THANK you for the excellent reporting on the recent cycling incident 'Cyclists struck by car', (Herald, 1/12) and 'There's hate for cyclists' (Herald, 5/12).
It's almost a miracle that none of the cyclists involved were not seriously injured. The comments regarding this incident in the letters to the editor and social media varied greatly as to what are the road cycling rules and how they should be applied.
In my opinion, there is an urgent need for all road users to be better educated regarding the current road cycling rules.
Several relatively recently introduced road rules, such as safe passing distances at different road speed limits as well as what cyclists can and can't legally do, are not widely understood. Surely it is up to the NSW government to educate all road users regarding these recent changes. In my opinion, this is the key to improving road safety for cyclists and car drivers alike.
Andrew Constance, the current Minister for Transport and Roads, is the person with the power and indeed the responsibility to achieve this education outcome in the most efficient way. The ball is in your court minister.
Ian Thomas, The Hill
Rage on the roads
THE story on "There's hate for cyclists" (Herald, 5/12) should cause alarm for many reasons, one being that this incident could have led to severe injuries or even death of a rider.
It seems likely that the crash was either a deliberate action designed to intimidate cyclists or an accident created by a motorist who had little understanding of his vehicle's proximity to the victims. If the former was the cause then it is part of the growing road rage phenomena that sees motorists become so frustrated with traffic congestion they develop a hatred for anyone, pedestrians, cyclists or motorists who slows their journey.
The growth in this dangerous behaviour has been accelerated by the increase in vehicular traffic without a corresponding increase in road capacity.
While this is highly annoying for motorists it can be fatal for pedestrians and cyclists who need separation from vehicles.
Unlike other nations Australia has lagged behind in the construction of dedicated cycleways yet as the experience in countries like Denmark show that this approach reduces congestion on roads as well as air pollution while being far cheaper than attempting to widen existing roads.
Don Owers, Dudley
Look to the future again
CONGRATULATIONS must go to Peter Morris, former federal transport minister in the early 1990s. He had the foresight to offer Newcastle Airport at RAAF Base, Williamtown to Port Stephens Council, which didn't want to go it alone and partnered with Newcastle City Council.
The so-called domestic infrastructure those years ago was a tin shed with any bookings required to contact Canberra.
We now witness the requirement to improve the runway ('Hope Remains for Runway', Herald, 7/12) and this should be a high priority for our federal government.
With the introduction of another 70 F-35As it will become very busy at Williamtown and international flights will become a requirement to remove pressure from capital cities. These F-35As should be strategically placed around Australia and if we were a smart nation we would be purchasing the F-35Bs with vertical take-off capabilities, enabling them to work well with the Spanish-built Canberra and Adelaide ships with ski-jumps.
If we were even smarter we would insist that Australia purchase the F-22 Raptor twin-engine aircraft, being a much safer aircraft than the F-35As, even though America want to keep them for themselves.
Our RAAF should also be supplied with water-bombing aircraft, including "Elvis" style helicopters to put out fires in remote areas. Fraser Island is a classic example where our RAAF could have been deployed and put out those now threatening fires weeks ago.
Brian Watson-Will, Corlette
The numbers game
PETER Dolan and Michael Jameson (Short Takes, 7/12) challenge Julie Robinson's assertion that "African-Americans have felt unsafe and threatened under his (Trump's) presidency, turning out in huge numbers to vote for Biden" (Short Takes, 3/12). They both point to the apparent slight increase in African-American votes for Trump in 2020. But in doing so, they confirm Ms Robinson's assertion. Mr Dolan states that 26 per cent of non-whites voted for Trump that is 74 per cent voted against him. Although Mr Dolan doesn't state what percentage of those non-whites was African-American, I suggest it could be safely assumed that, if taken separately, the African-American percentage would be higher. Mr Jameson states that 80 per cent of African-American males and 91 per cent of females voted against Trump in 2020. These figures, regardless of how they compare to 2016, unequivocally support Ms Robinson. Eighty to 90 per cent of a large African-American population equates to "huge numbers".
John Ure, Mount Hutton
Fairer deal for all
THE fact that the relevant NSW Act specifically excludes any compensation means that those who are affected directly by the Newcastle 500 - businesses and residents inside or adjacent to the race precinct - pay twice: first, in the council rates and state taxes paid and, second, in the real losses they incur without any compensation.
Again it is the state and council that are able to play to the majority not so affected and spin the (supposed) benefits and know the majority only pay once. This is what is wrong and unfair.
Residential streets were not designed or intended to be used for motor sports like Supercars. That is what a purpose-built motor racing track is for.
Street circuit events pose serious risks to the lives of patrons in unexpected projectiles and emissions (tyres, car parts, tyre shrapnel, fumes etc) flying through the air, excessive sound levels known to affect hearing of those in close proximity to the race track, and damage to heritage-listed properties which have been the subject of contested compensation.
In all contractual arrangements it is usual to have an exchange of a service or product offer with an acceptable payment or compensation. At worst, and if the event is so successful in terms of the money made, is it not reasonable to compensate those affected within and around the racing precinct with a simple payment of a few thousand dollars per household/business premises? Extra for health effects and property damage.
Alex Spathis, Newcastle East
SHARE YOUR OPINION
Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited in any form.
SHORT TAKES
WHY did Orica tell only the northern suburbs [of Newcastle] about its planned licence renewal? The notification should have gone to every suburb within the blast radius.
Peter Moylan, Glendale
LAST week Newcastle lost a great character in Don "Ducky" Williams; always up for a story and a laugh. He will be missed by all who knew him. Condolences to his family. A great bloke. RIP Ducky.
Ken Stead, Lambton
IN Saturday's paper you gave a page to a 17-year-old boy to give it all to coal and gas as being the devils of climate change ('Coal pride lingers but power shift is lasting,' Opinion, 5/12) . At his age I had two years working as an apprentice boilermaker and was well aware of the need for base power for industry. I don't think he understands that to even support a normal household with his normal amenities such as air conditioning, refrigeration, hot water service, televisions, computers, stoves, swimming pools and the usual toasters and kettles we still need a base load of power to operate. Until we can find something to take over for our base load needs I think we have to have coal-powered stations.
Allen Small, East Maitland
IT'S human nature to want something for nothing, but rare are those who give something and want nothing.
Bryn Roberts, New Lambton
I SAY bring Australian Julian Assange home now. Here in the United States of Australia, this Australian citizen Julian Assange will stand out as a symbol of Western Democracy's hypocrisy for decades to come. The Iraq war, a war built on American lies as John Howard danced in tune to American war tom-toms. The Iraq war is a war crime, and terrorism is a natural reaction to war.
Richard Ryan, Summerland Point
PHILLIP O'Neill, for "buzz" in a sensational, rare, right-on-the-coast centre, Newcastle, you don't "truncate" intercity railway infrastructure, ('How can city's centre bring back the buzz', Herald, 7/12). You bring it up to speed, to Sydney's 400 billion GDP. Many Sydneysiders want a hands-free, convenient quick "get away".
Graeme Tychsen, Rankin Park
IN response to Steven Busch's reasoning for stopping daylight saving, I say we need more daylight saving so my solar panels get even more sunlight during summer. The one hour extra sunlight a day is saving me money. I would vote for two hours of daylight savings. Imagine all that extra power my panels would generate if we had two hours of daylight saving not just one hour. Happy days.
Andrew Hirst, Beresfield
I FULLY support the idea of having our national anthem sung in both the voice of Indigenous people and English. This would be a huge step of inclusion, but the version we heard on Saturday night [at the rugby union Test match] was in the Eora language. Is this the language that our Indigenous population prefers? Just asking.
