Letters: Jaywalking on Molokai
Recently the Molokai Police cited warning tickets for jaywalking in Kaunakakai town. Why? The Police Department had a public meeting on Molokai recently and some locals (not malahini) complained about people walking across the roads in town–not using the crosswalk–and it might cause an accident. Police must act on public complaints. I’m sure they could be doing more important things on Molokai (family abuse and illegal drugs, etc.)
Molokai has a history of being patient while a person slowly walks across the road or stops in the middle of the road in town to talk story for a minute or two. There is a choice – continue the Molokai lifestyle of being patient, a little talk story in the middle of the road, use the “shaka” sign, or be like Maui and Oahu with crosswalk flashing signs that say “walk/don’t walk,” traffic lights, parking meters, etc. Then change the sign at Molokai airport to “Bye, bye Molokai.” Only on Molokai there are times when you don’t need the newspaper — people tell you what you did before you did it.
On another note, construction of the Molokai Veteran Center building has stopped. A grant of $200,000 has been approved by the Maui Council to complete the construction of the building. Before the veterans accept the grant, there are a couple of conditions in the written agreement that need to be changed. We are on hold until further notice.
Larry Helm, Concerned Citizen
Commander, Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans
2 Comments
Bruddah Larry has the proper attitude, in my opinion. Issuing citations to Molokaiian residents for ‘jaywalking’ ranks right up there with enforcement of long obsolescent ‘blue laws’, in terms of making good community sense. As Larry points out, there are far larger game afoot than locals ambling across the street in slo-mo. Molokai has an acknowledged SERIOUS problem with substance and ETOH abuse, yet we waste valuable LEO time issuing tickets for not using cross-walks?! I thought ‘political correctness’ was endemic to places like Californica (SIC), yet here we are in little old befoh-time Molokai worrying about a perceived jaywalking problem!
Molokai’s wonderfully unique style is already in danger of extinction (or at least in dire jeopardy) from the introduction of brainless adolescent modern pop-culture from the mainland, but stupid-stuff like this business about ticketing jaywalkers is simply putting another nail in the coffin of the island’s traditionally relaxed and unhurried culture.
Let’s not turn Molokai into another Honolulu (there’s already one too many of those places!). Let’s get back to policing the REALLY important issues that daily affect our lives in a big way and leave off the sublimely dim-witted stuff, eh! You want a Honolulu? Move to Oahu!
Next time a DUI kills someone on the road or someone on meth breaks into a home to steal at gunpoint, I certainly hope our constabulary aren’t unable to respond in a timely manner because they are ‘otherwise engaged’ (in ticketing people talking story somewhere)! Thanks for stating this up front, Larry! What has happened to good old common sense? Auwe!
i second that, Larry!