You can lead drivers to safety, but you can’t make them think

2 months ago 6

As a frequent user of roads between Sydney and the New England area I can agree with the concerns about excessive speed (“Plan to cut road deaths killed off in just 11 days”, December 12). The problem, however, is not so much the 100km/h limit but more about those who exceed it. Despite this, travel on regional roads is a lot safer than travel on the M1 “highway to hell” between Wahroonga and Newcastle, where the speed limit of 110 is frequently exceeded, particularly by trucks and large SUVs, overtaking on both sides is commonplace and tailgating is rife. I have often been stuck in traffic on the M1 because of a traffic incident. Although I can agree with the need to improve the quality of regional roads, the more pressing problem lies closer to Sydney. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne

I have been driving for over 50 years and often on country roads. We frequently drive below the speed limit because of our assessment that the speed limit is too high for the quality of the road. Interestingly, people driving at the speed limit or faster than it come rushing up behind and, despite plenty of long stretches where it is safe to overtake, just sit behind you, presumably because they are inexperienced or not competent enough to overtake, yet they drive at dangerous speeds when they can. This decision on the speed limit is purely political, just like Premier Minns’ decision to reinstate warning signs on mobile speed cameras. Who cares if we kill a few people as long as we get the votes? There should not be any warning signs on speed cameras anywhere. When speed cameras were first introduced in Victoria decades ago, without warnings, I was visiting and driving around the city. It was very noticeable that everybody drove within the speed limit, unlike people in my home town of Sydney. Michael McMullan, Avoca Beach

No matter the conditions, speeding just isn’t worth the risk

Having the proposal for reducing the speed limit to 80km/h on many rural roads canned, it is now up to governments to fund the required upgrades. There is clearly little empathy for rural and regional road users but plenty of monies for tunnels under Sydney, Metro trains and the like. There is obviously little understanding of the transport needs of rural communities associated with road trains and the like transporting essential goods to Sydney and elsewhere. The necessary funding needs to be found to upgrade rural roads and eliminate the problem, not just reduce the speed limit forever into the future. Are rural residents just third-class citizens of the state. Bruce Clydsdale, Bathurst

Protesting against safety infringements by gas-guzzling, bullying behemoths and the rejection of reducing speed limits on unsigned rural remote and low-quality roads is timely as we head into the Christmas-New Year festive season. Road travel home to small towns, the merry season for festive drinking and behavioural disinhibition will surely translate into road carnage. Trucks, tractors and large work vehicles that inhabit rural roads driven at high speed to try to get home early to facilitate family time represents a dangerous combination of mass plus high-impact energy lethality and the false reassurance of long stretches of empty road ahead without other traffic. As a rural relieving doctor on the Charleville circuit 30 years ago, I recall being scared out of my wits looking after the seriously injured. On driving to rural clinics, I was constantly wary of kangaroos drinking from puddles at the edge of open roads at dusk. If wildlife kill is any guide, these long and remote road stretches require speed restrictions. The worst traumas I looked after, as a helicopter rescue doctor years later, were from rural accident scenes. Joseph Ting, Brisbane (Qld)

For the first time, my wife and I bought a small car, and it’s electric. What has surprised us is how easy it is to get around and into parking stations. It’s the best car we have ever bought. Our society has a thing for large cars, with the perception that they outperform the smaller car. I can assure you that our little tin can has left many a petrol car in its wake, to their great embarrassment. Please, everyone, you will be a lot happier in a small run-about car that offers much better performance, is cheaper to run and perhaps (if it’s an EV) even uses free power off your roof. Tony Lewis, Mount Victoria

Safety in vapes

The obvious and simplest way to make a dent in the illicit tobacco industry (“Half of tobacco market illegal at $11.8b cost”, December 12) is to legalise and regulate vaping products. Many Australians do not want tobacco products but have little choice when, on the black market, safer vaping products are either unavailable or more expensive. Other countries (such as Britain and New Zealand) also have very high tobacco taxes, but they have avoided a burgeoning black market in tobacco by accepting vaping as a safer alternative. Peter Barrett, Woonona

During Prohibition, America banned alcohol and Mafia gangs devised creative, brutal and sometimes murderous ways to circumvent the authorities, until alcohol was again legalised. The lessons learnt were that if your objective is to create a more moral or healthy society, then you’re imposing an actual or de facto zero tolerance or total abstinence rule. Historically, and at present, black markets welcome with open, creative, brutal and murderous arms, zero tolerance or abstinence because it opens up so many possibilities for making profits that otherwise would be the domain of a tobacco industry. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay

Having recently attended a service for a friend who died of lung cancer, I cannot understand why anyone these days takes up smoking cigarettes, let alone those silly vape things. My friend was not young, but he was addicted and aware of his problem. He grew up in a time when smoking, especially in the media, both film and print, was constantly promoted. Nowadays, it is different; we know what tobacco does. For heaven’s sake, consider something else if you want to risk your lives, kiddies. A spot of sky-diving, swimming with sharks, running with the bulls in Pamplona ... lots more fun and probably less expensive. As Yul Brynner said on TV before he died: “Just don’t smoke.” Nola Tucker, Kiama

It’s all yours, Don

President Trump will require all Australians wishing to visit the US to provide social media details (“US reaches peak paranoia with bizarre border entry plan”, December 12). The only social medium where I post my views is email. Does this mean that I would have to allow US authorities access to my emails, and particularly letters that have been published in the Herald? My privacy would no longer be private. In the words of Darryl Kerrigan, “Tell him he’s dreaming.” Rod Watson, East Brighton (Vic)

I realise that due to my predilection for commenting on the self-serving injustice, inequity and plain stupidity of the Trump regime in the Herald, my chances of hanging out in the great US of A with the delightful specimens of humanity who either voted for him, or didn’t even bother voting at all, are now nil. I’m devastated. Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga

Honour and integrity go missing

I strongly support the comments of James Massola (“Why Albanese should drop Wells”, December 12). Anthony Albanese – who has spoken over and over again about wanting to restore trust in politics, which he regards as an honourable profession – should lean into this moment rather than hiding behind regulations that he has the power to change. We badly need more politicians like independent Ted Mack (RIP), who did not take his entitlements because he knew what did not pass the pub test. These so-called “rules” dilute our faith in the current government and need to change. If you shone a light on corporate life, would this behaviour be acceptable? As a CEO and company director, I did not claim such expenses. Ian Muir, Chatswood

It is pleasing to see the PM exercising all of his powers as leader of our country. If he stays on his current trajectory, we may well be rid of him come next election day. We can forgive his failure with the Voice referendum, but his aspiration to restore trust in politicians and politics (“make it an honourable profession”) is a bridge too far. We have experienced few honourable politicians in this century. Honour and integrity are non-negotiable precepts and these are missing from the Albanese lexicon and his government. He extols the virtues of his government regarding the plight of the homeless, the unemployed and low-income earners but he – and his ministers – do nothing to change those experiencing these straitened circumstances. Chris Rivers, Port Macquarie

I look forward to reading Massola’s next column, where he will advocate for wealthy Australians who did not need the money to return the electricity rebates they received in the past couple of years. He could also demand people who own multiple investment properties return all the tax concessions they received because ordinary people can’t avail themselves of such taxpayer-funded largesse. While he’s at it, he could request certain businesses repay the outrageous sums paid to them undeservedly during the pandemic. And let’s not forget the money paid to wealthy private schools to help them build castles and sporting fields. All these payments were within the “rules”, but they don’t pass the test at any pub I go to. The entitlements received by Anika Wells and other politicians pale into insignificance compared with these examples. Phil Peak, Dubbo

Albanese should indeed drop Wells, as Massola argues, but the stability-seeking PM is unlikely to do so. If the scandal persists he might shift Wells into another portfolio, but her conscious choice to take advantage of overly generous expenses will haunt her. Moreover, the minister’s lack of integrity, if not common decency, will quite rightly be exploited by Sussan Ley’s team desperate to make gains before the next election. Ron Sinclair, Windradyne

The hullabaloo about family travel entitlements for politicians is a ridiculous beat-up. Do we want a parliament with only old divorced men who have no dependents, or one with politicians from across the spectrum of private commitments? Australia is huge, and all pollies have to travel far and wide, most must live away from home when parliament sits, all while keeping their families intact, in a position that might give only three to four years between “job interviews to renew their short-term contracts”. Give them a break. Peter Kamenyitzky, Copacabana

I have read many commentaries this week pertaining to the Anika Wells misstep and a claim Anthony Albanese is a past master of understanding government workings, particularly relative to expenses. It would appear he does not understand the difference between responsibility and accountability. He has always aspired to become prime minister and having achieved this goal he is accountable and cannot hide behind delegated responsibility to others as a defence of Anika Wells. D’Arcy Hardy, North Turramurra

Last night, going out for dinner about seven o’clock, I saw a sight I haven’t seen for a long time. It was a group of kids, aged from about six or seven to 14 or 15, playing netball in the park. Well done, Anika. Coral Button, North Epping

All’s well that ends Wells?

Prime Minister Albanese does indeed need to hold a hose, the sooner, the better (“Albanese is getting closer to his ‘I don’t hold a hose’ moment”, December 12). He needs to hose down the negative publicity and speculation as well as increasing public anger and frustration. He must act and be shown to act quickly to amend the family travel entitlement regulations so that they are fairer in the minds of voters. Otherwise, his image, stature and leadership will be watered down and come back to haunt him and his Labor Party at the next election. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon

The Big Hose, a collaboration by Brisbane First Nations’ artist Tony Albert and Sydney contemporary artist Nell.

I can appreciate the prime minister’s frustration. He has lost control of the agenda at a time when he has something he wants to celebrate. Egalitarianism lives on in Australia, and the politics of envy is ever-present. It is time for Albanese to learn from his predecessors and show that he can be both pragmatic and principled. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls

For a while on Thursday, I thought I was watching a press conference in the Oval Office, with Donald Trump responding to unwelcome questions from a female reporter. Albanese was obviously stroppy, he prevaricated and did not wholly answer the question while Trump would have said he knew nothing about it before launching a demeaning remark about the reporter in question and ask where she was from. The whole question of politicians’ entitlements certainly needs tightening, especially when politicians keep telling us they know we are “doing it tough”. But, obviously, some are doing it tougher than others. Bernard Moylan, Bronte

Arts masters

Your correspondent’s suggestion (Letters, December 12) that politicians need a course in ethics is an excellent idea. Sadly, the study of ethics falls under the Humanities banner, a field seriously devalued under the Jobs-Ready Graduate Scheme, so the chances of anyone studying this subject is becoming increasingly more remote. Kendal Tichon, Bundanoon

Unsocial media players

Waleed Aly should clarify the issue of agency (“Ban may be bigger than we think”, December 12). Technological innovation in and of itself neither enhances nor degrades the human condition. Credit or blame belongs to those who create or apply the technology. In a similar way, credit or blame belong to those who regulate or fail to regulate technology. Mark Porter, New Lambton

The problem with social media is not the under-age users, it’s the unsocial users making it unsafe for minors. The Australian government already has a unique ID linking health records, bank accounts and tax records, it would be easy to link social media accounts in that record without making the link public. Apple already has a feature to allow apps to securely check international records. Disruptive users could be blacklisted across all apps. Colin Sutton, Newtown

Bankrupt ideas

The increase in people filing for bankruptcy is quite alarming but could easily be lessened if people bought a modest Asian-made vehicle and enrolled their children in our perfectly good public school system (“Private school fees, luxury cars drive a surge in bankruptcy”, December 12). Surely this is better than possibly losing your house, restricting where you work and surrendering your passport. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury

Methane rising?

The Coal Mining Emissions Spotlight report raises crucial issues in relation to the Hunter Valley and beyond (“NSW net zero target under threat from coal”, December 12). It states that approvals of further coal mining expansions could increase methane emissions by 50 per cent, in addition to contributing to climate change both “globally and locally”. Apart from pressure exerted by the coal mining companies and the consortium that owns the Newcastle coal loading facility on the relevant approval authorities, the NSW government is conscious of both the revenue stream from the purpose-built rail network and the major threat to employment in the region. The report flags a global decline in the demand for coal. In this respect, far more effective measures can be instigated to address employment through regional economic development if the reduction of coal mining is planned, rather than being at the whim of export markets. In the interests of future employment and the dilemma of increased global warming, there is no justification for the approval of coal mine expansions. Roger Epps, Armidale

Fly now, pay later

The size of his pay is utterly baffling when one considers it is not he who is fast, but the car he is driving (“Piastri’s $56m pay-day softens F1 blow”, December 12). Mustafa Erem, Terrigal

Short and sweet

You know you’re getting old when a Herald correspondent refers to texting as “old-fashioned” (Letters, December 12). Randi Svensen, Wyong

It is said that one should never judge a man by his colour. I would suggest to certain correspondents this week, however, that at traffic lights it is imperative. Tom Hanson, Mt Kuring-Gai

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