Road safety

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32775, 27 November 1971, Page 16

Road safety

Sir, —After reading “Resident’s” comments on trucks speeding in Waimairi Road I wish to point out some facts about trucks in this area. As a constant user of this road I find his view of speeds highly exaggerated. A truck fully loaded requires an extremely long stretch of road to reach such speeds as 45 to 60 m.p.h. Probably “Resident” does not like the noise when drivers have to use low gears, giving more revs, to enable vehicles to reach 30 m.p.h. My workmates agree; 45-60 m.p.h. is impossible, full dr empty.—Yours, etc., TRUCK OPERATOR. November 24, 1971.

Sir, —I endorse “Resident’s” sentiments regarding speeding traffic on Waimairi Road. Avonhead Road also comes in for very much the same abuse. At week-ends, particularly, from early in the morning until late at night, milk trucks, heavy vehicles, cars, and motor-cycles, hurtle along this road at high speed. Perhaps the compulsory stops at the intersections leading to Waimairi and Avonhead Roads, coupled with the lack of patrol cars about give drivers the mistaken impression that they have the right to turn these roads into 60 m.p.h. motorways. Also, the number of noisy vehicles on the roads these days makes one wonder if, in fact, it is an offence to operate a noisy vehicle.—Yours, etc., AVONHEAD ROAD

RESIDENT. November 25, 1971.