July 3, 2007

LETTERS2theEDITOR

Help stop traffic problems on Willow Glen Way

Editor,
The dog barks, signaling the cattle drive lining the street and blocking driveways. Parents with the SUVs, large trucks, mini-vans and bicycles are in a hurry to pick up their kids from school. The cars seem to fill in quickly, often blocking driveways. The message sent is that they are above the law and somehow their day is more important than mine. “It is only going to be a few minutes,” they shout at me.

The chime of a bicycle bell rings, an illegal ice cream cart is setting up shop in the front yard. He was asked to leave Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The big question is who pays for his litter removal? The speed in which he is able to pack and run tells me he is hiding something…Maybe he doesn’t have a permit or credentials.

The school bell rings and children begin to file out. The kids are ready; summer is upon us. The pre-school has their own small lot and set of problems. The honking horns in the morning and the overcrowding in the afternoon. Children of all ages, with and without supervision begin to cross into the street. The posted speed limit is 25-mph, except no one ever goes under 40-mph.

The only common bond they seem to share is blatant disregard for the residents. The common courtesy is now replaced with hurry and haste, Willow Glen is a beautiful place to live, expensive as well. The majority of residents MUST work in order to pay the high cost of living here. Sometimes when you work a hard day, it is refreshing to pull up to a nice yard, instead of greeting trash, stolen fruits and vegetables and more work.

Most everyone in Willow Glen is aware of the traffic problems on Pine Street. It is disappointing that Willow Glen Way is not getting the attention it deserves. The bridgework slowed traffic for a short time. Then, as if rebelling, the speed demons are back, faster than before. Sadly, with the school and foot traffic, an accident exists waiting to happen.

On several occasions, the San Jose Police Department has been contacted. The speed and blocking of driveways is the most blatant. The police set up the cart for speeding cars to see how fast they are going on a couple of occasions. The trash and vandalism are something different from a man double-parking his truck, putting on his hazard lights and going to stand in line at the illegal ice cream cart. The fact is that I am disabled and have almost been hit a few times just getting to the car with my walker. The last straw was on Wednesday when the ice cream man began to set up again.

This “out of control” behavior is going unchecked. The worst offenders are the parents that are too lazy to park legally and walk. The other day, I grabbed my camera and was able to get video as well as still photos of this insanity. There was a teenager on a skateboard with no helmet or pads looking to break a bone. That incident made me stand in the middle of the sidewalk. Somehow this seems a bit careless on the parental end.

Name withheld
Willow Glen

Have an opinion?

Let the Willow Glen Times hear from you. In order to be considered, letters must be signed by the author or come with the name, address, and a phone number (which will not be printed). Send letters to carol@timesmediainc.com,
or via mail to:

The Willow Glen Times
1310 Tully Road, Ste. 107
San Jose, CA 95122