Q: I agree that we need to clean up our roads, but no one would believe how bad the roads are in Brazil. On a 1½-hour drive into Sao Paulo from the coast on a four-lane road, there was at least 2 feet of trash on both sides of the road and 2 feet in the middle, as well. I hope we never get close to this bad.

 Tony Schon, San Jose

A: Me neither. But closer to home …

Q: OMG!!! Californians should take a look at the roads in the northeastern region of the U.S., especially New York and New Jersey. They are littered with trash and make California’s roads look pristine!

Barry Goldblatt. San Jose

A: Pristine roads would be a welcomed sight.

Q: It makes me sick to drive our streets and see the litter and graffiti. San Jose is soon approaching the look of a third-world city, and unless a different attitude is taken by our citizens, we will soon see rats and rodents living among us.

 Doyle Harris, San Jose 

A: In 2004, Doyle helped clean up the Camden/85 interchange, going there almost every Sunday to bag litter for a couple of hours. Said he: “It felt good to be part of this group, and in 2004 my wife and I were invited to a dinner at the San Jose City Hall. I was presented the ‘Litter Volunteer of the Year’ award by Mayor Ron Gonzales. I am now 85 and no longer able to volunteer but have had people approach me and ask how they can volunteer.”

Just go to Caltrans-Adopt-A-Highway program to sign up.

Q: You have had several letters from readers about the trash on our roads. Many suggested an impatience with Caltrans. I thought I might relate a couple of experiences.

I was on a bike tour in New Zealand and was immediately impressed with the cleanliness of their streets and roadways. Spotless. Everywhere. About the fourth day of the tour I spotted a small piece of paper down the slope of the road embankment. I was about to comment on how unusual this was, but before I could our tour guide was already climbing down the slope to retrieve the litter.

More recently, back home, I was waiting at a stoplight. The teenage boy in the car in front of me was peeling an orange and casually tossing the skins out the car window as his mother watched from the front seat.

I don’t think Caltrans is the problem. Like the quote from the old Pogo comic strip, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Randy Talley

A: An inspiring example from New Zealand. And yes, that Pogo quote is true, so many times.

Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat at noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.