f - Friduy, September §, 1986 - North Shore News News Viewpoint Cyclists beware a/ ICYCLE enthusiasts rarely bave cause (0) be criticized. The two-wheeled Jifestyle is generatly . considered to be healthy, easy on the environ- ment and even easier on the pocketbook. However ideal the form of transportation is, though, pot all cyclists can be said to be ideal citizens. What does it take for some cyclists to realize that they must follow the rules of the road? Nowhere but the Lower Mainland --—- where the mild weather and = spectacular scenery makes the sport almost universally popular — do so many cyclists insist on creating new Jaws each time they hop onto the sad- die. These cyclists blatantly disregard safety and common courtesy. Common feats include riding on the sidewalks, riding two or more abreast, running through red fights and occupied pedestrinn crosswalks, and turning without the appropriate hand signals. This is not to say that all cyclists are ignorant free wheelers. Most, on the contrary, know and follow the rules of the road. The deviants, however, are costing you and me money. Accidents caused by reckless cyclists are on the in- crease, Who knows how much money is being spent by the Medical Services Plan each year to treat victims involved in bicycle accidents caused by cyclists disregarding the laws of the road? Perhaps it is time to step up ticketing efforts by North Shore police. Failing that, the government should legistate compulsory driving tests for cyclists to keep the streets safe. ntroyal extension would help all citizens Dear Editor: I support Mr. Peter L. Breikss’ request that the District of North Van- couver build a proper road system connecting Montroyal to Lonsdale. Only about one block of additional work is required. Its completion will be to the benefit of the majority of citizens. Mr. Breikss contends that ‘* ... the quiet, non-complaining residents of Prospect Road, and Newdale Court and Ventura Crescent are having to suffer at the expense of good sense at the district offices, and a very vocal Montroyal Boulevard lobby.’’ I suggest that others suffer too! What about the people who live in Canyon Heights, Forest Hills, Grouse Woods, or Upper Delbrook who want to drive to Upper Lonsdale or Lynn Valley (or vice versa)? At the moment, we have to take a contorted route up and over Pro- spect or down and along Evergreen. Also, what about the ability of firetruck and inhalator crews to get quickly from the Montroyal station to North Lonsdale or an ambulance crew to get from the hospital to Upper Delbrook? I understand the sentiments of the Montroyal group. Those living on Montroyal east of Delbrook have a wide, quiet street built to secondary road standards which ierminates in a dead end. If the extension is put through, then the traffic past their doors will increase significantly . But these people should have known or could have found out that the wide road was destined to be a connector. In retrospect, the district should not have allowed sales and construction on the extension until the road was put through in its entirety. If the road does go through, the people on the Montroyal extension will be adversely affected by increased traffic. The road, however, was designed and built for that traffic. Also, the increased and easier traffic flow will be to the benefit of the rest of the district. Although difficult to measure, I feel that the public benefit of the connector outweighs the local costs. North Vancouver needs better east-west links, William C. Wediey North Vancouver SUNDAY - WIDNESOAY + FIIOAY 1139 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver, 8.C. V7M 2H4 S7,656 tirseraqe: Waedoerctae Viay A Sopibaed ' {20089 Li, Covanes 4 E Display Acvertising 980-0511 Classified Advertising 986-6222 Newsroom 965-2131 Distribution 986-1337 Subscriptions 986-1337 North Shots News. + FT A tiepeatident oy ri : TT APPEARS OUR SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS ARE TAKING THEIR PERSONAL SELF- DEFENCE QUITE. SERIOUSLY... CAAMDA COSTS t Privatization cal Publisher: Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Advertising Directo Peter Speck Noel Wright Barrett Fisher linda Stawar “Omran y Gant on Lo rq raters, Entre contents «© 1986 Narth Shore Frec Press Lid All nights reserved aML? NO HLL J teas? —_ enero RETURN TO 1856 rf ig matter of survival] Dear Editor: Privatize! Privatize! Privatize! What a cacophony come: from the desk of Bob Hunter. It seems such a short time ago that he was castigating us for wearing scalskin pyjamas, and the international conglomerates for decimaiing whales. Now Mr. Hunter’s enthusiasm for a return to 1856 and tlie condi- tions in Dickens’ England appears a matter of economic survival than sanity. Anyway, I join the rest of the cuckoos, but with a pleintive peep of: Free Enterprise! Free Enter- prise! Free Enterprise! as { rever- ently bow my head and murmur RIP. : Whatever happened to it? It eventually reformed and salvaged the iniquities of Dickens’ time. But where is the salvage that Stop war game Dear Editor: | read in the Sunday, August 3 edition of North Shore News of the planned rape of Hollyburn Mountain — Combat Comes to West Vancouver. The once peace haven for the shattered workers of the concrete jungle is now a battlefield filled with pistol-packing warriors mak- dear old Bilt trumpeted as the solution to our economic woes. Hand it all over to privatization he urged, and reap the reward! I’ve been reaping ever since. He privatized Pacific Stages to the bigyest garbage route in the USA, Greyhound. Our hard earn- ed ferry fleet pride of Daddy’s navy to biggies in Montreal, and we lease it all back at great cost to our management. On top of that we get slammed with a BRIC! All that for a start and the reward turns out to be increased cost of living, 12 per cent unemployment, gigantic Mydro costs, and infiatioa to say nothing of personal deflation. There has not been a decent privateer since Sir Francis Drake who pillaged the Spanish world. Our current Arabic and American privateers are intent only in acquir- ing a fun game of an all too serious worldwide disease — war. Haven't we enough horror in this world without adding more? Are we sick or insane that we en- courage and admire such enterpris- ing university students in their ef- forts to reap a good crop of the almighty dollar? And what of our lovely park ing palaces they won't nave time to live in, private Jumbo jet lines, yachts costing more than the reve- nue of a banana republic, a pas- sion for gourmet breakfasts, and an extra roll over on Sundays. Unable to govern their own homes or families they take a sadistic pleasure in ruining the rest of the world. No matter which way one cuts it, the world pie turns out exactly the way history left it 'ta repetition of filthy environments, want, greed, and the worship of archaic systems of government.”’ I think it’s the same old tune from the same old record, and I’m old enough to have known Madame Butterfly since she was a caterpillar. Jack Ammon North Vancouver lunacy where birdwatchers, hikers and lovers of nature once had right of way, Will it be reduced to the same rubble we expect after warfare has spent itself? I urge all your readers who care to help stop this lunacy. Jennifer Conway Weét Vancouver