Letters to the Editor 07/10/2019

To the Editor:

On Thursday, June 27, Indivisible Sisters held an event to watch the second night of the Democrats’ primary debates for 2020 presidential election with other locals. The debates were televised two consecutive evenings, each featuring 10 candidates. We served popcorn and cookies which were store bought and homemade. We mingled 5:30 to 6 p.m. and sat to watch. Commercials and commentator analysis were muted so we could chat and/or stand and stretch.

Although the Internet connection would at times sputter, it was interesting to watch with a large group for the various reactions, shared laughs, groans, and concerned glances. The time went fast. 2020 election and legislator references were provided to encourage citizens to make calls over the next days to their representatives on various topics.

The second round of Democrats’ primary debates are July 30 and July 31 on MSNBC.

Please, join us Tuesday night, July 30, at the Sisters Library starting at 5:30 p.m.; debate starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m.

We welcome citizens from all political parties to join us.

Susan Cobb

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To the Editor:

Surviving summer traffic in Sisters (or: this is one of my least-favorite things)…

I drive into or through Sisters at least twice a day; west in the morning and east in the afternoon. Traffic in the afternoon during tourist season really sucks, but it is what it is. Unless and until ODOT comes up with a teleportation device to get traffic from one side of town to the other without going through town, we need to learn to live with it.

A few tips:

Pedestrians: Act like you want to cross the street. If you stand looking at your phone or having a conversation with your buddy nobody’s going to stop for you. If you don’t intend to cross the street right now, don’t stand near the crosswalk. Drivers don’t have to stop unless you’re in the crosswalk.

Most folks are good (unless they’re looking at their phones), so act like you want to cross the street.

Cyclists: You’re not pedestrians. The new law says you can treat stop-signs as yield-signs (congrats!), but as long as you’re astride your bike you’re just another vehicle. All you gotta do to get across the road is to dismount your bike. Viola! You’re a pedestrian. Might even help some driver turn onto or get across Cascade Avenue.

Drivers: Learn how roundabouts work. Don’t stop in the middle of intersections; if you’re stopping for pedestrians (or for any other reason), stop on your side of the intersection. Stopping in the intersection (aside from being illegal) keeps cross-traffic from going on their way.

Take one or two seconds out of your busy day to let on-coming traffic turn left, cross-traffic cross, or entering-traffic enter. Flash your headlights (instead of waving) to signal that you’re yielding; tinted windshields and reflected sunlight often make it impossible for the other driver to see your waving hand. If you’re doing any or all of the above and the other driver or pedestrian’s not paying attention, move on. Did I mention learning how roundabouts work? There’s at least one more in our near future, so y’all better study up.

For all three classes above, it comes down to situational awareness, courtesy and common sense. I get as pissed-off as anybody trying to get through town, but the truth of the matter is that it ain’t gonna get any better; and with the housing-construction boom happening right now it’s gonna get a whole lot worse.

Just be glad you’re not the ODOT or Sisters Planning Commission person trying to figure out how to deal with several hundred more resident vehicles in the next couple years…

Pete Rathbun

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To the Editor:

In response to the class of 1999 article from the July 3 edition of The Nugget: Thank you to the class of ’99 for opening up their event to other classes. Looking forward to seeing some old friends.

One bit of misinformation, however: the last class to attend and graduate from the old high school was the class of 2003.

Jayson Berray