Cheap truck break drum likely cause

IT IS highly likely Alexander Kinman’s bonnet incident was the result of a truck brake drum fragmenting.

During my 12 years as GM of Toowoomba Foundry, eight people were killed by truck brake drum fragments flying through car windshields.

Calls to the police after such incidents usually revealed the drums were of cheap Asian origin where markings were available, combined with poor maintenance practices.

In its last years, the foundry was manufacturing 220,000 truck and semi-trailer brake drums per year representing more than 80% of the Australian market and supplier to Mack, Volvo, Iveco and Kenworth.

The product was regarded as the best in the world by the British Cast Iron Research Association, a Japanese customer supplying Isuzu trucks while Canadian truck drivers called them “the bullet proof drums that reduced tyre wear”.

Only last month while driving from Brisbane I passed a B Double truck with one wheel bouncing up and down the result of a badly machined eccentric Asian drum.

‘‘ I TRY NOT TO SIT BEHIND OR BESIDE TRUCKS WHILE DRIVING THAT LOOK WELL-WORN IN APPEARANCE.

The driver will unfortunately complain to the tyre supplier re the poor tyre life on that one wheel. I try not to sit behind or beside trucks while driving that look well-worn in appearance.

DOUG HARLAND, Toowoomba

OUR WATER

YES, Jan Ting (water quality, Rangeville) has definitely said it like it is: the 65% of people who reported that they did not like the taste, obviously have “been around”.

How Toowoomba was voted as having the best tasting water in the region is beyond all comprehension.

Most cities in Canada and the US have constructed high fences around their water supplies and one needs official written permission to gain entry. Not so here in Australia.

Here, people fish in the town’s water supply: they race their power boats from end to end, and - horror of horrors - they even swim in the water – any manner of use leaving behind goodness only knows what waste.

Then, of course, the town councils introduce a multitude of chemicals into the water so that it is, supposedly, fit for human consumption. But it is not. We, as a people should be rising up in the streets.

It is not acceptable.

JNETTE HARVEY, Rangeville

BANKING TRAUMA

IT IS well past time for lending establishments to experience the same trauma the farmers are having to go through.

First, they could cancel all repayments and interest until the drought breaks and farms can pay again. This would put all on the same level.

If the farmers fail, it will take many generations to gain the knowledge and expertise to obtain today’s expertise.

C.D. TOOTELL