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LETTERS PARENTS SHOULD TALK WITH TEEN DRIVERS.


Like most residents of the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. , I have been watching the ongoing stories in the Daily News following the deadly collision on Soledad Road on Feb. 17.

I, however, have more than a passing interest in the story, for several reasons.

Most important is that my wife and I live on Abelia a·be·li·a  
n.
Any of various deciduous or evergreen ornamental shrubs of the genus Abelia, native to Asia and Mexico and having opposite simple leaves and small white, pink, or purple flowers.
 Road in Canyon Country, and my wife uses Soledad Canyon Soledad Canyon is a long narrow canyon / valley located in Los Angeles County, California between the cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Soledad Canyon contains the localities of Vincent, Acton, Ravenna, and Agua Dulce.  Road to return home from work on the days she works. On any given night, at approximately the same time, it could have been her in the exact same location, at the exact same time as the unfortunate Rocky Adams.

To also learn that Marcus Christian Lellan was ticketed previously for speeding at the same location (or nearby) shows that he certainly has no regard for himself, his friends, other drivers or the laws of the state of California.

Our street has become a main thoroughfare THOROUGHFARE. A street or way so open that one can go through and get out of it without returning. It differs from a cul de sac, (q.v.) which is open only at one end.
     2. Whether a street which is not a thoroughfare is a highway, seems not fully settled.
 for young drivers going in and our of our tract. Since we have lived here for 17 years, apparently most of these young drivers have grown up while we have lived here. I recognize many of them from young children, to now being young adults. I have also noticed that most of them have absolutely no regard for the posted 25 mph speed limit on Abelia Road. In the recent past, I found it necessary to contact the Sheriff's Department due to the continuing danger on our street from these speeders, including motorcycles racing up and down without license plates and with riders wearing no helmets and doing ``wheelies.'' The Sheriff's Department responded and ticketed a number of speeders, including a friend of mine.

From time to time when some of these young drivers have stopped close to my home, I have spoken to them and asked them to respect the speed limit and consider the safety of the residents. The responses I have received have been consistently belligerent, profane PROFANE. That which has not been consecrated. By a profane place is understood one which is neither sacred, nor sanctified, nor religious. Dig. 11, 7, 2, 4. Vide Things.  and irresponsible ir·re·spon·si·ble  
adj.
1. Marked by a lack of responsibility: irresponsible accusations.

2. Lacking a sense of responsibility; unreliable or untrustworthy.

3.
. To me, this indicates a lack of parental guidance, although parents cannot control what their children do outside of their sight.

Last Sunday, while it was again raining lightly, I was working on my computer in front of my window and repeatedly saw young drivers going up and down the street at approximately 40 to 50 mph in the rain, just days after four lives were lost needlessly need·less  
adj.
Not needed or wished for; unnecessary.



needless·ly adv.

need
.

I have an interesting hobby on Saturdays - I teach traffic school, so obviously I see trouble if these young drivers continue to drive recklessly reck·less  
adj.
1.
a. Heedless or careless.

b. Headstrong; rash.

2. Indifferent to or disregardful of consequences: a reckless driver.
 without further parental guidance. Most all of the students I get in my classes state that they are ``gun-shy'' for a while after they receive their tickets, and really watch their driving so the aren't caught again. This apparently was not the case with Mr. Lellan.

I am not ``parent bashing bash  
v. bashed, bash·ing, bash·es

v.tr.
1. To strike with a heavy, crushing blow: The thug bashed the hood of the car with a sledgehammer.

2.
,'' but I did notice on the one occasion that I taught a juvenile traffic school class, that the kids could not care less regarding being caught again, the financial responsibilities of increased insurance premiums or their own responsibilities as drivers. Their attitude toward law enforcement was nothing less than contempt. I have not taught another juvenile class.

I am writing to ask the parents of all young drivers to take a few minutes with their children and re-educate re·ed·u·cate also re-ed·u·cate  
tr.v. re·ed·u·cat·ed, re·ed·u·cat·ing, re·ed·u·cates
1. To instruct again, especially in order to change someone's behavior or beliefs.

2.
 them to their responsibilities, and the dangers of driving while stupid. Note the law in effect since 1998 states that newly licensed teens may not transport other teens in their car for six months. This was for a good reason, even though Mr. Lellan is legally an adult.

- Dennis D. Hawthorne

Canyon Country

Learn lesson to love and tolerate others

February 17, 2000 will live in the minds of hundreds forever. That night Timothy and Daniel Renolds were the victims of a horrifying car accident that left a whole city upset. Tim and Dan left great memories of their personalities and outlook on life, but there should be no such memory, not yet. The lives that were lost were not just their lives, but their parents' and families' as well. And in knowing both boys, I too feel as if a part of me has died within.

Both Tim's and Dan's untimely and abrupt passing left many questions unanswered. Some who feel the pain of losing are saddened, especially because they they were not able to say ``good-bye'' or to fix a problem that went unresolved Not completed; not finished; not linked together. See resolve. .

Tim and Danny's passing is a reminder to always love and tolerate your fellow man. A reminder to seize the day and let your loved ones loved ones nplseres mpl queridos

loved ones nplproches mpl et amis chers

loved ones love npl
 know just how much they mean to you. And a reminder to put trust and guidance back into God, for he is the only one who can assure us that their deaths were not in vain vain  
adj. vain·er, vain·est
1. Not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless: a vain attempt.

2. Lacking substance or worth: vain talk.

3.
, and their loss and sacrifice will not be forgotten.

The loss of life and flood of emotions we are feeling today is the passing of two great boys who should not have died. The loss of their lives is, in every sense of the word, a tragedy. And the only assurance we have today is that heaven is a greater place than earth and that hopefully they are looking down on us today and feel our pain for their loss of life. Rest In Peace.

- Matt Onstad

Canyon Country
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Article Details
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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Article Type:Letter to the Editor
Date:Feb 27, 2000
Words:880
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