Respect and cars

Sorry but was so busy yesterday that ran out of time to post.

To continue on the theme of my last post, Respect.

Now where I live is on the outskirts of town.

We have a problem with people gunning the car and even racing down our street.

People do not use signals or show any respect to those walking or even driving in this area.

This seems to be a problem everywhere, drivers not thinking of others on the road, but I swear it is really bad here in Welland.  People going through red lights, actually pulling in the intersection just as it is turning red so the can turn.  Accident waiting to happen.  What is the rush anyways???

I can go on forever telling you about what I have witnessed cars doing in this town, surprised that we don't win the worst drivers in the country award!

I am really scared what will happen when they open the turnabout here, yes you heard me, turnabout.

Now why they want to put that here I have no idea, but can imagine the accidents it will cause.  Most of the people in this town have trouble following the normal rules to the road as it is.

I do intend on taking pictures of this Turnabout when it is done (to dangerous to stand on that road right now with the way they have it set up).

Now why I mention cars and drivers in this town is because we have a car show at the Seaway Mall in Welland, Ontario, weekly (when not raining) called Cruise Niagara.  It is a charity event but I truly believe they need to move it somewhere else like the fairgrounds, a place where there is no one living across the street.  Plus if anyone leaves they would have to go by Niagara Street, where I am sure the police can keep an eye on what the do, where they are now has more than one exit and the one in front of the apartment building is a tempting escape that they believe they will not be ticketed. 

Now most of the people attending and participating in this weekly event are respectful, not all are.

When it is time for the show to start not all stay for the whole show so some of them leave early, and  some of the participants and visitors seem to think that they look cool if the rev and gun the cars and motorcycles as they leave (doing it as they enter they could be caught). 

These are not quiet vehicles to start with and the noise can be ear splitting.

There are people living right across the street from this event, bedrooms and living-rooms facing it.

The event only takes place in spring, summer and early fall,

because of this it is hard to close the windows and balcony doors.
If you happen to be watching anything on TV you will miss part of what is said because it is drowned out.
Talking on your balcony or even out front is hard when these people decide to show off.

Even with air-conditioning,  you can hear these vehicles as they leave.

It is loud enough to wake people, even children who have been put to bed.

We have been told that these people are not allowed back if they do this but it seems like there are repeaters, doing it every week.

I am trying to video the vehicles as they leave, but sometimes if I work I can't get there until 6:30/ 7 pm.

For the last two weeks I have had people tell me what I have missed, and they are not happy.
Hopefully I will not be working this week, and will be there from start to finish.

There seems to be a set of bikes that are so loud they actually hurt to hear them (I have heard these bikes myself, couldn't believe they were not ticketed for noise).  They seem to come every week.

To make things worse were the car show is has a echo effect, noise, any noise is echoed back.

This effect also cause another problem.

The fumes from the vehicles(see picture for an approx number) leave fumes hanging in the air for hours, even after they are gone, to the point that some who live in the front of the building across from the show are affected by them, causing coughing and problems breathing for the elderly and young children, or anyone with breathing problems.

Well that is what I have to say will keep you informed.

Maybe we will get lucky and they move to the fairgrounds.

Although we could take all these bad and disrespectful drivers and put them in the new turnabout, block the exits and let them go around for an hour or so, maybe they would learn a lesson!

Every time they are caught the time goes up! 

Alice M

What happened to respect?

Well 2 things happened in the city I live in this week.

Today I will talk about the first one and tomorrow the second one (this one is done every week)

The first was a protest to a cause that is very controversial.

Now I believe everyone has the right to their opinion if it does not harm anyone or any animal.

I do not believe that just because you have a good cause that you have the right to subject others to pain or obscene pictures.

On my way to work one day, I saw protesters, (not something you see often here).

At first I thought good for them standing up for what they believe in.

2 Seconds later was looking up the police phone number.

I could not believe my eyes.

There on both sides Niagara Street were four pictures being held up 2 facing one way and 2 the other, for all to see--anyone in a car or walking.

Now if you live in Welland and are going north out of town, or to the Seaway Mall to shop with the kids, or even Walmart, you had to pass these pictures.

It was a stop funding abortion protest.

All four pictures were of dead fetuses!

And recognizable! 

I called the police and was informed they had many calls about the pictures.

I was transferred to another officer who said that the pictures were legal and that there was nothing they could do about it.  They were considered safe for all to see, no matter of their age.  He more or less said not to do anything to bring attention to these people because it only gave them more press.

A part of me understands why the picked those pictures but my heart and soul is so upset that they had them out there for children (young and old) to see and ask what happened to those babies?

Why do they look funny?

How do you answer the little ones questions?

Sorry honey but those babies are dead.

The pictures are not easy forgotten.

Even children will remember them.

Nightmares, fear of death are to name a few effects these pictures cause.

Now what about those poor people who for some reason lost a child before it was born to an accident or illness?  An emotionally hard and sad time in their lives (even causing depression) now are faced, without warning, while driving down the street, with these pictures.

There are two other groups out there that would be affected by these pictures.

1:     Those who now regret what they have done.

 2:   (these ones my heart breaks when I think that they saw these pictures) Are those who were forced into stopping a pregnancy by a parent, caregiver, husband, or made to chose who should live  - themselves or a child that may not make it to birth.

These pictures ARE WRONG!

Would you like one on a billboard in front of your house?

Does that mean they can show these pictures on the side of a road by a public school, any school?

Maybe they think it is right to have one at every corner.

What kind of message are we sending?

Sure it is fine to take pictures of dead children and plaster them all over for all to see.

Yes I said children, these people believe that these fetuses, are children, so they are showing pictures of children - dead. 

It is okay to take someones pain and play with it.

These actions prove that they do not really care about life, 

since there main goal is to hurt as many possible,

to stop just a few.

This law must be changed since leaving it up to these people to be discreet, to have empathy for survivors and children who see them, is non existence.

Every person I spoke with agrees the pictures were not right.  With so many other things available to them, they were not needed - especially where young children can see them.

There was one person who disagreed but did not say anything more after I said why I thought they were wrong.

Needless to say any good feelings I had for this group are almost completely gone.

There treatment of others prove their fight is for the wrong reasons, if they were the right reasons they would never have had those pictures there for young and old alike too see.

They care not one bit for their neighbors, family or friends

if this is what the subject them and their children too.

I just hope that other groups think twice when protesting,

you lose any credibility when, to prove a point, you hurt others

I understand the fight of the Pro Life groups but these people have just brought their cause down to a low point, proving "Pro Life" is not the right words if hurting our young and subjecting them and others to things no average person would see is considered right and acceptable.

Thanks for letting me vent, 

I have seen a lot of things in my life and these pictures where very disturbing,

the fact that they were right there for all to see was unbelievable.

Tomorrow respect and car shows.

Alice M