There are plenty of heads that should be shaking

In The Richmond Review's Letters of Sept. 19, Irene Pacey suggests parents who regard expensive high powered cars as appropriate status symbols for their kids "need to give their heads a shake." She is absolutely correct.

But let's not forget the automotive manufacturers, retailers, and custom car studios that are only too happy to pander to, and help create, the idea that high horsepower means high society.

Consider, for example, page 8 of the same issue of The Richmond Review, where the folks at Nissan invite us to "accelerate the future" with the "heart-stopping power," "unheard of zero front lift," and "race-inspired driver's cockpit" of their "260 horsepower G35."

I'm sure the people who operate Richmond's automobile dealerships feel nothing but remorse at the senseless and tragic death of RCMP Const. Jimmy Ng. But how can we fight excessive speed and racing on our streets while simultaneously promoting the virtues of ludicrously over-powered cars?

This question should in no way deflect blame from the actions of the drivers involved, whose contempt for our community was exceeded only by their unspeakable lack of courage and humanity in leaving a man to die.

Clearly, however, this is a multifaceted problem which each of us can play a role in resolving.

We might begin by downplaying the idea that anybody with a few bucks is free to play amateur Indy driver in our neighbourhoods.There are plenty of heads that should be shaking.

Words and deeds

While the tragedy of Jimmy Ng's death is still with us, many are calling for harsher penalties and tougher law enforcement.

Could we stop a moment and give a thought to the mindset that goes out into the street to carelessly drive without regard for the rights of others?

There are thoughtless people of all ages who have accidents.

Sometimes, they are innocently involved. Sometimes totally at fault.

Rarely I suspect, does anyone get out and speed with the intention of maiming or killing anyone. But the results are the same, whether or not the intentions are good or bad.

Which brings us to the responsibility for our words and deeds, and what forms our decisions.

Which brings us to the need to respect the rights of others as we do our own. It brings us to the need to respect authority, whether or not we always agree with it, and not just when we fear being caught in illegal activity.

While people in authority sometimes display arrogance beyond the power they have been given, the duty of citizens is still to honour that position, allowing for the human error individuals are sometimes guilty of committing when they become powerful.

Honouring authority does not diminish anyone, and should help prevent the "don't get caught" mentality that causes people to break the law deliberately, then run away from the results of their actions.

May the lives of all our service people, including Jimmy Ng, be honoured and remembered!

A memory of a good man

One morning early in July, I was taking my morning walk with my dogs, when I found a lost little boy. I had walked quite a way with him in order to find the child's home, and would have been late for work if Const. Jimmy Ng hadn't kindly given me a ride home, after I had made sure that the little boy was safely with his mother.

On the ride, from the short conversation I had with Const. Ng, I had a great sense of him being a kind, caring man, and sensitive to the needs and emotions of others. This a tremendous loss to the Richmond community and there are not enough Jimmy Ng's around to lose so wastefully.

While walking, the little boy picked me a flower, this I still have and will keep in memory of a good man, Jimmy Ng.

I implore that justice be done and that severe action is taken on the driver who recklessly destroyed the life of one so valued, and hope that stricter laws, rules and guidelines are enforced on young drivers here in Richmond and all areas of the province.

Something should be learned from this tragic incident so that Jimmy Ng's loss of life was not a wasted cause.

Crossing Richmond's unsafe streets

Copy of a letter to Victor Wei, transportation planner, City of Richmond:

I have just arrived at home from a great bike ride on the dyke on this beautiful fall morning. I'm lucky to have made it.

Twice within the last 10 minutes of my ride I could have been the latest traffic casualty in Richmond, both near misses occurring in pedestrian-controlled crosswalks.

The first incident was in the crosswalk at River Road and Hollybridge. My friend and I had come off the dyke, pushed the button to cross and waited until the traffic stopped. The westbound traffic stopped for us and we proceeded into the crosswalk.

Neither of us noticed a Mercedes heading east at a high rate of speed. The driver of this vehicle ignored the flashing orange light, in spite of the fact that there is a sign on the curve warning of the up-coming crosswalk.

Shortly after this and alone now, I came to the pedestrian-controlled crosswalk at Gilbert and Lucas where I pushed the button to cross from the west side of Gilbert to the east where I would complete my ride along Lucas. This light was installed due to last year's fatality involving a young child.

There was no traffic heading north on Gilbert and a couple of cars heading south.

The car in the right-hand lane slowed and came to a stop, I ventured into the crosswalk and the car in the left-hand lane also appeared to slow down. Then I heard the screech of tires and realized that the car in the left-hand lane had not seen the flashing orange light above the crosswalk.

The driver had his window down and I yelled at him to "watch the light", to which he responded that he "didn't see any @#!*? light."

(I know I should have remained on the sidewalk until all traffic had come to a complete stop, especially in view of what had just happened 10 minutes beforehand, but at that point it was rather urgent that I get home, if you catch my meaning.)

My question is this: whose brilliant idea was it to install these ineffective traffic controls in the first place?

Drivers are not looking for orange or yellow lights.

A lot of people have the mentality that "red means stop, green means go and yellow means go faster."

At best, yellow means nothing. Rednow there's a colour that means something!

Wouldn't it have made more sense to install a proper pedestrian-controlled light, like the one at No. 3 Rd. and Lucas?

Please be assured that in the future I will make sure traffic in all directions has come to a complete stop before I venture into one of these poorly-designed crossings.

I'm just worried about those who don't.

Young drivers need to be better educated

The terrible accident that took the life of Const. Jimmy Ng also unalterably changed the lives of two other young men as well. Although I feel for them, I also believe they chose fun over safety that night. They will now face a lifetime of ramifications for that choice.

As a parent of two teenage boys I feel that it is important to continue to work with the RCMP and the ICBC Road Sense Team to educate young people in our high schools about the dangers of street racing and speeding so that they will make responsible choices.

Parents need to put a lot more thought into whether or not they should supply their children with a high powered vehicle that can become such a dangerous weapon.

Safety preferrable to setting `bad example'

Re: "Setting a bad example," Letters, Sept. 21-22.

If I were a parent, I would be equally frustrated.

Parents cannot get into the Cook school parking lot; there are stopping restrictions in front of the school; stopping and parking restrictions on Cook Gate and more recently, there are stopping restrictions on Park Road and Park Place (which in my opinion is the safest spot to drop off/pick up children).

Would I be setting a bad example? Perhapsbut I would rather set a bad example than have my child run down by the speeding drivers on Cook Road.

Road racers are criminals

The recent tragic death of a young police officer demonstrates the sad state of our justice system.

The alleged "sport" of road racing must be stopped, and the participants be made accountable.

Those taking part in this idiocy are not the hard working young people in the community. They are the spoiled, pampered offspring of parents who deserve nothing but condemnation!

The financial cost appears to be of no consequence to these people, so perhaps we should raise the ante to levels that even the wealthy will take pause.

We have an example in the proceeds of crime legislation, wherein the assets of a criminal may be forfeited to the Crown. What are these "racers" but criminals?, and why do we not confiscate the vehicles of all road racers?

Perhaps the loss of a few BMWs, Mercedes or Hondas will attract the attention of the parents of these idiots.

Senate Road Show needed more info

The recent results of the Cannabis Senate Report have been bothering me a great deal since they came out and I have been frustrated thinking that readers might think this report is valuable and informative.

I am a mother of two teenagers and have many thoughts about the drug cannabis (marijuana) it's use and place in society. I felt when I received by special invitation to the recent "Senate Road Show" (I am also a school Trustee) that I should attend and listen to views and perhaps voice my opinions on the topic.

When I arrived at the meeting it became very clear to me very quickly that it was a very one sided view the Senate was hearing.

The audience was mostly filled with people that supported the use of cannabis. I was lucky enough to receive an invitation, how were the other members of my community invited? My deep concern is in the fact that if the Senate believes it heard from my community on the topic, they are very sadly mistaken and that if they are basing the outcomes on the feedback collected (at least in my community in Richmond) then they are wrong and in my opinion invalid.

I felt quite strongly about this at the time of the meeting and mentioned my concerns to one of the organizers and she in turn told me the meeting had been put together very quickly and there wasn't enough time to really advertise the meeting etc.

I think this topic is extremely important and deserves some real conversations more than one thrown together at the last minute.

Conversations that involve lots of opinions from lots of people in our community.

Setting a bad example

The old saying is don't tell your children what to do, show them by your daily actions.

Well, we're in for a bad bunch from Cook School! Picture this: A roadway built to service a neighborhood, narrow, no sidewalks, and completely signed as no parking!

Day after day, parents drive up, park, and go to meet their kids.

If challenged, they "don't understand English" (even though the signs are pictorial).

This scofflaw group blocks the boulevard and forces the kids into the roadway, where they become "fair game" for other drivers!

A parking enforcement officer showed up one day, and surprise, only one of the parents parked in the prohibited zoneeven though there were 20 parked the day before. I for one am becoming fed-up, and frustrated!

Try obeying the law for a change, you might like it!!

There are good workers

As a retired home support worker I was saddened to see the article in Sept. 5's Richmond Review on home support care.

Home support workers are dedicated to helping people remain in there homes for as long as possible of course it is stressful for clients to have someone new every week and I feel badly for those who can not adapt.

There are many out in the field who are doing an excellent job of caring for those who can not care for themselves.

Why is it we only hear of the times that someone is unhappy with their situation?

Just a few things about the city

I have been in the carpenters' union for 47 years. The carpenters' union had a meeting to discuss having a 50th anniversary dinner for a couple of members costing a few dollars for the dinner. It was turned down.

A little birdie told me that the City of Richmond provides a free dinner and beer for all outside workers who have been employed for five years and every fifth year thereafter. I think that is wrong. They get good union wages and free parking. Very few union members get free parking.

I do not think that city employees should be paid to attend funerals.

I do not believe in the practice of giving gifts to defeated councillors. If councillors want to pass a hat around for such a gift that would be okay.