LETTERS: Planned roundabouts bring back old debates

Don’t blame future roundabouts for Pahrump’s bad drivers

Friday’s PVT included an article RE: NDOT announces 2016 Road Projects which includes two “roundabouts” in Pahrump. I can see the letters to the editor now: Roundabouts are a lousy way to control traffic, seniors will have a terrible time learning to negotiate roundabouts, etc.

Unfortunately, Pahrump has some of the worst drivers I’ve encountered all over the world.

Too many Pahrump drivers don’t know the rules of the road, don’t stop at stop signs or stop lights, don’t stop at 4-way stops, don’t stop using cell phones while they drive, don’t use turn signals, etc.

But many of these same drivers will complain about other drivers while continuing their terrible driving habits.

In August 2014, my wife was T-boned at Highway 160 and Mesquite by a woman who ran the stop sign, destroyed our car and resulted in my wife being flown to Vegas in the Flight for Life helicopter. This woman caused my wife continuing pain and us endless expenses without penalty. This woman had no insurance, no license and no registration. To our knowledge, she has not been charged with anything.

She is not a unique Pahrump driver.

So to those who are, or are about to, complain about “roundabouts” in Pahrump - with current drivers, it makes no difference whether intersections are round, square, triangular, rectangular, have stop lights, stop signs, yield signs or no signs will not change how they drive or whom they hurt [or kill].

Don Rust

No roundabouts in Pahrump

Once again the powers that be are not listening to the people of Pahrump when we say “WE DON’T WANT ROUNDABOUTS ON 372”.

Who in their right mind would spend $3 million to take out a traffic signal and put in a roundabout where even more people will get killed. Why wouldn’t they just spend the $3 million to put in a traffic light where it is needed.

It is absolute stupidity to put a roundabout on a major corner where two major highways meet.

Roundabouts are for back roads, nowhere in Las Vegas will you find a roundabout on a major highway, and everyone goes out of their way to avoid them, which will happen here. More money will have to be spent repairing the back roads in Pahrump because we will be using them twice as much to avoid the roundabouts.

I really think NDOT needs to get some brains. They evidently think that they can push these down our throats because they think we are a bunch of hicks, and the county commissioners aren’t much better.

We no longer have anyone watching out for our town, they are only interested in getting our taxes so they can spend them. This is what you got when you voted out the Town Board.

COME ON PEOPLE OF PAHRUMP, GET A SPINE AND STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU WANT, which is not a roundabout. And if you do want them, move to Vegas where you can get all of them you want.

Also, again they are going to screw with (Highway) 160 to Vegas, it is not the road that is at fault, it is the drivers that are not paying attention because they are too busy texting or talking on the phone. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen drivers on 160 looking down at their phones and texting instead of watching the road. I was under the impression that it was now illegal to use hand-held phones while driving.

We now not only have people stoned on legal marijuana but also texting while driving. No wonder we have so many accidents. Where is the NHP when this is happening, they’re certainly not stopping the drivers that are doing this.

Take the money being spent on a road that doesn’t need help and spend it on traffic lights at Blagg and Pahrump Valley.

Roberta Gaul