The city and county calls them "improvements," but for those affected, the changes don't make anything better.

Starting Sunday, Dec. 2, TheBus will no longer stop on the East Hind/West Hind loop in 'Aina Haina. The details of the Bus Service Improvement Plan are numerous and mind-bending, but the upshot is that whereas riders can get on the bus on East and West Hind drives and go directly Downtown or to Hawai'i Kai, with the new plan they will have to walk down to Kalaniana'ole and cross all six lanes to get to the Hawai'i Kai bus or cross back all six lanes after returning from town. Another unhappy option is to walk farther up the valley to catch a "circulator" bus and then change buses at Kahala Mall.

Not a big deal if you're able, but lower 'Aina Haina is home to a lot of elderly people, folks who are well enough to live at home but who rely on the bus to go grocery shopping and get to doctor appointments.

The residents of 'Aina Haina heard about the changes in the worst way: through the grapevine. People are mad that they didn't hear it directly from the city or the bus company. Nobody came to the Neighborhood Board, nobody told the neighborhood association, no informational meetings were held. Last week, fliers announcing the "improvements to service" were on the bus.

Last week 25 people gathered on a neighbor's lanai on East Hind Drive to talk about what they could do. Phyllis Ching Schwartz had taken head counts of passengers on various days and refuted claims that the stops had low ridership. Deborah Witteveen said her 23-year-old son, who has epilepsy, relies on the bus to get to work. He wouldn't be able to cross Kalaniana'ole, she explained. This change would cost him his independence. Art Mori said his daughter, who has Down syndrome, learned to take the bus into town for her hospital volunteer work. She gets on the bus near their house and gets off near the hospital. Having to transfer at Kahala Mall and cross Kalaniana'ole would be too difficult for her.

Many of the old folks there just listened and didn't say much, but their presence spoke volumes. Those thin legs, cloudy eyes and bent backs can't handle much more than a direct bus route. After Dec. 2, they'll either wait for somebody to drive them or sit at home.

Last week, the thing they fear the most came to pass: An elderly man who usually took the bus from his home in Wai'alae Iki to Chinatown about five days a week was struck by a car while crossing Kalaniana'ole. He died in the hospital.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.