Mailbag: Is this Costa Mesa or Chicago?

I have been involved in many of the past elections, and I have to say that this election will be going down as one of the nastiest in recent memory. There were always a few overzealous supporters who would steal opponents’ signs, but this year it has gone to a new level.

In the past couple of weeks, we have people cutting through chain-link fences to get on to private property to destroy an opponent’s banner at more than one location and more than one time.

We have people stealing signs that have not yet been distributed from a private property. I realize that one of the City Council candidates stated at the last council meeting that it was appropriate to shout down another speaker, and violate his freedom of speech, if you disagree with him.

I believe that this is just another case of Saul Alinsky’s rules, similar to the following of the mayor pro tem to his home in hopes of having him arrested for drunk driving, even though he hadn’t been drinking.

All of you guys are thugs. I don’t really care too much about the proposed charter one way or the other, but I will definitely vote against the thugs. Costa Mesa is becoming too much like Chicago.

Judith Berry

Costa Mesa

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CdM sharrows

Do you commute through Corona del Mar? If so, please know that “sharrows” are coming to East Coast Highway in the Corona del Mar village area in late October and early November. Sharrows are pavement markings in the right-hand lane that denote that bicycles can take the full No. 2 lane.

We hope that sharrows will allow cyclists to more safely transit through CdM. Sharrows do not create new laws or rights, but merely remind drivers that the bicyclist can indeed take the full lane where there is otherwise no bike lane. Just like Newport Beach, Laguna Beach has installed sharrows in parts of town (North Laguna, as an alternative to Coast Highway).

As we install these, we’ll be working with our own community to educate drivers and cyclists about the rules of the road. Cyclists can’t bunch up, clog traffic or be rude to drivers. They must stop at all stop signs and red lights. If you’re a slow cyclist who is concerned at all about riding through CdM on Coast Highway, don’t ride there, please. Families with kids also shouldn’t ride on Coast Highway.

We have designed alternate routes, both north and south. Similarly, drivers must treat cyclists as vehicles and with the caution that cyclists deserve (and, of course, no texting!). As our neighbors, we hope you will help us improve bike safety as you travel through our community. We believe we can indeed all get along — walkers, cyclists, and drivers. Sharrows are a step toward that, we hope.

Nancy Gardner

Corona del Mar