Idiing bylaw makes sense Dear Editor: The bylaw to inhibit own- ers from idling vehicles for more than three minutes while stationary makes sense. Similar bytaws have been in place in Europe and elsewhere for years. The debate about who will enforce the bylaw or who will report offenders is irrelevant. This is a public awareness issue and it helps address the issue of poor quality air that affects children the most. There is an epidemic of chil- dren with asthma, or children who have asthmatic symptoms with every cold, and North Vancouver has not escaped this. - Vehicle emissions add tons of pollutants to the environ- . ment during the transportation of goods and people. Why add to this ‘by running vehicle engines while stationary? In - addition, if the vehicle is close to pecple’s houses, the exhaust cari permeate their living space. Those people cannut move out ” of the way or avoid breathing. Perhaps there are. other solutions for defrosting the windshield if this is the only objection. How about using a :. windshield cover at night, or a portable heater ‘or scraper in the morning? We need “Well. “fone “North ; Miineoan cr District council. _ Diane’ Newman : to timit the dam- Dear Editor: A paragraph in the Nov. 29 North Shore News, “School Zone safety improved,” says we are to see 136 Day-Glo green school zone sitms in West Vancouver to help save lives and make our roads safer for our children, and to reduce ICBC claims costs by $4,000 a vear. Tam alfia favour of saving lives, making roads safer and reducing insurance claims. | am also anxious to preserve my “clean” driver's licence. So more visible signs are wel- comed. ~ But I have a few concerns: @ Most of the time school zones are completely empty of children, because they are. in the schools or at home. 30 km/h is unbelievably slow, and if one drives at that speed on a straight, wide empty read, it is most annoy: ing to other road users. Why cant we have school zones like one sees in the U.S. %30 km/h when children on street”? None of our school zones have signs to show when one can resume normal speed. One has to search for the back of the sign on the other side of the road to know where the zone ends. In at least one location in West Vancouver there is no sign on the other side of the road. No one currently slows to 30 km/h in the zone near my house for Irwin Park school. It is well signposted with a mix of playground and school signs, both asking for 30 km/h. Just watch the cars, buses, police cruisers, even bicycles, going down 25th Street; some slow down a bit, but none go as slowly Keith A. Cameron Barrister & Solicitor 30 years experience MORTGAGE INVESTORS Let me help you with your problems. © Business Sales & Purchases 5 Wills and Estates = Foreclosures > Real Estate Matters Free initial consultation ina relaxed Deep Cove atmosphere Appointments available evenint Daily 929-0998 s & weekends upon request CAC rates pen 7 days a week Weekly Cars, Trucks,Vans & Minivans *Monihly *Call for free pick-up " Mother-OF- Pear with: Diamonds R’ s Importers of Gemstones, Manufacturere of Fine Jewellery Cain Mall, North Van 984-2040 © Park Royal S South, West Van 925-2043 t _- www.ltigaro.co An authorized TAG Heue! dealer. Paw Sek Serene as 30 kin/h. As T said, 30 is incredibly slow! RB oaAre the current school zone signs in appropriate places? Mathers Avenue between 25th and West Yan secondary school is very busy around 7:45 a.m. with chil- dren walking to school or gathered in’ groups waiting school buses, yet most of this stretch is not a school zone, whereas the south end of Stevens Drive, going south before Taylor Way, has a school zone sign but never any children. 1 don't mind doing 30 kimn/h, but [ don’t want to annoy other road users when { do so. So if the authorities (ICBC and West Van District, 1 think, in this instance) really think it will save lives to have us all doing 30, can We have more than just Day-Glo signs? Like Friday, December 15, 2000 — North Shore News — 7 some preparatory training? eu. cach child could be given a Christmas vacation assignment to draw a colour- tal map of the streets around their school with the 30 km/h stretvhes in a contrast- ing colour, and with their parents’ signatures under a statement thar they have checked the drawing. the 30 km/h stretches are correct, and they will observe the limit when driving them. Another preparation might be to have the photo- radar cameras watching us and issuing warning tickets to every motorist doing 31 km/h or more. This would really wake people up, even the writer of your story refers to “slowing down” rather than driving at 30 kin/h. We can observe speed limits ifwe have to, just see how closely the 40 km/h is obeyed on Water Pack * Holds 2 litres of liquid « Lifetime Warranty ° Also carries your tools, wallet, pump, etc. Reg. °49,95 Sale *SS.95 | Santa In-store: Bacumber 18 & 16” WELCOME 70 BIKIN' & BOARDIN' HEAVEN! ONE EN TING ae is ove Dan {AE Satcates Our Wild Birds © Unlimited? Window - Feeder makes. a great gift ° for ; attracting birds *. at your window, the Lions Gate Bridge these davs. Before we go to all this effort, however, can we be told that ic is worthwhile? If it is OK to drive at 50 km/h on Marine Drive with a cell- phone held to one’s ear, surely “School Zone — Slow when children on road” is all that we need. Try driving through an empcy school zone at exactly 30 km/h one weekday morning with traffic backed up behind you and see what you think. J.D. Peirson West Vancouver a CB... Blackbiirn Kamikaze Bike: Pump e Lifetime warranty © Fills ‘flat’ tires fast