Mailbag: E-bikes are a hazard on our streets

Gun Rights

Re: Huntington Beach to amend municipal code on bicycle regulations, Daily Pilot, Sept. 21: E-bikes ugh! One of the worst ideas/inventions ever. Can we get any more lazy than not pedaling our bicycles? I’ve seen kids that look to be 12 or not much older, riding without helmets at or above the speed limit here in east-side Costa Mesa blowing right through stop signs. To be honest, I see more children than adults riding these iron horses (well, probably aluminum or composite) zipping along our streets. I don’t know how bad the problem is in Huntington Beach or Newport Beach, especially down by the ocean, but it is a problem elsewhere. Very surprised the H.B. council was unanimous in their vote to regulate.

Mike Aguilar
Costa Mesa

We’re worse off without local news

Regarding columnist Patrice Apodaca’s lament about the loss of local news, when I joined the Irvine Co. as director of public relations in 1973, the Daily Pilot, the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times each had a reporter covering Newport Beach, a reporter covering Irvine and a reporter covering the Irvine Co.

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The result was a continuous flow of news from those cities (and others in Orange County) and from the Irvine Co. Without that coverage today, does that mean there is no news? Of course there is, but unfortunately the public does not know what is happening. Does that matter? Of course it does.

The once-mighty newspapers have shrunk or disappeared with the loss of advertising and subscribers to the electronic media. As I take my morning walk, mine is the only driveway in our neighborhood with two or even one daily newspapers in the driveway. We, our children, and our children’s children are worse off as a result.

Martin A. Brower
Corona del Mar

Let’s get serious about gun reform

Re: “Cook’s Corner, Anaheim Hills and Irvine tragedies highlight urgent need for national gun reform,” I applaud Supervisor Katrina Foley and Grace McNeill for their comprehensive report on the pandemic sweeping across this country. No, not COVID-19. I’m referring to the out-of-control number of gun deaths that occur virtually every day in America.

Beginning in 2016, I have asked Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden to convene a gun summit at Camp David with leaders of the NRA, 2nd Amendment proponents, law enforcement officials and families of victims in attendance. Today, more than 50 of my friends in Laguna Beach, along with 1,000 people coast to coast, have a clear message for the president: Because “thoughts and prayers” haven’t prevented any mass shootings from occurring, we need a new, national gun-safety strategy.

Foley and McNeill concluded their commentary by saying, “We encourage you to call your local Congress member and urge them to demand Speaker McCarthy bring the Background Check Expansion Act to the House floor for a vote of the United States House of Representatives.”

This is one of many steps Daily Pilot readers can take. Join with the good people of Laguna and the 1,000 people around the country who are sending a message directly to the White House. Sign up now at chng.it/GPbQNJxzzh.

Denny Freidenrich

Laguna Beach

Charter tweaks are an abuse of power

Re: Huntington Beach City Council hears negative public input on charter amendments, Daily Pilot, Sept. 15: Mayor Tony Strickland would like everyone to accept his explanation that there was a miscommunication on the agenda and that they were not going to be discussing possible charter amendments at Thursday night’s meeting; however, another possible explanation is that one of their cohorts was not present to vote in lockstep.

Thirty-three of the thirty-nine speakers spoke against charter amendments; however, the majority in the City Council adhere to the Archie Bunker syndrome, “Don’t confuse me with facts, my mind is made up.” Nothing is going to change with this majority, they will make whatever charter amendments they have always intended to make and will disregard public opinion.

If this charter amendment is denied, it will only be if sufficient public interest becomes aroused to prevent this abuse of power and votes in next year’s primary.

Richard C. Armendariz
Huntington Beach

Vaccines, masks save lives

The Huntington Beach City Council resolution to ban mandates for masks and vaccines makes the council and us look selfish and ignorant.

I was in Hong Kong when on Jan. 28, 2020 everyone started wearing a mask. COVID-19 aerosol transmission had just been confirmed. I dropped my travel plans for Guangzhou. I continued into Vietnam ahead of the border lockdown. In Vietnam there were signs everywhere telling people how to wear masks, to distance and sanitize hands. And everyone, every hotel, every public space complied.

I flew home in late March. At LAX, no masks, no COVID signs, no sanitizers. The White House was talking total COVID nonsense. Within four months, U.S. COVID-19 deaths had passed 100,000.

The U.S. went on to lead the world in the rate of COVID deaths, and the count is currently past 1,175,000.

Masks and vaccines played a role in reducing COVID. Like X-rays, cellphones and chemotherapy, that’s a scientific fact we can rely on. While masking is complicated, if a person wears a correct mask the correct way her chance of passing the coronavirus to a loved one is greatly reduced. Her chance of receiving it is also reduced.

If the council must bluster, then resolve to make H.B. an intelligent mask and vaccine city. The “no mandates” policy is narrow-minded and unnecessary. And it’s dumb.

Buzz McCord
Huntington Beach
Irvine Valley College

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