Letters

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Nov 20, 2007

CROSSWALK ACCIDENT

If motorists would slow down,

no 'plan' would be needed

I am writing in response to the Nov. 14 article "Walking the line every day" in The Gazette. I found the opinion of Colorado College students to be underrepresented. I will agree, many CC students don't use sufficient common sense when crossing the streets, but that is hardly a phenomenon specific to our campus.

The plan to slow traffic below 30 mph would not be necessary if motorists on Cascade Avenue followed the speed limit. It isn't an issue of law-abiding motorists not stopping at the crosswalks, but people who are speeding.

Also a large part of the problem is a result of motorists who fail to pay attention. Many times before, as was the case in this accident, one motorist stops at the crosswalk, while a second, oblivious motorist continues through the crosswalk. Not only is that motorist failing to yield to pedestrians, but he has also somehow missed the other cars stopped at the crossing.

Sarah Eckstat, who "wasn't seriously injured" suffered from a compound pelvis fracture -- not life threatening, but pretty serious.

Andrew Toig

Colorado Springs

Both drivers, pedestrians

need to be more careful

It is lamentable that someone has to be hurt before anyone pays attention. The problem at CC of pedestrians walking and not looking has been ongoing for the 49 years that I have lived here and can remember.

Students seem to feel that since they are walking on ground that is owned by the college, they do not need to look before they cross. It is a situation that always leads to accidents. What amazes me is that "only" one student per year is hit. The college could afford to put in overpasses. This would protect students, if they used them.

Just looking and being careful could alleviate most pedestrian- motorist accidents. If accident reduction is truly the goal, both sides need to be more careful.

My suggestion for preventing accidents at this location would be to lower the speed limit to 20 mph as it is in school zones throughout the city. Maybe the college could employ crossing guards if their students are too busy to look both ways before crossing.

Deborah Greymoon

Cascade

5TH DISTRICT

Exceptional background

makes Rayburn a standout

Over the past 40 years, the 5th Congressional District has had several good representatives, but I can't think of one of them who has had significant clout in the House. I think we have a chance to get such a congressman next year in Bentley Rayburn.

In the Air Force, Rayburn was a major general. Few servicemen achieve that rank; those who do are officers with outstanding leadership ability. He graduated from the academy in 1975 as commander of the 4,000-man cadet wing. He flew as a fighter pilot and was commandant of the Fighter Weapons School. He commanded the 388th and 4404th Fighter Wings, the latter being the largest combat wing in the Air Force at the time. He planned and balanced the $17 billion budget for the largest command in the Air Force.

Rayburn is an elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, and in 1990 the U.S. Jaycees named him one of the 10 Outstanding Young Americans. He is a good conservative and a strong opponent of wasteful spending. He has a master's degree in political science, with an emphasis on national security. He is a great communicator, and though he was in the Air Force for nearly 31 years, his roots are in Colorado.

He has a diverse and extraordinary background, which I would expect to carry more weight with fellow congressmen. I think Rayburn has the ability to be one of the leaders in Congress, not just a backbencher. Especially in this time of war, and with this district having so many important military installations, Rayburn should be able to do a very good job for us.

Earl Asbury

Colorado Springs

WASTEFULNESS

Why throw out products

instead of donating them?

I was shopping recently at the Wal-Mart on Palmer Park Boulevard. While I was in the bakery area, an employee was filling two carts with cakes and other dessert products. I asked her if they were outdated and were being thrown out. She said no, they were making room for another display. These were current products, not yet outdated.

I then asked if they were donating them to a soup kitchen or to the homeless. She said no, they were just being thrown out.

This is a terrible waste of perfectly good food, especially in these times. I suggested they reduce the price or even give them away free to customers in the store, rather than waste them.

I have written an e-mail to the corporate headquarters.

Alma McGovern

Colorado Springs

GETTING THE RANGE

Permit system to shoot

too much bureaucracy

Over the years the U.S. Forest Service has closed the national forest to target shooting until all that was left was Rampart shooting range ("Shooting range won't be closed," Metro and State, Nov. 16). Now it tells us it needs a "free permit system" to cut down on the overcrowding it created.

An adult gun owner has enough sense to know if the range is too crowded for shooting. There has only been one accidental shooting since 1989 that could even been loosely attributed to "overcrowding." Under a permit system, who would get the permits, when could they shoot, how many could shoot at one time and how many permits would be issued, if any?