LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: WASHING FIRE TRUCK CREATES STREET HAZARD

To the editor:

I have a question: Can you legally park your automobile in the middle of the street and wash it? The reason I ask this question is this. Firefighters at Fire Station No. 3 on Emerald Street park the fire trucks across the middle of the street and wash them whenever it is convenient for them. In the process of their washing these huge vehicles, they block one side of traffic with no warning signs, orange cones or any other safety warnings of any kind.

I have seen a lot of utility-company vehicles, mail carriers and construction crews working on our streets, and they all have some kind of warning markers. So why is this a courtesy the fire department does not enforce? I feel the fire department is there for our protection, not to be a hazard.

Good grief, they could at least direct traffic around these large vehicles, but instead they just go about their business. And you take your chances getting around it. I feel this is a nuisance and a negligence on the part of the city of Cape Girardeau.

VICKIE POOLE

Cape Girardeau