What is next?
What is next?
Well, our imbeciles have done it again. They say we have to lower the blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05 (Tribune-Herald, May 17). They say this will reduce DUI’s. What this really does is give law enforcement another tool to arrest you for DUI, even when you are not drunk.
We spend millions of dollars every year on road blocks. You do not drive in an erratic manor. You do not speed or weave in and out of traffic. But once you enter a road block, the officer will ask you: Have you been drinking? If you’re being honest, you will say, yes.
I just had one beer with my lunch or a glass of wine with my dinner, and that gives him probable cause to give you the tube. And, sure enough, it will be 0.05 or over. You are sober. But that does not matter. To them you are drunk. It’s the law.
Whatever happened to a officer on his beat who sees you drive recklessly and then pulls you over? That is what it used to be. Now, the million-dollar road blocks have taken their place. Or the officer parks in front of a bar, sees you leave and then goes after you. How many times has that happened? Is this just another way our elected imbeciles have come up with to destroy your life and make more money for the state? I think so. What will lowering the limit do about drunken driving? I believe that is entrapment.
So, what are they going to do next? Shut down all the liquor establishments? No more buying beverages at the supermarket? Is that next? I thought we lived in the land of aloha. Looks more like the beginning of a concentration region.
John Gallipeau
Honomu
Give us updates
The West Hawaii community deserves an update on the Queen Kaahumanu Highway widening project.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation and Federal Highways Administration are keeping the ongoing Section 106 consultation process under wraps, so the community is essentially blacked out.
I understand the discussions between the Native Hawaiian organizations and the FHWA/HDOT are strictly confidential. However, this restriction doesn’t stop them from telling our politicians wildly fluctuating project start dates. For example, a few months ago the HDOT director told Sen. (Josh) Green the project would begin in June. Then a few days ago, Rep. Denny Coffman announced the project would begin in September. What gives?
The widening of Queen Kaahumanu Highway was supposed to be completed about three years ago. However, this project has faced a litany of challenges ranging from two unsuccessful bid protests and the ongoing Section 106 consultations. About the latter process, which has dragged on for 18 months, HDOT and FHWA are doing a poor job keeping the public informed. The poster child for this is the Queen Kaahumanu Highway widening website. HDOT hasn’t updated it since Sept. 25, 2012.
The current status quo of hiding behind a cloak of secrecy is not acceptable. FHWA and HDOT need to engage the community and provide genuine updates regarding where things stand with this project.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona