Bring it back, please
Editor: Hey guy. That was a bad move when you lifted my briefcase/messenger bag from the courtyard outside the Westwood tasting room Saturday night. That one-of-a-kind coffee brown leather shoulder bag with all the silver hardware is recognizable to a lot of folks around town. Same with the cameras inside. Plus six people got a good look at you and your green bike – we will recognize and can identify you.
If you are having second thoughts about your bonehead move – and you should be (the stuff is too recognizable for you to use or sell) you might want to bring the bag and contents back and give it to Rod at Kokopelli or Maria or Fred at South American Secrets, or leave it by the Westwood front door and run like hell. If the police find you or anyone else with this unmistakable bag, someone’s going to jail for felony theft because of the value involved. Your parents will be so proud (not). Come on, this is Sonoma – do the right thing and bring it back.
John M. Kelly
Sonoma
We like our firefighters
Editor: The annual demonization of the Schell Vista Fire Department has begun. This phenomenon occurs each year a few weeks before the 4th of July and vilifies the VOLUNTEERS who protect us and our valley year round. Through the barrage of criticism, with quiet dignity, the VOLUNTEER firefighters still participate as a favorite yearly entry in our hometown parade; all to the grateful delight of the vast majority of parade-goers – especially children.
The firefighters are prime targets for water balloons, and yet they practice inspiring patience and admirable discretion in returning “fire” with their truck-mounted hoses. Yet there are those in this valley who paint these public servants as menaces to society, all because someone who didn’t want to get wet on America’s birthday received a few friendly drops of water. Nothing says “thank you” to our firefighters quite like curtailing their participation in our 4th of July parade. We’re fine with marijuana floats and mobile strip clubs, but we decry the innocent exchange of water.
We are so quick to place blame today, shirking our own individual responsibilities. It would be nice to hear these local critics focus the attention on personal accountability. Parents, mind your children. Don’t let them run into the parade route. Parade-goers, if you don’t want to get wet, stay home or watch the parade from another spot. If you are an adult, don’t throw water balloons with the intent to hurt. Be responsible. Simple enough.
Stop attacking the brave firefighters who perform countless acts of civic duty every day of the year. Stop punishing those of us who love our parade, water “fights” and all, with your anti-fun moaning.
Thank you Sonoma and Schell Vista Firefighters for your service! And Happy 4th of July!
Doug Nickle
Sonoma
Dogs do take the bus.
Editor: Regarding Dr. Forsythe’s response to Carly in Boyes Hot Springs about taking her dog on the bus, it may interest you (and her) to know that larger pet dogs (too big for a bag, etc.) are allowed on MUNI in San Francisco, outside of “rush hours” during the week and all day on weekends. People can take one dog, and have to pay the same fare for their four-legged friend as they pay themselves. Larger pet dogs are also allowed on transit services in Boston, Seattle, Toronto and on Metro North in the NYC area, and on several of these services, dogs are free. (The permission for Metro North seems to be unofficial.) In France and indeed nearly all of Europe larger pet dogs are allowed on urban transit and intercity trains, generally for half-price and with a muzzle (also on MUNI).
Regarding the “fiesta de failure with fur” you mention, from my years of experience in taking two dogs on transit in Prague, plus more importantly discussions with customer service representatives at most of the transit operators in the U.S. which allow big dogs, I can say with confidence that this is a common and very big misunderstanding. Dogs are muzzled, on a leash and perhaps most important buses or the insides of other vehicles are neutral territory. This makes such “failure” unlikely and therefore rare. The rep. from MUNI said they had very few complaints regarding doggy passengers, and that in fact the most numerous complaints were from passengers who could not bring dogs on during rush hours or because there was already one dog on board.
Rather than acquiring some “better personal transportation” as you suggest, imagine if more transit operators in the Bay Area allowed pet dogs: People from Oakland could take their dog to the beach, Berkeley residents could be accompanied by their “best friend” to their dog-friendly workplace (e.g., Autodesk in Marin, Google in the South Bay, …), Carly could visit her friends in San Francisco (I really can’t see there being an issue on the Golden Gate Ferries, which has many examples to learn from its sister operators on both coasts) and the Smart Train could be just a little smarter.
When a dog is allowed on transit, it can permit a whole family to travel. If they drive normally, work at home, or for whatever reason don’t have passes of some sort, that’s a lot more treats for the fare box. If a pass allows taking one dog for free (as in Berlin, where I live now), it becomes a further incentive to buy a pass. Allowing dogs costs a transit operator almost nothing to implement and can produce not insignificant revenue.
Todd Edelman
Germany