TRUCKS IN CBD ARE ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN

RE “Ryrie keeps on trucking” (GA, 27/2): I was unfortunately hit by one of those 2500 heavy vehicles that uses Ryrie Street each day.

It was a 22-tonne, fully loaded semi. It smashed into the back of my car while I was waiting at the lights at the Gheringhap Street intersection. The truck driver didn’t even attempt to brake.

He claimed he didn’t see my car because it is black, even though I was sitting waiting for the lights.

The result of the accident is that I’ve been told I have the back of a 100-year-old man, yet I’m only 47.

But I consider myself lucky because I wasn’t killed. It could have been much worse as these heavy vehicles thunder along Ryrie Street, and try to beat the lights. These heavy vehicles have no place on Ryrie Street.

I implore the City of Greater Geelong to take this issue more seriously. If it keeps ignoring it — as it has done for the past decades — lives will be lost.

I was disappointed to read Cr Bruce Harwood’s comments.

It seemed he wanted to pass the responsibility for this issue to the state government. The buck passing by both CoGG and the state government is why this issue has never been solved.

I applaud the work Hayden Spurling has done for many years to resolve this issue. He came up with the most logical and sensible solution — reduce the number of heavy vehicles in the city.

We took Mr Spurling’s proposal to Cr Eddie Kontelj, who will present it to the council and is focused on finding a solution.

I’d also like to see other letters on this page from people who have been injured or had a near-miss with heavy vehicles in the Geelong CBD. We need to show the CoGG how important this issue is.

I’m just a person who was injured in a serious car accident, and I’m really disappointed that I have had to campaign to get this issue back on the table.

People visiting the CBD shouldn’t have to worry about a heavy vehicle hitting them. It’s difficult enough to attract people to the Geelong CBD these days.

I don’t want to see anyone else injured through inaction, and I implore the council to act now. Adam J. Turley, Newtown