Ahipara suffering old people's disease'

A handful of Ahipara residents suffering "old people's disease" came in for some stick from some of their neighbours last week.

They did not wish to be named, but a small delegation of residents said they did not support the "moaners" who had been complaining for years to the police and politicians about traffic on the beach,particularly motorbikes and quads.

They had no real issue with the wildlife sanctuary that was established on part of the beach late last year (although they did question its legal status and the need to protect the dotterels nesting there), and thought the proposed 30km/h speed limit was a good idea, but had become impatient with what they saw as the constant complaining that was giving Ahipara a bad name.

"What they are worried about isn't the birds, it's the fact that these bikes are being ridden in front of their houses," one resident said.

"That's the big issue as far as they are concerned, and that's what they are complaining about really."

The result of that complaining was an aura of negativity, he added, when in fact Ahipara was a beautiful place, and, over the summer in particular, a great place to have fun.

"They are not even locals. They are people who have come here and now want to change things," he said.

"And it's such a short period of time. There are 8760 hours in a year, and one of them was complaining (We need help out here, Northland Age January 15) about these bikes being ridden for two hours. They don't want to see anyone having fun. They've got old people's disease."

That resident had complained that he had his family had been subjected to the continuous roar of bikes and quads on the beach for at least two hours on January 2. ("We are literally being driven crazy. Some of us are in the early stages of depression. Something needs to be done urgently," he said in his letter.)

"What they are saying is that they don't want anyone coming here to have fun.

"All we are saying is that it isn't as bad as they say it is, and that we're sick of the negativity."

Beachfront residents themselves, they said they heard one or two bikes on the beach now and again, although this summer had been a relatively quiet one.

"They're not drinking, they're not damaging other people's property, they're not leaving rubbish behind and they're not stuck in front of a television set," one said.

"They're just having fun, and we think they should be left alone to do just that."