Readers of the Jerusalem Post's Magazine have their say.
By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: PIXABAY)SAGE AGERegarding “The oldest mom in the gan” (June 12), I was the oldest mom in my son’s kindergarten through high school. I learned to sit quietly in the back of the classroom, and listened as young mothers shared their anxieties about their children’s progress in school. When I accompanied my son on a shopping trip before his pre-army yeshiva, the salesperson told him to “listen to his savta!”We participated in a parents weekend before the young men started the army. The program included words from the oldest mother. I was sure that I would be asked. But lo and behold there was a mother older than me!My advice to writer Jody Kasner: Embrace your age and your wisdom, never feel embarrassed and enjoy every moment with your children.DEBRA WEINERJerusalemPOLITE PEDALERSAlthough I haven’t been on a bicycle since the State of New York gave me the okay to drive a car, I do indeed admire the enthusiasm that Barry Davis has for cycling (“Pedestrian and pedal power in Tel Aviv,” June 12) and fully share his desire that Israel do what it can to promote and encourage the use of two-wheelers.Unfortunately, however, Israel is not yet ready to join the other great cities that have incorporated the use of bicycles into urban planning schematics. Copenhagen – one of the cities with a cycling culture cited by Davis – is an excellent example.In addition to specifically designated lanes, cyclists are governed by a separate set of traffic lights and signals, and are provided with ample space to securely lock and safeguard their bikes. As Davis pointed out, there are bikes designed for families to pedal together, and accessories enable couples to ride side by side. This system works, though, only because those in vehicles and those on bikes respect each other’s designated space. Bikers can ride relatively worry-free, confident that an impatient driver will not force them out of their well-marked lane.Similarly, Danish drivers need not be concerned that bikers will suddenly try to circumvent traffic and force the slamming of brakes in order to avoid a potentially fatal accident. The two forms of transportation nicely complement each other and provide the city with precisely the benefits that Davis envisions for major Israeli cities.The trouble is, of course, mature road behavior and manners are not among the traits Israel is known for. The imagination can barely conceive the possibility of polite interaction between drivers and bikers, and not intruding into each other’s space would be a challenge too great to overlookIn other words, not only would a dramatic change to the infrastructure be required to enable cycling as a major means of movement in cities such as Tel Aviv, a modification to the transportation personality would be necessary as well.Which is about as likely as me getting back on a bike. BARRY NEWMANGinot ShomronUPSETTING EGGED Regarding the letter “Egged issue” (June 12), what a terrible response from Egged about this poor elderly couple’s issue of buses pulling away before they are safely seated. I can picture the situation and it really upsets me.I don’t have a solution but it’s not my job to have one. What I can think of, if feasible, is that elderly and vulnerable people could still be allowed to enter the bus from the front door. I can also picture contacting Egged like their spokeswoman said and waiting an eternity for a reply while each case is being reviewed.This couple, and, I imagine, many others up and down the country need an immediate solution.ANDY SELBYEilat
