FROGS MADE THE HOP WITHOUT SUPERFERRY

I noticed that coqui frogs have established themselves in Waimänalo.

Sen. Clayton Hee, D-23rd, (Käneohe, Kahuku) wants to have the Legislature appropriate funds to eradicate the frogs before they infest the agricultural farms and affect the economy. Doesn't he mean before they escape from the farms?

As I recall, during the debate on Superferry, everybody was concerned about Superferry transporting invasive species to the outer islands.

Well, long before Superferry arrived in Hawai'i, coqui frogs were already well established on the Big Island. Now, long after Superferry has left the state, the coqui frogs have migrated to O'ahu — from the Big Island, and all without the aid of Superferry.

Could it be other modes of transport were responsible? Can you say Young Brothers barge service?

Bring back Superferry. Maybe it can help Hawai'i leap into the 20th century hopefully before the end of the 21st century.

melvin minakami | Käne'ohe

CIVIL UNIONS

WANTING EQUALITY IS NOT BEING SELFISH

James Hochberg (Letters, Feb. 12), calls Hawai'i's lesbian and gay families "selfish" for wanting to protect their loved ones like every other family — under the law. Hochberg says the plan for a lawsuit to insist that the state offer civil unions to same-sex couples will cost Hawai'i just too much money.

Hochberg ignores the fact that gay and lesbian couples suffer every day under a system that taxes and treats them unequally. Majorities of both houses of our Legislature have recognized the need to end this injustice; unfortunately — as last month's civil unions vote shows — never quite at the same time.

Every law-abiding, taxpaying member of society should have equal rights and be bound by equal obligations, and nothing in our state constitution says otherwise.

There's nothing selfish or frivolous about Hawai'i families asking for the same rights and protections — no more and no less — than their neighbors already enjoy.

JOSH FROST | Board member, Equality Hawaii and co-chair, Progressive Democrats of Hawaii

BICYCLE LAWS

PEDALERS NEED TO OBEY REGULATIONS

A lot of people seem to forget that bicycles are vehicles and must remain on roads when in a business district.

As a pedestrian, I find it frustrating when a bicyle approaches me or comes up behind me on a sidewalk and the rider gives me a look indicating that I need to get out the way.

The Honolulu bicycle regulations state that no bicycles may be ridden on sidewalks in business districts. Also, bicycles are vehicles when on roads and must obey traffic laws, which means following vehicle movement regulations, such as stopping for red lights.

What really frustrates me is to see our own Aloha Ambassadors in Waikíkí riding bicycles on sidewalks. They should at least set an example.

david cantrell | Honolulu

RAILTRANSIT

MORE HOUSING MEANS MORE TRAFFIC

"This is a vital truth too often left out of the discussion; for families living from Pearl City on, the traffic has an enormous corrosive effect on their lives." (Island Voices, Feb. 12).

Bob Nakata's Island Voices column on the need for rail is indefensible, yet in the very same issue of The Advertiser there is an article about a proposal to build three high-rise residential towers and a retail complex next to Pearlridge Center.

It's "proposed" because it will require zoning changes, and as any O'ahu resident knows, zoning changes involve backing from developers and unions who will throw their financial and voting support behind the deal, which in turn elevates some politicians' chances for reelection, which inevitably makes it a slam dunk with little or no regard for the well- being of the general public. Talk about corrosive!

This is not always the case but it is more times than not, and it is a key reason why people don't trust the government and its ability to build an efficient and cost-effective rail system. My question: Why make more traffic when you are trying so desperately to alleviate it?

PAT Kelly | Honolulu

STAGGERED SHIFTS CAN FIX TRAFFIC PROBLEM

Cliff Slater and others raise valid points about the city's plans for what could be an $8 billion railway.

Aside from the cost burden, there are documented reasons to believe it will not achieve projected ridership or relieve traffic significantly on the H-1. What amazes me is that no one is talking about staggered hours as a solution, or at least a partial solution.

The H-1 does not have a capacity problem. It has a timing problem. The obvious example of this is when there is a government holiday. You can drive the H-1 from one end to the other during rush hour, hardly ever slowing down. Doesn't that tell you that if government staggered its hours, there would be instant traffic relief?

It's an easy experiment not needing much debate (and no money). Add to that incentives for businesses to voluntarily stagger hours and you have a huge reduction in cars on the road at the critical times.

Deal with the commute problem by changing the commute, not by building a rail system that will strangle us financially and go mostly unused.

brian barbata | Kailua

CIVIL UNIONS

WANTING EQUALITY IS NOT BEING 'SELFISH'

James Hochberg (Letters, Feb. 12), calls Hawai'i's lesbian and gay families "selfish" for wanting to protect their loved ones like every other family — under the law. Hochberg says the plan for a lawsuit to insist that the state offer civil unions to same-sex couples will cost Hawai'i just too much money.

Hochberg ignores the fact that gay and lesbian couples suffer every day under a system that taxes and treats them unequally. Majorities of both houses of our Legislature have recognized the need to end this injustice; unfortunately — as last month's civil unions vote shows — never quite at the same time.

Every law-abiding, taxpaying member of society should have equal rights and be bound by equal obligations, and nothing in our state constitution says otherwise.

There's nothing selfish or frivolous about Hawai'i families asking for the same rights and protections — no more and no less — than their neighbors already enjoy.

JOSH FROST | Board member, Equality Hawaii and Co-chair, Progressive Democrats of Hawaii

BICYCLE LAWS

PEDALERS NEED TO OBEY REGULATIONS

A lot of people seem to forget that bicycles are vehicles and must remain on roads when in a business district.

As a pedestrian, I find it frustrating when a bicyle approaches me or comes up behind me on a sidewalk and the rider gives me a look indicating that I need to get out the way.

The Honolulu bicycle regulations state that no bicycles may be ridden on sidewalks in business districts. Also, bicycles are vehicles when on roads and must obey traffic laws, which means following vehicle movement regulations, such as stopping for red lights.

What really frustrates me is to see our own Aloha Ambassadors in Waikíkí riding bicycles on sidewalks. They should at least set an example.

david cantrell | Honolulu

RAILTRANSIT

MORE HOUSING MEANS MORE TRAFFIC

"This is a vital truth too often left out of the discussion; for families living from Pearl City on, the traffic has an enormous corrosive effect on their lives." (Island Voices, Feb. 12).

Bob Nakata's Island Voices column on the need for rail is indefensible, yet in the very same issue of The Advertiser there is an article about a proposal to build three high-rise residential towers and a retail complex next to Pearlridge Center.

It's "proposed" because it will require zoning changes, and as any O'ahu resident knows, zoning changes involve backing from developers and unions who will throw their financial and voting support behind the deal, which in turn elevates some politicians' chances for reelection, which inevitably makes it a slam dunk with little or no regard for the well- being of the general public. Talk about corrosive!

This is not always the case but it is more times than not, and it is a key reason why people don't trust the government and its ability to build an efficient and cost-effective rail system. My question: Why make more traffic when you are trying so desperately to alleviate it?

PAT Kelly | Honolulu

STAGGERED SHIFTS CAN FIX TRAFFIC PROBLEM

Cliff Slater and others raise valid points about the city's plans for what could be an $8 billion railway.

Aside from the cost burden, there are documented reasons to believe it will not achieve projected ridership or relieve traffic significantly on the H-1. What amazes me is that no one is talking about staggered hours as a solution, or at least a partial solution.

The H-1 does not have a capacity problem. It has a timing problem. The obvious example of this is when there is a government holiday. You can drive the H-1 from one end to the other during rush hour, hardly ever slowing down. Doesn't that tell you that if government staggered its hours, there would be instant traffic relief?

It's an easy experiment not needing much debate (and no money). Add to that incentives for businesses to voluntarily stagger hours and you have a huge reduction in cars on the road at the critical times.

Deal with the commute problem by changing the commute, not by building a rail system that will strangle us financially and go mostly unused.

brian barbata | Kailua