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Rules of the road:
respect, understanding
Wow. It sounds like there is some real resentful, bitter, maybe even hateful feelings from the two ladies in Los Altos Hills who seem to feel cyclists are all rule-breakers and do not deserve to ride on the same roads with cars (Town Crier, Letters to the Editor, Dec. 31 and Jan. 7).
I also live in Los Altos Hills. I drive and ride a bike. I have children who ride, and one is about to learn how to drive on roads where unpredictability is in fashion. I have lived here for more than 40 years. I, too, have seen the changes in people’s attitudes on the road. However, I see it in all walks of travel.
Just so these ladies understand, not all cyclists are bad. I happen to take great pleasure in chasing someone down, on my bike, when I see him or her run a light or stop sign. When I catch them, I ask them to please follow the rules of the road and not endanger others.
However, it’s not just a few cyclists that seem to flagrantly disobey the laws. Have you noticed that even after all the new flashing crosswalk lights that have been installed on San Antonio Road, pedestrians still cross between them?
Unfortunately, I see way more infractions with autos than I do with cyclists or pedestrians. The police should be heavily enforcing laws to ensure that automobile drivers obey, and there should be greater fees and penalties for broken rules. I would suggest a starting penalty of $200 for driving while on a cell phone and have it escalate from there.
Remember what it may be like to ride a bike alongside cars. Most people are not out there to ruin your day by getting in your way. A bicyclist is very vulnerable, like a pedestrian, to any sort of accident.Why some of these people choose to disregard laws of safety is beyond me. Maybe it’s Darwin’s theory of natural selection in action?
If we could all have more respect and understanding toward others, life might get a little bit nicer.
Lauren Ward
Los Altos Hills
Help One Child
offers thanks
Even with a shaky economy, foster children in our community did not have to worry about being forgotten these holidays. Help One Child’s annual gift-giving program collected more presents than ever before. More than 600 gifts were distributed in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
Thank you to the warmhearted donors at the Los Altos Town Crier, Alliance Analytical, Align Technology, Pacific Turf Supply, Federated Woman’s Club, Peninsula Bible Church, Church of the Ascension, Vineyard Christian Fellowship of the Peninsula, Union Presbyterian Church, St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Church of the Epiphany, Grace Presbyterian, Bethel Lutheran, West Hills Community Church, Neighborhood Bible Church, Queen of Apostles Church, Crosswalk Church and the Christian Motorcycle Association, as well as too many individual donors to mention.
Beth Walker
Program Manager
Help One Child
Not talking about
bicycle bigotry
The letter from Les Earnest (Letters, Jan. 14) appears to miss the point that the other letters recently published were trying to make. While it may be true that motorists and cyclists have essentially the same rights and responsibilities when traveling city streets, these letters were not about “bicycle bigotry” or breaking the law by the town of Los Altos Hills, but about safety for both the motorist and the cyclist.
There are laws that also apply to cyclists, which, unfortunately, are not always obeyed by them. This is of particular concern here in the hills, where our often narrow and winding roads pose hazards to motorist and cyclist alike.
I have been gratified to observe more and more cyclists taking advantage of the alternate route through Foothill College, provided for them by our tax dollars.
It would appear that the bike-riding editor of the Town Crier has indeed provided a public service in publishing the letters in question.
Carol Phy
Los Altos Hills
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