Motorist issues aired

I was aghast when I read Sunday’s article about the new Nissan Leaf all-electric car that is going on sale locally and already has three pre-orders. With a price tag of nearly $35,000 — including a $7,500 subsidy — this car appears totally inadequate in performance and is so obviously not noteworthy.

After 110 years of technological advances in the auto industry, why is an all-electric car not capable of more than 100 miles on a charge? That is inexcusable.

One’s entire driving experience would be dominated by concerns about the next “fill-up” immediately after re-charging. Modern drivers don’t appreciate how quickly 100 miles, under the best circumstance, go by. Most modern cars are able to travel 400 miles before having to be refueled. If I had to think about refueling every 100 miles, it would drive me batty.

Not since the gas-guzzler behemoths of the 1970s have cars had such a short range of travel. You couldn’t even drive round-trip to Hillsboro without worrying about running out of current.

Eddie Mitchell, Waco

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Is anyone else seeing problems with those yellow flashing arrows at certain Waco intersections? I’m concerned that the recent death of a motorist at New Road and Bosque Boulevard was because of confusion about turning left into oncoming traffic during a blinking yellow light.

I almost ran into two young girls in a car who were turning left at one of these lights at Cobbs Drive and Valley Mills Drive. The pickup truck beside me and I had to slam on our brakes to avoid a collision. And then recently at Bosque Boulevard and Lake Air Drive, someone behind me honked at me to turn while traffic was coming at me during a flashing yellow light.

Please everyone: Use caution when approaching these intersections.

Diane Schlecte, Waco

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Disregard for stop lines in front of downtown Waco bicycle routes should be of no surprise to anyone who drives or walks in Waco. Drivers more commonly overrun stop lines and cross walks than not. It is often difficult to make right turns on red in Waco because of this. After stopping at the stop line and observing that the crosswalk is not in use, a driver is then permitted to cross the stop line to observe oncoming traffic from the left before turning right on red. But when the driver to one’s left has stopped on the crosswalk, visibility of on-coming traffic is obstructed. 

Last year, I was stopped at a stop line and proceeded to cross an intersection when it was clear. An officer stopped me because I had not moved from the stop line to where the other vehicle had been and stopped again. I was let off with a warning. But I wonder why she didn’t ticket the other driver for failure to stop at the stop line and for obstructing the intersection?

Brian McCann, Hewitt

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The Texas Driver’s Handbook, “Sharing the Road with Bicycles,” states: “Motorists should merge with bicycle traffic when preparing for a right hand-turn. Avoid turning directly across the path of bicycle traffic.” So cars must merge into the bicycle lane to turn right. Because no one, including the city, has bothered to notify citizens regarding these bicycle rules, I highly recommend motorists re-read the driver’s handbook. From where those white stripes are painted, there is no way to see around a building to make a safe right turn. For me, I’ll just stay out of downtown.

Ron Conaway, Waco

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Drivers, remain alert of your surroundings. When a car is behind you with flashers on and horn honking to warn of an emergency in progress, please look in your rear view mirror and have the decency to pull over and let them pass.

Recently I was rushing a rattlesnake bite victim to a hospital emergency room. My flashers and horn were ignored by many motorists, including a sheriff’s car (not from McLennan County).

How would you feel if you had been the one trying to get to the hospital?

I do applaud those who did let us pass, though there were only a few.

Sandra Gauer, Crawford

A message to our congressman

U.S. Rep. Bill Flores’ idea for co-funding certain national park monuments like the Waco Mammoth Site is creative and may deserve to be incorporated into the National Park System. But for now, Flores should put his idea on the back burner instead of continuing to pursue this while he complains about “bureaucracies” and Democrats. He should get back to the mainstream work of cost-cutting and job creation. The mammoth site has been around for many years and can probably wait another 10 years or so for better days.

Dave Kruschke, Waco

Make closed-caption standard

I have a very close relative who is deaf. Many times she has gone to the movies and wonders what the actors are saying or the point of the story is. Closed caption should be a choice at movie theaters in our community for the hearing-impaired populations. Deaf people should be able to enjoy a movie on the big screen, too. Let’s make a change for our deaf community in Waco.

Jennifer Arnold, China Spring