Winston-Salem Journal LTE TH 01/12/12

Transportation opportunities

The writer of the Jan. 9 letter "A small percentage" wrote that the creation of bike paths is an "inconvenience and expense for the majority of the people." I beg to differ. Our community owes everyone equal transportation opportunities, no exceptions.

Many bike for pleasure, but others bike because it's the only transportation they can afford. Cars are pricey (maintenance, gas, insurance). Conservative estimates are that we spend as much on transportation as we do on housing (30-33 percent each). The 2009 median household income in Forsyth County was $45,769, which means that a typical household spends about $14,188 per year on cars.

As gasoline prices rise, many look for alternatives. Bikes are cheaper and greener and allow us to burn a few calories, important when most of us are overweight. I recently became disabled. Now I notice things I never did before, like limited sidewalks and speed bumps everywhere. What about the handicapped person? As a minority user, guess they're out of luck. This is wrong. We owe every user a safe and accessible means of transportation.

Those who drive will rarely use a bike path. They need and get roads. Bikers need paths, which we must supply. Most of the money for these comes from the feds, money that we're due. I paid into that money and I want it back, especially when it makes my home better and my community the best it can be.

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GLYNIS A. JORDAN

Winston-Salem

Setting limits

I was pleased to read your Dec. 16 article "Chimps get reprieve," where the government is finally setting limits on the use of animals for research. There have been alternative methods for medical research in place for years that are actually more effective than using animals.

This barbaric practice of torturing animals in the name of medical progress has been eliminated in many universities and hospitals because of alternative means of research that don't include the maiming of primates. Some chimps never recover from the abuse suffered by research.

Unfortunately, Wake Forest Baptist Hospital has not been one of the innovators in the forefront of those that have phased out their primate centers. Perhaps now that there will be a ban on using chimpanzees in medical research, Wake Forest Baptist Hospital can no longer justify invasive medical research. Maybe now it will be forced to close its primate center — something that should have been done long ago.

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POLLY McCLENDON

Winston-Salem

Sum It Up

The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Has Gov. Bev Perdue been effective in creating jobs?

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Given the obstinate/obstructionist nature of today's N.C. General Assembly, including some of the unconscionable legislation sent to Gov. Perdue, I am amazed at her positive spirit and energy in terms of job recruitment.

Just think where our state would be if there were cooperation between our governor and General Assembly. Just think of the difference there would be if the Republican majority of representatives and senators actually cared about the welfare of those who elected them.

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ANNE GRIFFIS WILSON

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No politician can create jobs, despite what they promise. All they can create is a more favorable and positive economic environment so that the 90 percent of the people who do have jobs are willing to buy more goods and services, because the makers and sellers of goods and services are the only organizations that can create jobs.

We can't borrow our way out of a recession, we have to buy our way out.

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HERBERT OSMON

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I don't remember any other governor sending out emails, or any other type of communication, to the public reporting about their activities. She has been successful in many of her efforts to bring more jobs to our state.

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CATHERINE W. PITTS