THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 7, 1996 TAG: 9601060124
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
An assortment of comments and observations from the Peanut Gallery:
For me, few routine chores stir apprehension like having to mail a package at the Main Street post office or shop at Food Lion on Holland Road.
Both are obstacle courses, both needlessly.
First, the post office:
In exasperation, I suggested to a city official the other day that it should be bombed - provided it could be done safely, of course.
Without going to such extremes, something must be done to ease an intolerable situation.
The building clearly wasn't designed with growth in mind, either in terms of Main Street traffic, customers or mail deliveries. It's hemmed in by roads, and even nearby parking is at a premium.
A major part of the problem falls directly on the shoulders of customers. Everyone, it seems, is determined to park in the Main Street lot. That means many drivers stop as soon as they enter the lot and wait for other customers to leave, causing both right-turning and left-turning traffic to back up one of the city's busiest routes.
The wonder is that more accidents don't happen as left-turning customers - either into the post office or off the adjoining side street - lose patience and move into the way of Main Street through traffic.
Not only does getting to the post office try one's patience, then, it also can be dangerous.
It may be that everything possible to address the shortcomings of the existing location has been done. The encouraging thing is that postal and city officials are very much aware of the matter and are conferring to ``ponder the options,'' as Postmaster W.J. ``Bill'' Matthews put it.
Two possibilities come immediately to mind: (1) buying land behind the post office, closing part of a road and leveling substandard housing to provide parking for postal vehicles and employees, thus freeing more area for customers; or (2) erecting a new post office.
A site that comes quickly to mind is the city-owned lot at Constance Road and Main Street, across from the courthouse and school system. When the new courts building downtown is complete and the school system gets into other quarters, the parking there will no longer be so essential.
The area - once targeted for commercial development and a waterfront park in the back - is big enough for both a post office and the park.
In the meantime, Suffolk residents should let their city councilmen and the postmaster know how important it is that this matter is addressed, and we can go on to the side lot rather than insisting on parking in the front.
Now, on to Food Lion:
Some months back, when I wrote of the challenges of shopping in a then-unnamed grocery store, a number of readers commented that they knew exactly which store I was writing about, and that they also found the over abundant displays irritating.
They'd complained, they said, only to be told that decisions on such matters were made at headquarters. I'd had the same response, and I got it as late as last week.
It makes no sense. Does management believe that, by persisting, we'll become convinced that we actually like these disruptive displays in practically every aisle - aisles that, to begin with, will hardly accommodate two grocery carts going opposite directions? Nah!
If enough people complain loudly enough, I'm convinced, Food Lion will clear the aisles so we can spend our money more easily. Give 'em a toll-free call and say so: 1-800-210-9569.
Management will understand that shoppers in Suffolk do have other choices. MEMO: Comment? Write to the editor, or call 934-7553.
by CNB