Letters: Cyclists should use shared path for own safety

Cyclists can now use the shared footpaths along Ranolf St, says a reader. Photo / Getty Images

Use the cycleway
I walk into town from the Selwyn Heights area at least three times a week.

I turn into Lake Rd and walk along the hospital side of Ranolf St.

Now Lake Rd and the end of Ranolf St is a shared footpath with pedestrians and cyclists.

Do cyclists in their brightly coloured lycra gear and mumble pants ride on the road because of pride or are they just stupid?

If they get hit by a car you can bet your boots they will blame the motorist.

Clive Phillips
Selwyn Heights

Keep English too

Peter Williams suggests that in our effort to make te reo Māori more every day and
acceptable we should drop the English verse of the National Anthem (Opinion, September 15).

He also asks: "In the 21st century do we really need to be singing about voices entreating and being guarded from the shafts of strife and war?"

If we drop the English verse, our anthem will no longer be bi-lingual. We can't build up one culture by tearing down another. Both are important and significant to our country.

Add te reo Māori to the road signs (or English, as the case may be).

Find other ways to support and encourage the use of te reo too. Let's value and celebrate both languages and cultures, it will be enriching for us all.

Unfortunately, though it is the 21st century, we do need to worry about the shafts of strife and war.

I'd encourage Williams to have a look at the full National Anthem (which actually has five English verses and five Māori verses) and think about all of its words.

They are well worth keeping. I'd like to see us all take them to heart and strive to make our country as good and great as the song entreats.

Vicki Arnott
Rotorua