Letters to the editor: Footpaths are for feet, not scooters

Bill Biehler and Dennis Schroder say their mobility cars are legal and the vehicle of the future. Photo/file

Footpaths for feet

With regard to "Trendy senior scooters hit road block" (News, June 30), any additional threat to the safety of pedestrians on footpaths is totally unacceptable.

I'm amazed that the word pedestrian does not appear once in the article. This is indicative of what pedestrians have to endure, particularly around 3pm on school days.

I can recall several encounters, usually with secondary school boys who approach silently from behind on the footpath and whiz past with 30cm to spare.

One even sped past the bus shelter outside the hospital on Cameron Rd. If any of us waiting had moved at the wrong moment there would have been a serious accident. No wonder we try to stay home after 3pm.

If these big trendy scooters are banned from the roads and are expected to use the footpaths, just where is it envisaged that the pedestrians might go?

Bicycle bells, if used, would at least give a little protection where pedestrians and cyclists coexist, but 'cars' on footpaths?

Please at least acknowledge that pedestrians exist and have every right to use the footpath unencumbered by a variety of vehicles.

Footpaths are for feet.

Alison Carey
Mount Maunganui

Marina's value to city

If this little piece of previously reclaimed land at Sulphur Point is so important in the battle against "global warming" as Gary Horan implies (Letters, June 30), then he seems to be in favour of a lot more reclamation to combat further global warming at the very least.

As for quote "lazy people wanting somewhere to park their boats", it would appear from the beautiful condition these "boats" are maintained, it makes a lie of the description lazy, one would think.

Gary also misses, or chooses to ignore, the added value this project will bring to the locals at the city end of the harbour.

Walking, cycling, kids fishing, marine studies, school study groups, boardwalks, plus.

Alan Glover
Matua

Leave fluoride out

As a ratepayer, I don't expect a neurotoxin (fluoride) which I don't either need or want to be added to the water.

I have a right to non-medicated drinking water. Please don't trot out the fact that iodine is added to salt for the greater good, which is a good thing, but I can choose to buy non-iodised salt should I wish.

With the water supply, there is no such choice.

A newborn bottle-fed baby and an elderly compromised person will get the same dose as every other consumer.

My understanding is very few countries in the world now put fluoride in their water and places such as Scotland found that educating children and families on good oral hygiene produced far better results.

In my opinion, the science just doesn't add up.

AM Gribben
Mount Maunganui