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Changing Hawaii
WHEN Paul and Bridget Cafferty both retired two years ago -- he after 30 years at Hawaiian Electric, she after four decades with Liberty House -- the married couple envisioned a quiet, relaxing lifestyle featuring daily walks in the early morning or sunset hours. Pedestrians fall prey
to speeders in KalihiBoth 67, they like to get fresh air and exercise in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood where they've lived for 45 years.
But they absolutely dread crossing the street. This is especially true of North King, which is the notorious site of many pedestrian accidents.
In fact, the Caffertys would rather circle the Kapalama Canal repeatedly than venture over to the other side of the road, even if there's a marked crosswalk and traffic signal.When it comes to North King Street, island drivers use it more like Nimitz or Kalanianaole Highway than a 25-mph zone between Farrington High School and Kaiulani School.
Almost nobody was going the posted speed limit when the Caffertys staked out the busy thoroughfare this past Wednesday afternoon.
They pointed out cars shooting through the red light, or ignoring it totally as they careened around corners without stopping.
They shook their heads at drivers who refused to stop for people stranded in the middle of the crosswalk, sheepishly waiting for a break in the traffic.
They also pointed out the makeshift memorial across the street from the Kalihi-Palama Health Center for 68-year-old Taisi Fautanu Sr. He died two weeks ago after being struck by a van while crossing North King near Peterson Lane.
Worried health center staffers have gathered signatures for a petition calling for a traffic light near the accident site, but the Caffertys say that isn't the answer.
The solution, they believe, is a stronger presence of law enforcement in the area.
"Look, there are no police around," Paul says. "Before, there used to be plenty of cops cruising and even parked along the street. Now you never see them. They should be staking out North King and nabbing the speeders."
Some kind of sting operation to encourage pedestrian-friendly behavior might also be effective, they add. Plain-clothes officers could venture into the crosswalk, and drivers who don't stop for them would get ticketed by officers waiting further down the road.
HERE'S an even better idea. Speeders along North King should be made to pull over and ordered to get out of their vehicles. They should be forced to walk the length of the street to see just how fast cars, trucks and SUVs are going, and how spooky it is from the perspective of a vulnerable pedestrian.
And if they were really zooming along, or didn't stop for someone in the crosswalk as the law mandates, they should be directed to traverse North King to see exactly how difficult and dangerous that feat can be.
Maybe they should also be required to bring fresh flowers to the makeshift memorial of Taisi Fautanu.
He learned first-hand that the main road, in his very own neighborhood, at 11 o'clock in the morning, is not a safe place at all.
Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
dchang@starbulletin.com, or by fax at 523-7863.