Letters: Distance allowed for cars to use bus lane is too short

Hewletts Rd bus lane "cheats" are just pragmatic drivers, says a reader. Photo / File

I was interested in the article about bus lane cheats (News, May 13) and observed the following today:

The Hewletts Rd signs record $150 fines – not $200.

The only bus using the bus lane was "Not in service". Shouldn't it have been using the public lanes?

The dotted line for traffic from Mount Maunganui turning into Jean Batten Drive is only of about seven car lengths.

On several occasions, the traffic wishing to turn in the bus lane exceeded that number.

This means anyone legally wishing to turn left would have to wait until the bus lane is clear before exiting the public lane.

Chances are the Jean Batten Drive light may turn amber before the road is clear with stranded drivers creating a traffic jam.

Their urgency to turn left may be heightened if rushing for a flight.

Sensing they may not get across in time, they might cut in front of someone possibly exacerbating matters through creating a collision.

To me, the logical solution is to allow Hewletts Rd traffic, turning left into Jean Batten Drive, to share the bus lane, starting from Aerodrome Rd, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidents as described. (Abridged)

Peter Layne
Brookfield

Pragmatic drivers

Your correspondent Kiri Gillespie refers to "cheats" and "the worst offenders" regarding the use of bus lanes (News, May 13).

In my view, these are pragmatic citizens using an empty piece of road which they have paid for.

Chris Brown
Tauranga

Casting stones

Well said Alan Jones (News, May 9).

Ironically all those who have condemned Folau for writing or voicing his thoughts on what is written in the Bible must surely realise that they themselves could be guilty of anti-Christian hate.

They need to be reminded that "let he who is without sin cast the first stone".

Through the media, it seems that Folau, in my view, has now himself become the subject of a hate crime.

Beware New Zealanders, especially church pastors, this could set a dangerous precedent affecting our right to freedom of speech. (Abridged)

Bryan Simmonds
Katikati

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