Safe passage possible thanks to the bike lanes
Recently I sat in my car waiting for a red light to change to green where Yates, Johnson, Pandora and Wharf meet the Johnson Street bridge — one of the busiest and most complex intersections in our little city.
Among all the bustle there appeared a young family; a mother and three young children ranging (at a guess) from about six to 10 years in age. They rode four bicycles, one behind the other.
Seeing these vulnerable creatures in the midst of busy traffic I felt a brief pang of fear. To my relief I saw they were in the bike lane, safely controlled by its own traffic lights, and in no danger.
That mother simply would not have dared to bring her children on this route without these improvements. Watching them cruise safely through I felt warm gratitude to our city for this simple, caring kindness.
On that family’s behalf, I offer thanks for their safe passage. Welcome to downtown, little family. Merchants, please take note.
Martin Hykin
Victoria
In times of crisis, that fine is just a start
As a former smoker, the only thing that I can see being better than the $575 ticket issued by Victoria Police chief Del Manak would be a discriminatory add to the fine of a three-day fire charge to help all those fire workers that we are so grateful for.
This is a crisis, people are being evacuated, losing their homes and businesses and not just in the woods, but in areas that have never before had to deal with fire.
It is just impossible to figure out why anyone would throw out a burning cigarette in any day, so – go get ‘em, Chief! You just earned your job for days and days.
D.A. Moxley
Saanich
Spread doctors’ time among more people
Re: “Simple health solutions are needed in B.C.,” letter, Aug. 30.
There are indeed simple and perhaps more cost-effective solutions that can get us out of the health-care crisis until we have more physicians. The writer has suggested one: Allow physician assistants to work in the health-care system.
Let us just think out of the box. Currently, 20 per cent of British Columbians do not have a regular family physician. In other words, for every 10 British Columbians, two of them do not have access to a regular family physician whereas the other eight have full access – five days a week — to a regular family physician.
We should restructure our health-care system so that the eight British Columbians that have five days a week access to a regular family physician are restricted to only four days a week access.
This will free up eight days of access that can be made available to the two British Columbians who do not have any access. The eight days of freed-up access will provide both individuals (who currently do not have any access) four days a week access to a regular family physician. Thus every British Columbian will have four days a week access to a regular family physician and 80 per cent of their service needs will be provided by a regular family physician.
For the other 20 per cent of physicians’ care, every patient should be expected to carry some responsibility about prevention and self-health; it is also likely that much of this care may soon taper off as “inappropriate” demand for physician services, thus saving much needed resources.
Paramjit S. Rana
Victoria
Satellites could help find people in the wild
Re: “Hiker grateful to rescuers,” Aug. 30.
The heroes of search and rescue do amazing work. Thanks to them, and all search and rescue people everywhere.
Of course, not every story has a happy ending. Hikers and adventurers should be responsible for equipping themselves with a device that provides a satellite-connected locator.
These devices are independent of cell service or cellphones.
When I read a news account of yet another lengthy and expensive rescue or rescue attempt, I have to wonder why the stock phrase, “The lost (people, person) were not equipped with a satellite location device, which would have summoned help and quickly pinpointed their exact location without a lengthy and expensive search” is not automatically part of any report or news article.
This comment would be valid for many of the cases that search teams spend huge amounts of time and money on.
Perhaps the repetition of such a phrase in the media would eventually motivate people to properly equip themselves with such a device before heading outdoors, where many unfortunate things can and do go wrong.
Probably many hikers, kayakers, hunters, etc. are not even really aware of such devices.
Ken Allen
Colwood
Careful plant selection reduces need for water
Re: “We have lots of water, use it on your lawn,” letter, Aug 25.
So the debate rages on: water or don’t water the lawn? Here’s the answer: replace your lawn with native plants!
With a selection of native flowers, shrubs and trees, you hardly need to water once they are established. You provide habitat for native insects and birds, and help support biodiversity.
No more mowing and you might even store a little carbon.
The debate is over.
Craig Elder
Victoria
What’s in that green鈥憀awn paint?
Re: “Grass that’s greener in drought鈥慼it B.C. may have been painted,” Aug. 30.
In the item about spray-painting lawns to make the grass green without watering, all possible information is given, except the answer to the most important question of all: Is the paint biodegradeable and non-toxic to the environment?
Rushing to use quick-fix solutions without thinking of their environmental consequences is what has made the world the environmental mess that it is.
Jonathan Stoppi
Saanich
Government-induced costs in housing
Re: “Below the income needed to afford a home,” letter, Aug. 30.
The writer would have us believe that the investment sector has no place in the provision of housing. Presumably he’s not recognizing that more than 30 per cent of its costs and most of its delays are government induced.
His inference is government would do a better job in managing this task.
Which part of government would he choose as an alternative? The one that brings increased surgical waiting lists; the one that successfully manages the onrush of opiates into communities; perhaps the one that oversees the reliability of ferry services; and there’s always the one that one that can be relied upon to achieve stratospheric cost overruns on public projects.
There seems to be some measurable talent available there, but I doubt it will bring any more housing.
John Appleby
Duncan
SEND US YOUR LETTERS
• Email letters to: [email protected]
• Mail: Letters to the editor, Times 91原创, 201-655 Tyee Rd., Victoria, B.C. V9A 6X5
• Submissions should be no more than 250 words; subject to editing for length and clarity. Provide your contact information; it will not be published. Avoid sending your letter as an email attachment.
