Last week, a van rolled down the Ward Street sidewalk, coming to rest against the Touchstones building, knocking a sculpture off the pedestal in the left of the photo.

Last week, a van rolled down the Ward Street sidewalk, coming to rest against the Touchstones building, knocking a sculpture off the pedestal in the left of the photo.

LETTER: An open letter to Nelson police chief Paul Burkart

From reader Claus Schunke

On Friday, July 27, due to a brake problem or just inattentive parking on a slope, a runaway VW Bus on Ward Street ended up on the sidewalk against Touchstones. Fortunately — this time — without hurting anyone.

Touchstones can’t be happy about it! But it would have been worse in the middle of Ward or — worse yet — in the Ward-Vernon intersection.

Considering our hilly topography and frequently self-serving Nelson driving habits, three points merit urgent consideration:

1. Emphasize curbing of wheels when parking on a slope in drivers’ training, by proactively connecting with area driving-schools.

2. Run a public curb-your-wheels campaign, what with most of Nelson being steep and a similar case in Fairview a few years ago.

3. Establish an appropriate rule, strictly enforced/ticketed by meter-maids.

If any of this has been done in the past, it clearly isn’t working. As a pedestrian-by-inclination I have to be consistently concerned when crossing a steep street in front of a car with wheels parallel to the curb.

In Nelson curbed wheels are an exception!

Why?

Claus Lao Schunke

Nelson

Nelson Star