I recently read in The Tribune that our city leaders were going to look into the subject of golf carts on the city streets. Even though the State of Ohio has some legislation in place concerning these machines, it is a good thing to be looked into.

But there is another issue on the Ironton streets.

Have you ever prepared to turn your vehicle from one street into another and suddenly saw a small, low, slow moving machine in the path of your car?

Chances are that small, low , slow moving machine was going the wrong way on a one way street or traveling on the “wrong” side of the street.

I am referring to motorized wheel chairs.

I am aware that many of the folks using these machine on the streets say this is their only way to get around, but the fact remains that these are not street machines.

These machines are very low. Most of them do not come up to the windows of an automobile. They do not have tail lights or turn signals. They are very hard to see and they create a danger to their operators and others on the streets.

I realize that all corners are not constructed with ramps from the sidewalks to the street, but even in the downtown area of Ironton where there are ramps, the motorized wheelchairs are using the streets.

Sooner or later an operator of one of these machines is going to get hit. The injuries, whether great or minor, one thing is certain. Everyone will be sorry and be asking the question, “Why didn’t we do something?”

I think it is well past time for us to do something to keep people from being hurt or killed.

W. Richard Walton

Ironton