I am happy to see the return of crossing guards.  Personally I think the 40 students who need the guards are just as important as the many students who ride buses.

I was at the intersection of Fourth Street and Eighth Avenue Northwest when a young mother with a toddler in a stroller was trying to cross the street. It is marked for pedestrian crossing, which means we are to stop our vehicles and let them cross.  I was the only one who stopped — cars behind me went around me on the right — many cars coming toward me didn’t stop.  I remained stopped and eventually there were no cars in sight, and she was able to cross.

How can we expect young children to cross there without a crossing guard?

I agree with the mother who said “Give me a crossing guard or give me a bus!”

On another note — if bicycles are to follow the same rules as automobiles, why is it that when stopped at intersections with four-way stops, people driving cars think they don’t have to let the bike riders go when it is their turn?  And, where does it say that when stopped at a red light you can do a slow and go and cut in front of bike riders.  The law says we can make a right turn on a red light after stopping and seeing no traffic coming.

Margaret Braaten-Mueske

Austin