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LETTERS ON NEV BILL
To the Editor:
It was difficult to stifle myself when they voted retirement for themselves, and made it retroactive, as fulltime employees of the county in a quick vote with no public input because the numbers of hours they expend exceed the halftime work approved by the voters.
It must be a difficult job especially when the pesky public sticks its nose in the middle of what they want to do. They have all these decisions to make about issues over which they have no authority, responsibility or accountability. It is the Imperial Council that sets its own agenda and they can obviously adjust it at will.
Should we be a nuclear free zone?
Should we cooperate with the efforts to combat terrorism?
What should we do about global warming?
It took something like three days of “hearings” to discuss the border patrol checkpoint “issue” while it took me approximately 3 minutes on Google to determine that the issue had been decided by the Supreme Court on several occasions.
The transfer station debate has been underway for at least ten years and they’re still hiring consultants.
Now we have the NEVs. Despite well-documented safety standards, common sense and public input, certain of the council members seem determined to endanger us and our visitor tourists on San Juan public roads.
Is there something about those council chambers, or about the legislative chambers at all local, state and federal levels that automatically lowers elected members’ IQ points by some significant factor?
I don’t know to what extent immunity from suit might apply to council members who vote in favor of allowing NEVs on our public byways if a major tragedy were to occur. It is generally accepted that a public employee operating within the scope of his/her duty in a manner that is rational to rational people will be defended for actions which may have tragic consequences.
However, if those employees act outside the scope of their duties and in an irrational manner, they may not be protected.
How willing would the council members in favor of NEVs operating on our streets be to waive any public defense and to stand personally liable in the event of a lawsuit emanating from whatever consequence might arise from their vote? Are they willing to put themselves at fiscal risk as equally as they would put the county coffers at risk?
Perhaps they can spend a few hours debating that point.
Dennis R. Hazelton
San Juan Island
Councilman Myhr,
I deeply resent your highly partisan claim that it is only
a "small, vocal group of Republicans" who oppose the influx of vehicles
never designed or intended to operate safely on narrow, hilly, rural roads
to endanger the safety of all islanders. That statement is not only
disingenuous, but is an outright falsehood. ( Background story)
You are certainly entitled to your opinion on this matter. But to turn
this into a politically partisan issue is both dishonest and disgusting.
The partisan political divisiveness which has overtaken both Washington
D.C. and Olympia is painful enough to watch. When the citizens of this
County passed the Charter, they quite deliberately made the position of
Council member nonpartisan (Section 4.10, if you want to refer to your
apparently little used copy of the Charter) in order to get away from such
divisive and hostile political battles.
That you would now choose to politicize a matter of public safety on which
Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Independents, and citizens of any other
political persuasion have legitimately different views shows that not only
are you dismissive of the intentionally nonpartisan position to which you
have been elected, but that you quite callously seek to infuse the kind of
political hatred and bitterness which we see on the national and state
levels into what should be a responsible and deliberative Island discussion.
There was a time, when you and I worked closely together on behalf of the
County, that I had respect for you, Mr. Myhr. I am therefore particularly
sad at this example of your trying to drive a political wedge between
Islanders of honestly differing opinions. You owe all Islanders a
heartfelt apology and a promise never again to resort to such blatant
political hostility.
Christopher Hodgkin
San Juan Island
I am writing to express my shock and dismay that Kevin Ranker has introduced and pushed through the State Legislature a bill that would lift longstanding Federally-established limits on slow-moving electric vehicles and what roads they may use, because they do not have the safety features required by Federal standards for motor vehicles. S.B. 6346 would allow those slow-moving vehicles for the first time to operate on the County’s principal arteries, in the mix with full-powered, full-featured vehicles traveling up to 45 mph.
As their name suggests, Neighborhood Electric Vehicles were designed to operate in urban neighborhoods with traffic speed restricted to 25mph; these are usually gated or otherwise limited areas such as retirement villages or school campuses. These vehicles were permitted to be manufactured without many of the safety features we now take for granted in motor vehicles, precisely because they were confined to traffic running at 15-25 mph.
They do not transfer well into 45 mph traffic zones or winding, narrow-shouldered, often dark rural roads. That is why few jurisdictions have even permitted them on roads that allow traffic at 35 mph. Under the Ranker bill, however, our County will be the ONLY one in the country (according to sources at the national electric vehicle association) that has extended the reach of low-speed electric cars onto 45 mph roads.
Senator Ranker claims that “The County” requested this legislation, so naturally I looked in the official County records to see how I could have missed what we all know would be a controversial proposition. I was unable to find any record of any inquiry whatsoever. So I wonder who in the County has undertaken the research that would support the use of these vehicles in traffic 20 mph faster and a milieu dramatically different than that for which they were designed? Did the County conduct a hearing? Hear from the traffic engineers? Explore the reasons why proposals like these have consistently been rejected in other jurisdictions? Determine the number of NEVs registered in the County? Talk to school bus drivers, EMS personnel, or deputies about their reaction to the proposal? Ask the County risk manager about potential liability? Such a dramatic shift from the circumscribed county club or
retirement village venues to twisty and traffic-filled rural roads surely requires some attention to these questions.
Next, I looked to the state legislative process, assuming that it would have included review and analysis of these questions. Turns out that no other Senator or Representative would allow the bill to affect his or her hometown, so it did not seem to get much attention.
Peg Manning
Orcas Island
To the Editor:
It’s not too late to let Governor Gregoire know how you feel about allowing NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles) on our main roads with speed limits above 35mph.
It is just plain not safe and the idea of signing the bill (bill #6346) which will basically make San Juan County (and only SJC) exempt from the Washington State law which bans these neighborhood cars/golf carts on roads with speed limits above 35mph.
I have a big problem with allowing NEVs on all our roads. Most are designed to travel UP to 25mph…….our roads are narrow and with very few passing lanes. Imagine rounding a corner to find a cute little NEV trudging on, heading to town, going about 20 to 25mph and you’re 9 miles from town (say like, Cattle Point or English Camp or Roche Harbor). Talk about a bummer! I drive a school bus and am aware how people hate to get behind me (and I travel up to 45mph a lot of the time, just with frequent stops). I figure people know my schedule so they can just start out earlier to miss me or wait 5 minutes before leaving. I’m predictable, but not if these NEVS are allowed to crawl on into town. It would raise havoc with our bus route schedules. It also creates very unsafe situations.
The vehicles are designed to be driven in neighborhoods, college campuses, large facilities, they lack the safety equipment standard on vehicles designed to be driven on high speed roads. I think they are great for town folks. They’re legal in town and Roche Harbor Village and out at the Cape. How about just leaving the main roads with speed limits of 35 and above to cars capable of the same speed! Let’s stay with the intention of the State Law on this and not allow Bill 6346 to become law. We deserve the same rights as everyone else in this State. We have about 15 more days to let our voices be heard.
Give Governor Gregoire's Office a call:
Governor's Office 360-902-4111
For relay operators for the deaf or hard of hearing, please dial 7-1-1
Fax Governor Gregoire a letter:
360-753-4110
Or leave an email; here’s the link http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp
There is a form to fill out. Be sure to scroll down to the topic of Legislation near the bottom of the page.
The bill is sitting on Kevin Phillips desk right now (analyst/policy office). Be sure to mention bill #6346 and leave your comment.
Our county should not be exempt from the very important safety laws regarding NEVS (neighborhood electric vehicles) that our WA State goes by. They are not allowed on roads with speed limits above 35mph. There is a very good reason for it. They lack safety equipment...they drive top speed of 25mph. I drive a 40 foot school bus 45mph daily. I do not wish to allow these "glorified golf carts" to hold up traffic and possibly cause catastrophic accidents.
Thank you and PLEASE do not allow this legislation to pass. I personally know that my transportation supervisor, all my fellow bus drivers, many local Sheriff Deputies and EMS workers are all opposed to this bill as it will create havoc on our roads.
I like Kevin, I voted for Kevin but I am strongly opposed to this bill! Please Stop It.
Thanks for your time.
Respectfully,
Mary Elford
(San Juan Island resident (for 40 years) and
am also a school bus driver for SJISD #149.)
December 29, 2009
Dear Senator Ranker,
I would like to urge you to stop promoting and pushing for the NEV bill. ( Related story on Senate Bill 6346 )
I understand you are trying to encourage people to have responsible transportation, but there are many consequences that will happen if this bill goes through. These slow vehicles should not be on roads that are rated for 45mph.
We already have enough car pileups from the mopeds, bikes, and school buses. There are not sufficient turnout lanes for any slow moving vehicle and in places there are blind curves. This is a disaster waiting to happen. I would also like to know why we have to change for residents that KNOWINGLY bought a vehicle they could not use on the island. That's their mistake. This will effect everyone on the island to accommodate a few who made a poor purchase before knowing if they could use them on the roads or not. Do not punish everyone because a few people made a bad call.
The other thing to consider is that if we get stuck behind these vehicles frequently, it will lead to poor gas efficiency for all other vehicles. Slowing down, braking, and avoiding these small vehicles will become dangerous. There must be a darn good reason that the manufacturers don't want thee vehicles on 45mph roads. I think you should head their warning, not a resident who didn't make the product.
This is a bad bill and it's bad for the island, except for those few people. If you wish to push it through, then the speed limit should be changed so it's safe for everyone. This allowing 25 mph vehicles in a 45mph area is just not right and is outright dangerous. The county needs to widen the lanes for proper bike traffic/moped/NEVs before this should pass. If this does make it through, then you need to consider having turnout lanes every couple miles on the island so people that have normal vehicles can travel properly.
Regards,
Traci Walter
San Juan Island
To the Editor:
I’m wholeheartedly in favor of Mr. Myhr & Lichters thoughts on reducing the speed limits in the county. There truly is absolutely no where we have to go in a hurry. we're already here.
Personally, I cannot wait for that moment when we can only drive 35 mph, just ahead of the 25 mph NEVs. Since my sports car now travels the county roads comfortably in second gear (it has 5 speeds) I will now be able to just cover the beast up in the garage.
By the way, I’ll be driving a horse and buggy to town and back each day, which needs no such permissions and will also cut down on my weedeating chores. And y’all thought getting caught behind a school bus was bad…..just wait! Or you might wish to call your local politician.
Peter DeLorenzi
San juan island
issue of "slow"
To the Editor:
So Bob Myhr thinks "there is no place in San Juan County to go to in a hurry." (Note to fire or EMT drivers: if you ever get a call to Bob's
house, be sure you don't drive over 30 mph getting there.)
Bob is entitled to think that of his own life, and it's fine if there's nowhere he thinks is worth his getting to in a hurry. (And apparently he
also thinks that people wanting to visit him wouldn't want to hurry. Guess he knows best about that.)
But some of us other residents do sometimes have places to go in a hurry. It seems quite arrogant of Bob to think that he knows how we should live our lives better than we do. But of course that's why most liberal politicians get into politics in the first place -- they are eager to make laws governing the behaviors of others because they think they know how to
run other peoples' lives better than those people themselves do.
But there is another issue at play here, and that is the environmental issue. Most modern cars are designed to run most efficiently at speeds between 45 and 55 mph. Go slower than that, and your vehicle is less efficient, burning more fuel and polluting more than necessary. So you may want to hurt the environment by going more slowly, Bob, but some of us are more responsible in our approach to driving and, as long as we need to go places in our vehicles in the first place, we want to do so in the most fuel efficient manner possible. Which means driving at least 45 miles an hour.
Of course, Bob, if you really want to slow down, I recommend you get a bicycle. Or perhaps a horse. I'll be sure to wave at you as I pass you at the environmentally correct 45 mph.
Chris Hodgkin
San Juan Island
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