Letters to the editor: State Highway 2 and gambling

State highway 2

When I drive along SH2 I fail to see what is so wrong with this road – although I think it is a mistake to put barriers along the sides (except where there are obvious dangers) as these can deflect vehicles back into oncoming traffic involving innocent motorists.

The money would be better spent on a central barrier covering twice the distance per dollar.

If you can't drive from A to B without banging into something then maybe you need to look at your own driving. If everyone was required to pass a defensive driving course there would be minimal accidents as this teaches you how to anticipate and avoid other drivers' mistakes.

A simple and immediate solution to save lives would be an 80km/h speed limit strictly enforced on this road. Temporary roundabouts at the busiest intersections like Ōmokoroa could be an immediate, low-cost solution to save lives and calm traffic flow.

That's how you fix the bloody road without the big budget!

Rob Rathbone
Welcome Bay
Government to blame for delay
In answer to Chris Haley (Letters, September 8), regarding SH2 and National's failure to act, the reader fails to acknowledge that the Northern Access (SH2) was ready to go. Land purchased, hearings completed, funding approved and tender ready, and the new government has put it all on hold.

They have got to be nuts if they really care about people's lives, and road safety, and removing the congestion from Waihi road, Bethlehem, Wairoa, Te Puna, Cambridge road and SH29, they would have acted in the interests of the people and not allowed political ideology to ruin good planning.

Regardless of one's political persuasion, it is a very poor judgment for ministers to suggest that road safety measures will suffice. The so-called safety spikes in certain places are positively dangerous especially in the wet as they are invisible.

Any fool can see what has to be done and why ministers can't is beyond comprehension.

Both SH2 and SH29 are strategic transport links for commuters and for access to the Port.

For road safety, freight movement to the Port and housing development we want action, not excuses. People's lives and livelihoods depend on Wellington actually making some sensible decisions sooner rather than not at all.

Margaret Murray-Benge
Bethlehem
Gambling exploits greed

Gambling in any form exploits greed and desperation so that a very small minority can benefit from recklessness born of hope.

Whether it's buying a Lotto ticket or having a flutter on the horses, the motive is the same; hope that one can gain wealth at others' expense by wasting money that could be better spent on other things.

That makes it a scourge on society. When the results of such activity are rigged in someone's favour that makes it much worse.

Having acknowledged that gambling is a problem in New Zealand, the Government proposes to bolster gambling on horse racing and sports results by pouring millions of dollars into the TAB. Where is the logic in that? If such gambling is losing popularity, surely we would be better off if we were to let it die a natural death?

Ian Young
Pāpāmoa Beach