How not to lose our right turns on red

Woody Allen — back when it was possible to stomach Woody Allen — had a funny line in his movie “Annie Hall.”

Allen, playing the character Alvy Singer essentially as himself, a neurotic New Yorker, says of Los Angeles: “I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light.”

In Manhattan, see, motorists can't do that. Even after coming to a full — as opposed to a California — stop at a traffic signal, positioned correctly in the far-right lane, no traffic coming from the left, no pesky bicyclists pedaling around or pedestrians in the crosswalk, even at 4 in the morning, no, you cannot legally turn right until the light turns green.

Here, Angeleno drivers act as if the right to go right on red were handed down in ancient times by a benevolent God on a stone tablet.

We believe that right should be maintained. When the right turn is done right, it's safe, it's efficient, it saves gas and cuts down on emissions. And, yes, it's part of our car culture.

But Southern California drivers need to be prepared for some headwinds on a vehicular law that had once seemed sacrosanct.

In the midst of what can only be called an epidemic of deaths after walkers have been hit by motor vehicles, and with heavy lobbying from pedestrian-rights groups, cities including San Francisco are considering a ban on the practice. West Hollywood may soon ban right turns on red at large intersections.

Here's why: “Fueled by faster drivers, bigger vehicles and less police enforcement of traffic laws, pedestrian deaths nationwide rose 77 percent to 7,624 deaths from 2010 to 2021. In California alone, 1,100 pedestrians died in crashes last year,” as The New York Times reported last week.

Like it or not — and we don't — that's why there is a push for more speed cameras on city streets to robotically write tickets. The death-by-car of a 4-year-old in a stroller in August in San Francisco has led to outrage in that city.

Here's how Angelenos can push back against the legal tide: Drive safely. Within speed limits. Always — always! — come to a complete stop at a red light and before turning look every which way for walkers, cyclists, other vehicles. Otherwise, we only have ourselves to blame for any coming loss of part of our car culture.

Trump's border wall

Re “Biden says Trump-era funds for border wall couldn't be stopped” (Oct. 6):

His defense of his self-serving excuses and denial of his responsibility to adequately protect our borders is anathema to our public sensibilities. His lame blame on the laws that require him to advance the construction of the wall leaves me dumbfounded. He has hoisted himself on his own petard and his poll numbers will again ebb. I would imagine his advisors felt “moving forward” would appease the pro-wall proponents, thereby ending the redistribution of the illegal immigrant horde to the Democratic stronghold states and garner support.

I thought Kamala Harris was in charge of the southern border fiasco. Where is she on critical border issues? Another orchestrated photo op should be forthcoming.

Neither are competent to run for reelection.

Taxpayer Protection Act

Re “How much do progressives hate taxpayers, Prop. 13?” (Oct. 4):

So the disgusted voters of California signed and qualified the TPA for the 2024 ballot and Sacramento apparently couldn't change the explanation in the Voter's Guide enough to convince voters to say no, so they filed suit to remove it from the ballot. Not only have they filed suit, but they have presented it to the 11th Appellate Court instead of starting with the regular court system. This move on the part of their avarice for more and more tax dollars is circumventing the normal process because they feel this will remove it from voters' vision and give the voters an opportunity to fight for their rights and their pocketbooks. They know that the 11th Appellate Court makes many far-left decisions and hope this will be one of them.

Politics in the U.S.

Re “Revolt in the House” (Oct. 8):

I believe Susan Shelley has a better understanding of politics in America than most people in her field. She wrote an excellent analysis article. Speaker McCarthy's career was torpedoed by Nancy Pelosi. The Democratic political machine used this tactic to continue chaos in the Republican Party. During a time of unprecedented tragedy, Matt Gaetz is complicit in the action that created a dysfunctional government. In politics, there are many dirty little secrets that remain unspoken.