Organ donations, motorcyclists, congestion tolls for EVs, Gilgo, and taxing seniors

Once 16, donating an organ is easy

As a nephrologist, I can assure readers that organ donation is a difficult topic for medical staff to discuss with families during a serious illness or critical moment in a person’s life. As your editorial notes, New York has the lowest registration rate of all U.S. states “Register to be an organ donor,” Opinion, July 12].

These decisions are easier to make away from the hospital setting. Many kidney recipients often travel to states like Florida, Alabama and Pennsylvania, where the waitlists are shorter and move more quickly.

A kidney can be donated while the donor is alive since each person has two. Partial livers also can be donated because of the organ’s size. Other organ transplants are performed when the donor dies and the organs can be shipped to a recipient’s hospital. Some people might want to be altruistic to help someone regain a meaningful life.

I suggest that every medically able person 16 and older register to be an organ donor to help improve the life of sick people. It’s easy.

— Dr. Lionel U. Mailloux, Manhasset

Motorcyclists can’t stop on a dime

Newsday reports that in 2022, there were 688 motorcycle crashes on Long Island, with 32 fatalities [“1 motorcyclist killed, 1 injured in Suffolk crashes,” Long Island, July 10].

I am a retired safety engineer with over 40 years of accident-prevention experience and was a certified defensive driving instructor. I also am a motorcyclist with over 45 years of riding experience.

An operator of a motor vehicle has the right to expect unimpeded travel in his or her lane of travel direction. It’s often referred to as the “right of way.” Interfering with this travel should constitute a criminal action such as “failure to yield right of way.”

Motorcyclists can’t stop on a dime when confronted by a two-ton vehicle unexpectedly turning perpendicularly to their straight-line direction. In New York State, motorcycle operators “burn” their headlights to alert oncoming drivers of their presence.

Left turns directly in front of a motorcycle indicate that the motorist is not looking toward oncoming traffic.

It appears that many drivers dismiss the presence of motorcycles as partners sharing the road. Long Island American Bikers Advocating Training and Education promotes motorcycle awareness through organized rides and highway signage. Pay attention, drivers.

— Richard Pinnavaia, Port Jefferson Station

Lower congestion tolls for EVs, hybrids, etc.

We read all about exemptions for groups of people for the congestion toll plan [“Congestion toll ‘buy-in,’ ” News, July 10]. Why is nothing said about the vehicle type — electric vehicles, hybrids or motorcycles (which I ride)? The less pollution you cause, the lower your tolls should be.

— Andrew Colen, Coram

Gilgo article opens without objectivity

I was pleased when I saw the headline on the front page of Saturday’s Newsday. You had the Gilgo Beach killings suspect “charged” while the front-page headline on a New York City daily had him responsible for the crimes.

But when I got home, I saw that Newsday’s lead paragraph inside said Rex Heuermann’s arrest “partly solved the mystery that has vexed investigators” [“Commish: ‘A demon that walks among us,’ ” News, July 15]. So the man is guilty and no need for a trial?

— Larry McCoy, Rockville Centre

Let’s protect our neighboring creatures

It’s shameful that people think it’s fun to destroy the eggs of vulnerable species of birds, but it’s equally gratifying to see wildlife successes [“Piping plover nest destroyer sought,” Our Towns, July 13].

In a Town of Hempstead park in Wantagh, a spot was marked off in the picnic area. A killdeer mating pair — similar to the piping plover — had constructed a nest out of small stones. Four eggs were in the nest. I observed this nest almost daily.

Recently, I got concerned when I saw a picnic gathering adjacent to the nest. The eggs were gone. Someone from the picnic came over and reassured me that the birds were fine. Rather than disrupting the nest, they watched as the chicks hatched, and the woman sent me photos of the new family.

Similarly, when I ride my bike to Jones Beach, I’ve found a couple of osprey nests, now also containing offspring. Each species from small to large is an important component in our ecosystem. Frankly, it’s a privilege to watch the abundance of Long Island wildlife. We humans have disrupted the habitats of much of the animal world. Let’s work to protect them before they’re gone.

— Leonard Cohen, Wantagh

Exempt seniors who never had children

Seniors living on Social Security checks get pounded by school budget increases every year. Now, I read that schools have $3.1 billion in coffers for “rainy day” funds “LI schools hold $3.1B in ‘rainy day’ reserves,” News, July 8]. Seniors who never had children should be exempt from the annual increases.

— Mary McKenna, North Bellmore