Hit-and-Run Driver Stirs Discussion

* Re “Next for This Driver, an Act of Conscience,” Dana Parsons’ Feb. 4 column:

I generally agree with Parsons’ point of view, and my knee-jerk reaction to his column on hit-and-run drivers was to agree wholeheartedly. What a dastardly act, to kill or injure a person, then speed away!

But consider this scenario--and be honest with yourself. You are driving at night--sober, alert and obeying all traffic laws--when suddenly, from behind a parked car, a person steps in front of you.

Before you can react, you have struck her. You look in your mirror and see the victim lying in a crosswalk with people rushing to her aid. You have no medical or trauma training, so how can you help? Do you stop?

Yes, of course! But this is the U.S.A., year 2000. You have had an unfortunate accident, and would give anything to take it back--but you can’t.

Instantly you have become prey for our opportunistic legal system, which will go into high gear to see that you are portrayed as an evil killer and will attempt to financially destroy you and your family.

The best you can hope for is not to be found guilty of an actual crime or go to jail, but in the process you will still be looked upon as a killer, probably lose your job and end up with legal bills and an out-of-court settlement that will take years to pay off--if you ever can.

While this flashed through your mind, you drove on into the darkness; no one could have gotten a good look at your car, much less your license plate. What do you do?

The bigger issue is: Why have we created such a greed-motivated, every-man-for-himself society that we are forced to twist our consciences with such a horrible question?

STU O’GUINN

Huntington Beach

* I hope guilt will indeed overcome the person who ran down the long-time Laguna Beach resident on Jan. 18. This tragedy underscores a growing problem of aggressive driving and disregard for pedestrian safety.

Time was that in Laguna Beach you could walk through a designated crosswalk at day or night and be relatively assured that most motorists would acknowledge the crosswalks and try to yield to pedestrians attempting to use them. No more.

Worse yet is the attitude you can often see on the faces of many of those who reluctantly stop their cars. It’s the impatient look of someone who has been imposed upon, followed by the immediate pedal-to-the-metal, too-close-for-comfort, get-out-of-my-way peel-out.

What or who is so important that people simply trying to cross the street must put their lives at risk? Seems like it is time for locals and visitors alike to stop and smell the proverbial roses.

Laws can be enforced only so much. Perhaps what we need here is reeducation and a reevaluation of what is really important--like, for example, the life of a 65-year-old grandmother.

MAX BROWN

Laguna Beach