w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , Se pt em be r 1 0, 2 01 0 6 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends The Oakville Beaver Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. OPINION & LETTERS Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakville- beaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Its probably safe to assume that many motorists dont like having to ease their vehicles around cyclists while traversing the roads of Halton. Cyclists, as well, are probably not too enamored with the fact that autos will zip past at unneces- sarily fast rates of speed coming just a little too close for comfort. Motorists travelling the backroads of the Region often have their patience tested when they come across a group of cyclists riding several abreast, blocking the drivers lane. Bike riders are rightly annoyed when a driver makes a turn in front of them when the cyclist has the right of way. The fact is, both drivers and cyclists have a right to use Halton roadways. However, the fact there have been six serious injury accidents involving vehicles and cyclists in Halton this year has prompted Halton Police to issue a reminder to both drivers and cyclists to obey the rules of the road. Police say speed, not sharing the roadway, not wearing a helmet and failing to obey the rules of the road were contributing factors in the six acci- dents one of which claimed the life of a Burlington cyclist in April. There are some simple steps cyclists can take to ensure a safe ride. Wear a helmet and bright clothing When riding in a group, ride in single file and close to the edge of the road as possible Ride in the same direction as traffic Be vigilant just because you see a vehicle doesnt mean the drivers sees you Drivers should remember that under the Highway Traffic Act, a bicycle is considered a vehi- cle. As such, cyclists have the same privileges that come along with that but also the same obligation to abide by the rules of the road. Drivers should: Always signal your intention to turn (this goes for cyclists too) Be patient and pass a cyclist only when it is safe to do so, keeping clear of the cyclist by at least three feet Mutual respect is the key to ensuring more tragedies dont occur on Haltons roads. The Oakville Beaver is a division of NEIL OLIVER Vice President and Group Publisher of Metroland West DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The coun- cil is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981.Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Letter to the editorShare the roads Editors Note: This letter was filed with the Oakville Beaver yesterday To My Many Supporters: It is with regrets and sorrow that I inform you that I have to withdraw from the 2010 Election due to illness, (I lost my voice May 22 and am still without it). One cant perform properly without a voice, especially at meet- ings. I have been the quiet type for years, but when needed, I let my opinion be known. It has been my pleasure and honour to serve the citizens of the community in two different capac- ities for 55 years, one, with the police service and the other, on Council. I have served on Council for 23- plus years, serving during that time with a variety of individuals and issues. All in all, it has been an inter- esting, rewarding and a learning experience. I thank those citizens and staff who assisted me over the years and there were many. I also appreciate the help I received from the many ratepayers associations. In my opinion, they are needed and serve the residents well. In closing, I would hope you see fit to vote for the following, Councillor Duddeck, regional and local councillor, as she is, in my opinion, very dedicated, compe- tent and concerned about the Ward the Town and the region I know as I have served with her for seven years. I am still interested in the town and the citizens and will keep an eye on things. Wishing everyone good health and all the best in the coming years. FRED OLIVER, OAKVILLE THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: ATHENAAward THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIALMEDIASPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Canadian CirculationAudit Board Member Canadian CommunityNewspapers AssociationOntario CommunityNewspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America I am an Oakville resident and I am strongly opposed to the power plant that is proposed for Oakville. I am positive that the work of Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn on this issue will pay off for us in the end. If you think about it, MPP Flynn has gone above and beyond what any other politician would do for their con- stituents. Flynn went against his own party, which is a very dangerous political, and career, move and one which I really respect. I am confident the power plant will not come to my town, but I would not be as confident if Flynn wasnt on our side fighting for us at Queens Park. ROBERTO WALCOTT, OAKVILLE Flynn is fighting for Oakville residents Pud BY STEVE NEASE neasecartoons@gmail.com Fred Oliver withdraws