Beware of the new toll road
Now we have speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard, rather than implementing some common-sense things. Simple things like 85th percentile speed limits and making the yellow lights longer are good ideas. Decent-length, all-red intervals help. Sensors can also control the traffic lights, to prevent collisions and keep better flow. When crashes occur, we must look at why in each case. Simple engineering tweaks can be used. Major roadway changes can also be done, but are more long-term.
Instead of looking at real fixes, the decision was made to pursue red-light cameras and speed cameras. The goal is to raise revenue, so fixing problems would not be effective to do that. Not being content with these, the city is looking at getting even more types of ticket cameras. Where does it end?
Where proper engineering is used, compliance is high. Cops can then use discretion and cite the egregious violators.
Things like Vision Zero and automated traffic enforcement have failed in Philadelphia, other parts of Pennsylvania and elsewhere. It is time to get rid of all of it, not double down. If I can find info on all of this, surely others can. I just saw an erroneous speed camera ticket issued in Italy that claimed a small car did 436 mph. Errors like this do happen, but nobody caught it, either? Great technology to use. No meaningful way to appeal a ticket, either.
Contact the governor, your state representative and your state senator, and tell them to repeal automated enforcement. Your wallet depends upon it.
James Sikorski Jr.
National Motorists Association
School district clueless
So, the school board has approved the use of virtual schools until Nov. 17. After watching the school district acting like a skit of The Keystone Kops at the end of the last school year, this should be interesting. All of a sudden, every student is going to have the internet. The district told us they had that on May 4. I guess it was hoping the students did. Where are all these Chromebooks coming from? I’m sure there are some missing or broken from the last go round, and now the new classes coming in need them. It’s time to invest in Chromebooks. The biggest part of this plan that is bothersome is the students can’t physically go to school but if you need daycare, then stuff them into school buildings, libraries and rec centers. Is the concept of virtual schooling to keep the students from interacting? If they can interact in those buildings, why can’t they interact in face-to-face schooling? Let the games begin. The school district might make MLB look like brain surgeons.
Richard Donofry
East Torresdale
Free pass for looters
I made a false assumption that Larry Krasner is our law enforcement officer. He is not; he is a lookout at Pearl Harbor.
Anybody who is an activist, protester or looter gets a free pass, a fine that is waived, amnesty and a “Don’t you do that again.” He applauds the rioters in Portland as “peaceful” and doesn’t think destroying federal property and injuring police officers is a bad thing. Wearing a jeweler’s eye and a magnifying glass, he identifies a police officer who used tear gas on illegal protesters who blocked highways and prevented citizens from going to work or home. Good job. However, his perfect vision did not allow him to see the woman who firebombed two police vehicles, nor did it let him see the peaceful protesters drive a tow motor into the bank and steal money. Had he seen them, he would have issued citations that Mayor Kenney would have granted amnesty to at once.
We have to rely on federal attorneys to bring charges and arrest these peaceful protesters. We have no mayor nor district attorney protecting citizens, which is the primary duty of government. Good job, putty cats.
Michael Hartey
Burholme
Update on NE Regional Library
Hello. The Northeast Regional Library is currently closed. We are incorporating safety precautions and changes to our interior environment to protect you when we do open for public use. In the meantime, while you wait for the library to reopen, we have many suggestions for how you can enjoy some of the services that the library can provide.
Easy return of library materials. We open our return drop boxes, Monday through Friday during the day. Simply place all of the library materials you have at home in the drop boxes. Remember, there are no fines for late return.
Want new books or old favorites? Browse the Free Library of Philadelphia homepage and catalog at www.freelibrary.org. Place holds on books and media using the online catalog. We will fill them and notify you when they are available. We offer pickup service at Northeast Regional as well as at the following Northeast library branches: Bustleton, Tacony, Welsh Road, Torresdale and Fox Chase. Remember you must wear your mask when picking up your materials.
Another option is to use our customized “personal shopper” service. Call us, tell us what you like to read, how many books you want, and we will select for you. We have hundreds of new materials sitting on our shelves just waiting for you to borrow and enjoy. Librarians delight in selecting materials for their clientele. The more information you can give us about what you like to read, the better we can accommodate your request. The Children’s Dept. places a small prize in each bag it packs for children with a reminder to visit the Children’s Dept.’s Facebook page: Northeast Children’s.
Join Summer of Wonder. You can participate online. The FLP Home Page, www.freelibrary.org, has directions for how to enjoy the summer reading program for children, teens and adults. It is not too late to participate.
Looking for other activities? The Children’s Dept. posts Fun Friday and Merry Monday activities for children on its Northeast Children’s Facebook page. Become a “friend,” and browse the craft, literacy, science, and culinary ideas for fun when you want something different to do. We currently host a special science program with Mr. Malcolm on our Facebook page that is educational and entertaining.
Teens are invited to join our summer craft challenge and compete to win $25 gift cards. Adults are invited to ToshokanFLP, a weekly online discussion of anime and manga. Call Northeast Regional or visit the “Northeast Regional – Free Library of Philadelphia” Facebook page to learn about these and other activities.
Just need to hear a friendly voice in the Children’s Dept.? Give us a call to say hi. Ms. Megan and I know you miss us. We miss you, too, very much. What’s more, the books are lonely without someone taking them home to read. We would be happy to hear how you are spending your time and what books you are reading. The personal connection is important. We are busy with many projects, but we will make time to talk to you.
Let us hear from you. Children’s Dept. Services: 215-685-0509. Adult Services: 215-685-0522. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Stay safe. Wear your mask, wash your hands, avoid touching your face. Ms. Megan and I and the entire staff of the Northeast Regional Library look forward to our reopening when we can serve you in person.
Marianne Bucci
Head, Children’s Dept.
Enough with the mob rule
The USA was designed to be a great place of personal democratic freedoms that appears to be replaced by a type of “mob” rule.
Groups of people want you to think and behave as they want you to.
They are vandalizing statues, looting business properties, destroying government property, assaulting police and breaking other laws instead of peaceful protests and voting democratically for change.
Are they really getting their messages across to the “silent majority” of us?
Mayer Krain
Modena Park
Up to no good
I was looking out of my window watching a male looking into my car parked curbside. He did a 360 around my car while looking into it. There were other parked cars but he was only interested in mine. He crossed the street going directly to my other car and looked into the driver-side windows, only going to my car. He then opened the gas cap. I started outside as I called 911. Upon getting outside, the police arrived quickly. The officers and sergeant observed the open gas cap, quickly listened to my observations and then spoke to that male at length. Police told me, “What he did was nothing.” A report was taken, coded “information,” a generic police report. This is in no way “nothing.” It seems when police don’t know what to do or just do nothing, that anything can be “nothing.” Opening a gas cap of somebody’s car after casing it is a substantial step toward where any person would reasonably believe one of three things: Gas is going to be stolen, something will be put in the tank or a fire will be set. Not nothing, as police said. Especially during riotous times. Incomplete (inchoate) crimes are crimes in themselves, not nothing. At least criminal mischief. Easy to convince a judge, jury or reasonable person of this. Why didn’t police handle this accordingly? One of many reasons that things are as they are today. This male also made false statements to police, corroborated by video and audio recordings reviewed by police. His false reports were also nothing. One false report he made to police was that I threatened him. I had to be interviewed by a detective to clear myself. Really? Would you believe this is nothing if you watched this done to your car?
Glenn Hench
Bustleton
Crowded events can spread virus
On Sept. 28, 1918, a Liberty Loans parade down Broad Street was scheduled in Philadelphia. The mayor was advised by leading doctors to cancel the parade because of the Spanish Flu pandemic. The mayor refused, citing people’s First Amendment right to assemble. As a result of that decision, thousands died.
The quote below is from USA Today’s website. “Among the worst moments of the 1918 influenza pandemic were Philadelphia’s overwhelmed morgue stacking unembalmed bodies without ice on multiple floors until storage was found, or the city resorting to steam shovels for digging mass graves.”
If only the people who attend a crowded event were affected, that would be one thing, but they go home and infect others.
Ronni Flitter
Somerton
