By Staff
About that Coffee cup' test
To the Editor:
A Coffee Cup Test for road conditions? "Well, If that don't beat a hen a-worming!"
Many people want to blame "accidents"on road conditions. Many, if not most wrecks are due primarily to drivers and the "In Crowd:" 1. "Inattention"; 2.
Many intersections have pre-stop stop signs, but drivers still ignore the STOP signs. School zones seem to mean nothing to some drivers.
Speed is also a factor in many wrecks. There are crosses placed along the highways, marking the death of some family loved one/ones, but many of those crosses are beside STRAIGHT and LEVEL highways. During rainy weather, or at night, many drivers continue to travel at speeds greater than the posted speed limit. This is not a safe practice for any driver, no matter how experienced he/she may be.
Thanks for your efforts to improve the quality of life in Meridian.
Elliott Fleming
Meridian
23rd Avenue: Meridian's worst
To the Editor:
I am writing concerning your article, "Streets put to coffee cup test," (The Meridian Star, Sept. 2). Although I live in Georgia, I do visit Meridian quite often and read The Star each day over the Internet.
I was somewhat appalled to discover that you neglected to include what I think is possibly the WORST street to drive on in Meridian, 23rd Avenue north and south from 14th Street to where it dead ends. I believe this is the street that runs in front of the old Masonic Home and on the east side of Meridian High School.
The city of Meridian street crews without question need much additional training on the proper way to patch holes in their streets if the job on 23rd Avenue is the best they can do.
I own and drive a late model full size Dodge 1500 Ram pickup truck and often think that this stretch of road is going to tear the axles from beneath it each time I travel this route. I would think it would be a no-brainier for the mayor and city council to make this heavily traveled into and out of downtown/hospital area street a priority for full paving.
Although some of the streets you chose for your test were valid, I believe this suggested street would truly validate your test and top them all.
Tommy C. Stephens Sr.
Atlanta
Dangerous intersection: Yield' doesn't mean stop'
To the Editor:
I am so glad that I get a chance to give my opinion on intersections. I have a problem with one in particular. When you are coming from Bonita Lakes passing Sellers and Johnson Dodge and you are in the turning lane to turn right on Highway 45 toward Highway 39 North and Marion, most people don't have a clue what yield means.
They seem to think it means "stop." If people would slow down and think, be courteous, and remember back to their driving handbook, they might realize how much easier it would be to get in the lane in which they wish to be.
I have said to myself that I wanted to get out and hold up a sign that says, "This is not a stop sign." But I try to hold myself back every day.
Thank you for allowing me to get this off my chest.
Kim Alawine
Marion
In God We Trust'
To the Editor:
In response to Doug DeWitt's letter (The Meridian Star, Sept. 2) regarding "In God We Trust Posters", I think he is somewhat misguided about what the United States of America stands for.
Mr. DeWitt, your letter does not state what grade you are in but, hopefully, you have not yet studied the part of your history book that teaches that this
country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics (that is, of course, provided our public school history books still teach that).
As a Christian, (which, by the way, the majority in this country are!) I get really tired of hearing the atheists and others whine about Christianity. They must be really afraid of it to let it worry them so much. The God of the Holy Bible is who the founding fathers relied on when they established the constitution and the laws by which we live. If anyone has a problem with that fact, they need to get over it or find another country in which to live.
No matter what you or anyone else says or does, that fact does not change. Nobody says you have to believe in God, though I pray that you will come to know him for who he is, but you cannot expect the majority to conform to your view point.
No one says you have to "stare" at the poster for an hour. Try looking at your text book or your teacher. We Mississippians are quite capable of "thinking" about any and all beliefs and I, for one, thank God I'm a Christian and an American.
Mary Pace
Daleville