BICYCLE SAFETY
Aggressive motorists pose the real danger
Regarding “Cyclists blast plan for fees, restrictions” (News, Oct. 5), just when you think our state Legislature can’t get any more foolish, along comes the bicycle registration bill.
Apparently, some representatives are outraged at the increasing number of cyclists on “their” roads. All of this rage, of course, is cloaked in the guise of safety.
However, the real danger comes not from cyclists, but from overly aggressive Georgia drivers. I have been riding in Georgia for eight years, and cannot count the times a driver has literally tried to see how close he can come to me. If we’re going to get foolish, let’s do it up right. Far more pedestrians are killed in Georgia than cyclists, so why not register and tax shoes?
DAVID H. GOLLINGS, BROOKS
EDUCATION
No surprise if wealth predicts SAT success
Regarding “SAT scores tied to family wealth” (Metro, Oct. 6), while the analysis of SAT scores in the AJC’s recent article is useful as a reminder of an intractable problem, it should hardly be presented as news that SAT scores are related to family wealth. Rather, it would be quite newsworthy if any academic test was found to yield scores not correlated with family income.
KATHLEEN BURK, ATLANTA
It’s personal behavior that determines scores
Regarding “SAT scores tied to family wealth” (Metro, Oct. 6), SAT scores don’t “predict” poverty or wealth. They simply reveal how well you’re prepared for college, which is mostly a result of personal behavior rather than economic status. Norcross High School — with its SAT success, despite a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals — is a prime example.
In previous stories, you’ve reported how Atlanta’s poor minority students are harassed when they study hard. If they went to a school like Norcross High, where studying hard is praised and rewarded, I expect you’d find that their SATs would suddenly start “predicting” wealth and future success.
JOE WILLIAMS, DOUGLASVILLE
TEAM LOYALTY
Braves fans should ax the tomahawk chop
As a lifelong Braves fan from Georgia presently living in Charlotte, N.C., who attends a few games a year and never misses a game on TV, I can say I’m a true fan.
It’s time to come up with a new cheer for the Braves. The tomahawk chop needs to go! It’s boring and always the same, and it takes away from the spontaneous yelling and screaming when the fans are ready to let loose.
Come on Atlanta, we can do better. Let’s trade in the chop for something better. The crowd wants it, and the team deserves it.
JIMMY WADE, CHARLOTTE, N.C.
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