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RIGHT OF WAY
I was recently crossing College Avenue at the
northeast comer of College and Clayton when a
left-turning motor-vehidist almost hit me. As I
was surprised and frightened, I shouted an ob
scenity, causing the driver to tell me he had the
right of way because the red hand was flashing,
even thought it was a walk sign when I entered
the crosswalk, and the driver did not use a turn
signal This is not the first time I have found
myself in such a situation. In fact, it happens
almost every time I cross in the College/ Clayton
intersection.
Thus, I would like to refer all drivers in
Athens (in Georgia, for that matter) to http://
www.peds.org/resources/kw_rightofwayl.pdf.
This pamphlet outlines who has the right of
way in such situa
tions. It explidtly says
that a pedestrian in a
crosswalk ALWAYS has
the right of way to
any turning vehicles.
Further, if a pedestrian
enters a crosswalk with
a walk signal and it be
comes a don't-walk sig
nal while the pedestrian is in the crosswalk, the
pedestrian STILL has the right of way. So don't
think you can hit me and claim right of way. I
highly doubt it will fly in any situation!
Dave Falke
Athens
A WORD OF THANKS
My wife and I would like to thank a passerby
for her quick thinking and swift movement—in
one motion she adverted what could have been
a family tragedy. We forgot her name—she had
long dark hair and wore a big yellow hat. She
looked like she was dressed for work. God bless
and thank you again—we hope you didn't hurt
yourself; you know who you are.
Name Withheld
Email
CATS & PEOPLE
In last week's article about the plight of cats
at the Athens Area Humane Society, the require
ments for a cat to be adopted are discussed at
length, but the requirements for a suitable adop
tive human weren't fully explored ['Loving Cats
to Death," June 7]. Let me share an experience:
Four years ago my housemate and I went to
the Athens Area Humane Society to adopt a cat
and were treated like we were on trial for 'un-
American activities' all because we told them we
wanted to adopt a cat that could hunt rodents.
We walked in; they asked us what sort of cat
we were looking for. We told the employees that
we wanted a cat younger than one year, prefera
bly a female. "Why do you want a female?* one of
them asked. Because we were under the impres
sion that females didn't stray as much, and were
purportedly better hunters, I replied. "Why do you
want a hunter?" WeU, because we have rats in our
house, and would like to evict them, we said.
The shelter workers furrowed their brows
concernedly. Tm sorry," one said, "but we only
adopt cats out as pets. If you want a working
animal perhaps you'd better go elsewhere."
"Suffering succotash! Where does it say that
an animal can't be both a beloved pet and per
form a job other than being cuddly and compan
ionable?!' I wanted to say, but didn't
Luckily, my house
mate intervened with
some well-timed diplo
macy, and in the end we
did take a cat home (a
four month-old male).
But not before we did
some quick back-pedal
ing to assure them that
we would make our pre
cious kitty a pampered pet, not an exploited kit
ten laborer. We were grilled about our home, our
habits, provided references and signed a promise
to get the cat neutered (good), to give it proper
veterinary care (of course), to keep it indoors at
all times, to care for it for the rest of its natural
life, and to allow an agent from the Humane
Society to visit our home at 'any reasonable
time" to make sure it's being treated right.
At the time, we already had a track record
of being responsible pet owners. I had a regular
vet and owned my home. We were basically your
standard, upright citizens and for us it was like
pulling teeth to take home a cat from the shel
ter. I really hope that our experience was just a
fluke, but I have to wonder how many good pet
owners are turned away because they don't have
all the right qualifications or don't say all the
right things.
I respect the fact that the shelter is trying
to ensure that all cats adopted have responsible
owners and good lives, but if, like the article
said, three out of four cats at the Humane
Society are being euthanized, HI bet those cats
wish the AAHS was not quite so finicky.
Epilogue: Four years later we have a healthy,
well-loved, adult cat and we have neither seen
nor heard a rat since the first week we brought
him home! (As it turns out, he doesn't actually
hunt them, but just a show of force seems to do
the trick).
Marci White
Athens
TAX THE RICH
It's horrible that people continue to call the
estate tax the "death tax" like all Americans
have to pay this tax. None of the middle and
working class people of Georgia will ever pay this
tax. Only people with family worth more than
$1.5 million are affected. It affects assets that
are usually never taxed during the lifetime of the
wealthy person, such as unrealized capital gains.
I want to know why should we even think of
giving tax breaks to the wealthy while our librar
ies and schools are facing budget cuts. I think
that a fair compromise is estate tax legislation
reform which raises the exemptions to $2 million
for one person. If the estate tax is completely
repealed, Tm sure that middle and working class
Americans will be forced to pay higher taxes.
Let Senators Isakson (202-224-3643) and
Chambliss (202-224-3521) know that it's wrong
to cut taxes for the wealthy while we're at war
and cutting budgets for schools. You can also go
to www.senate.gov and send them an email
Mary B.
Athens
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4 FLAGPOLE.COM-JUNE 14,2006
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