Letters to the editor - Thursday (1-26-2012)

West Rowan roundabout will help prevent accidents

Regarding approval of a roundabout at Briggs, Sherrills Ford and Barringer roads:

Yeah! Finally something is being done in Rowan County for driver safety and to help save lives! A roundabout will take time to adjust to, but as the reports say, it can reduce the number of fatalities by 90 percent and reduce injuries by 76 percent. Thank you to all DOT employees who put so much time into this solution.

I have had exposure to roundabouts, and they are not hard to drive through. Hopefully, maneuvering through the roundabout will be incorporated into driver’s ed classes. With the number of accidents recently in Rowan County, there needs to be more driver safety awareness — especially regarding seatbelt use and speed. Adults as well as young drivers need to be more conscientious of wearing seatbelts. Maybe we could have checkpoints set up randomly across the county now and then. It might make people think twice.

In memory of my son, Marc Payette.

— JoAnn Cross

Salisbury

A bad combination

When I read Jay Ambrose’s Jan. 22 column saying that presidents aren’t supposed to commit fraud that leaves the country wounded and bleeding, I was reminded of how I used to say to my friends that arrogance and incompetence are a bad combination in a person — especially if the person happens to be president.

But upon further reflection, I’m not so sure this is the problem. Perhaps I’ve overestimated Obama’s incompetence and underestimated his arrogance. As to his arrogance, he did in a recent live interview say words to the effect that his first term will go down as the third best in history — right behind those of Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. Or was it Lincoln and Washington?

As to his incompetence, he did organize one of the best presidential election campaigns ever, and he did get most of the voters to vote for him. Not just those voters who want other, hardworking taxpayers to help pay for their food, shelter, medicine and college educations. Any incompetent could get those votes. No. He also got the votes of many intelligent, well-to-do, hardworking people.

What’s up? How could a competent president leave us wounded and bleeding?

Maybe we should ask what’s next for our president. After a possible second term, will he be going on the lecture circuit? How about a consulting job? That presidential library will need planning. No. That’s not enough for the third, best president ever. He wants to be ruler of the world!

That’s preposterous! How can there be a ruler of the world when there is no central world government? And how can there be a central world government without the support and participation of the U.S.A., the world’s most powerful nation? And why would the world’s most powerful nation be a part of such a thing? She first must be dragged down to the level of the other nations of the world, and left wounded and bleeding.

— Burl Brady

Salisbury