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Please take time to write a letter to the editor or post a comment on the Greenwood Commonwealth in regards to the article below regarding the proposed "rails to trails" project!
Can you believe Mississippi is considering an "obesity law" for fast food outlets, and we are not encouraging "rails to trails" programs to support healthy and wholesome lifestyle activities! We probably need both!<G>
D.I.
http://www.gwcommonwealth.com/articles/2008/02/01/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letter01.txt
Bike trails can be magnet for predators, other outlawsEditor, Commonwealth:
I have been reading about the debate on the C&G rail bed use.
Making a bike and hike-type trail does have some very high costs that I haven't seen debated as of yet.
In the eastern Southern states, there are several of these trails. Although many people love to hike, run, bike and skate these trails, there are other elements who love these areas as well. I am referring to many predatory criminals who lurk and camp near these trails.
In Georgia, we have a predator under arrest who is being investigated for many, many murders, robberies and rapes - gruesome hostage tortures on women mostly, and men and elderly couples as well. This creep has gotten away with these crimes on hiking and bike trails for at least 10 years.
This is not the only criminal who has been apprehended doing these crimes either. Many homeless criminals camp near these trails and prey on the vulnerable in isolated trail areas.
There was a very sad case of a sexual predator who murdered a very beautiful mother bicycling the Silver Comet Trail in the North Atlanta area about a year ago. Now counties where this trail runs through are obliged to maintain police patrols at great cost, because this trail is very long and goes through about four or five counties.
If you build it, they will come ... the good, the bad and the ugly.
Joe Worsham
Marietta, Ga.
Making a bike and hike-type trail does have some very high costs that I haven't seen debated as of yet.
In the eastern Southern states, there are several of these trails. Although many people love to hike, run, bike and skate these trails, there are other elements who love these areas as well. I am referring to many predatory criminals who lurk and camp near these trails.
In Georgia, we have a predator under arrest who is being investigated for many, many murders, robberies and rapes - gruesome hostage tortures on women mostly, and men and elderly couples as well. This creep has gotten away with these crimes on hiking and bike trails for at least 10 years.
There was a very sad case of a sexual predator who murdered a very beautiful mother bicycling the Silver Comet Trail in the North Atlanta area about a year ago. Now counties where this trail runs through are obliged to maintain police patrols at great cost, because this trail is very long and goes through about four or five counties.
If you build it, they will come ... the good, the bad and the ugly.
Joe Worsham
Marietta, Ga.
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