Letters: When driving to town drives me to drink

How come every time I go to town there's more cars, people and traffic than ever?

A seemingly simple trip into town to pay a few bills, do a bit of shopping was once a pleasant outing for me.

How come every time I go to town there's more cars, people and traffic than ever? I negotiate carefully around the sticky-out kerbs that never used to be there.

I zigzag around sticky-out cars at the lower end of the Avenue block. I join the ever-increasing number of cars looking for parks, finally finding one. Yay!

But then when it's time to back out it's only when someone wants your park am I able to get out. Maybe that's what [Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern] means when she says we need more people for progress? Nah, not for me.

It takes me three sets of light changes to get to the next block. Then there's the muddled arrangement of turning and straight lanes that are different at every intersection around town. Pity the poor motorist from out of town who cannot see the road markings ahead because of the cars in front covering them.

At least the person responsible for designing the roads hasn't been let loose in the supermarket aisles yet. Imagine that - up lanes and down lanes, left turning ones and straight ahead. The mind boggles.

Finally, I'm home and have survived the pathetic motorists who don't know how to use their blinkers, don't know how to give way to others, those who think they own the roads.

I'm reminded of that song "clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, and I'm stuck in the middle ... I'm going to put my feet up and enjoy a quiet well deserved G&T and pluck up the courage for my next trip to town.
P RODGERS
Castlecliff

Taxes on taxes
My New Year resolution is not to pay the GST on my rates in the future, or I should say property taxes, because that's what they are.

I believe, by doing this, the council's finances should not be reduced in any way because if it doesn't collect my contribution to central government then it shouldn't have to pay it.

While on the subject of rates, there has to be a better way of funding all the "extras" that have been landed on local government's plate these days, e.g. a responsibility for social welfare and economic wellbeing that should be a strictly central government responsibility.

Also, a large proportion of our rates are spent on community infrastructure that is not pertinent to my property or my activities.

I have never used a sports stadium or attended local government-sponsored entertainment.

There is an obvious need for an income-based community tax on all wage earners. Let everyone contribute and let's stop paying "taxes on taxes".
BRIAN MOSEN
Whanganui

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