Pedestrian crossings
A pedestrian crossing should signal to a driver that they slow down and check if there is a pedestrian trying to cross the road. Yet drivers continue to ignore this road safety rule and drive straight through.
The Girven Rd crossing at Mount Maunganui is busy with children on bikes, mothers pushing prams, elderly folk and young kids, and I have witnessed on many occasions drivers who have ample time to stop simply drive through, ignoring the pedestrians that are waiting on the side of the crossing. It's extremely unsafe.
The crossing is there for a reason. Council didn't just throw it on to the road to annoy drivers. If someone is trying to cross, you should stop. That is the purpose of the lines.
There needs to be better enforcement of the rule before someone is killed.
P. Scott
Mount Maunganui
Child poverty
I read the article from Bryan Gould (Opinion, December 17) "We must fix child poverty".
After reading the article and doing further research, I concluded that this is indeed Bryan's opinion.
As his supposed "facts" are indeed opinions. Why do I say this? Because currently there is no official measure of Child Poverty in NZ to support his assertion that "that no fewer than 80,000 NZ children live in poverty".
The Child Poverty Reduction Bill introduced by the PM which would lead to such an index is still before Parliament.
Roy Edwards
Tauranga