(On) May 3 there was a five-car rear-end accident on the Eastbound lanes of Fauntleroy Way. One person was taken to the hospital with possible face and neck injuries, four others had to deal with the trauma and inconvenience that accompanies most auto accidents.

Unfortunately, this is an all-to-common occurence on this route.

What made this accident unique was the possible cause of the impact. At the time, there were several people on the pedestrian overpass with a "Bring the troops home NOW" banner. They were trying to get motorists' attention as they passed under the overpass by waving their hands and shouting. The impact was caused apparently as a driver, for whatever reason, plowed into a line of stopped cars.

Since this happened directly under the overpass, the thought occurred to me that perhaps in their zeal to advertise their message, the demonstrators had distracted the driver and kept him from paying due dilligence to the road in front, and in some way, contributed to that morning's unfortunate turn of events. At the very least they were witnesses to the accident. Without offering any assistance to those below, they quickly packed up their banner and skulked away before the police and aid cars arrived.

Now I have no problem with people exercising their First Amendment rights. In fact I don't care what their message was that morning at all. I do have a problem with people failing to act responsibly.

Should they have been on the overpass waving at traffic? I don't know. Should they have stuck around, assisted in the aid of the persons below and then explained what they saw to the authorities, I think they should have. It's all good to have noble intentions and high moral causes, but it seems strange to me that these same people would not come to the aid of the victims just 15 feet below them.

I know that the City of Seattle has banned advertising from the overpass to prevent just such events. Perhaps it is time for those with a message to tell to think before they choose where, when and how to get other people's attention.

Paul Strick

Alaska Junction