Thursday, November 19, 2009

glass houses

To start, there is never, ever any excuse for throwing rocks at vehicles. It's criminal and it could be deadly.

With that out of the way, it would probably happen less if the rockthrowers-- and the people in the community who must have seen them in action-- thought they were getting something out of tourism.

I expect to get some statistics in response. They will probably be correct and I have no doubt of tourism's benefits. They just don't 'trickle down' directly to enough households.

Bumper cars

I fear those little white tour vans. The drivers are aggressive, unpredictable, oblivious of the law and dangerous. It's not my personality, but I've had to stop myself from chasing several of them around the island so I could.... do something (I have no idea what that would be).

Maybe they're not accountable either. There was a recent traffic case where the tour company tried to avoid liability by saying the driver was an 'independent contractor'. Isn't that more like, a taxi driver?

So yes, the tour companies have to clean up their act: a lot and quickly. Parents have to get control of their kids (or adults their inner kids). Most of all, neighborhoods are only safe if the residents are in control. Is anybody watching?

You might say I forgot to mention the police. No, I didn't.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Speaking about speeding around the islands; how about those PSS busses with kids aboard? I clocked one at 57 mph.

KAP said...

Must be one of the new buses. I didn't think they could go that fast.

I used to feel guilty when I lived in Talofofo and sent my kids careening down Capitol Hill every morning.

I've given up on anyone ever making school buses safe. Why not just use really, really big pickups?