Gisborne Herald letters: Shocking people have to sleep in cars

A Gisborne woman was shocked to come across 17 cars that had people sleeping in them in the city on Monday night.

Letters to the Editor

Shocking people have to sleep in cars

On Monday at 10pm, I drove around trying to find a place with no street lights, so I could try to see the aurora before it ended. I never saw the aurora, but I did count at least 17 cars with people trying to sleep inside them.

What was particularly upsetting was that some of those car sleepers were scared of me when I drove by and parked.

I could tell these folks had been sleeping in their cars because the windows were all fogged up.

It is just incomprehensible to me that here in Aotearoa, we have become a nation where a few families can afford more than one house. Some people even own “investment properties” while other people have no home and must sleep rough in a car.

What about the people who don’t even have a car?

It is absolutely shocking that people here in Gisborne have no place to call home and have to sleep sitting up in a car. It was a really cold night too.

One of those car dwellers might be your workmate. We need to become a more equitable nation.

We have a class system now based on who can afford a house. It’s unacceptable.

Lara Meyer

Outcome pre-determined

Re: Rate rises to fix water favoured - backing for GDC preferred option, May 14 story.

What a surprise! All questions on the online submission form had two options to choose from, one for a rate rise of X per cent (marked as preferred option!) and another one for a bigger rate rise.

I wonder what the result of the survey would have been if it had two further options to choose from, like no-rate-rise-at-all or, heaven forbid, rate decrease!

These kinds of online surveys are very manipulative and always get the pre-determined outcome that the council seeks. They are an insult to ratepayers’ intelligence and are just done to tick the “consultation” box!

Simin Williams

Missing the mark

I wrote a letter, May 10, 2024, regarding poor road marking on Lowe St. I also mentioned these contractors not only do this only in Gisborne but also on our state highways.

Watching TV on Monday morning, one viewer sent in a video of road markings where contractors in the Auckland area had missed the road altogether and painted the grass verge. It showed the person pulling the grass away, easily removing the painted line.

Feedback from other viewers showed painted lines over leaves, someone travelling to Raglan saw a painted line running over the top of a dead possum, and others of people sweeping up loose chips in front of their homes, etc.

Everybody knows that the roading contractors have been very busy since Gabrielle, but so have many other industries.

Please take pride in your work. Managers/ supervisors - pat your crew on the back for a job well done once everything is completed correctly, and nothing is missed. Team culture and bonding is important in any industry, including our roading crews.

Also, the whole job is judged by the few bits not done correctly at the end.

Eddie Tuhaka

Grey St ‘opportunity’ futile

I will not be taking up the “opportunity” to go to Alfred Cox skateboard park to “discuss” the makeover of Grey St - I cannot think of anything more futile and a waste of time. I have already commented several times on this project, but I wish to add that it will be interesting if council representatives even open their eyes to see how few skateboard park users there are during school hours. If they observed for any length of time, they would then also understand that Grey St has lots of traffic during daytime business hours, as well as Saturday morning. What does it take for council to listen to those who have valid reasons for opposing anything that interferes with Grey St traffic flow?

Roger Handford

Driven by parents

The article in the Gisborne Herald highlighted “Grey Street is an area frequented by children on their way to the skatepark, pump park, the beach or Kiwa Pools”. I concede some would use their skateboards for the skatepark and pump park, but 95 per cent of the children going to the beach or the Kiwa Pools would be travelling in motor vehicles mostly driven by their parents!

Trevor Mills

Most too busy

Re: Have your say on Grey St, May 11 story.

How many of us even have time to go at 9am on a workday?

Peter Millar