Cause and effect is an interesting thing.Consider downed city street trees, copper wire theft, and tossed dumpsters as examples.Talk to city workers and they will tell you six or seven years ago the number of street trees taken out yearly in auto accidents could be counted on one or two hands.Now there seems to be an epidemic of trees getting mowed down.Are vandals running amok stealing cars to crash into trees given only a complete nut case would intentionally use their own vehicle to do so?The number of trees biting the dust started escalating when texting and driving became a problem. Before the advent of texting trees would be taken out by a drunken driver, reckless driving at a high rate of speed or the offshoot of two cars colliding. That still happens but most trees are now taken out in one shot wonders on streets when traffic is at a minimum which, based on the logic too many people use, is a great time to text or check your messages.Upwards of a dozen trees and a few street light poles as well have been taken out just on Woodward Avenue in solo accidents where speed per se wasn’t a factor.Then there’s the 2 a.m. bicycle census on Manteca streets.