Dan's Papers - October 19, 2007 -

Dear Dan:
Columbia University President Lee Bollinger gets a well deserved an "A" plus for political hypocrisy. If Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is worthy of free speech, why are both ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) and Minuteman Founder Jim Gilchrist prevented from speaking at Columbia University? This is disappointing to those who cherish freedom of speech and intellectual discourse on issues of the day no matter how controversial.
Those on the political left, who practice political correctness to the extreme, are no different from their counterparts - the moral majority thought police on the extreme political right. Both groups promote censorship and intolerance to those who may have divergent viewpoints, which differ from their own narrow minded ideological views. Both sides need a refresher course on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, including the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech.
How fortunate we are to be living in one of the few free societies left on Earth where freedom of speech is usually cherished not trampled on.

Seemed to me to be a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. - DR

Dear Dan,
With regard to The Sheltered Islander's "humorous" suggestion that a great Fall sport would be running down cyclists, to wit: "it would just feel sooooo good! Let me hit the gas and launch this lycra wearin', water bottle in the back of his shirt carryin', thousand dollar bike ridin' in the middle of the road fool, up over a hedge ("The Sheltered Islander: Labor Day," Issue #24, September 7, 2007).
Sally, your humor here is as odious as your premise is ignorant. On the humor scale, your little diatribe lies somewhere between the hilarious 'elderly drivers should be euthanized for making slow left turns' and the sidesplitting 'let's firebomb the neighbor's Mac Mansion that spoils our view.' In the spirit of a good laugh, perhaps we should also be celebrating 'Tumbleweed Tuesday' as a great day - after such a repressive summer - to start driving drunk again, and how we can all look forward to the back-to-school season spike in Internet child pornography.
As an avid recreational cyclist, I have, in just the last three years, had hot coffee, numerous cigarette butts, a Big Gulp, a beer bottle, and even a full can of beer thrown at me. I have been ridden off the road on at least two occasions - including once on the Ram Island causeway - by drivers who, while capable of checking their email and eating lunch while driving, find the simple task of passing a bicyclist so intellectually and physically challenging that it inspires road rage, typically accompanied by an expletive and the inexplicable utterance, "You don't pay taxes to use this road."
Quite often, the upshot of an encounter along the lines of your "humorous" scenario is the death of the cyclist. A quick perusal of any Internet news source would reveal to you how frighteningly often this happens. The "problem" with bikes and cars sharing roads is almost universally the problem of drivers unwilling or unable to control their vehicles or their tempers, not the other way around. Check your New York State Driver's Manual if you don't believe me.
And then ask yourself, when was the last time you were actually delayed in your car by bikes? Sunrise Highway lunchtime Saturday? Must be the bikes! What a line for the ferry! Damn bikes!
Get a grip. And learn how to share the road safely. An average bike rider rides around 15 mph, or 22 feet per second. To pass a bicyclist, you do not need to drive all the way into the opposing lane of traffic. Please slow down to a speed not more than 15 or 20 mph faster than the bicycle. You can then pass safely three feet to the left of the cyclist. On all but the narrowest roads on Shelter Island, you will still be well within the double-yellow line. At 35 mph (the posted speed limit on most Island roads), you will be traveling 29.3 feet per second faster than the cyclist, and it will take you a whopping two seconds to complete this maneuver. Please do not pass - at 50 or 60 mph (while blowing your horn and shouting), especially in high, bluff-sided vehicles like SUVs or 'king cabs,' as the draft created at this speed will draw the cyclist into your vehicle.
For the record, a "thousand dollar bike" would be considered rather cheap.

As well it should, here in the Hamptons. - DR

Dear Dan,
My name is Kia Eshghi. I'm an artist and living in Long Island over forty years I love your magazine and read it all the time. The reason I'm writing to you is about the "Big Duck" article you wrote in the September 25th issue. I just want to let you know that your information about the history of "The Big Duck" is not correct.
Around 1980 my wife and I purchased "The Big Duck" including the twelve acres of land from a family named "Colombo." We love the "Big Duck" and we had a plan to turn the old buildings to the studio workshop for the New York artists to work. Unfortunately that idea did not work. We kept the "Big Duck" until 1988. There was no danger for any developer to destroy it as you reported. In 1988 we donated the "Big Duck" to the people of Suffolk County and we were very happy about that.
Please try to correct your information. I am sure you did not know these facts when you wrote your article. Attached you will see a copy of the agreement dated January 22, 1988. It would be my pleasure to meet with you or talk to you on the phone if you need any more information about "The Big Duck."
After all these years, now they want to move it to the original location, which would be done on Saturday, October 6 at 1 p.m., I wish you the best of life and hoping one day in the future to meet with you in person. I will show you my work.