Your letters for Saturday, August 13

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Helmets can’t stop reckless cycling

Re: “Bicycle Helmets Save Adult Lives,” Letter, Aug. 11.

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Brad Taylor’s letter advocates mandatory helmet use for adult bicyclists because taxpayers incur the costs of treating their brain injuries when accidents occur.

Perhaps a better solution is to reduce accidents by reducing reckless cycling. I am amazed at the number of so-called adult bicyclists wearing helmets who speed down Calgary roads, go around blind corners, fail to obey stop signs or red lights, fail to keep to the right, fail to slow speed in congested areas ride two at a time, fail to signal turns, or ride on busy roads instead of using safe bike path alternatives.

It seems that many cyclists mistakenly assume that helmets make them invincible and immune to brain or other injuries. We don’t need an adult helmet law. We just need bicyclists to act like adults and obey traffic laws, drive safely and use common sense.

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Steven Emond Calgary

Kenney shouldn’t bother NDP

Re: “NDP calls for investigation of Kenney’s fundraising activities”, Aug 12.

This article again suggests that the NDP has trouble understanding contracts and laws as written.

NDP Provincial Secretary Roari Richardson said his reading of Alberta’s election rules stipulates that a candidate cannot raise or spend money until an official campaign has been announced. The NDP must realize that Kenney is not running for elected office as a member of the legislature, but as the leader of the Alberta Conservatives.

At this point, Kenney’s activities are only the concern of members of the Conservative party. However, it seems that the NDP does not agree and is showing us more and more that they are very wrong.

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Butch Skulsky, Calgary

Black and White Police Cars Make Sense

Re: “A decision in black and white for the police”, Editorial, August 11.

What a big fuss about the color of our police cars. Yes, black can mean aggression or pain, but also authority and strength.

The main factor here is that police cars stand out visually from other vehicles on the road and are easily identified as police. The contrast between black and white makes police cars very eye-catching, which is an important feature.

Do not let this important decision be dictated by public opinion.

Robert Dewar, Calgary

You can get along with Pokemon Go players

Re: “pokemon gothe memorials do not mix”, August 8.

As a Pokemon Go and Ingress player, I think people are missing out on the joy of Pokemon Go.

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The joy is not catching pocket monsters. The joy is that people of all ages and backgrounds are away from home. The joy is that people are using and enjoying our public spaces. The joy is to go and see monuments and art that people usually pass by every day. The joy is having conversations with people you would never meet in your everyday life.

Most of the Pokestops/Ingress portals have been submitted by Ingress players from our city. These are places and monuments that are also important to us. I don’t think places like Central Memorial Park and Garrison Green are places to be solemn. I believe that those who have made this sacrifice did so so that we can be free to experience the joy of living and connecting with people.

My advice to all Pokémon Go players: look up from your phones every once in a while and take in views you may have never seen before.

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To Veterans and their families: Please use the presence of Pokémon Trainers as an opportunity to start a conversation. You never know what joy you may find.

Bonnie Sanchez, Calgary

Terrorists are not criminals, they are combatants.

Re: Are peace bonuses worth it? August 12.

Negotiating a peace bond with a suicide bomber: what could be more ridiculous! We are in war.

The people who associate with ISIL are not criminals, they are enemy combatants. At the slightest hint of admiration for Daesh, they should be confined to the equivalent of prisoner-of-war camps, or psychiatric institutions, not prisons.

Are we going to wait until we meet the same fate as France, Belgium and others before our authorities wake up?

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Murray Gibbs Calgary

Words matter in difficult situations

Re: “The lack of recognition of death”, Letter, August 6.

When a woman with a high-risk multiple pregnancy is faced with a choice between risking three lives—her own and those of her unborn twins—or taking one life to save the other two, the term “selective reduction” is no longer necessary. less “interesting” than using “transmitted” instead of dead.

A soft or indirect word or expression is politely substituted for one that is considered too emotionally harsh for the victim.

When someone says to me, “Your dad must be so proud of you,” and I reply, “Unfortunately, my dad passed away a few years ago,” I hope you don’t look at me quizzically and say, “He means he’s dead.

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Ken Tovell is making a very critical and insensitive remark on the subject of a terrible situation.

Mary-Anne Pechet, Calgary

Pump prices don’t add up

Re: “The International Energy Agency says that the demand for oil to match the offer in 2017”, August 12.

How can there be a glut of oil and gas, as well as a significant increase in the price of a barrel of oil, and yet we continue to see our gasoline prices rise at the pump?

With the local economy in such a bad situation, it confuses me. How can these companies pass such increases on to the consumer when they have a surplus of product and we have a shortage of cash in our pockets?

With the price of oil closing at $43 a barrel, why are we paying as if the price is double?

Gordon Hobbs Calgary

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Don’t count on wind power

I was at a conference in the US where the CEO of a large utility company in the Pacific Northwest pointed out that in the summer of a couple of years ago, when they needed all the wind power they could get, they didn’t produce megawatts.

I have been monitoring Alberta’s wind energy production since July 26 and our production has ranged from three to 300 megawatts. I’ve recorded it at different times of the day, so obviously it could be higher or lower throughout the day, but it gives an idea of ​​what’s going on. This is out of a potential total of 1,440 megawatts of wind power.

We know the NDP has this as part of their plan, and we see how unreliable this power is, so we need a spinning reserve to back up possible power outages due to the wind not blowing. This translates into an even higher cost for us as part of the NDP platform.

Helmut Callin, Calgary