THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702070277
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letters
LENGTH: 75 lines
The fifth annual Peter L. Teeuwen Memorial Bicycle Ride, which was sponsored by the Tidewater Bicycle Association, was held Jan. 12 at the Grassfield Ruritan Club on Shillelagh Road. Despite the cold, approximately 100 colorfully clothed cyclists pedaled through scenic country roads for 23 miles with a Chesapeake police escort.
This was the first year of this event cyclists could see the ``Share the Road (with bicycles)'' signs along Chesapeake's roadways.
Most motorists are already cautious and courteous when passing bicycle riders. Hopefully, the ``Share the Road'' signs will remind the others that bicycles also belong on the roadways moving along with the flow of traffic. With these signs in place, we also hope to encourage more folks to pedal when traveling short distances, such as visiting friends two blocks away, going to the store around the corner to pick up one or two items or going to baseball practice. This would help with traffic and pollution problems locally. If everyone did this, it would help a lot, and not only is it healthy, it is cheaper.
Perhaps, in the near future, our roadways will be planned with the right-hand lane wider or with Class II bicycles lanes, which have been proven to be the safest type of bicycle lane, so that cyclists can travel with ease. Until then, thank you for being a bicycle-friendly motorists. And thank you, Chesapeake!
Christina Teeuwen
Shillelagh Road No `Homecoming' I am writing this letter now in the hope of remedying the lack of acknowledgment of alumni at Oscar F. Smith High School in the years to come.
Throughout my high school years at Oscar Smith, I looked forward to our annual Homecoming festivities as a uniting of the past, present and future. Even as a student I looked forward to the time when I would be an alumni and could still be a part of my school's traditions.
I thought I would have a part in that as I attended the Homecoming game at Oscar Smith on Oct. 11, 1996, 20 years after I graduated. I looked forward to sitting in a special section and having my class recognized as I had seen many times as a student.
Much to my chagrin, it did not happen. There was no special section. No recognition. Not even an announcement over the public address system to make reference to my class.
It is sad that the past is forgotten and those who were a part of Oscar Smith's history don't even matter anymore. Exactly what does the word ``Homecoming'' mean anyway?
If Chesapeake Public Schools want to ``broaden community involvement,'' as stated in one of the superintendent's seven goals, they need to make the effort.
Donna Seymour Curling
Sunderland Court Try satellite, not cable
I have been a resident in this area for more than 20 years and subscribed to Cox Cable for more than 10 of those years.
I have watched the rates rise with no relief. I moved to Chesapeake in 1995 and subscribed to TCI cable for a year before moving back to Virginia Beach this month. TCI's rates were slightly lower and service as impeccable as Cox's.
However, TCI was taken over by Cox, and I'm sure the rates will reflect that change. When I chose to move back to the Beach, I also chose not to give up our hard earned money to a cable conglomerate. Not that we sold our TVs. With four kids it would be difficult to give up television completely. But reception is nearly impossible without some sort of receiver so I looked into digital satellite systems.
I ended up going through a local company and now I pay less money for more channels, including five HBO channels, for a system that I own instead of the cable company owning my money. In a couple of years when my system is paid off, I'll be paying $16 a year with no rate increase in between or thereafter. Atkina K. Cherrison