Mailbag: ‘Builder Bob’ does as he wishes on island

Hi, “I’m Builder Bob.” Soon I’ll be building a home on your street.

I am taking over your street. When I schedule material deliveries, the trucks will block your street for up to four or five hours. Of course I tell everyone that I didn’t know that the trucks were coming today. I don’t care if you have appointments or need to go someplace, my deliveries must go on; I am Builder Bob. I don’t bother getting any street parking permits either; in my view this is government interference in my business (and costs money).

Of course I will park my construction machinery on your streets. It’s not too large — only takes four or five parking spaces. You will get used to seeing it after a month or two. Of course I won’t bother to get any parking permits for them either.

I don’t supply Edison electric power so all the contractors will bring their own gasoline–powered generators and air compressors. I hope the noise doesn’t bother you. On the plus side, you don’t have to listen to the workman’s radios, the engine noise drowns them out.

Balboa Island is a densely populated residential area, with narrow streets and very limited parking. However, I cannot be bothered to take this into consideration, I am Builder Bob.

Robert Lambert

Balboa Island

Bicycle safety

I was saddened to hear about the two people on bicycles who recently died as the result of accidents with motor vehicles, but I must add that I was not surprised. I can watch people in autos pulled over on 17th Street in Costa Mesa for seat belt violations or cell phone violations by police on motorcycles. And they deserve it.

But, at the same time, kids can go through stop signs on their bicycles doing 20 mph with no fear because they know that the police know that there is no revenue there. I can watch people getting tickets for a “California stop” in front of Newport Harbor High (and they deserve it), but the people on bicycles again go through the stop signs without stopping, knowing that they are immune.

Greg Hughes

Newport Beach

As a Corona del Mar resident, I try to avoid the Coast Highway if I can, and use residential streets to get around the narrow part of the highway through the village. I also use Bayside Drive a lot, going back and forth over the bay. I think it’s extremely dangerous for a cyclist to ride the Coast highway through the village and along Bayside Drive for the same reasons a previous letter writer gave: car doors opening, cars moving in and out of parking spaces, others pulling into and out of off-street parking lots, resident and tourist vehicles turning onto and off the highway; there is simply too much going on.

Patty Gwin

Corona del Mar