Collisions with animals
have numerous costs
I am always impressed by the responsiveness of our local government and media and am appreciative for that. Having this level of support and engagement makes 91直播 County an amazing place to live and work.
I tried searching the Tribune-Herald for this information (loyal subscriber) but was unsuccessful. I’m curious if the economic impact of vehicles from pig/goat/sheep impacts has ever been studied or calculated, and if at a certain point it moves up on a to-do list.
While driving to Hilo (recently) from Keaau, I swerved (safely) to avoid a pig that had recently been hit in the Panaewa forest. This one was recent, as the pig was mostly intact (and not a long streak of blood and internal parts after multiple hits). In retrospect, I should have done more about it, such as call the police nonemergency number.
This brought back memories of me hitting a goat up on Saddle Road a couple years ago. In this instance, the front body panel got separated from the car, the wheel well-liner was torn out, and the fog light was gone. Repairing the damage myself took multiple hours to obtain the parts, and performing the replacement cost about $300.
The event itself was slightly traumatic. It also put a damper on what was otherwise a fun day trip to the west side.
Knowing this type of accident is common and affects many residents and visitors, it makes me wonder about the “freakonomics” of all this. Aside from varying degrees of vehicle damage, there is lost time and productivity to fix the vehicle, and more if it is not safely drivable, and possibly a psychological impact as well. Also, there is the cost of local response if police and road crews are needed.
While I don’t know what the “big” solution to this would be, this seems like something that should be solvable. The new ban on feeding feral animals may or may not help this situation, but it would be nice if it did.
I am also curious if there is anything else being worked on. And if there are things residents and visitors can do to prevent these accidents. Driving slower and being more alert seems obvious, but it is also common for these animals to unpredictably dart into the road.
Obviously, there is no simple solution to this or it would be done. Many of us work in problem-solving roles, and I was having a “things that make you go hmmm … ” moment. Thank you for all your hard work for the community and keeping the community informed.
Chad Shibuya
Keaau
Keiki’s question during encounter is perplexing
A short while ago, I was swimming in our community pool.
As I climbed out, a young lady, perhaps 6 years old, said, “You have blue eyes. That means you’re smart.”
I was stunned and couldn’t think of what to say. I did try to tell her that she had brown eyes, and she was smart, too. That eye color doesn’t mean smart or dumb.
The encounter has remained in my mind. Why would she believe such a thing? Parents? Pop culture? School? A subtle, pervasive racism that engulfs us all?
Any suggestions on how I could have responded?
Deeply troubling to encounter her belief.
Peter Easterling
Pahoa
