Locals add to traffic woes, too
This is an open and response letter to Howard Tolbe’s letter to the editor published on May 22, in which “He favors banning visitor rental cars on parts of the island.” Really? Why? Have you really looked into the issue? What is your evidence?
For those just sitting on sidelines, it is always easier to make comments, statements, remarks, and yet have no idea how to really solve a problem or problems, much less how you would try to implement your plan to lessen the hazardous drivers on our roads and highways, addressing cars parking on the sides of the roads.
We are not on the Catalina Island where tourists aren’t allowed to drive around the island. I say good for them. States and counties have rules that make things easier and better for them. Maybe our Kaua‘i government could and should adopt a bunch of good stuff, too.
You lay all the blame on the tourists for all of the traffic problems. Are you aware that the locals are just as much to be blamed for our problems? I have nothing against the locals. I am a local, and I, too, add to our problems. Be honest and ask yourself, have you seen how many locals park their cars of the sides of the roads? Wake up, Mr. Tolbe, come out and smell the roses.
Let us use common sense. A local family of five or six might have the same number of cars in the household, five or six. They use our roads, and at times, I am positive they drive up to the Waimea Canyon, too. Or is it just easier to blame the tourists?
I am in no way an ‘expert on the traffic, or how to resolve this problem, but I do know that whatever our Kauai government did to try to solve the problem, there will always a traffic problem.
Consider the traffic in Kapa‘a. They added a bypass, widened the roads, and it did little to combat our traffic problems.
Here are some things I urge you to look at and take into consideration:
1. Are you in the decisionmaking position in to resolve and implement the problem?
2. Do you have a plan, an infrastucture, of what will be needed to implement these shuttle services?
3. Where are the tourists going to park their cars as they take the shuttle to the canyon? The Kekaha ball park, or on the sides of the roads?
4. If I were a tourist who wants to go to the canyon, Pu‘uhinahina, the Koke‘e State Park, and the Kalalau Lookout points, will there be shuttles at every lookout points, so I could go to their places?
5. Will I need to pay for all of the shuttles at every point, or will some sorts of provisions be made?
6. How often will the shuttle run, and what will the operation hours be?
7. Who will the shuttle be awarded to? On the North Shore, Polynesian Adventure has the shuttle.
8. I gathered that you were only referring to the car rentals, but not the bus loads of people, right? Or should that be added into the traffic problems?
My question is do you have an actual plan? What do you know about the tourist industry? You’re quick to blame them for our problems, but I don’t believe you’re in a decisionmaking position, nor do you have any concrete ideas how to deal with the traffic.
You wrote about hazardous drivers on our roads and highway because of the tourists. You never once mentioned about the locals. Yes!! Blame the tourists for the traffic. Blame them like we blame them for our drug problems.
You do have the right to say anything you’d want to under the First Amendment, as I have the right to write this letter.
You are right. We do have a traffic problem.
Ray Domingo, Lihu‘e
