Review of bus drivers’ capability is required
In view of the number of fatal and extremely dangerous crashes of unmarked buses that have occurred over recent times I would like to add our story. One Easter a few years ago we travelled from Geraldine towards Akaroa. The rain had started overnight and had been bucketing down ever since. As we travelled up the inland scenic route the water was pooling across the road, visibility was poor and those pools were getting deeper. We were in a light and small car when we were confronted by a large white unmarked bus towing a baggage trailer travelling towards us at full speed. The bus was pushing a bow wave before it which washed over our bonnet and windscreen and the side wash very nearly swept us off the road.
Our trusty Toyota coughed and carried on but I thought the risk that driver was taking with his passengers and risk he was posing to other road users was huge. However, unmarked as the vehicle was, who do you report for irresponsible driving? After the crashes near Tekapo last winter the manager of the company involved insisted that his drivers were all highly experienced, highly trained safety driven professionals.
I would consider it crucial that NZTA actually review these companies and their personnel’s actual aptitude for the tasks involved.
I could add that an innocent life may be lost, but that has already happened a lot and far too often.
Christmas lights
What some enjoy as "seasonal lighting displays" e.g. in Doon St, others call waste of electricity detrimental to our climate, and others light pollution.
Use your time well
If this letter is published it will be after Christmas Day, the day we celebrate the anniversary of Jesus Christ the prince of peace. This time of the year (for me) unfortunately seems as if we are celebrating a season devoid of the real ingredients, namely peace, hope and reconciliation to name some of the components. However in saying that, may we never give up or never give in and carry in our hearts the spirit of hope in all we say and do for a better world nationally and internationally. In the words of Pam Brown 1928-2014: "In spite of every sorrow, every pain, each of us changes the universe a little. Use your time well."
Clinicians v non-clinicians
The obvious failure of minds to meet between clinicians (who identified the needs of a new hospital) with non-clinicians (including accountants) arguably more concerned with matters fiscal does not necessarily augur well for our future hospital. Clearly, paralysis by analysis is a current problem. History is replete with disasters arising after technical expertise was overruled, including that of the fortress of Singapore, which in 1925 was pronounced, upon inspection during its construction to be half a harbour, defended by half a fortress and we know what happened in February 1942. A more recent example is that of the Challenger space shuttle disaster of early 1986, where engineers’ concerns about launching when temperatures were too low to permit rubber seals in the solid fuel boosters to work were overruled by the management decision to launch on the grounds of several earlier launch cancellations. Although reconciliation of these factors might be challenging, I wonder if we can rely upon our medically trained parliamentary decision-makers to persuade their colleagues that clinical needs are met for the present catchment area (which includes some of South Canterbury) for the Dunedin hospital rebuild?
What about the shooting
Now that Jack Brazil is back in the news for the recent accusation of looting in Ireland, it is appropriate to inquire as to what has happened to the investigation of the shooting that took place back in 2023 in which he was the victim. It is very concerning that the shooter is still at large in our communities, and that police have been unable to identify them. I would've assumed that catching the perpetrator and bringing them to justice would be of utmost priority. Why have the public not been kept informed as to what has happened with the investigation?
The shooting investigation remains open, with police believing the shooting was an "isolated incident" — Ed.
Udder bull
The photo in the column 100 Years Ago (ODT, 19.12.24) is not a picture of a champion Ayrshire bull, but a cow. You need the "udder" photo.
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