SPEED LIMITS

To reduce the present speed limits would be a big mistake.

I have recently driven to Whangarei and back and found that I was comfortable and relaxed at the 100 kmh limit.

But when it reduced to 80 kmh frustration crept in, and some dangerous overtaking, albeit breaking the 80 limit, was observed.

Mind you, the police coffers would fill more rapidly!

I’m sorry that the proposed 110 kmh can’t be considered for the Northland roads.

In my opinion none of the journey from Kerikeri to Whangarei would be more dangerous at 110 kmh, even on the existing roads.

But if road engineering standards can’t be met then we have little option. Out of all the holidays Thanksgiving is one we should all celebrate. My father, Nana, grandad, aunties and so on are from the United States yet in New Zealand we don’t celebrate it.

I am doing Thanksgiving this year as it is a time for family and gratitude for all that has come to us. A time where money is not needed but family, friends, stories and lots of food.

It is a memory we put in our kids. Every other holiday represents presents in our younger ones eyes and this holiday isn’t about that.

New Zealanders sadly don’t celebrate enough to say thanks but celebrate to party. It would be so nice to have a family and friends holiday just to celebrate life and our year and share it with ones we love without the gifts and the fake things.

Yes they are nice but the things that don’t cost bring bigger smiles than anything else. I believe a day of gratitude is a great idea.

But a Thanksgiving Day resembling the north American style is not the answer.

I’m a former American with the understanding that Thanksgiving Day’s manifestation of gratitude, either there or here, could be assessed as the thankfulness that it’s still legal to kill innocent animals.

Here in Aotearoa, the gratitude for just about anything else would evaporate in about 20 minutes, just like it does in America. Then the holiday would be nothing