Thrill seekers

On Monday afternoon, at about hubr, as I turned into Takahe Rd on my return to Ahipara from Kaitaia, I found myself among a busy number of vehicles in the roadway between the Post Office/store and the takeaway shop.

The driver of a quad bike, which had in tow a decrepitlooking trailer carrying a number of very small young children, turned his machine and trailer-load of kids across my bows to the takeaway shop, relying upon me to avoid him. Fortunately I was moving carefully, and was able to do so, but a faster-moving vehicle may have found it difficult to slow down and stop.

We have seen a number of similar rigs on Ahipara’s streets, as well as people riding unsecured on the trays of utes, and also sitting on the door sills of cars, legs inside, heads and torsos out. Even one child on top of a fast-driven sedan, clinging to its roof rack!

Are these worrisome practices somehow permitted in this area?

They seem to me to fly in the face of proclaimed road safety standards.

CONCERNED DRIVER

Ahipara