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Show ormpm' i m iinn mmngi Page 2 Letters to the Editor GUEST EDITORIAL By Dr. Ricardo Martinez Administrator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The Aggressive, Speeding Driver Must Be Stopped! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is in the midst ofatraffic safety issue that has literally forced its way into the publics attention. Some call it Road Rage. It is violence on the highway. Aggressive driving is taking its toll on American highways and beneath the mangled wreckage, the twisted steel and shattered glass of motor vehicle crashes, is the constant knowledge that most of it could have been easily prevented. The number of vehicle miles driven each year is up 35 percent over ten years ago, but miles of roads increased only one percent. The number of vehicles being driven is also up. It is a lot easier to build cars than roads. This is an easy definition of the word congestion. And its getting worse and worse. With the second baby boom coming, it wont get any better. As Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I have been drawing on the knowledge of people all across America for nw strategies to address all kinds of driving behavior in all kinds of situations. For years, the highway safety spotlight has been focused on the impaired driver, the speeding driver, and the unbelted driver, just to name a few. Today, we can add another kind of driver to the list of those contributing to a growing problem on our nations highways ... the aggressive driver. I leres what we know of them, so far: They can climb into the anonymity of an automobile and take out their frustrations on anybody at any time. Their frustration levels are high ... concern for fellow motorists, low. They run stop signs and red lights ... they speed, tailgate, of traffic, pass on the right, make improper and unsafe lane changes, make hand and facial gestures, scream, honk, and flash their lights. They are the subject of studies that show more Americans worry about them than they do drunk drivers. We see them every day ... one of them rocketed down a road at twice the posted speed limit, plowed through a crowded bus stop and killed five innocent people. Aggressive driving is suspected in the deaths of three people and the destruction of four vehicles after a duel down a crowded rush hour highway near Washington D.C. last spring. The highest risk drivers are more likely to drink and drive, speed, and drive unbelted. Before joining the Clinton administration, I earned certification as an emergency physician. I have seen, first hand, the devastating impact of these crashes not only on the victims but on the family members who are left behind. The lives of these families are changed forever and in most cases, these crashes could have been avoided. weave-in-and-o- Thursday, November 21, 1996 Messenger-Enterpris- e ut Safety is the highest priority of the Clinton Administration and of the Department of Transportation under the leadership of Secretary Federico Pena. Beyond the incalculable personal tragedy of motor vehicle crashes, there is an economic cost to society of more than $ 50.5 billion each year. You and I pay a considerable percentage of that in Medicare, and Medicaid, and insurance. In fact, less than a third of the cost is borne by the people 1 immediately involved. What can you do about the aggressive driver? You can deal with this person on two levels: personal and societal. On the personal level you have a responsibility to . Put your pride in the back seat, 1 2. Not react in kind, 3. Not challenge, 4. Not return gestures, 5. Avoid eye contact, and 6. Get the license number of the offender and report the incident to the authorities. As a society we have to send a clear message that driving is a privilege that demands responsibility. That message has to make the public aware that our communities support highly visible, aggressive enforcement. Make sure people get onto the highways safely through solid driver training and graduated licensing programs I lave good laws that can be enforced to set the tone: speed limits, zero tolerance drunk driving, primary seat belt laws Support strong law enforcement: both active, strong, visible people on the force and proven safety technology like photo radar and automated red light. Motor vehicle crashes are not inevitable, they are avoidable. We are not helpless, we all have the power to make things better. THE fill ANTI IvIessenger USPS 3284-000- 0 THE Trivia Webster's definition: trivia: Insignificant or inessential matters, that which comes from the street, of little importance or significance, trifling, ordinary, We invite Letters to the Editor from our readers. Letters must be signed, in good taste, not libelous or slanderous, and limited to 500 words. We reserve the right to edit letters to meet space requirements No more than one letter per person per month will be published The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper or its staff. commonplace. Beth's definition: trivia: hogwash. My definition: trivia: balderdash, but a lot of fun. By Max Call Opposes aims of UN To the Editor: I am writing in response to recent news reports about the United Nations. Unfortunately those reports do not tell the full story about the UN and Secretary General Boutros-Ghal- i. As a result, your readers may not be aware of the UNs extremist agenda or Boutros-Ghali- s recent outrageous attempt to influence the outcome of our national elections by criticizing the Republican Party platform. He said it is really worrying that a party seeking to lead America con be so about how the United electoral process of a sovereign nation. In fact some Americans are quite well informed about how the United Nations functions. That is why we strongly oppose the UN and its radical plans, which most Americans would find deeply offensive if only they were properly informed. For instance, do your readers know that the UN wants our gov- ernment to impose China-styl- e family planning on all US citizens, including abortion on demand, infanticide and forced sterilization? The Un is also behind a massive Nations actually functions. push to force Americans Boutros-Ghahas absolutely no to accept homosexuality as norright to interject himself into the mal. And through its Treaty on Children, the UN wants to deny parents the right to raise their children as they see fit. Finally, SecNeed a Mortgage? has retary General Boutros-Gha- li Need a Refinance? said that he wants to directly tax American citizens to fund the UN. For these and many other reaFHAVAConventional sons strongly oppose the aims of the United Nations. I hope readcall Kelly DeLeeuw ers of this paper will make it a Salt Lake Mortgage point to learn more about the UN 854-784- 8 and its extremist agenda and to ask li FAST 1 (800) their elected officials to protest the UNs attacks on Americas right to exist as a free and sovereign nation. Leon P. Olsen Ephraim, Utah BIDS NOW BEING ACCEPTED BABY BOOMER 1 1 1 1 doctor friend of mine (all the doctors around here are my friends, so I wont say which one) was especially sensitive to propriety when examining a female patient. In fact he made it a practice to have a third party present. At the end of one busy afternoon, he wearily motioned a couple from the waiting room A to come in. The woman submitted to the examination reluctantly but the man looked on with unfeigned interest. After the doctor finished and prescribed medicine, the woman jumped up from the table, dressed hurriedly, and ran out of the room. Your wife seems nervous, said my doctor friend. Ive given her something to quiet her down. Never saw the lady before in my life, answered the man. I wondered why you called me in with her. Then there was this rich brain surgeon who returned from a and European vacation to find his basement filled with water 345 West 100 South, room 1 19 until 2:00 p.m. on December 2, 1996. geon myself. TURNS Snow College is accepting bids for the purchase of a building lot for its 997-9- 8 house project Lot must be within the Ephraim City limits and be accessible to water, sewer and power. 50! 1 Sealed written bids will be accepted in the Business Services Office, High Tech Building, HAPPY BIRTHDAY For more information contact Not so BILL! Mike Jorgensen, Ext. 393, or Lynctte trivial: Nostalgia is living in the past lane. Deseret Central Insurance 302 So. Main Manti Olson, Ext. 299. 835-053- 1 14" Be Your Own Boss flErePaTd Long Distance calling Pizza 1 -- item $6. Unlimited Earnings Potential!!! JOIN The Telecommunications REVOLUTION Monday nights ONLY Cards! FREE DELIVERY! Manti only Call Me Today! -- 2 14" Independent Representative 3-ite- only Enterprise 1777-200- Most businesses occasionally remind their clients of their office hours. We did that not long ago, but perhaps it is time to again remind you of when we might be in the office. Anyone who has driven through Manti in the middle of the night will be aware that we keep some rather odd hours. Thats the nature of the newspaper business. Seems like we do our best work between p.m. and 2 a.m. Maybe its because there are fewer distractions at that time. But when we work most of the night it makes it difficult for us to open at the regular opening time. As a result were sometimes tabbed as lazy or indifferent. But just so youll know when you should find our office open, we herewith publish our office hours: OPEN most days about 9 or 10, occasionally as early as 7. But SOMEDAYS as late as 1 1. WE CLOSE about 5:30 or 6. OCCASIONALLY about 4 or 5, but SOMETIMES as late as or 12, and about once a week at 2 a.m. SOMEDAYS or afternoons we arent here at all, and lately Ive been here just about all of the time. EXCEPT when Im someplace else. BUT I should be here then too. And that should clear up that question. rising. He called for a plumber, who drove up in an expensive Mercedes, wearing an elegant business suit. The plumber opened his rear trunk, donned a wet suit, oxygen tanks, diving mask and flippers. Moments later he sloshed up from the basement. Very small problem, he said. Someone left a faucet running in the laundry tub. I turned it off and opened the plug. Your basement should soon be drained. Whats your fee? asked the relieved brain surgeon. One thousand dollars, answered the plumber. The surgeon was staggered. One thousand dollars, just to turn off a faucet? I dont get that much for brain surgery. 1 know, answered the plumber. I was once a brain sur- rPHRAIM USPS . . . ALSO m $8 mminum order required pizzas $1Q43. J Lofsa Motsa Pizza 0 Published each Thursday for 50c each, $ 6.00 a year inside Sanpete County and $19.00 outside Sanpete County, by Messenger-Enterpris- e Inc., 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642. Periodicals Postage Paid at Manti, Utah. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: 1 101 South Main Inc. 35 S. Main, Manti UT 84642 Manti 835-800- 0 Messenger-Enterpris- e Publishers Editor General Manager Sales Representative Manti City Reporter Ephraim City Reporter Manti High School Sports EPHRAIM IRRIGATION COMPANY ASSESSMENTS ARE DUE Max and Beth Call Max Call David Call Tricia Call Karen Buchanan Lynn Schiffman Greg Dettinger Now you can call Santa direct from anywhere! Collection of assessments will be made at the residence of the Treasurer, 36 S. 1 00 W., Ephraim, Utah from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on December 2nd and 3rd, 1996. Remittance can also be made by mail any time before December 3, 1996, A 10 Late Fee will be charged on unpaid assessments after December 3, 1996. Activation & up to 5 hours free! Some restrictions apply. MEMBER CELLULARONE fff network f JESSE or 611 on your cellular NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION EPHRAIM MANTI Troy Shelley Doug Barton 0 4 1 RICHFIELD Office EPHRAIM IRRIGATION COMPANY D. BIRCH, SECRETARY-TREASURER Publish Ephraim Enterprise Nov. 21, 27, 1996 0 I I |