Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians share road and responsibility: Roadshow

Q: Gary, I can’t begin to say how offended I was by your column that “pedestrians need to do their part in helping make city streets safer.”

As a cyclist, it is 100 percent my responsibility to make sure I don’t injure anyone through my actions. And as a pedestrian, it is 100 percent the responsibility of the person in control of a multi-ton machine to make sure they don’t hurt anyone. It’s as simple as that.

Yes, people should be aware and careful when they cross the street, but even when pedestrians are, that does not guarantee their safety. Putting the onus on the back of pedestrians is shameful.

Joey Kotfica, San Francisco

A: My point is that we all need to do our part to keep ourselves safe. Yes, a driver is responsible for making sure his or her multi-ton vehicle does not injure anyone, or worse. A pedestrian can further protect his or her safety by remaining attentive.

Q: I need to get a DMV refund for excess money drawn from my bank account.

I renew our vehicle registrations online. When the DMV started charging a fee for credit card transactions, I switched to direct bank transfer, which has no fees. This worked, until the recent renewal of my wife’s car registration.

I completed the online renewal on May 12, 2022 and $249 was to be debited from my bank account. The DMV took $41 from my bank account on May 13 and $249 on May 16. After noticing this, I called the DMV on May 23. The person I spoke to told me to complete the Application for Refund and to submit it to DMV with proof of excess withdrawal. I mailed this to the DMV on May 23.

After waiting patiently for nearly 2 months, I called the DMV. I was told to call the Registration and Titling Unit. For the past several days I have been calling, but am not able to speak to anyone. Even after calling at different times of the day, I get a prompt that I should call at another time, then the phone is disconnected. I am now out of my wits.