Bus Service

Re “At Rosh Hashanah, a Prayer for Keeping a Jewish Community Intact,” Valley Perspective, Oct. 1.

It seems to me that Rabbi Aron Tendler has done his congregation and community a great disservice. He states as a fact that buses will be traveling 55 mph every one to two minutes down the middle of Chandler Boulevard. We could only wish it could be done. Just think of the ability to move people through the community if this were possible. Even at rush hour, this is not only extremely unlikely but probably impossible considering that buses are needed in other areas.

He says he prays for financial success, family happiness, personal contentment, community, communal safety, continued growth and world peace. This is certainly the goal of most people I know, but I fail to see how a transportation line down Chandler Boulevard would mitigate all those prayers.

The rabbi mentions other alternatives, but he did not offer any options or possible solutions. Does he not think that moving the bus line to other areas would divide communities? Certainly it would have an effect on any other community, including his, but the situation must be judged on a “greater need / good” basis. This strikes me as just another case of NIMBY [Not in My Backyard].

He must remember that he or his predecessors chose this location knowing full well that at some time in the future, this right of way would be utilized for its intended purpose, a transit line.

The religious tone he injected in the article has no place in his argument. Surely God is not sitting on the throne unaware of the great need for public transportation and the need to eliminate as many polluting vehicles from our streets as possible.

JOE BURROW

Sherman Oaks

*

I applauded the letter from Charles Thomas on Oct. 1 regarding the need for improving bus service in the Valley.

I grew up in England and go home frequently to visit. The bus and train service in the big cities and small towns and villages back home is excellent and caters to the many people who still do not own cars. The local buses even have storage space for the trolleys people use for their grocery shopping. In fact, there are no school buses in England. The local buses take care of that. What a savings that would be for the school district!

Surely the needs in the Los Angeles area and Valley are just as great for the many people who need transportation to get back and forth to work, school and general errands?

ANN RAYNER

Van Nuys