Rotorua letters: Men and birthdays; road 'safety' decisions

It's common for men to forget special occasions, says a reader. Photo / Getty Images

I had to chuckle at Craig Cooper's article in the Daily Post (Opinion, December 24).

Like his wife, I too have married an unromantic man and don't get birthday presents, never mind gifts at Christmas or on our wedding anniversary.

My husband wouldn't know Christmas had come and gone if it wasn't for all the hype. It's extremely common for men not to remember their wives' birthdays, and even wedding anniversaries.

Tom Barnaby (Midsomer Murders) is the epitome of an unromantic husband, but his lovely wife still knows he loves her. Maybe not being romantic comes with having a highly intelligent brain? Well, sometimes anyway.

When I was a kid I very much doubt I noticed the adults (Mum and Dad) didn't get Christmas presents, but I'm led to understand that the youngsters in our family now do notice it, so we have been obliged to join in the "Secret Santa" game and buy a $20 gift for the person whose name we have taken out of the hat.

I don't mind not having to buy Christmas presents (except for the "Secret Santa" one and for the two great nephews) because having to pay the cost of Christmas entertaining is quite enough of a burden, thank you very much.

Laraine A Barker
Rotorua

Road 'safety'?

Those lovely red-coloured crossing points the council has arranged need to have warning signs that tell the users that this is a courtesy crossing. Cars do not have to stop.

The silly positioning of these lovely pinkish/redish [areas], barely a full car length out of the roundabouts and intersections, makes me wonder where the brains trust actually keep their brains.

Commonsense would tell you that to stop cars for pedestrians in a roundabout is a daft idea, once again demonstrating that common sense is not that common.

And while the roundabout subject has been raised, I will comment on that outward-cambered thing at the Hemo/Old Taupō intersection.

I was in Napier the other day and went to Hastings along that flash bypass.

Lo and behold there's this lovely new double-laned roundabout at the Pakowhat Rd junction and guess what? Yeah that's right, it slopes to the middle!

Say no more.

Maybe it was just some civil servant who put the three per cent (or whatever) on the wrong side of the plan and made our one more dangerous that it needed to be.

Rod Petterson
Rotorua

The Rotorua Daily Post welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

• Letters should not exceed 250 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms-de-plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final.

Email to editor@dailypost.co.nz or write to the Editor, PO Box 1442, Rotorua 3040.