Letters: The unfortunate truth about rugby and headgear; Auckland water ‘deal’ won’t fool ratepayers

"Helmets do shield against head injuries such as scalp lacerations and skull fractures, but they are next to useless in preventing traumatic brain injuries." Photo / Photosport

The unfortunate truth about rugby and headgear

Mary Hearn (Weekend Herald, May 4) repeats the common, well-meaning but flawed myth that helmets protect against concussion and even more serious forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) such as tragically killed Cory Heather.

Helmets do shield against head injuries such as scalp lacerations and skull fractures, but they are next to useless in preventing TBI. This is simply because while the brain is tethered to the spinal cord, it is still free to rattle around in the skull. With accelerative or decelerative impacts, the contents of the brain may be roiled, stretched, distorted, stressed or torn. No external devices such as a helmet can constrain such noxious and turbulent internal activity; therefore they are powerless to prevent TBI.

A small number of vertebrates are totally immune to concussion. The best example is the woodpecker, which can tolerate astonishingly high levels of head trauma. The woodpecker escapes concussion not because it wears a helmet, but rather because its brain is uniquely stowed snugly into the skull with no room to move. This is in a manner reminiscent of an egg in an egg carton.

In any case, commentators have often pointed out that the use of helmets in some sporting codes may be a double-edged sword. This is because the false sense of security and invulnerability they provide may encourage riskier player behaviour and therefore paradoxically make concussions even more likely.

Nigel Shaw, Clover Park.

Water ‘deal’ a damp squib

Do Christopher Luxon and Wayne Brown think us Auckland ratepayers are a pack of idiots? Hearing that ratepayers should be very pleased with only a 7 per cent increase in water rates is a complete farce. This is still more than the rate of inflation or what the majority of people are receiving as a pay increase - those who are fortunate to receive any sort of pay rise.

I have up until now had a lot of time for both Luxon and Brown, but this announcement is very disappointing. Their strategy of starting with a 25 per cent increase then going with a 7 per cent increase won’t fool a lot of people.

It is time the council, central government and Watercare operated more prudently and realised some efficiencies. Aucklanders already pay heaps more for one of life’s necessities than most people in other parts of New Zealand.

Watercare could start with attending to a lot of water leaks I have observed that go unrepaired.

A.J. Dickason, East Tāmaki Heights.

Genter in firing line

I do feel the public admonishment of Julie Anne Genter leans towards a level of bullying. Her performance in the House crossed a line certainly, but it was brief, no one was physically touched and to some degree she may have been provoked.

However, the media seemed very quick to garner the opinion of many MPs who say they were “shocked” or similar. And, more recently, members of the public have been approached and have alleged unverified misdoings by Genter.

The point is that, although she may have been reacting to stress or anxiety, the subsequent fallout and vilification of her is unbalanced and most probably adds to her stress.

Miles Langdon, Remuera.

Parents’ critical part

National’s education shake-up is long overdue and is to be commended. However, the elephant in the room that all educators know is there and needs addressing as well is that many parents and caregivers are not taking any responsibility for their child’s education.

So much is expected of teachers, and rightly so, but for a child to succeed at school, parents/caregivers need to support their child’s teacher, and their child at home, with their learning. Sadly, this support is lacking in many homes.

There is no excuse for any 5-year-old child starting school not knowing which way to hold a book, how to hold a pencil or write their name, know the names of colours, count to 10, etc. And yet this happens.

There is much hand-wringing about the dreadful standard of reading in our schools and hopefully with all the money to be poured into improving teacher training in this area and the reintroduction of teaching phonics, there will be a marked improvement. But again, parents and caregivers must play their part. When education is valued, learning will occur.

Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.

Parking pile-up

Rosemary Balme commented on intensive housing causing parking problems on Auckland’s roads (NZ Herald, May 6).

I was amazed when picking my daughter up in Drury recently that all the intensive housing had yellow lines everywhere and only two parks recessed into the road occasionally.

Obviously, the “cheek by jowl” houses weren’t occupied by families with one vehicle, but flatmates with a vehicle each, hence cars were parked all over the berms and everywhere else. It looked terrible.

Hamish Walsh, Devonport.