Letters to the editor: Dogs, State Highway 2, buses and TV weather

A reader had hoped most people would be dog lovers. Photo / File.

It is with sadness that I feel I have to write this letter because I hoped most people would be dog lovers and not nasty, petty-minded moaners, which we continually come across when walking our four legged friends.

The venom that comes from some of these dog haters is frightening.

It is almost as if they resent our having the love and devotion of our canine companions -- so much so, that I can already hear their quills scribing in response to this letter.

The Western Bay council has a difficult task, trying to please all the people all the time, but it never will.

I applaud the benefits of the cycling lanes arising throughout the area (at considerable cost I may add). From what I see, dog owners get zilch, just more signs indicating dogs should be on leashes.

Maybe it is time for signs to be erected for dog-phobic people who dislike dogs, not to walk where they might encounter them.

(Abridged)

Phil McKernon, Katikati

SH2 project not ready to go

Re Margaret Murray-Benge's opening paragraph in her letter (February 4).

The Northern Link SH2 was not ready-to-go because it had not been funded by the last National-led government.

A state highway project needs to have funding set aside to get the job done.

The previous government did not do that.

The Northern Link is now going ahead because the present Labour-led Government has, through astute and competent financial management of our economy, been able to fund a project that it sees to be crucial to our economy and important for the safety of all road users.

(Abridged)

Peter H Miller, Te Puke

German system works well

I agree bus drivers struggle to get back into traffic.

In Berlin, Germany, they don't have that problem. On the back of the bus is a large arrow from bottom left to the top on the right.

When the driver is indicating to turn back into the traffic, the following driver has to stop
and let it in. If they don't let the bus in, they risk getting a ticket.

The system works well.

(Abridged)

Peter Maier, Maungatapu

TV weather a concern

Am I the only resident to raise concerns about the way TV One now presents the weather, particularly in the way Tauranga fits in?

The abandoned sensible method moved from south to north, covering many of the towns and cities as it did so, then it had a separate "main centres" section. All very logical, and acceptable.

The change saw a schizoid presentation, involving a multitude of additional towns, but which, having started in the north, kept good geographic order through to Auckland, then ignored Hamilton, moved to the Bay of Plenty but excluded Tauranga, went further east to Gisborne and Hawke's Bay, then backtracked west to pick up Hamilton, and finally included Tauranga, almost as an afterthought.

Whereas a minor change to that order now sees Tauranga positioned a little more sensibly, the entire presentation comes across as unnecessarily cluttered, and, in my case, sleep inducing.

Tauranga also gets short changed when, at the beginning of the bulletin, "today's" temperatures are shown across the country, with one shown in the position of Taupō, (that seldom experiences temperatures as high as Tauranga), but no temperatures shown for the Bay of Plenty.

(Abridged)

David Lee, Papamoa

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