TOURIST TURNED OFF BY EXPERIENCE IN LAHAINA

I just completed my Hawaiian vacation. I was deplored by the situation on
Front Street in Lahaina. My family and I literally had to walk a gauntlet of
teen drug users, pushers and characters who made obscene and insulting
remarks to us as we passed them.

I noticed that other tourists were also subjected to these indignities. This
situation was particularly concentrated in the open beach area near the
intersection with Papalaua Street. Teens blatantly were drinking, smoking
crack and pot in front of tourists. One was even free-basing. I noticed that
they would openly offer hits to teens that were walking with their families.
In the week that I stayed in Lahaina I never spotted a policeman. Does
Lahaina have a police department?

I must comment also on the unfriendly attitude of the local residents. They
seemed to resent me being there. It wasn't just me. They treated other
tourists rudely as well. I spent part of my vacation in Waikiki and felt
safe and was treated in a most friendly and courteous manner. Lahaina was
quite different, however. My impression of Lahaina is that of an unfriendly,
unsafe, drug-ridden, out-of-control tourist trap. I will make a point of
informing all who ask my impressions of Maui. I will tell them to stay away
from Maui and spend their vacation on any of the other islands.

Larry Maurer

Santee, Calif.