Bicyclists abused by drivers daily
Over the past four years, my short daily bike commute downtown has become significantly safer. The completion of the East Side Beltline trail, bike lanes on Edgewood and Auburn avenues, and protected cycle tracks Midtown and downtown should encourage all of us to reassess the mark we leave on the world every day. To make myself and the city a little more livable, I opt to bike more and more.
Words matter, and Bill Torpy’s column (“Obnoxious on two wheels: a lesson in bicycle rights,” News, Dec. 17), detailing his recent run-in with a pair of cyclists in Candler Park, is irresponsible. It gives a pass to those who drive dangerously around people on two wheels. I am unceremoniously passed, cut off, turned in front of, honked at and, most commonly, dangerously unaccounted-for on a weekly basis.
Each incident puts my heart in my throat. I wear a helmet, but even if I had elbow pads and full body combat gear, I’d still be at the mercy of often callous and distracted drivers who see me as an inconvenience at best. And, as many can attest, drivers are capable of turning their frustration into actions. Everyone is talking these days about how Atlanta is striving to be world-class. Here’s an idea: Why don’t we actively encourage residents to walk and bike instead of acting like this is a problem without a solution, clinging to the legacy of cars and traffic that threaten to run Atlanta’s reputation off the road?
RYAN SPLITLOG, ATLANTA
U.S. business like Scrooge’s workshop
Merrill Matthews’ column, “Could Santa’s workshop survive Obama’s rules?” (Opinion, Dec. 17) is not only fanciful, but absurd, when he argues that these “rules,” which do not apply to Santa, should also be eliminated for America’s businesses. Should America’s workers labor like elves for free, with no health insurance? Should America’s businesses have Santa’s power to decide who is “good” and who is “bad” and apportion profits accordingly?
America’s business leaders already consider themselves “good” and reap enormous compensation, while slashing compensation and jobs from workers, who are all “bad.” As for Santa having to close his North Pole operations to transfer jobs to China, many American businesses have aready done that. America’s businesses are about as far from being Santa’s workshop as the North Pole is from the South Pole. This season, we should all be thankful for that.
BILL FOKES, BRASELTON
