EDITOR;
I am quite concerned about the new immigrants that we are seeing around town. I do not have anything against new arrivals, in the least. What I am against is the fact that we have local and federal laws that a lot of these people don't seem to know about or are ignoring totally.
The one that is really bothering me is the seat-belt law. Yesterday, I witnessed over 10 teenagers climbing out of a club-cab truck. These kids pulled up to join several other teens in the Wal-Mart parking lot, like they have been doing every Sunday for some time now. There are as many as 40 kids there but only five or six vehicles.
Now, we can all do the math and know that they had kids on top of kids in those vehicles. Don't their parents know or care about what they're doing? The kids are there from early afternoon to sundown — driving around in circles, squealing their tires, kids on the hood or trunk, stunting as we used to call it.
I know that it's just kids being kids, but there has to be some kind of safety involved. Not many of them are over 18 years of age, and on many occasions there has been alcohol involved as well. The police are doing all they can, handing out warnings and tickets, but I feel the parents need to get involved.
It's just getting dangerous just driving out there. I almost T-boned a half-ton truck with two girls inside when they backed out from between vehicles and they stopped right in my path. I was in the driving lane and they were acting like I was the one in the wrong and that I should drive around them. These kids don't even know there are parking spaces and driving lanes separate from each other.
Parents, please teach your kids some driving etiquette and the laws of the road before handing over the keys to one of your kids. You must realize that driving is a privilege and that caution is important.
CHERYL OSLER
Taber