ICYMI: Columbia Residents Sound Off on Safety Issues

COLUMBIA, MD– Sunday morning in Baltimore, a cruise ship crashed into a gangway, causing the gangway to fall and damage three cars underneath, according to a statement by Carnival to WBAL editor Mia Rosas.

While worrying about death by rogue cruise ship isn’t something to lose sleep over, there are other possible dangers that affect Columbia residents.

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We asked Patch Readers what they thought the biggest safety issues were in their town. Here’s a list of the most pressing problems, from break-ins to traffic jams:

• "It's the drivers in this area. I see people running red lights on a daily basis. No one knows how to merge. And the yield sign from Shaker Drive on to Rt 29 North must be too small or written in an ancient dead language. No one pays attention to it."
• "Parents/drivers making U-turns in front of elementary schools."
• "The pathways !!! Not safe at all."
• "The young hoodlums whose parents didn't raise them properly & r now everyone else's problem/nightmare. TBH."
• "I wouldn't go walking the paths at night by myself. I'm pretty sure they weren't designed for nighttime use. I live in Long Reach, and jog on the paths a lot, and always without headphones. I have only encountered gangs of deer, and the occasional dog owner who feels that leash and poop laws are written for everyone else but them. HCPD has committed on paper, to bike patrol the paths. Has anyone actually seen the bike patrols on the paths?"

According to HealthGrove, a medical news site, dying by assault is more common in Maryland than many other states. There are 6.7 deaths per 100,000 in the state from assault, compared to 3.2 deaths per 100,000 for the country.

And it’s not just assault. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 442 traffic fatalities in 2014, thankfully down from 614 deaths almost a decade earlier.

But it’s not all bad in Maryland!

From lucky moms winning the lottery to animal success stories, plenty of good happens in your neighborhood.

Just last week, a humpback whale was spotted breaching in the Chesapeake Bay. Humpback whales may soon be moving off the endangered species list, where they’ve been since 1970, after an increase in population.

Each week, Patch works to bring Columbia residents the latest news from their area. Some good, some bad and some delicious.

Is there an problem that wasn’t mentioned? Share it with us in the comments below or on our Columbia Patch Facebook page.