Mailbag: Top 40 feedback letters on Chick-fil-A, Charlotte drivers, high speed trains and co-living

In response to: Chick-fil-A to tear down and rebuild its Woodlawn location to alleviate the daily traffic nightmare

“IF ONLY THIS WAS COTSWOLD! The impact the Chick-fil-A at 4431 Randolph Rd has on traffic is seriously dangerous.” – R

“I guess it’ll be their pleasure” – B

“Uhhhmmm South Blvd is pretty ruff too! My truck has scars from it despite the lengthened drive thru area.” – S

“I wish they’d just move the Concord Mills one into the old Toys R Us. Because that’s how much square footage they need to handle the traffic.” – S

In response to: 6 basic driving skills Charlotteans can’t figure out

“You definitely left out yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks. Drivers are so impatient with people on foot.” – M

“I have never seen more people plowing through red lights than I have in Charlotte. Second peeve: Having a speed limit of 70 yet not even approach it. Even in the left lane.” – M

“Fun fact: when I moved down here as a ‘rude northeasterner’ we all had to learn the red-light rule. Never go right when the light turns green because all of the red light runners have to pass thru first. Wait a few seconds, look both ways then go.” – J

“When its dark, dim, foggy, rainy, snowy, or anything that reduces visibility, turn on your damn headlights. And I see more people blow through red lights at the Morehead & Freedom intersection than anywhere else after the light has been red for 5-10 seconds.” – J

In response to: Why does getting married mean I have to lose my last name?

“I didn’t change my name, it’s 2018 and you’re not property.” – M

“No one expects you to change your name and if they do – f*** them. This bu****it patriarchal southern gentility is stupid, embarrassing, and stuck in the very distant past. If you don’t want to change your name, don’t. If your friends have a problem with it, get new friends. If your future husband has a problem with it, tell him to f*** off.” – O

“Name changing perpetuates the patriarchy.” – K

“Kept my last name on everything, always planned to. Our child has both of our last names.” – M

In response to: 200-year-old SouthPark home asks $2,997,000

“I can’t even afford to look at the article.” – R

“I have been in this house, and it is absolutely phenomenal. The property is pretty great too. Sad to see it sold, the owners were pretty cool, and their basset hound was a sweetheart.” – M

“Please please please don’t let some developer buy this and tear it down.” – K

“Beautiful house…is it haunted? Something that old has got to have things go bump in the night.” – C

In response to: What’s taking the space of the Liberty in South End?

“How exciting that the new Liberty will have a ‘secret’ cocktail room! Enough already with the speakeasy themes. I actually heard at a southend community development meeting about someone working on a speakeasy themed donut shop. It’s safe to say speakeasies have jumped the shark.” – N

“I’m assuming the cocktail concept will be going into the basement. Our office holiday party was down there for several years and it’s perfect for a speakeasy-type concept. When you get to the bottom of the stairs, you’re in a small room with bookshelves along one wall and an elegant bar on the other. Behind the bar there’s a small room that is very intimate yet could comfortably seat 30ish people. To my knowledge that downstairs space was never open to the public, though admittedly I didn’t frequent The Liberty so maybe many have already seen it. Either way, this is going to be very cool and I will definitely be making a trip to see it when it opens.” – A

In response to: This company offers co-living in neighborhoods like Cotswold and SouthPark

“Note to self: do not buy a house anywhere near one of these adult frat houses. Ted is ‘bullish’ on it, though. He should buy one right next door. See how bullish he is when it’s midnight and Blutarski and J-Wow are still out in the backyard pounding IPAs.” – V

“The introvert in me is always amazed/horrified by people’s tolerance for living with almost total strangers in roommate type situations.” – W

“Nice cash flow. 650+ per room, 5+ bedrooms per house.” – S

“Well, at least it’s an affordable option, for a change.” – M

“I love the idea. As long as there were background checks and no one moved in with a chain saw (only half kidding). It’s so hard to make your first few friends when you move to a new city, and even harder the older you get. Nifty concept!” – H

In response to: How the proposed high-speed train to Atlanta would transform Charlotte

“I’d settle for light rail from Uptown to Matthews.” – J

“For the love of all things moving GET THE AMTRAK STATION BUILT!!! It is mind boggling that the current station graces the Queen City. I mean has any CLT mover or shaker or politician even visited it?! I use it a lot to avoid driving to Greensboro, Raleigh, DC and even NYC – the station is not safe (there is zero police presence) and the last trip nothing inside was working.” – L

“Would also like to see more frequent and higher speed trains up the Crescent Line 29 corridor too (Charlotte-Greensboro-Danville-Lynchburg-Charlottesville-Culpeper-DC). Oh and a train to Asheville someday.” – D

“Rode this train from West Palm Beach to Miami. Best train ride ever. It is really first class – clean – and fast.” – J

“Does this make any economic sense? 13-15 billion to build. Who is going to pay for this? There is a reason these have never been built before.” – S

In response to: The Crunkleton opens in Elizabeth

“Prediction: This place will kill it. It’ll be packed. It’ll surpass Selwyn Pub as the new go-to bar in Charlotte. The inside looks dope as hell.” – J

“If anyone thinks that this will become a neighborhood watering hole where mechanics will be sipping drinks elbow to elbow with hedge fund managers, you’re going to be disappointed. But then again, maybe the Charred Octopus will be a bonding experience that will bring them all together and prove me wrong. Currently my friends and I are setting money aside to come in and buy one drink to pass around and sip.” – W

In response to: Confessions of a Charlotte interior designer

“Barn doors are for barns. Plain and simple. And TVs don’t belong above the fireplace.” – R

“I am in a tangential business to design and I can’t tell you how sick we all are of gray. I say this as I sit in a teal cut velvet chair next to a red couch. Color is life.” – G

“If I’m paying for it, and I like it, I will get what I want. Love grey; it’s the perfect neutral without being beige. Barn doors; love them. It makes sense on my master bath and a wheel chair can fit through the door jam. Subway tile, love it. Classic without being too trendy like arabesque. Trust you instincts, get what you want. You are the one that is paying for it after all.” – L

“While I’m tired of barn doors, what I REALLY wish would be brought back are pocket doors! I don’t know why, but I’m obsessed with them.” – S

In response to: Sips on South now open and bringing all-you-can-eat crab legs to South End

“Caught right off the coast of Charlotte.” – D

“I hope this place makes it, but it doesn’t look differentiated at all. That space is weird and I feel like it’s had a bunch of tenants where things didn’t work out recently.” – J

In response to: OP-ED: Renters are getting kicked out of their homes and nobody seems to care

“I hate to sound rude, but why are people puzzled as to why this is happening? The author themselves states exactly why. How does it make smart fiscal sense for a property owner to have to beat down the damn door for rent money every month and deal with drugs/gangs? Pay your rent on time or get out. It is not the property owner’s responsibility to help these people back on their feet in time of financial hardship.” – L

In response to: Charlotte’s 9 worst hot takes of 2018, ranked

“What’s the difference between drinking out of a cup at a restaurant and using their forks and spoons? Both get cleaned so many times during the day. You people who refuse to drink out of cups need to chill out. It’s NOT that big of a deal. Also, people have no issue drinking out of beer glasses without straws.” – B

“The Cam hate is the number one thing I point to when telling folks we’re a clueless sports town.” – R

“Cam is average at best, 6-6 record.” – S

“Love the mention of Kemba. He is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Charlotte doesn’t appreciate him.” – D

“There are many better burger options in town unless you are basic, then go to Shake Shack.” – T

“I am so over these scooters and people riding them on sidewalks. I’m taking the next person that runs into me with one to court. Feel free to keep riding them on the rail trail like an idiot if you want to spend a lot of time dealing with my personal injury lawyer and end up paying me a lot of money.” – N

In response to: How to survive a trip to McAdenville without killing your family

“As a 40 year resident of this amazing ‘Hallmark movie’ town ; you are welcome to walk through but please respect the yards and the homes of those who live here year round. They work very hard for your beautiful Christmas experience. Stay on the sidewalks!” – M

“You forgot the most important thing: leave your family at home, and if walking, bring a flask. Or two.” – H

In response to: Real Sidechicks of Charlotte debut episode racks up 60,000 views in 48 hours

“That’s 30 minutes of my life I’ll never get back…” – S

“This is horrifying for our city.” – W