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Tuesday, June 7, 2016

"Whose willing to abandon their vehicle...? 'Glenn Mickens' (Kaua'i County Watchdog)

Glenn Mickens has lived on Kauai  with his wife Ruth for the last 26 years. Born July 26, 1930 in Wilmar, California, USA) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in four games (two of which were starts) for the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers. He also played for five years in Japan, from 1959 until 1963 for the Kintetsu Buffaloes. There, he compiled a record of 45–53 with a 2.54 ERA.  Glenn also  served in the Army for 2 years and coached baseball at UCLA for 25 years. 
Last but not least Glenn would really like to see Kaua'i give the county manager style of Government a chance.

Mr. Mickens is locally known
as one of Kauai county's
political watchdogs
and Nitpickers...
Mahalos Glenn!

Whose willing to abandon their vehicle

For every biker or walker who use the Kauai multi use trail for "travel" there are a thousand vehicle users who will never abandon that car or truck for any other means of travel. 

There was a  Garden Island poll taken on 3/18 that asked "What's the best way to ease Kauai's traffic troubles?" 688 people responded and 339 said to build more roads whereas 32 want to add more bike/pedestrian paths. Even if you expand this poll to the masses the results are going to be the same. 

And to try and make the case that the multi-use path will ever alleviate traffic is also a dream. In fact, most people have to take their vehicle to get to the path and thus increase traffic
congestion.


If we live with the fact that the vehicle is here to stay and we have to plan and accommodate for their use--wider and more alternate roads, we will improve the traffic congestion that now plagues us. And, again get us a County Manager who will go after problems like this with solutions being his/her only goal--not politics!!


Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...
Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---
P.S.S.
Check out Glenn's Wikipedia page;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Mickens

With all the stress of the world, don't forget to
watch the sunrise or sunset, it's free! 
Photo, James "Kimo" Rosen
Hana Hou, (Encore) 



4 comments:

KimoRosen said...

Glenn, your talking apples and oranges, we need both! the multi use trail is the best use of taxpayer monies ever on Kaua'i. I see thousands of people from Physically challenged people in wheelchairs, mothers with strollers, skateboarders, rollerblading, dog walkers, power walkers, visitors riding rental bicycles and off to the side many people practicing yoga, tai chi and hula. Many people live in cramped quarters and this pedestrian trail is an extension of every-one's backyard.
Did you know many cities and counties have concessions along their trail systems as a source of revenues to help maintain their trail systems. Kaua'i could do the same and make the trail a money making venture!
I agree we need more roads too, with less than 260 miles of paved roads on Kauai soon there will be no place to drive just bumper to bumper traffic. I agree but also believe in the multi use trail! ;-)

Roger Dean said...

For all the thousands of people you get to see doing their fun thing on the island's luxurious bike paths, there's a thousand times more folks whose daily needs and business life comes to a costly standstill because of Kauai's badly outgrown and overly ignored road system...and those poor traffic-trapped folks are the island workers and transporters trying to generate taxable livings, and tourists and shoppers trying to spread the wealth. This island's people and it's economic flow are seriously paralyzed each and every day because of our lousy road system. Pretending our old, over-burdened highways and our new, slick pathways are somehow solution-related is ridiculous. And, as an entire decade has already shown us, it only gets worse when nobody figures it out.

Anonymous said...

Roger, Apples and oranges, the trail was not made to compete with the roads. Federal funds were original granted for the trail system that were not granted for roads. I agree, we are in desperate need of roads. I am the first to say no more building until we get this traffic under control. The feds did not give us a choice. if Kauai county had not accepted the moneys they would had gone to another city somewhere else for the said purpose.

Roger Dean said...

Jim, we get all that. But the two issues have become very connected ever since the path enthusiasts made claims that the new bike paths would make a noticeable difference in our old road problems. To those thousands stuck in traffic every day, that claim is obviously self-serving and ridiculous. I think Glenn's point is saying, and I concur, it's time for the people and governing bodies of Kauai to get their focus, strength and money off of a public indulgence and back on the road where it belongs.