Safety issues caused by older drivers

2/9/2007

A recent Blade editorial highlighted the dangers presented by younger drivers. While I found the editorial interesting and thought provoking, it should also have addressed the safety issues caused by senior citizens.

I spend on average about two hours per day six days per week commuting back and forth to my place of employment. By my estimation, for every incidence of dangerous driving I witness from a younger driver I probably see five or more cases where an older driver endangers others on the roadways.

In the past week, I have witnessed different senior citizens: driving 45 mph on I-75, stopping on Monroe Street at a green light, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, and driving at night without lights on. I fear not only for myself and other drivers but I fear for these older drivers as well.

A solution would be to revoke the driver's license of anyone age 70 or older. Just as we have a minimum age requirement of 16 to operate a motor vehicle, we should also have a maximum age.

Public transportation, cabs, walking, and seeking transportation assistance from a family member would be alternatives available to our senior citizens to make sure their needs are met.

Keith VanSant

Larchway Court

Warming might be linked to solar source

It's been reported that the temperature on the planet Mars has increased, which suggests that solar heating is the cause.

The warming of our fair planet might very well be linked (among other causes) to a solar source. In fact, solar heating might be the most important cause.

There is an angry and politically powerful group stating that our fossil fuel consumption is the only significant cause, rejecting the arguments of others. Alternate proposals are either denigrated or dismissed out of hand.

I am reminded of the aggressively righteous way in which the popes of old handled the arguments of Copernicus and Galileo, who both felt that the sun, not the earth, was the center of our planetary system.

Gordon M. Mather

Crossfields Road

Trust scientists who have nothing to gain

Contrary to the thoughts of a recent forum contributor, the global warming phenomenon is not something you can choose to believe in or disbelieve in like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. It is by far the most serious threat to the future health of the planet that we face.

Are we really supposed to believe that the nearly 100 percent of the world's scientists who "believe" in global warming have as their top objective the unifying of all governments under the United Nations? If you believe this, say hello to the Easter Bunny for me.

Furthermore, are we to believe that the world's scientists have more to gain by warning us about global warming than the "energy" industry and its political dependents (i.e. George Bush and Co.) have to gain in unchecked profits and political contributions by denying the existence of global warming? If you believe this, say hello to Santa Claus for me, he'll be floating on a raft in the middle of the Arctic Ocean soon.

As for me, I'll believe the scientifically deduced warnings of the world's scientists over the talking points of a profit-protecting and incompetent administration any day of the week.

Mark T. Bickle

Schuyler Road

Columnist ignored the hard science

Jack Kelly's "Cool the hypotheticals" column Feb. 3 was shocking to read on a day the same edition carried a front-page story about how the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced that global warming was "unequivocal" and that human activity was very likely the cause of most of the rise in temperature since 1950.

Mr. Kelly's column did not actually address any of the hard science that supports human-induced global warming, but merely rehashed the same fringe arguments about the sun being the real cause.

If Mr. Kelly wants to opine on this issue, I would suggest he dig into the real science of global warming and stop listening so fervently to the few skeptical scientists, many of whom are paid hacks, who espouse opinions that just happen to agree with his ideological point of view.

Dissent is good and welcome in science, but most of the "research" done to contradict human-induced global warming is rarely if ever corroborated by other scientists. That's why you never accept the results of one or a handful of independent researchers and take their findings as fact. You need to consider the multitude of independent studies pointing to similar conclusions.

Most independent research overwhelmingly supports, in some form or another, human-induced global warming. The scarcity of research to support the claims of the book he cites, Unstoppable Global Warming Every 1,500 Years, should clue you in that something is off.

Columnists have a responsibility to educate themselves. People will read what they write and believe it at face value, however unfortunate that may be. Mr. Kelly owes it to his readers, and his profession as a columnist, to offer an intelligent synthesis of the competing arguments, not more warmed-over propaganda.

JAY McCARTHY

Perrysburg

Another Democrat worth considering

As we have seen, the Democratic Party has no shortage of announced or about to be announced candidates for the 2008 presidential election. I would like to have the party and Americans in general give serious consideration to an individual who has not announced and at least at this time has disavowed any interest.

This individual has experience at the highest levels of government.

His statements reflect deep concern about the folly of Iraq.

He is expert on the most critical issue of our time.

He has in a previous presidential election won more popular votes than the other candidate.

He has just been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

He reflects seriousness of purpose rather than glibness of tongue.

I would hope that with public support we could entice Al Gore to reach for the presidency one more time.

Gerald Bazer

Carrietowne Lane

City needs to foster cultural growth

So another event garners attention from the City of Toledo because of the potential for violence.

Gator'z Bar and Grill has fallen victim to the city's fears. This time it's a hip-hop concert that was scheduled for Feb. 13. Previously, it was moviegoers who were deemed a threat because of "supposed incidents" that had occurred at screenings in other cities of 50 Cent's movie, Get Rich or Die Trying. What gives?

I am not a fan of hip-hop music; I have yet to see the aforementioned movie nor did I plan to attend the Ying Yang Twins concert. However, I am a local musician who believes there should be an opportunity for the creativity of all musicians and artists to be shared with others.

Toledo has an amazing music scene that encompasses all genres. Toledo also has some of the finest visual artists I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. However, the City of Toledo does little to foster the growth of these important cultural aspects that could be defining of our city.

Instead our leaders are going to clamp down on the opportunity for some of our young people to see a group of performers they may greatly admire, or, watch a movie about an individual they look up to.

My inspiration for performing and writing music came after seeing a concert at the amphitheater at the zoo. Who is to say the same could not have happened at Gator'z for another like-minded individual?

I implore the city of Toledo, its civic leaders, and The Blade to do more to foster growth in our cultural communities - whether or not the performers call Toledo home.

Keith R. Godfrey

Royalton Road

We all got a good laugh when Al Gore tried to take credit for creating the Internet. However, maybe there is something that he really did invent: the notion that climate change is man-made.

Tom Sussman

Sylvania Township