DOGGIE THANKS
Sunday of Auckland Anniversary Day we left our old Bichon Frise enclosed in my carport while we took our younger dog for a walk in the hills.
The old dog managed to squeeze out of the dog fence and set off along Mangamuka Rd for her home in Kerikeri.
We would like to thank the people that stopped and saved her, checking first that we weren’t at home and then taking her to our neighbours to keep her safe til we returned.
It is so fantastic that they recognised that a city dog - with a green bow in her hair - just really shouldn’t be strutting down a busy country road by herself and then took the time to stop and make sure that she was safe. I do a lot of walking around town and have more than once come close to being hit by a car on one or another of our pedestrian crossings. On talking to other people, it appears they have also found this to be a problem.
By using a crossing in Kerikeri you are taking your life in your hands.
I never step onto the crossing without first waiting to see if the oncoming vehicle is going to stop, as they travel at such a speed it could be fatal if anyone stepped out too quickly.
At times, I have been in the centre of the road on the crossing and a vehicle has sped past either in front or behind me, sometimes the driver having waved or shouted out sorry.
The road code states ‘in the case of a standard pedestrian crossing with no central refuge or island, you must stop and give way to pedestrians on any part of the crossing’.
For those of you that do not understand this means you must stop for the pedestrian to cross and wait until they are off the crossing on the other side of the road.
If you are one of these drivers that speeds while driving around Kerikeri and feel inconvenienced by pedestrian crossings – then just think about the consequences if you do not stop in time and hit the pedestrian.
Is that something you want to have to live with? Our district owns a wonderful asset which is so woefully under utilised - Kaikohe airfield.
There is hope expressed now and then of an international airport there, but this isn’t going to happen. So why not think of an alternative use for this asset and its mile long runway?
What about a motor racing circuit and sprint track?
Wouldn’t that bring in tourists, increase activity, increase accommodation requirements, create real business for the town’s shops and support services?
The Kaikohe airport site is well drained with a drainage system installed by the Americans when they built the airport.
The very long runway can be developed into a superb motor sprint facility. The airfield boundary is ideally shaped for installation of a motor racing circuit.
The land could accommodate ample visitor car parking.
The airfield is situated well clear of the residential areas of Kaikohe so there is no serious noise problem.
After all, what motor racing facilities have we got in New Zealand north of Pukekohe?