Letters to the Editor 04/10/2013

To the Editor:

Reverse back-in parking has been here for almost nine months. It was touted by its few proponents as a change for the better that we would all get used to.

I remain unconvinced, after having parked along Main Avenue weekly since June of 2012. After taking considerable care and delaying traffic in the street while backing in, I discover about 50 percent of the time that I'm over one of the lines. This requires pulling out into the traffic lane and trying again, or risking a ticket. It doesn't seem to get better with practice. From my observations of other frustrated drivers trying to park there, I am hardly alone. Broken tail light pieces on the pavement and reports of scraped bumpers, doors and fenders from slight misjudgments attest to the hassles and costs this idea has brought about. (By the way, I can parallel park without difficulty.)

Even if one uses great care, far greater accuracy is required to perform a backing turn into a parking space between two vehicles than is required to back out into a wide open traffic lane. And backing out into traffic on Main Avenue is not (and never was) unsafe because: (a) Any sane driver backing out is fully aware of the hazard of oncoming traffic and backs out very slowly until they can see that the lane is clear, (b) Traffic along Main is light and going slowly and (c) If backing out into traffic was judged to be inherently unsafe, it wouldn't be allowed elsewhere in Sisters, much less in every city in the United States.

Many customers wanting to avoid the risk of causing - or receiving - vehicle damage now park elsewhere and walk to the Main Avenue businesses. Some just stay away completely. Drivers on Main Avenue must suddenly stop and wait for cars in front of them making one or more attempts at back-in parking. They sometimes pull around into the opposite lane to avoid the delay.

If anything, I believe safety has been degraded, not improved.

Before it was implemented, the pros and cons of reverse back-in parking on Main Avenue were entirely speculative. Now, after nine month's experience, the actual disadvantages have become obvious while any clear benefits achieved are illusive. I hope that the back-in parking requirement can be untangled from the issue of state highway funding - so the lines can be repainted normally and the negative impact on local businesses and customers can be remedied.

Bruce Williams

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To the Editor:

This past Saturday night my sweetheart and I came to Sisters to attend a music event at The Belfry. We live in Tumalo and the following morning when I went out to the car I noticed several dents in the roof; one being quite large. I didn't notice the dents on Saturday night as I had backed into a diagonal space and approached the car from the rear when we left after an excellent show. If anyone saw or heard anything or suffered any similar damage to their car I would like to know. My phone number is 541-306-8299.

David Tyler

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To the Editor:

Jane Burkholder, my best friend for over 10 years, sums it up herself by the last line in her article ("The art of spinning fiber," The Nugget, April 3, page 5):

"Spinning is not for the finished product but the process of creating that is so satisfying."

We all could learn by the example she sets and follows, to always strive to make this a more wonderful place to share with one another.

Thank you, Janie, for who you are.

Gene Livingston