Drivers oblivious to ambulance

ROADS AND TRAFFIC

DRIVING away from town on the South Arm Highway, I saw an ambulance coming up behind me, headlights blazing and coloured lights flashing. I moved to the left lane to let it pass and was astonished to see the three cars ahead of me in the right lane continued on, oblivious. They stopped at the traffic lights, still in the right lane and because there was a car in the left lane already, the ambulance had to slow down, move into the right-turn lane to get around them and go slowly through the intersection.

These three drivers, living in their own little bubble, may be on their phones, or listening to music, put the lives of the paramedics at risk, and by slowing their progress may have put at further risk the life of whoever they were rushing to attend. I have seen drivers slow to react when an ambulance is in emergency mode before. There seems to be an alarming lack of awareness in Tasmanian motorists that calls for education. You would have thought it too obvious to teach drivers to use their rear mirrors and recognise that an ambulance, police car or fire truck with all its alarm systems on needs space to get to where it is going. Clearly not the case. with tunnels or overpasses. Anything of this nature is regarded as infrastructure, and thus is capital expenditure (and will be there for our descendants) and so it is OK to borrow money to do it. A couple of notable examples are Tasmania’s hydro dams and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Expertise exists just over Bass Strait with the people who have overseen the Melbourne road projects.

CBD death spiral

GIVE us a break. Horse and buggy solutions to traffic problems evocative of the rose-tinted past are fanciful nostalgic nonsense. The hard reality is that the Hobart CBD as configured is in a death spiral — and accelerated by the Hobart City Council frolic into the realm of dubious social engineering experimentation. The CBD format of being the employment and retail hub is on the wane. Artificial intelligence, the internet, on-line shopping, electric cars and the sharing economy including uber are in the ascendancy. That is the future. It is time to start acting on the expert advice coming from UTAS, Bob Cotgrove et al, rather than being seduced by romantic, impractical and uneconomic chatter from the armchair experts.

East Derwent speed

I AGREE with Jan Dicker about dangers on the East Derwent Highway (Letters, January 11). About two years ago I wrote to then infrastructure minister Rene Hidding about the intersection of the highway Talking Point: The insidious climate damage flying beneath the radar It’s always struck me as ironic that amongst my circle of friends both here and overseas, that the ones who spruik most about the need to avoid climate-changing emissions are also the ones who seem to make the most overseas trips for tourism purposes. with Sugarloaf Rd. If one approaches the intersection from the north there is a complex situation: limit of 100km/h; reduced vision of the intersection, due to it being close to the brow of a hill; vehicles entering East Derwent Highway from Sugarloaf Rd; vehicles crossing southbound lane of East Derwent Highway from northbound lane to enter Sugarloaf Rd; vehicles in left southbound lane slowing to turn left into Sugarloaf Rd; and southbound lanes merging.

Ironically, there is a reduction from 100km/h to 80km/h shortly after the junction. I suggest the speed reduction be moved further north, just before the brow of the hill, to reduce the speed of vehicles entering the intersection on the East Derwent Highway.

Taxi parking

WHILE I empathise with those frustrated by taxis occupying the public parking spaces outside Northgate Shopping Centre, being a law unto yourself is not the answer. By all means, Harry Quick, park in a taxi rank if you so wish (Letters, January 12). You and anyone else who does so would quite possibly be in breach of Rule 182 [Part 12, Division 5] of Road Rules 2009 (Tas).

Conversely, and although I don’t advocate taxi drivers unnecessarily occupying them, parking a taxi in a generic public parking spot does not breach any of the legislated road rules. So if you must fight fire with fire, do so at your own peril. If you end up with a parking fine — suck it up.

Flying fancy

PETER Boyer’s suggestion that we stop flying is a flight of fantasy (Talking Point, January 15). Pigs have more chance of flying.

Cricket banter

HAVING watched bits of both the BBL and the WBBL, I have come to the conclusion that the highlight of both is the WBBL banter between the commentators. Those in the WBBL take themselves less seriously than the BBL and are much more enjoyable to listen to. In terms of the BBL, I am starting to appreciate the commentary skills of a certain Mr Tufnell. Has he considered moving to the women’s form of the game?

Police thanks

FULL marks to Tasmania Police on great public relations following my recent letter to the editor about clarification of a certain road rule. In my letter I outlined the lack of response from Service Tasmania but within 24 hours of my letter being published I was contacted by the Police Department who clarified the question immediately. Well done boys in blue.

Dog whistle

OUR Prime Minister’s plan to try to force local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day is another dog whistle to the far Right. Hopefully, will not survive past May this year.