Our NC roads are anarchy. We can do better.
I read with interest David Menconi’s article about traffic deaths in North Carolina (“’A public health crisis’: Each pair of these shoes represents an NC traffic death,” Nov. 19). I am not surprised one bit. Having lived in North Carolina for 30 years, now back for over a year after living out of state for three years, I find driving around the Triangle has become simply bad beyond belief.
On our roads exists a true state of anarchy. Stop signs are merely slow and go, right turn on red is simply a merge, speeds are dizzying even in neighborhoods, signaling is non-existent, lane changes are manic, and driving courtesy is only a distant memory.
What happened to enforcement? Or better yet what happened to the need for enforcement? If funds are a problem I suggest real enforcement and also take a look at the school drop-off lines and query drivers picking up students with out-of-state plates — lots of uncollected personal property tax and registration fees to be had. Come on folks, we can do better than this.
James Short
Cary
Threat of sprawl
Raleigh City Council’s Growth and Natural Resources Committee is insisting that new zoning overlay districts be required before homeowners can build backyard cottages (ADUs). They cite concerns over parking, lighting, noise and short-term rentals while others have voiced apprehension about impervious coverage and aesthetics.
Given such grave matters, City Council should also consider requiring zoning overlay districts for the construction of single-family houses. Over the past century these have been built by the thousands across our city, negatively impacting traffic, creating environmental damage, burdening our water and sewer infrastructure, adding parking on our streets and often being used for illicit activities such as drug dealing and short term-rentals.
Many are mass-produced, with little or no architectural distinction and built with cheap materials and code-minimum construction quality. Occupants of these structures often host parties that can be noisy and disruptive for neighbors. As with the imminent threat of ADUs, it is past time that the City of Raleigh addresses the spread of single-family houses and controls their impacts to our neighborhoods.
Michael Stevenson
Flush it, Raleigh
In regard to the article “Sewage Spills: Raleigh’s Pipes are failing” (Nov. 16): I have lived in Raleigh 55 plus years and water/sewer pipes have always failed at one time or another. I find it disturbing that council member David Cox thinks that using property taxes is a more “progressive approach” to not burden those who can’t afford a constant increase each year.
Really Mr. Cox, have you reviewed what property tax increases have done in the last five to seven years? At least with an increase in utility fees, the citizens have the possibility of reducing their utility usage.
Not so with property taxes. Rest assured Raleigh residents, the pipes will be fixed, and the City of Raleigh will implement its usual fiscal management practice of increasing fees and/or property taxes. Flush on Raleigh!
Mike Brendle
Raleigh
More on manners
In reference to the letter “Miss Manners” (Nov. 18), I agree with the writer that this nation needs to improve on displaying good manners. We all should be helpful and show consideration of our fellow man through kind words and deeds.
The writer was quick to point a finger at President Trump for his “inciting rudeness, vulgarity and words of hate....” But she left out others who have displayed the same, if not worse, behaviors. Remember the Trump haters who verbally attacked and yelled at Sarah Sanders while she was trying to enjoy a meal at a restaurant? This is not showing grace, it is rude behavior.
What about U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters rallying her supporters to harass any and all members of the Trump administration wherever they could be found? This is not civility. Good manners need to be displayed on both sides of the political fence, and each American is responsible for his or her actions. No excuses!
Neena Fortune
Parade arrogance
WRAL’S persistence in broadcasting the Raleigh Christmas parade despite losing the contract to WTVD (“WRAL’s persistence appears to pay off in parade ratings,” Nov. 21) is arrogance not persistence. Did WTVD air the parade while WRAL had the broadcast rights for 44 years? No? Well then WRAL, get over it.
Lynda Seward
Apex