Vehicle ‘kissing’ can be reduced

The state and Honolulu Police Department need badly to follow and adopt the example of many states across the country by enforcing a traffic code that confines all wide vehicles such as large trucks, semi-trailers and buses to the right hand lane, except, of course, in emergency situations ("That’s close," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 19).

This would preclude occurrences of the "kissing" mirrors described in a recent Star-Advertiser article and allow much better visibility of the lanes and of traffic ahead for all private and smaller vehicles.

Buses — both tour and city buses — tend to head for that outside lane and stay there until near their exits. A little traffic management would do a lot to alleviate the situation.

J. Ford Murray
Hawaii Kai

Only fair to ban beach rentals

If the City Council feels strongly about commercial businesses fronting Kailua and Kalama beaches, let’s stop all the commercial bed and breakfast businesses fronting Kailua Bay from Castle to Lanikai.

I grew up in Kailua and the beaches of Kailua Bay are full of tourists who are living in vacation rentals.

Lets be fair.

Harvey Lee
Kailua

Ask first, save time in the end

While watching the 6 p.m. news, I was called and asked to answer a survey about political candidates.

After routine questions by someone obviously not from Hawaii (every name was badly mangled), I was asked if I agreed or disagreed with a statement. The statements were vindictive assertions not typical of information gathering.

I interrupted and asked for the name of the organization sponsoring the poll. I was told, "That cannot be revealed." So I hung up.

Always get the source first and save yourself from time-wasters.

Sylvia C. Mitchell
Makiki

Election debacle is disconcerting

No doubt there will be investigations and much hand-wringing over the election debacles on Hawaii island.

I’m fairly new to the Hawaii election process, but from what I’ve seen thus far, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Polling centers opening late and not just on the Big Island? Poll books not available when polling centers were to open? Polls staying open later than the advertised time (including Oahu)? I find all of this inefficiency quite incredible and very disconcerting.

Voters here have many more opportunities to vote than I’ve seen elsewhere. They can vote by absentee ballot; early walk-in voting at convenient locations, as well as voting on election day at their appointed polling places.

It’s about time Hawaii stops acting like a backward island state. Let’s become a forward-thinking, problem-solving state in restoring the confidence of the electorate in the voting process.

Margaret Peary
Mililani Mauka

Mail-in voting is the way to go

All mail-in voting is a no brainer.

Think about the savings. Schools would not have to close on Election Tuesday, taking away needed class time for our keiki. Employers would not have to give their employees time off to vote, increasing productivity. Precincts would not have to try and find and pay for poll workers. Polling information and ballots would not need to be sent to all the different precincts on Oahu and the other islands. Saturday primaries would not incur utility costs for the schools used as polling places. And, for Hawaii County especially, county clerks would not be burdened with having to open polling places on time.

Peter Chisteckoff
Mililani Mauka

Can’t have cake and eat it, too

Sara Ackerman chooses to not just visit the North Shore but reside there ("Allure of turtles clogs North Shore," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 14).

We can’t have life both ways. Everyone is entitled to tour the beauty of our islands, as Hawaii depends on tourism.

The North Shore has been a traffic nightmare for decades. For visitors, these turtles are up-front viewing of what they perceive as exotic sea species seen not in an aquarium but in their natural habitat.

Alas, if Ackerman were to visit some exotic place, how would she feel about the locals complaining about her tour bus clogging the roads to see such an amazing sight?

Han Song
Kaneohe

Hannemann treated poorly

Richard Borreca’s recent column is a case of selective memory from a veteran reporter ("Case, Hannemann failed to face up to harsh reality," Star-Advertiser, On Politics, Aug. 14).

Borreca comments that Mufi Hannemann failed to apologize. I remember Hannemann did better than apologize. He endorsed the Neil Abercrombie and Brian Schatz team following the 2010 primary. In 2006, Hannemann also did a television ad for Dan Akaka in his battle against Ed Case to keep his Senate seat. In return for this, Abercrombie and Akaka underhandedly supported Tulsi Gabbard in the 2012 congressional primary, while publicly saying they would stay neutral in the race.

Now that’s a story Borreca should investigate.

Tom Watanabe
McCully

Attacks on rail repeat history

As a voting taxpayer in Hawaii, it disturbs me when a former governor, now wannabe mayor, chooses as his main plank to defeat rail transit.

Since Rene Mansho’s equally destructive anti-rail vote many years ago, there has been plenty of time to improve TheBus. It hasn’t improved. Chance of it happening if rail is defeated? Nada. Chance of those monies going to fix sewers, water mains, etc? Nada.

We need rail transit, and while we may not get it, I suppose Hawaii can be proud of this dismal lack of accomplishments: Superferry, failure to use geothermal, the loss of a satellite-launching facility off Hawaii island, and the continuous attacks on one of the finest telescopic systems in the world, all of which could have brought millions of dollars of well-paying jobs for locals.

Jack H. Scaff
Honolulu

City can’t afford to maintain rail

I am so tired of our lousy roads, driving over teeth-gritting and suspension-challenging streets that just shouldn’t be that way.

I am so tired of hearing of water main breaks almost daily and the inconvenience to drivers and residents that results.

I am tired of hearing about a sewage spill almost weekly.

The city has not been able to maintain basic county services. Why do some think it can maintain a sophisticated rail system? Why doesn’t the city take care of what it has instead of putting more on an already heaping plate?

It’s not just building the rail; it’s having to maintain it for decades.

Do you really think the city can do that? Really?

Linda Kaiser
Kuliouou