Editorial: All can share Mauao

Buddy Mikaere

It's not surprising Buddy Mikaere sparked an outpouring of opinion when he vented his frustration over an aggressive pram-pusher on the Mount base track.

If there's anything Tauranga locals are passionate about, it's Mauao.

Navigating the scenic walk around it is one of the enviable privileges of living in the Bay and people tend to fiercely protect their right to enjoy it in any manner they choose.

The friction between runners and walkers, and who should give way to whom, has reared its head in previous years but this is the first time I've heard complaints about prams.

Anyone who has pushed a pram containing a toddler around the base track will also know it's certainly not as easy as it looks navigating the undulating dirt and shell path.

But the extra effort makes it much better exercise than a free-handed stroll, which is partly why pram-pushers do it.

It's a lot easier for a free-handed walker to give way to a tired mum pushing a hefty three-wheeled pram than it is for her to shuffle it awkwardly to the side, but that's no excuse to be rude about it.

Pram-pushers don't have the right of way because they are bigger and take up more of the track and those who navigate their way around them should be thanked for doing so.

In my experience, the beautiful scenery and fresh air make it hard to be grumpy on a walk around the Mount.

Most people greet you as they pass, hold gates open for you and politely move if they or their children are holding you up.

With hundreds of people walking the track on a sunny day it's not surprising there is the odd near collision or awkward side step, but most can be avoided with a bit of courtesy from all parties.

And if we want to ban pram-pushers we should also consider runners with iPods, slow walkers, people who walk behind you - just close enough to eavesdrop on your conversation - and large groups of tourists who take up the whole track. But then, who would be left?