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Today's Letters: No excuse for bus stop violators

On Nov. 13, while on my way home from work at 4:48 p.m., I witnessed a daily occurrence: cars passing a stopped school bus. This was on U.S. 19 southbound, just north of the Calvary Chapel (site of the old Wal-Mart) in Pinellas Park. This time I counted no fewer than seven vehicles that passed the school bus in the same direction while it was completely stopped with its lights flashing and stop arm extended (traffic in my northbound lane was at a near stop, so I was able to count this time).

I write about this for three reasons:

1. I am overwhelmingly curious as to the thought process of anyone who would pass a stopped school bus. Is there any real good excuse? Were you not paying attention? Are you just a sociopath? Please, write this good paper back and tell us all why you do this.

2. When are our lawmakers going to put some real teeth into the fines for passing a stopped school bus? The current fine is $160.50. By comparison, parking in a handicapped spot, which causes no immediate danger of harm or death to anyone, costs $250. Let's raise the fines to $500, assess points and require community service - maybe scrubbing the buses one Saturday afternoon, or if a person has a clean background, devoting a day to riding a bus as a monitor. Let them look at the faces of the young people that they so flagrantly put in jeopardy by their carelessness.

3. And lastly and specific to this example, just why in heaven's name is there a bus stop for elementary-age kids located on busy U.S. 19? I thought that after the tragedies of the past few years, the Pinellas Schools Transportation Department was taking steps to relocate bus stops to less dangerous areas. There is also a bus stop right in the middle of Keene Road northbound, near Sunset Point Road, that I pass every morning. Every day one or more vehicles blow by this bus as it is stopped. Yes, every day. Why does this bus stop there? Maybe someone from transportation would care to answer.

I laud the police departments that are trying to curtail these flagrant violations, but they can only do so much.

Change is needed - in the fines, in the designations of the stops, and yes, in the mentality of the people who commit this act - before another tragedy strikes. Please, do it for the children.

Nanette Angelone, Clearwater

Re: Ironman Triathlon World Championship 70.3

Race schedule makes no sense

Since we're stuck with these aerobic wonders for another three years, I have a suggestion. Why not hold the race on Sunday instead of Saturday, the day that people who work for a living like to do their weekly errands? On Sundays, the roads are less traveled.

And if the promoters coordinate the time of the race when the bikers are swarming the roadways with the start of the Bucs game (usually 1 p.m.), the roads should be substantially cleared of traffic, thus giving the Clearwater Police Department and frustrated taxpaying drivers less opportunity to interact and overreact.

After all, nobody wants to see a 64-year-old grandmother someday Tasered because she can't get to her grandchild's soccer game.

Phillip Marmanillo,Clearwater

Re: Ironman Triathlon World Championship 70.3

Heroic displays won't be forgotten

Yes, I was required to go out of my way on Nov. 10. If I had paid attention to the publicized route, I would not have been slightly inconvenienced, which caused a small delay in my travels. I blame myself for the detour encountered.

However, I would detour many a mile and encounter many delays just to give the two fantastic heroes, Maj. David Rozelle and Sgt. Andy Hatcher, the opportunities to show Americans what our defenders of freedom are really made of.

Thank you, Maj. Rozelle and Sgt. Hatcher, for what you have done, what you stand for and the sacrifices you made to preserve the freedoms we all enjoy.

Carl H. Keltner,Dunedin

Progress evident in Clearwater

I used to live in Clearwater, and I return every year to visit family and friends. I usually complain about the city's lack of progress and the poor condition of its streets, etc., but this year I was extremely pleased with the new Beach Walk. I was also very impressed with the excellent job the city did preparing for the Ironman Triathlon. Congratulations!

Bob Breslo,Scottsdale, Arizona

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified November 17, 2007, 21:02:30]