The Fayette Citizen-Opinion Page
Wednesday, April 14, 1999
Banning brick mailboxes is 'stupid action' by commissioners

Letters from Our Readers

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On occasion the county commissioners and their lawyers really do take some unnecessary, and, can I say, stupid actions.

The latest is the wrangle over brick mailboxes. "We must do this because we might be personally liable," they shout, overlooking the fact that they've been there for decades without any problem.

Also overlooking the fact that 90 percent of them are in subdivisions where the speed limit is 15 miles an hour. And half of those are on cul-de-sacs where children play.

If anybody is speeding through there and hits a mailbox, I can guarantee who will be held responsible. The property owner sues the driver for damages as has happened on several occasions.

It seems a much simpler option hasn't been discussed. Why not have the property owner accept responsibility for having the mailbox? Have him sign a statement accepting full responsibility for the box if he so wishes to have one.

Otherwise, I intend to ignore this ordinance, and believe every other homeowner should do the same. If the county wants to arrest all of us, I guess they should build a bigger jail fast. If they want to pay county workers to spend all their time knocking them down, so be it.

Besides, you better take out those water plugs next to the street, and I notice some street signs are closer to the edge than my mailbox. And those trees, oh dear.

And when I walk my dog in the morning, if I get hit by a car when I'm on the grass next to the street, is the county commissioner personally responsible if I or the driver dies? Can I sue?

On and on we go. We do have bigger needs, don't we? And by the way, what exactly is the definition of a right of way?

V. Johnson
Fayette County


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