Affluent society is thumbing its nose

On reading the story regarding The Gardens (“Campaign to stop social housing in wealthy enclave”), I take great umbrage that I am an “undesirable” person. In life, each of us has to live where they can afford to do so. If by good fortune, the people that live in The Gardens can afford that type of property then good on them. But to snootily say that they are better than anyone else living in Manurewa is a direct insult on the rest of Manurewa’s residents.

How many houses up in the gardens are freehold like my place in Ferguson St? I did not have a rich relative or a silver spoon. To call me and others like us “undesirable” is a direct insult. When I shifted to Manurewa in 1963, I worked four jobs for five years to get us established because I did not have the wherewithal and the money they supposedly have — so don’t call me an undesirable. This is the affluent society thumbing their nose at the rest of us. I say go ahead and build as many damn houses as possible that you can up there and bring them down to their real place in life.

Don Huggins, Manurewa

TAKAPUNA WALKWAY

I cannot believe that this iconic walkway is now closed. With all the notice given, the council had plenty of time to negotiate a right of way over private land or better still, build a short bridge over the required section before summer. This was so popular for so many walkers that to see it closed is a disaster.I am sure that the two local councillors Hills and Darby are working furiously in the background and they will be announcing a successful solution to the problem in the very near future.

Vince West, Milford

BAD DRIVER CALLED OUT

Whoever was the driver of a Remuera tractor towing Neddy or Nessie in the trailer approaching the Nelson St/John St roundabout in Pukekohe on Wednesday, October 4, needs to buy a Road Code or attend a Driver Retraining Course or (preferably) both. Clearly, the driver in question is unaware that you must give way to vehicles already on the roundabout or entering the roundabout from a road to your right. If I had not braked, there would have been a potential call to our respective vehicle insurance providers and, goodness knows what would have happened to Neddy or Nessie. As the driver of a Remuera tractor, it does not mean exclusivity on our roads and a “law unto themselves” attitude, including not giving way to others with a legal right-of-way on roundabouts.

Leonie Wilkinson, Tuakau

TRAFFIC LIGHTS

At so many traffic lights we have a red arrow stopping us from turning right. That’s good if there is a lot of opposing traffic or there’s a tricky road layout. But why is it there if there is not a car to be seen or it is a straightforward intersection? Why doesn’t the red arrow go out and have the round green light letting us use our judgement? Are there too many injury crashes that have prompted this? Has this been balanced against the time delay for the many? Recently as I waited first in the queue for the red arrow to turn green, the car directly behind me overtook me and turned right anyway. Warwick Jones, Remuera