Letter of the Week
Have strong opinions, write in an engaging way? You could win our Letter of the Week, and with it a book from our friends and sponsors, the publishers Harper Collins. This month’s book prize is Queen of the North by Anne O’Brien. To those around her she is a loyal subject. In her heart she is a traitor. In 1399 the fight for England’s crown has dire consequences. This is one woman’s quest to turn history on its head.
LET us consider the present conflict concerning vehicle drivers and bicycle riders using the same strip of roadway.
See if this proposal could be a solution to some developing situations among road users.
My suggested solution for the governments to consider is to exempt bike registration riders who are without a driver’s licence and concentrate on those who are vehicle owners, who are licensed and have vehicle registration and are also a bicycle rider. Link the bike to the vehicle registration.
On registration of the motor vehicle, the owner declares he/she also owns a bicycle.
They pay a one-off fee for a bicycle number plate. That plate has the same registration as their vehicle, and the plate is attached to the rear of the seat and must be visible at a distance of 15 metres.
A lot of problems will be solved immediately.
Police can quickly identify the rider/driver through number plate recognition if required and, should there be a confrontation with other road users the identification of each party through the plate will assist the authorities as done between motor vehicle owners.
I suppose the most daunting objection from the bike rider/owner is those vehicles with a dash-cam and that will identify those who breach traffic regulations. Any breach of failing to stop at a stop sign or running a red light and that video evidence can quickly be sent to the authorities.
Riders would show great respect to all of the traffic regulations they must comply with as if driving.
I can hear the cries of discrimination already coming from cycling groups.
However, without the support of governments, their agencies and the public this idea has already burst, but, I ask that authorities consider the proposal because there is nil cost to the government as the rider/owner pays for the plate.
ROBERT S. BUICK, MOUNTAIN CREEK
THE first priority for the problems with transport on the Gold Coast should be the extension of the heavy rail to Coolangatta with adequate parking areas at each station.
There should be no extension of the light rail to Burleigh Heads or beyond.
It would only cause much traffic congestion and there will be no parking along the highway so if you have a business with no offstreet parking, you will soon be shutting up shop.
It is supposed to be great for businesses but look what is happening at Broadbeach. There are lots of empty shops and places closing down and the same at Southport.
If there is to be an extension to the light rail then send it out past Metricon Stadium to the railway station at Nerang, and possibly across the M1 to the western suburbs, where public transport is almost non-existent.
ANDREW PHILLIPOS, MERMAID WATERS
BARRY Jenkinson, how offensive are your words ... “negative old selfish naysayers” and ... “forget the naysayers, they will be dead in a couple of years”! (GCB, P18, 4/6/18). M. GOOLD, MUDGEERABA
TO Barry Jenkinson ... what a sick person you are to suggest people who don’t support CST and tram extensions will be dead in a couple of years.
I don’t believe someone could have said such a thing but I have
heard it before, from a protestor outside the turf club. COLIN McLAREN, BUNDALL
COMMONWEALTH Bank demands policy holders to show if they have any criminal record before allowing to renew policy holder’s insurance.
I stated to them: “You pack of hypocrites, you just got caught stealing millions. Declare your own criminal histories for us to decide if you are worthy to be our insurers. You are proven thieves.”
What a joke ... but alas they didn’t get it.
STEVEN SMITHERS, SOUTHPORT
SO old Barnaby and his mistress gained $90,000 for their son by not answering the difficult questions.
How his “former” family must have winced through that second class reality show. These conservative politicians think they can use our taxpayer funds to do what they like.
The important questions still remain ... when did the affair begin and how were the jobs arranged for Ms Campion at taxpayers expense? A fine way to support one’s mistress I must say.
The misdemeaners by these extremist conservative politicians is mounting.
This government is fast becoming a rabble. They have no answers to this country’s desperate plight other than to tell us everything’s all right. Well it’s not all right.
All these affairs disgust me and in my humble opinion it is time that these federal conservative politicians were held to account for their actions.