Fix congestion without punishing needed drivers
Manhattan: In his “Be Our Guest” op-ed on Oct. 3 (“Congestion pricing is not the (complete) answer”), James F. McShane clearly outlines the major causes, in my long-held opinion, of gridlock. He describes the narrowing of two, three and four lanes of traffic on city streets to one or two lanes to accommodate bike lanes (which are minimally used, especially on side streets) and bus lanes (which, from what I can see, are often blocked by delivery trucks or illegally standing cars).
As a native New Yorker, I have seen numerous changes over many years. I remember when traffic moved, sometimes slowly, but it did move. People had respect for ambulances, fire engines and police cars and tried to move out of the way. Now, with so little room to maneuver, it’s impossible. Plus, with little or no vehicle policing, drivers have no compunction about blocking the box.
Congestion pricing can’t solve the problem. People will continue to turn away from public transit because it is often dirty and slow and, based on what is written and viewed in the media, frightening. In addition, people with disabilities can’t use most public transit because most subways are inaccessible, and buses often can’t load/unload passengers at sidewalks (due to unauthorized vehicles in bus stops). Dropping more money down the MTA’s bottomless gullet will not solve the problems, no matter how much. Vehicles have been part of New Yorkers’ mobility and always will be. Trying to squeeze them out will only result in more frustration among the driving public and in those of us who are mobility-impaired and must use cars to get around. Minette Gorelik
A little illegal?
Bronx: Mayor Adams’ Chief Advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin states, “We have not done anything illegal to the magnitude and scale that requires the federal government or the DA office to investigate us.” So they have done illegal things, just not to that scale. This is the most corrupt mayor ever in the city of New York. Richie Nagan
Bad boss
Forest Hills: Why would any labor union endorse a candidate who became famous for telling people, “You’re fired”? Alan Hirschberg
Pressing buttons
Brooklyn: Ah, I see Voicer Joie Anderson is back from vacation! “Do we really want this self-absorbed clown to have his finger on the button?” It seems that even on vacation, no one put the button on you! Charlie Wyatt
Unexpected ally
Valley Stream, L.I.: Who says Donald Trump divides people? I’ve been on opposite sides of every issue with former Vice President Dick Cheney my entire life, but here we are both supporting and voting for Kamala Harris. Only Trump could have brought us together like that. Praise unity! By the way, I already voted for Harris by mail. I could have gone to vote in person but I liked the idea of being included in deluded MAGA conspiracy theories. Allan Canino
Lying lemmings
Brooklyn: Why so many comments by Voicers about JD Vance being a liar? Remember, the fish stinks from the head down. Trump is the liar-in-chief. He lies with compunction, and to impress him, his peons feel they have a license to do the same thing. It would be wise to take anything those in his orbit say with a grain of salt. June Lowe
Cold comfort
Brooklyn: The economy (Bidenomics) added 108,000 jobs in April, 216,000 in May, 118,000 in June, 144,000 in July and 159,000 in August. Sluggish at best, especially during the summer hiring season. Bidenomics can no longer rely on “recovered lost pandemic jobs.” Now we are supposed to rejoice because September’s job growth was 254,000? What about the 3½ years of suffering Americans had to go through with high gas prices and high grocery bills? Housing costs are high because the mortgage rates remain high, double what they were under Trump, which is why more people are opting to rent instead of buy. Shortage of rental properties are making housing costs skyrocket. The rate of inflation increase may have come down, which may help a little going forward, but grocery and gas prices remain high. So, there is no joy in one month’s decent jobs report. David DiBello
Surprising blindness
Glendale: The perspective of this paper warrants a full-scale investigation. Hearsay does not convict anyone of anything, except when hateful rhetoric filled with indignation and contempt for the truth causes mayhem and chaos. The only “October surprise” surrounding the 2024 elections has to do with how many people can still be swayed by interpretations of past events, wanting the American people to overlook reality that is staring us all in the face: An anointed candidate with no real sense of policy or ethics placed into a role no one voted for her to be in versus a proven leader with a clear vision for our democracy. It’s the blind leading the blind when we have to distinguish between what is right and what we’re supposed to believe. The only waking up this country needs is to remind ourselves that united we stand, divided we fall. Jonathan Kiddrane
Citizens betrayed
Pearl River, N.Y.: Every American should be outraged by the federal government and its response, or lack of it, to Hurricane Helene’s devastation. This same government has depleted FEMA’s emergency money and given generously to illegal migrants who have not paid any taxes or contributed in any way, shape or form, to our country, and ignored its American citizens. I don’t believe it has anything to do with political affiliation. I do believe it has to do with gross incompetence. Every registered voter needs to remember this catastrophe when they go to the polls. Enough is enough. Robert Brennan
Two-way street
Bronx: Yes, Voicer Carmine E. Esposito, everybody has the right to write and speak their opinion, and that right should be respected. But the flip side is that all sides need to abide by that. When nearly half the country supports a candidate who tried to make himself a dictator and vows revenge on those who oppose him, don’t expect me to respect that. If you want me to respect your rights, respect mine. Richard Warren
Stop the killing
Manhattan: I have faithfully prayed for an immediate permanent ceasefire between Israel and Palestine since Oct. 7, 2023. On the first anniversary of this war, I am pleading with all elected officials to renounce the genocide of innocent Palestinians. Please stop using our hard-earned tax dollars to finance further Israeli attacks. Please stop giving Israel weapons to kill more harmless Palestinians. Please stop looking the other way. Please stop pointing your fingers across political party lines. I implore you to stop the genocide! Jews ought to be ashamed of themselves as they cry, “Never again.” My heart weeps as I learn of the daily atrocities. I am calling upon all BIPOC clergy to unite in a resolve for an immediate permanent ceasefire between the Israelis and Palestinians. Injustice in Palestine is a cosmic threat everywhere. Ronald J. Wells
Sound off
White Plains, N.Y.: I can empathize with Bob Brody (“It’s the playoffs, show me the metrics,” op-ed, Oct. 2) about the overload of metrics while watching a baseball game. I have found a simple solution. Mute the sound on the television. Sometimes, silence is golden. Randi Bernstein Feigenbaum
Cut QB
Manhattan: Is Geno Smith really better than Daniel Jones of the New York Giants? I recall NFL experts, the Giants and the New York Jets chasing Smith out of town. It’s about the team around the quarterback. Edward Drossman
Lives prevented
Glendale: Voicer Wendy Packus is absolutely correct with her analogy between abortion and the mass killings committed by the Nazis during the 1940s. Her only mistake, however, is understating the sheer scope of each policy. While the Nazis killed approximately 6 million Jews, that number pales in comparison to the approximately 63 million pre-born babies whose lives have been taken away under the banner of choice. Many people may recall in the 1990s, when the Democrats stated that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.” That motto has been superseded with “legal, plentiful and profitable.” Thomas Murawski