Letters: Improvements needed for safe cycling

A reader comments on cycling around Rotorua. PHOTO/FILE

While Rotorua may be the mountain biking capital of New Zealand, we will have to make a number of improvements if we want to get people out of cars and cycling to work or just cycling for physical exercise.

My 16-year-old grandson was shocked on Sunday when a ride around Lake Rotorua and through the city encountered drivers turning left immediately in front of our bikes, bits of glass everywhere, rubbish including glass and plastic bottles and bits of metal within 1m of the kerbs and very rough sealed verges where cyclists are meant to ride which were almost unrideable.

While parts of the road around the lake and through town are debris-free and have a good surface to ride on, can the council please give consideration to surfacing well the left-hand side of the roads when they are re-sealed and maybe putting the road cleaning trucks around the city streets more regularly. When I dropped him off on our bikes at his place, his only words to me before I rode home were "Be careful".

PAUL CARPENTER
Rotorua

Disabled parking
As a former council employee issued with a Rotorua Traffic Warrant it was surprising how many when spoken to about parking in a disabled space without displaying approval,
responded by saying "I will only be here for a few minutes".

And it is not just those who do not display permits who park illegally in reserved disabled spaces. I was also aware of some who simply "borrow a partner's permit" when they go into town.

I particularly remember one occasion when I was verbally abused by a young lady who was obviously not entitled who argued that she had come into town to get something for her father (the owner of the warrant), from the pharmacist so was therefore entitled to use his warrant for parking.

I also believe that those who have a warrant and let other able bodied people use it, are just as bad as offenders so should not be entitled to a permit.

G M OWEN
Rotorua