Lifetime of road lessons
REGARDS road safety (“No limit to driver frustration”, Lakes Mail, February 9), throughout my driving experience I did not drive at around half the speed limit causing traffic chaos and driver frustration.
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I did not cut in from a minor road or adjoining lane into the path of another driver and then slow down to half the speed limit. I did not brake when approaching green lights and then accelerate at amber/red; neither did I go to sleep when lights turned green.
I did not hog the overtaking lane regardless of driving at the correct speed, and I did not make it my duty to prevent other drivers overtaking even though I would have been driving at the correct speed limit.
I have to confess, though, that for the sake of personal safety I had to, at times, resort to a short burst of exceeding the speed limit in order to prevent getting involved in a catastrophic situation. But, I have religiously observed Give Way, and Stop signs.
For the record, during my 70 years of safe driving, I have driven around Europe, Canada and USA, 20 years in London and 47 years in Sydney.
I have even driven for a short while in Calcutta at a time when a clash with a jay-walker meant instant death for the driver at the hands of uninvolved people at the scene of the accident.
- S Moss, Hamlyn Terrace
A tip for Awaba dump
CR Kay Fraser is asking for ways council can help small businesses to be more successful (“Mayor’s message”, Lakes Mail, February 16).
I would start by dropping the commercial rate of charges on land rates, development applications, associated searches, and rubbish dumping fees, to name a few.
I recently took green waste to Awaba dump on a four-wheel car trailer after a tree had fallen over and was forced to pay the commercial rate because they considered the trailer to be a commercial size.
Even though l showed myself to be a pensioner, it carried no weight, with blame directed to state government environmental levees. Council fall in the same group as many who think that because a person is self employed they are successful business people, making a lot of money, and can afford to pay premium charges.
If only they knew.
- Carl Stephenson, Dora Creek
Car charger drain
IF the electrical power grid can't cope with heat waves, how's it going to handle everyone switching their electric car chargers on in the evenings?
- Peter Grant, Speers Point
Morisset under radar
ONCE again, the southern end of the city of Lake Macquarie appears to be off the radar for activities organised by Lake Macquarie City Council. We note that the over-55s’ program for March does not include any activities south of Wangi Wangi, whilst the walking workshops do not include any activities south of Toronto. Morisset and Wyee obviously do not exist!
- Kelvin and Julie Ward, Morisset
Make the move
IT WOULD be great if one of the councillors on Lake Macquarie council were to buy a house in Lake Street, Warners Bay. That way we would have a great chance of getting something done about the speeding cars using the road, or changing the name of the street to Speedway Alley.
- Trev Smith, Warners Bay
NBN no better than ADSL
AS the deadline to be connected to the NBN fast approaches, a comment I heard on radio truly describes the Broadband Network: “If the NBN were to be applied to transport, we would be back in the horse and buggy days”. I have been connected for six months and find it no better than ADSL.
- Darryl Tuckwell, Eleebana