoroughfares, Honolulu has had an overwhelmingly successful experience with Complete Streets and similar projects. All this argues convincingly for further promotion of healthier and safer transportation options in Honolulu.

Travis Idol

Downtown Honolulu

—

Pardon one good thing Trump did

Can anything really positive be said about this president (“Story choices show distaste for Trump,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, June 7)?

His recent policies separate children, even infants, from their parents; undermine laws that protect us, the consumers; and remove protections for the environment. He even heralds the work of his underlings, some who openly boast of their graft.

The one good thing we can applaud is his pardoning of one woman suffering from the injustice of an excessive sentence (“Trump commutes term of Kardashian-championed drug offender,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, June 6). Was this done for a photo op with a celebrity?

I hear there are thousands of incarcerated people in similar situations who have gone through the required process of applying for a pardon. They are still waiting; only they don’t have a celebrity sponsor. Why not have a mass pardon, the way the Rev. Sun Myung Moon used to do at mass weddings? Then the time for a really positive story would arise.

Jean Toyama

Downtown Honolulu