Chaotic Scene In OC
Editor:
My wife and I bicycled south to the Bayside Skillet at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30. We were shocked by the drag racing up and down Coastal Highway. Cars were fishtailing, racing each other, driving fast across lanes and screeching rubber. The noise was deafening. We felt particularly at risk in the bike lanes.
In 60 minutes on the highway, we saw only one police officer — on the side of the road — but no one intervening in the madness and making arrests. Why does OC allow such chaos?
Doug Frechtling
Ocean City
x
College Falsehoods
Editor:
As a college student, It is important that I respond to the letter “Parents Should Be Wary Of Colleges”. First, I must start by saying that education is not only a part of life but imperative to those who wish to better the society we all are a part of. In this country we are extremely blessed to have one of the best education systems in the world, and it would be detrimental to the nation as a whole if people were to “boycott” their own futures because of a misconception. As someone who is currently enrolled in college, I can say with certainty that college students are absolutely not a monolith of any ideology or discipline, and it is dangerous to perpetuate this falsehood. College is all about exploring different ways of thinking and every student does this differently.
My second point is that I am a socialist. Not because of college (I have been one since high school) but I guarantee you, I love this beautiful country of ours just as much as you and will always work (Yes, we socialists do have jobs) to make this country great. I believe in freedom, justice and liberty just like you. I also believe that the wealthiest nation on Earth has more than enough resources to insure that those who are least fortunate among us are still able to pursue happiness as our founders intended.
To conclude, exposure to new thoughts and ideas is an amazing thing that can change the way we think and see the world. What is dangerous is when we write off the whole system as flawed, when we start seeing those whom we with disagree as malevolent and “indoctrinated”. Because for all our differences, political or otherwise, we all have one proud title in common: American.
Patrick Reid
x
Events Get Worse Each Year
Editor:
I live full time in Ocean City and have seen these car events get worse and worse each year until this year when it was absolutely horrible. My neighbors and I decided not to go outside at all because it was frightening. I feel sorry for the police department, fire department and EMS employees and also for the dispatchers who must handle every one of these calls.
Could the highway be cut down to only one lane of traffic for cars and leave the other three lanes for emergency vehicles and buses only? If these car owners have no other drivers with the same mindset as their own to try to race and make lots of noise with, perhaps this will no longer be fun for them and they will stay away from our little town.
I hope the city officials can come up with a solution early enough that the car owners do not make hotel reservations for the next event.
Thank you.
Joan Holthaus
Ocean City
x
Single Lane Needs A Look
Editor:
To discourage the street racers on any predictably troublesome night, the city should proactively restrict through traffic on Coastal Highway to a single left lane.
Widely announce it so that Ocean City residents are aware. Block off the two right lanes, allow only police, fire department, ambulances and city buses in the two right lanes. This will cause gridlock for the street racers, prevent racing and burnouts and separate them from the audience lining the sidewalks, but still allow first responders and city buses to get through. I would gladly give up one Saturday night to be rid of these raucous racing reprobates.
Mark Radowich
Ocean City