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Letters to the editor Jan. 23
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Published 1/23/2012
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Editor:
Well winter finally came with all of the cold and snow it can dump on us. But you may have noticed the increased stupidity from fellow students in regards to common sense and being safe. Mainly, walking in the middle of the road, not moving for cars or crossing busy intersections without looking to see if the three-quarter ton truck is fully stopped. Yes, it's cold and you might get snow in your eye. But my heavy truck can't stop fast enough to avoid the idiot who kept walking into the intersection, or wont get out of my way so I can drive up the damn hill. Then there are the ones that don't clear the snow from their head lights. This is really bad when the one driving has a white car. This morning, Jan. 18, I almost got into an accident because I could not see if the jerk in front of me was turning or going straight. 
 
It is now my belief that more snow equals more stupidity. We are all college students and we all choose to come here. So we should know that snow plus heavy car means the car will not stop fast. The car will be going fast enough to smear the idiot who didn't look to see if it was safe to cross the street. And if you know a car is coming and walking in the road is the best place to walk then move and get out of the way!
 
People should stop complaining about the cold and snow and deal with it. So if you have to spend an extra minute removing snow from your lights, do it. And why not do something nice for everyone and shovel the snow from the sidewalk in front of your house and not expect other people to do it for you. I shovel the sidewalk outside my house and people can walk on it and not in the street.
 
Patrick Williamson
senior, fruit and vegetable management
 
 
Editor:
I am angry, very angry. After sliding down the McKenzie Street hill and hitting a parked truck on Tuesday I got angry. Why? Because the street had been plowed and graveled only halfway up. From the alley to the top was packed snow and ice, and no gravel. I attempted to drive up the hill, since I was committed by the time I could tell there was no traction due to the lack of plowing and putting down gravel. I have a four wheel drive, with good tires. Having lived on the Palouse for more than 25 years, it seems to me that the police and road department cannot put forth the effort to close the road until at least five accidents happen, or more. I have been under the impression that traffic safety was the priority, not revenue enhancement for the local body shops. I was told the next day of at least four other crashes on that hill happened within about 18 hours. It takes five accidents before the police will close the street? Why? They should have analyzed the situation and closed the street after my accident. It’s not like it has never been closed, in fact it gets closed most every year at least once. Why does it take several wrecks before they close the street?
 
They have the time to come to scene and spend an hour, often more than that, getting a report from the victims, (and write some revenue enhancing tickets) but they don’t have the time to get a barricade up? This is not acceptable. Do they actually enjoy the wrecks? Maybe it’s the time off from patrolling the streets to write the accident report? How many other accidents happened due to the police and road departments lack of performing their duties to the public which is, as I have stated, safety? Center street? Harrison street? How many others? Short staffed? Under budgeted? Not an excuse in my opinion. It costs a lot less money to block off a street than it does to have a police officer spend an hour or more at the scene of an accident. It is for sure better than having the fire hydrant taken out in one of those accidents. Why plow and gravel the hill only halfway up? Do it all, or don’t do it and block off the street. Do five (yes five) semi tucks and trailers have to get stuck on Paradise Street before it gets plowed and graveled? That is a main route for traffic, and it couldn't be attended to until trucks get stuck and tie up traffic and many peoples time. There is no excuse for this. It is outrageous and unacceptable.
 
The city council, police, and the road department owe all of us a very big apology. If the city of Pullman believes it is acceptable to be derelict in their duties, maybe the citizens of Pullman need to think about getting some people that will preform the duties that keep us safe. Maybe they need a lawsuit to wake them up. Maybe a class action suit?

Scott Storch
Pullman resident

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Opinion , Letters to the Editor , Snow

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