I am one of those "nice drivers." I live in South Kona, and my "nice" driving practices make me and others happy, until I get to the Kuakini/Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway intersection; then I get back to "Mainland jerk style."

Mainland-style driving is like a full-contact sport. If you give enough room between you and the car ahead for a safe stop, surely someone will pass you and squeeze into that spot. I've often thought that the simple gesture of letting a left-turner (or slow right-merger) into a stream of traffic was the kind of gesture that we show pedestrians. Pedestrians can't walk fast enough to get across traffic, so we stop to let them go. On a busy two-lane road, if there is a stream of traffic five miles long, how else do you expect that left-turner to get in?

I consider it kinda traffic karma — do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I appreciate being let in. I'm afraid that too many people moving here are coming to enjoy a quality of life that is more humane and gentle, only to find that they bring their impatience and disconnection from fellow man with them. Kona is becoming rude and impatient. So sad.

I recommend that people who are in a terrible hurry pull over, take a deep, fragrant breath, look to the ocean and pace yourself to the rhythm of the surf, smile at the nearest living being, utter some prayer, then get back in your car.

Or failing that, move back to San Jose.

You can't argue with a courteous slowpoke

Isn't it common knowledge that the right lane is for slower drivers and the left for passing?

I understand that during rush-hour traffic, driving in the left lane is unavoidable, but what about on roadways where there is plenty of room in the right lane and most drivers still choose to "sit" in the left lane? Everyone talks about "driving aloha" and being courteous to other drivers, but why is it that slower drivers can't be courteous to those who drive faster and move out of the left lane? Why does a slower driver feel he is entitled to regulate my choice to drive faster?

Playing traffic cop on the road is only going to negatively affect your commute as well as everyone else's. Not to mention the strong possibility you could encounter a driver with a case of road rage who could endanger your life as well as the lives of your passengers. Even I, an admitted "faster driver," have been cursed and tailgated by volatile drivers.

So what is the solution? If you're "sitting" in the left lane, move over to the right; not even the fastest driver can argue with a courteous "slower driver."

Driving with aloha is not a bad habit

Courteous driving a bad habit? I have been spreading the word for years: Hawai'i has the most courteous drivers in the U.S.A.! Readjusting to Mainland aggressive driving habits takes time, even after a short visit to O'ahu.

Honolulu's traffic is a pain, but drivers exercising the aloha spirit relieve the daily stress. This stress inhibitor probably accounts, in part, for the general good health of Hawai'i's population. Think about it.

Neil Abercrombie need only look in the mirror for who to hold responsible for the events leading up to the tragic events of 9/11. The hard-working men and women of the CIA, FBI and other agencies charged with protecting the United States from its enemies can only do so based on U.S. law passed by Congress and signed by the president.

The simple fact is that the United States was not prepared because our national leadership, of which Mr. Abercrombie is a member, didn't believe it could happen here.

A more important question that needs to be asked is what Abercrombie, as a member of Congress, is doing to prevent our enemies from being able to do this again? Looking for a scapegoat to assign blame is only deflecting resources away from solving the problem and allowing terrorists to get stronger and identify our vulnerabilities.

Felix decree may have curbed crime

Interesting how the crime rate for juveniles has gone down since 1998. Isn't that when the court-approved Felix consent decree of 1994 was in the depths of complying to the plan of improving Hawai'i's education program?

I, too, applaud those agencies and community groups in helping reduce juvenile crime. However, I give a standing ovation to all teachers (especially special-education and secondary-language departments) for putting in unpaid overtime, tackling the nightmarish paperwork and navigating through the red tape in order to make this change.

In their determination to help these students in becoming successful learners, they have fostered them to feel worthy, and thus positive, contributors to society. Mahalos!

Cataluna's column on development nailed it

Just wanted to say mahalo nui to Lee Cataluna for yet another wonderful column — "Dreams too big for island," July 16, about UH enrollment being up but dorm availability down.

She hit the nail on the head with this one, and hopefully the people who are entrusted with development in our Islands will keep in mind that we cannot continue to try to mirror what the people in the continental United States are doing with their development plans. It has never been, and will never be, a factor in our living in the Hawaiian Islands.

It's inconceivable that Dobelle unavailable

Sometimes a couple of simple questions will reveal some basic truth.

Evan Dobelle, president of the massive enterprise University of Hawai'i, could not be contacted by the Board of Regents, his superiors, for days before and after the meeting at which he was fired. He was completely out of touch.

What person in such a position would be completely unavailable for days?

If Hamilton Library had been destroyed, the president could not be contacted?

Now, however, having been dismissed, Mr. Dobelle is actually more than contactable, especially by the media. They call; he is available, night and day.

Does that tell you something?

People have right to decide on gay marriage

In the state of Hawai'i, the public has already seen judges attempt to rewrite the definition of marriage, a move that was soundly rejected by the people by voting in favor of an amendment to our state Constitution. Now on a federal level, the same question is before the people — or is it? Our local newspapers and legislators — Sens. Inouye and Akaka, Reps. Abercrombie and Case — refuse to let the people decide what the definition of marriage is.

If anyone has the right to define marriage, it is the people of the United States, not one unelected judge. To represent the people, your legislators in Congress must vote in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA). That would require that the citizens of three out of four states support the FMA before the Constitution is actually amended.

The only proposed amendment I can remember was passed in Congress and then was rejected by the people in their respective states; marriage deserves this type of test.

This is the only way to find out how the people define marriage, rather than leaving the definition of an institution that predates written history up to one judge's swing vote.

Garden column great

I recently attended an awards function sponsored by Scenic Hawai'i at which Heidi Bornhorst served as the mistress of ceremonies. It reminded me that I'd long wanted to express my appreciation for her wonderful column, Hawai'i Gardens. I admire her incredible knowledge of the local flora, and her practical tips have been put to good use many times. Thank you very much for providing the space for her to share her considerable and valuable information.

Tinman Triathlon must be revamped for athlete safety

It is unfortunate that this year's Tinman Triathlon will be remembered by some as one marred by controversy — controversy caused by harsh and unnecessary calls by overzealous officials.

If the people who adjudicate this event feel it is necessary to disqualify an athlete for failing to hand in a piece of paper at the end of the swim leg (after having witnessed him leading the entire length of the swim course, not to mention the bike and run), then they should take a good, hard look, preferably through the eyes of qualified USA Triathlon marshals and referees, at the blatant, illegal and dangerous tactics that occur every year during the bike section of this particular race.

In past years that I have participated in this race, I have witnessed multiple bike crashes that were caused by inexperienced riders either blocking other competitors or trying to pass other riders in impossible situations. These are violations of rules laid down by various governing bodies of the sport, including USAT, but not enforced by the Tinman officials, and the crashes that occurred could have resulted in serious injuries.

The Tinman Triathlon is not sanctioned by USAT, and as such gets away with not enforcing these rules and regulations, which are there primarily for the athletes' safety and fairness to the competitors.

The Tinman has been called the "People's Triathlon," and as such allows many to experience this wonderful and fast-growing sport for the first time. However, like the sport itself, there should be more control and enforcement of safety issues during the Tinman event and a better pre-race briefing, especially for novice athletes. During the briefing, items such as safety issues and regulations can be explained, as well as clarifying other issues such as no body marking of race numbers, lack of accurate computer chip timing and the need to hand over a piece of paper when you exit the water after a half-mile swim.

If you are to have an "elite" division in future Tinman races, then there should be a professional attitude displayed by the officials running the event. This, in the opinion of many of the state's top triathletes, is not happening, and as a result they refuse to participate in the Tinman Triathlon.

It would be as much a pity to see this race continue in its present form as it would be to see it disappear from our race calendar.

Why Akaka bill is being fought

Reservation Report, a monthly national media letter regarding American Indian policies, has weighed in on the Akaka bill.

While Reservation Report is admittedly biased against the growing political power of Indian tribes, its clear and simple analysis of the Akaka bill should give pause to Hawai'i residents who don't understand the full impact of the proposed bill. The following appeared in its July 2004 issue:

"POTENTIAL BREAKUP OF HAWAI'I AS A STATE SOUGHT: ... A sharply divided, intensely partisan U.S. Senate has been threatening to jeopardize Hawaiian statehood by granting citizens of Native Hawaiian descent separate tribal status and special tax-funded privileges independent of all others in Hawai'i's population.

"Hawai'i would thus become 'a house divided' under terms of what is presently identified as Senate Bill 746, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, and supported by fellow Sen. Daniel Inouye and that state's (Republican) governor, Linda Lingle.

"Akaka's bill was offered as a 'rider' to a Bush administration measure to reform class-action lawsuits, but a band of Senate Republican conservatives opposed the Akaka proposal as a non-germane amendment to the litigation reform legislation. The class-action lawsuit measure itself was derailed in an early July vote but may reappear as a 'rider' for special consideration later.

"Akaka and Inouye ... are also principal sponsors of a long-contested plan (S. 578) to grant the more than 560 Native American Indian tribes a reservation status that would be equivalent to statehood.

"That proposal enjoys the ardent support of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., whose prospects for re-election this year largely depend on vote help from South Dakota's large Sioux reservation Indian population.

"Both the Hawaiian and Indian separation measures have been opposed and stalled by Republican leaders in the Senate, most especially by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and his colleagues, Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho.

"Activist support for the Akaka bill (comes) from militant Hawaiian descendants who contend they wish to run their own affairs and enjoy greater benefits from the state and federal treasuries through a divorce from all other Americans in the state. This is an attempt to nullify the multicultural melting pot concept, fundamental to the American Constitution and essential to the democratic governance of the U.S. republic.

"Specifically, Akaka's plan is to create a Native Hawaiian governing council, providing for a direct legal relationship between the federal government and the described native governing body.

"It would authorize the federal government and the Hawaiian governing entity to engage in negotiations for the transfer of lands, which are presently considered to be part of the state of Hawai'i, to full administrative control by the Native Hawaiian council. Akaka also provides in his legislation for the native governing council to take full control of all natural resources as well as civil and criminal jurisdiction over all lands finally approved for exclusive native administration, independent of the state government.

"In another day and age, some might have called Akaka's plan 'secession.' If ever it wins enactment, it would forever change the character of the American nation."

Reservation Report is published by New Century Communications, P.O. Box 277, Reedville, VA 22539.