Letters to the editor: Take cars off drink-drivers

Why not take cars off drink-drivers? Photo / File

Take cars off drink-drivers

If the courts took the cars off drunk drivers, and I mean for good, would that make a difference? We don't know because it hasn't been tried. Why don't the judges give it a go?
Dennis Thomas
Katikati

Museum not worth money

Relating to Eddie Orsulich's letter (June 25) saying we should have a museum as cruise ship arrivals' anticipated visits could bring $54m - you have to put in context, that not every single person on that ship will want to go to a museum. I'm sure the majority would rather go to Rotorua and see some wonders of the world. Also, don't forget yet another increase in rates would happen. People are struggling with the ridiculous rate bill as it is without having to find more money so a few people can go to a museum once or twice.
Janet Drake
Bethlehem

Gym membership better than cycling

NZTA/Tauranga City Council's "Post Implementation Review on Cameron Road Cycle Lanes" from 2014 is worth a read. In my view, it is an admission the improved network is a failure in almost all key performance measures, including a much lower than predicted cycle usage, a 29 per cent cost over-run and a statistically non-significant effect on lowering cycle crashes. Improved health from cycling was also touted as a beneficial feature. But when considering only 280 cyclists used the cycleway each day, $2.2 million represents a massive cost per cyclist. Since the improved "health benefit" feature was the most successful component of the project, it would have been better to gift each cyclist a gym membership. But seriously, cycle lanes are a good idea – especially for those people with few alternative transport options; it is simply not a road congestion solution.
I suggest a large proportion of cyclist concerns arise from inconsiderate use of parked car doors being opened into oncoming cyclists. Avoidance means encroaching into the car lanes – with associated dangers and anxiety to both cyclist and driver. For some, it seems simply too dangerous an option. For motorists and cyclists alike, far better to remove kerbside parked cars along arterial routes altogether. (Abridged)
R Cross
Pyes Pa

Short-sighted idea

The whole of the Sulphur Point area is bursting at the seams already, and finding somewhere to expand to is becoming urgent. To even think of trying to plonk an unrelated activity as a university on what is, in itself, a very restricted site, in the middle of it all strikes me as being extremely short-sighted.
Alan M Glover
Matua