McDonald’s Mac Attack
Every workday, Monday through Friday, during the peak morning, noon and afternoon traffic hours, the cars in the two lanes going northbound and southbound that are turning into the Lihu‘e McDonalds parking lot are obstructing the flow of traffic, hazardous and dangerous.
The cars turning into McDonald’s are blocking the crosswalk, sticking out into the roadway, blocking and stopping the flow of traffic, causing cars to back up at least 10 deep
McDonalds is responsible for creating this traffic obstruction and hazard, and must be required to resolve this problem.
Pepe Trask, Anahola
In the face of omicron, Mayor needs to take action again
Drs. Char and Berreman, Mayor Kawakami,
With this sudden omicron surge, it seems we’re back in the position of trying to buy time and protect the more medically fragile neighbor islands.
I’m sure you remember a year ago when we were told by the state to lift all restrictions. The case they made was that “it was virtually all community spread” and so restrictions made no sense.
Yet, that was a falsehood. At that time Kaua‘i had virtually no community spread and under 1% of the state’s cases. Maui had little community spread and under 2% of the state’s cases.
Under considerable pressure, Kaua‘i’s leadership held the line, temporarily opted out, and had virtually no significant community spread for many more months. Maui opened up and before long had 18% of the state’s cases, and overloaded, stressed hospitals.
It’s deja vu all over again.
If we truly prioritize citizen safety, I hope the neighbor islands, with the smallest medical safety margins, will immediately implement their own post-travel testing protocols, and do everything they can to prevent traveling residents and visitors from spreading omicron to family, friends, and into their communities.
On Thursday, Hawai‘i reported more than 1,500 cases, almost 10 times the state’s 7-day average a couple weeks ago. O‘ahu’s test positivity rate is now 15%.
On Wednesday, Kaua’i reported 17 cases, 11 of which were travel-related and test positivity of 2.7%.
So Kaua’i, and the other neighbor islands, once again has the opportunity to meaningfully protect their citizenry by taking additional steps to slow the introduction of community spread and flatten the curve.
It is time for the neighbor islands to once again act wisely and preemptively.
Steve O’Neal, Princeville
We are all going to be exposed to Covid at some point considering the highly contagious nature of the new variant. The time for more restrictions and mandates has past. It is now up to each individual person, family and business to deal with the situation as they see fit without shutting down the Island again and ruining folks livelihoods. Since this variant apparently produces less severe symptoms than Delta, our hospitals are able to cope so far. They have also learned how to expand if necessary so patients are not turned away. After almost 2 years, we have the tools to protect ourselves so it’s time to move on and try and return to normal. We have to learn to accept responsibility individually and get the government out of the picture, with the exception of their roles in providing vaccines and testing to those who want them.
Agreed.
Pepe Trask, Thank you for this important letter. I too am often stopped in the middle of the highway which is now obviously a “take out” lane!! REDICULOUS. If there is no room to pull off the highway to order your food then MOVE ON. How can it be okay to block our busy 2 lane road.
This needs to be fixed immediately.
RE: Mac Attack,
I totally support the resolution of the severe traffic problem caused by McDonalds in Lihue. When the drive-through window traffic backs up onto the street, cars waiting to turn into McDonalds block one or two lanes on Kuhio Highway. This is a McDonalds liability.
McDonalds can remove the parking places on the entrance side of their parking lot to accommodate more cars waiting for the drive-through window.
Also, the county should consider painting a “Do Not Block the Box” on the roadway encompassing the entrance to McDonalds and extending across all four lanes of Kuhio Highway.
Traffic congestion in front of McDonalds two days ago caused a long delay of an ambulance with its emergency lights and siren on heading in the direction of Wilcox Hospital. What if a fire truck is delayed when responding to a fire because of a Big Mac? And someone burns to death as a result of the traffic delay caused by McDonalds?
When will common sense prevail and the severe traffic delay caused by the entrance to McDonalds in Lihue is resolved? I urge The County Officials and the family that owns all of McDonalds on Kauai to sit down and resolve this issue before the liability presents itself in court. This is not an accident waiting to happen, it is happening every day!
All it takes is a few cops issuing tickets for blocking the highway and the sidewalk. It’s just another example of “inconsiderate” people.
I’m adding my 100% Agree to a Solution for the Mac Attack in Lihue. To echo some good ideas: (1) Signage at the entrance not to stick out into traffic. (Seriously? Where did you get your driver’s license). (2) Put the menu on the side of the wall instead of at the speaker. (Some of us know what we want automatically. But, many still have to look at the menu lng time to decide what they want, and this slows down the line sometimes. They have that right to decide what they want and can afford, but help ’em out, and why not put the menu ahead of the speaker box so those people can use their waiting time wisely? (3) Is the left turn into McD not illegal? Why not put a barrier there? While you’re at it put barriers at the exit, too. So many illegal left turns there, as well. (4) Or, put cameras up and start collecting fines. License plates, driver’s face, date and time, and that’s all you need. Slam!! “How’s that $75.00 Big Mac?”
you would think folks would eat smarter, now a days ,just such a traffic mess all over town….merry christmas and happy new year… its snowing here,,
Why don’t you ask the owner why she closed down her McDonalds in the Kukui Grove.
And with the Walmart restaurant being closed, what else can you expect but more traffic due to people who get a BIG MAC attack IN Lihue.
Lihue McDonald’s should move their location. It is absolutely crazy how bad the situation is with cars blocking the highway just to eat McDonald’s. What really makes me SMH is the people that have the nerve to even do that. They know they are impeding traffic,, they know how busy that highway is and they are causing traffic to build up. But they still do it. It’s disgusting behavior. And McDonald’s doesn’t care. All the owner cares about is paying for the new $4 million dollar house she just built a couple years ago.. She isn’t even from or a resident of Kauai. She is from Oahu.