Safety comes first at railroad tracks | Opinion

Rail Safety Week is Sept. 19-25 throughout North America. Although most Americans today know the dangers associated with drunk or distracted driving, or texting while crossing the street, not enough attention is given to the dangerous and illegal risks people take around railroad tracks.

According to preliminary statistics from the Federal Railroad Administration, 614 pedestrians were killed and 526 injured in trespassing incidents on railroad tracks in 2021, with an additional 236 fatalities and 668 injuries resulting from vehicle-train collisions at rail crossings.

Every three hours in the United States, a vehicle or person is struck by a train. In Florida last year, there were 36 trespasser deaths and 21 injuries, along with 22 crossing fatalities and 46 crossing injuries.

Why is this happening, and what can we do about it?

In our distracted society, people may become complacent or might not understand the need for caution near rail tracks and trains. Pedestrians and drivers often simply do not realize that it is dangerous and illegal to walk on tracks (all train tracks are private property), or how long it takes the average train to stop (the average locomotive weighs about 400,000 pounds or 200 tons, and can weigh up to 6,000 tons).

Everyone can save a life in their community by sharing the rail safety message and remembering this simple phrase: “See Tracks? Think Train!”

Visit oli.org to learn more, take the Rail Safety Pledge, and find safety tips to share with friends and family. Together, we can stop track tragedies.

Peggy Smith, board chair,

Florida Operation Lifesaver,

Tallahassee

Everyone’s queen

We’ve been captivated by how beautifully the British show their love and appreciation for Queen Elizabeth II. The decades of planning and preparation, ultimately, radiating their feelings to us all. Bravo.

That said, I hope King Charles III will, in his lifetime, pass the torch to his son Prince William, instead upon his death. This gesture just might give the British monarchy the infusion of energy many deem necessary.

Diane Goodman Dolcourt,

Pinecrest

Top judge

There is a Yiddish word, “mensch,” which means a person of integrity and honor. After reading the Sept. 18 article “From ‘bleak’ to a $1.1 billion settlement: Judge reflects on twists of Surfside condo case,” a synonym for mensch might be “Hanzman.”

We are fortunate to have a person of Judge Michael Hanzman’s caliber on the bench.

Robert E. Panoff, Pinecrest

Foolish move

Underlying Gov. DeSantis’ cruel, inhumane and possibly illegal manipulation of the migrants he sent to Martha’s Vineyard is a staggering mismanagement of public funds. He spent $615,000 to fly about 50 migrants to Massachusetts. That comes to about ✔$12,300 per person. Imagine if that money had been spent to verify their asylum claims and assist in establishing them in Florida, where there is a critical shortage of labor.

DeSantis’ stupidity and lack of judgment trumps even his callous inhumanity.

Martin Motes, Redland

Failed standards

Re the Sept. 16 story “Warden ignored staff rapes of female inmates, prisoner says, but was promptly promoted:” The systemic rape of female inmates at Lowell Correctional facility has been documented by the Miami Herald for years. The women are threatened and deprived of food, soap and sanitary napkins. They are isolated, and the prison continually fails to protect them from sexual abuse by staff.

Michelle Glady, the prison system’s director of communications, following the warden’s promotion, said that, “Under the warden’s leadership, Lowell CI has been subject to numerous outside audits by correctional experts and the Department of Justice. Outside audits have found Lowell to meet or exceed national standards.”

God help us if these absurdities are standard in our prisons for women.

Barbara Sangetti,

Miami

Vote pandering

Isn’t it strange that Gov. DeSantis has spent weeks denying he had any plans to bus migrant Cubans to Delaware, but brags about sending Venezuelans to Martha’s Vineyard?

Both groups are escaping dictatorships and they should be afforded the same considerations. Obviously, he is only sending Venezuelans because the Cuban vote is much more important to him by nature of its sheer numbers.

Do Cubans really believe he cares about them other than to get their votes?

If he didn’t need their political clout, they, too, would find themselves on Cape Cod.

Martin Kleinbart,

Aventura

Go it alone

Instead of giving incentives to developers, Miami Beach should develop its own affordable or workforce housing by buying land and then hiring architects directly. By not giving money to developers, the city is likely to save money on construction.

The city can hire its own project managers (cheaper than hiring developers), and float bonds to finance the project (cheaper financing).

Why do we continue to give much-needed money to developers when the city could achieve such objectives on its own?

Maria Luisa Castellanos,

Miami

The true faithful

Gov. DeSantis’ cynical move of relocating Venezuelan immigrants seeking asylum clearly demonstrates how people who with true Christian values act, as opposed to the hypocrites who conspicuously pray in the public square.

The good people of Martha’s Vineyard, whether Christian or not, have shown what it truly means to follow Jesus by helping and comforting these refugees.

Clearly, self-described Christians like DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and the holier-than-thou MAGA Republican voters who support this abuse of refugees, are the hypocrites whom Jesus would condemn today.

Richard Latimer,

Falmouth, MA

New absurdities

When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a busload of immigrants to New York, I thought I’d heard it all. Now, Gov. DeSantis spent Florida taxpayers’ dollars to charter two planes to send immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.

And while expressing confidence in the integrity of the 2020 election, he then wastes $5.7 million of our money for an unnecessary police force to investigate election fraud.

Meanwhile, the state of Florida ranks 48th in teacher salaries.

Housing costs, including that of homeowner’s insurance, is out of control. Additionally, he’s spent $19 million in lawyer fees defending frivolous policies.

DeSantis runs around quoting biblical phrases during his political speeches, yet he has no compassion.

Why should Floridians fund DeSantis’ political theater?

Rose Hobbs,

Davie

Free ride

If I hide my citizenship papers, will Gov. DeSantis send me to Martha’s Vineyard for free?

I always wanted to visit but found it too expensive to travel.

Juan Suarez,

Pembroke Pines