Letters to the Editors

Plan misses aim of bicyclist safety

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 14, 2000

Re: At race course's abrupt end, near-misses abound, Ask Dr. Delay, by Jean Heller, June 4.

Jean Heller writes that First avenues N and S in downtown will be restriped. The avenues will have "parallel parking along both curbs and a bicycle lane."

I applaud those involved for thinking of bicycles. Unfortunately, it appears that no experienced bicyclist attended their planning sessions to help them decide the best policies for cyclists.

For a cyclist, parked cars are road hazards. If you ride too close to a parked car, a car occupant can, deliberately or without looking, open the door and smack! The cyclist hits the door. This is called "getting doored."

Pets and small children can run out from behind a car and get hit by cyclists. When motorists do this, they often kill the child or pet. The motorist tells the investigating officer, "Gee, I just couldn't stop in time."

The motorist gets away with it. But a cyclist crashes and has a good chance of getting hurt just as much as the child or pet. Cyclists definitely do not want to hit your children or little animals.

Another possibility is that a motorist, sitting in the parked car, decides to pull out into traffic... but does so without looking for bicyclists. Once when cycling on Central Avenue, an angle-parked canine unit started to back out into me. I yelled. The officer stopped. I was in the center of the lane. So I had time to yell and the officer had time to stop. If I had been immediately behind the canine unit, the officer would have been explaining an accident to his superiors.

The existing bicycle lane on North Shore Drive NE scares me. Bicycle lanes should be placed next to curbs but not next to parked cars. Cyclists need to stay a car-door length or more away from parked cars.

If you want to learn more about bicycle safety, the Florida Department of Transportation has information available at www.dot.state.fl.us/safety.
-- Kimberly Cooper, newsletter editor, St. Petersburg Bicycle Club Inc., St. Petersburg

DOT ignored calls for a drawbridge

A recent letter writer (Fixed span is a better option, June 7) identified residents of Isla del Sol and the St. Petersburg City Council as opponents to the Florida Department of Transportation's decision to replace the Pinellas Bayway bridge with a high-level fixed span.

There are plenty of St. Pete Beach residents supportive of Isla del Sol and the St. Petersburg City Council in their efforts to stop construction of a high-level fixed span.

With respect to the high-level fixed span being a no-brainer, recall that the DOT fully supported and justified construction of a low-level drawbridge in its report entitled "Draft" Final Preliminary Engineering Report, which was issued Dec. 18, 1998. One year later, the DOT recommended the high-level fixed span in its Final Preliminary Engineering Report (dated Dec. 1999).

One point clearly identified in both reports: 73 percent of comments received from 6,785 persons indicated a preference for a low-level drawbridge. The DOT chose not to consider results of its own public involvement program and there was no additional forum for public input during the period in which the DOT reversed its decision.

Fortunately in this state, we have an administrative hearing process to resolve issues and conflicts arising from projects like this, and there are many. We fully support our friends in Isla del Sol and the city of St. Petersburg in their efforts to fight the high-level fixed span.

Despite what you may hear from our city officials, there is plenty of support in St. Pete Beach for the low-level drawbridge.
-- Dan Rothenberger, St. Pete Beach

Event was unfair to thirsty concertgoers

The Starfest 2000 concert was held at Vinoy Park on May 28. A few of us had purchased our $16 tickets for the six-act rock show. We lucked out and found some shade along the sea wall. The heat and humidity were just about unbearable.

The lines to get bottled water were unbelievable. We took turns standing in line; every 20 minutes, one of us would go relieve the person in line so they could get in the shade. This continued for 65 minutes (we timed it). I had asked security whether I could leave to go to the car. They said no water could be brought in and if I left, I would have to pay another $16 to re-enter (even though I had my ticket stub). This is insane.

The following weekend I went to the Taste of Pinellas. They know how to organize a large event -- quick lines, cold drinks, great food. Needless to say, Starfest organizers need to take some lessons here.
-- Pam Mosher, Pinellas Park

Politicians deserve more than criticism

Re: Thanks a miserable lot, politicians, letter, June 7.

After reading the letter in which the writer sarcastically "thanks" (read: blames) politicians for the societal ills of life in Pinellas County, I felt compelled to respond.

To all our politicians (Republican, Democrat and Independent):

Thank you for taking your time to serve your community to the detriment of your family and your business.

Thank you for working lousy hours for low pay very often.

Thank you for putting up with obnoxious constituents who always seem to know more than you about everything and criticize your actions only after months of public discussions and the final votes have been taken.

To the letter writer:
You have a First Amendment right to express your opinion; however, you just sound like an angry whiner when you offer no constructive solutions to the problems you complain about. My constructive solution for your problem is:

Run for public office if you think you can do a better job!

You're welcome!
Cary D. Burns, St. Petersburg

Program gives insight to police work

I would like to thank Kenneth City police Chief Jim Ernst and Sgt. Jim Rieser for allowing me to participate in the ride-along program with police Officer Steve Cook.

I found the program to be very informative. Officer Cook is a very dedicated person. Before you go out on the road with him, he explains what everything in the police car is for and everything is tested before he leaves the police station, such as revolving lights, sirens, radar, etc. I was out with Cook from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 31, and I witnessed radar detection of speeding and also theft.

Everyone should experience the ride-along! You would realize how hard the Kenneth City Police Department works and how dedicated they are. Good job, Steve Cook!
-- Dolores Urso, Kenneth City

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