Letters, Feb 17
17/02/2010 11:30:00 a.m.
Parking trap
[RE: Chow Bros car park story, Feb 10] Property Recovery Services know every dirty trick in the book when it comes to towing. It is not at all obvious that this is a 24 hour pay and display car park. Why not? Because there is a plant (as shown in your photograph) that completely obscures the 24 hour pay and display sign. That plant is there for a reason – and it’s not for decoration. PRS is the same company that does security for the now defunct Mitre Ten car park. This car park had a big sign to warn customers of parking payment... On weekends PRS would back a truck up against the sign in order to obscure it from view and leave it there all night in order to trick the late night weekend crowds. And they absolutely tow cars away the second their time is up (although they say they give 10 minutes grace). I accidentally parked in one of their traps for literally 10 minutes before I found a tow truck trying to snare my car. How they managed to get it there so quickly still amazes me. What this company does isn’t actually illegal but it damn well should be.
James Dunlop, Wellington
Car park signage
I absolutely agree with your story about the signage at the Exodus gym et al Tory St car park which Property Security Services polices. The sign misled me. It gives the impression that there is free parking for 90 minutes, and pay and display thereafter, which is not at all the case.
John Bristed, Mt Victoria
Pirie St traffic lights
[RE: En-light-ened, Capital Times, Feb 10] I would be interested to know why exactly Sophie Schroder thinks that “pedestrians have it far too good”. I can’t help but wonder how often she actually walks through the city. I walk for over an hour most days and it certainly has not been my experience that pedestrians are in any way privileged. Call me crazy, but it seems to me that if anyone should have to wait longer at crossings it should be motorists, if only because they are protected from the elements! Someone has made a feeble attempt at providing “shelters” at some crossings, these are ineffectual in the face of even a light rain, (though they do look quite pretty). Surely there should be more incentives for people to leave their cars at home and walk but any measures that make it slightly more bearable for pedestrians should be encouraged. Pedestrians are not contributing to climate change by driving so anything that restores the balance even slightly in favour of pedestrians has to be a good thing.
Sam Mortlock, Newtown
(abridged)
RE: En-light-ened article (10.02.10) Your reporter states “However the pedestrian crossing from Pirie Street to the traffic island in the middle of Kent and Cambridge Terraces allows walkers to cross for about one minute 15 seconds” and she also says “This reporter thinks the pedestrians have it far too good, and could give a few of their seconds to poor old Pirie”. Well, if you look at the big picture, the only reason the pedestrians get 75 seconds to cross at this part of the intersection is because it is a “by product” of the traffic movement at this particular intersection. The only cars that cross into the path on this part of the pedestrian crossing are the cars traveling north to south direction on Kent Tce. The rest of the time the crossing is freed up for pedestrians when Vivian St traffic has the green for about 1 minute and Pirie St traffic has 14 seconds. As a pedestrian (and a motorist), I can assure you the majority of traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing in Wellington City do not allow enough time for people to cross safely.
Chris Young, Wellington
(abridged)
Cycling
Your columnist Martin Doyle has spectacularly outted himself as a cyclophile (Captimes 10 Feb). His rant on cycling was a thinly veiled call for help. Don’t worry Martin – help is at hand! Your obsession with sweaty lycra, pumping thighs and shaved calves betrays a deep passion for those who ride the streets of Wellington. Glide proudly around the waterfront, cruise Makara Peak or ride to the pub. Join us – you know you want to.
Patrick Morgan, CAN – Cycling Advocates Network
[RE: According to Doyle, Feb 10] Where does all Marty’s frustrastion stem from? Why does he feel he’s losing control? The sad thing is this just feeds into the mentality of people [like] Martin who think they have more rights than others. More cyclists will be injured or killed the more people share Martin’s ideology.
Ian McCallum, Wellington
(abridged)
[According to Doyle, Feb 10] Although this is obviously tongue and check and done for a laugh I am not impressed as this came across as anti cyclist. There are motorists out there that genuinely believe cyclists should not be on the road and the odd few do make that known.
Russell King, Wellington
(abridged)
Sweet toilets
[RE: Wellyword, Capital Times, Feb 10] I think a fair bit of overkill, as so often happens with many of those Facebook page setups, that makes Sweet Mother’s solely responsible for the many patrons who use their facilities. As anyone who has used that toilet knows, they are open to the public, not just the patrons of Sweet Mother’s. If you don’t want to use their spacious, well lit, comfortable toilet, try your luck with the council ones just a few steps down Courtney Place. I can guarantee you they will not be as well presented or as comfortable as the ones at Sweets. And stop being so whiny.
A J White, Aro Valley
(abridged)
Public transport
I can agree with correspondent Philip Hayward and his views on public transport to which Demetrius Christoforou has the temerity to call “outrageous”. Naturally, the public transport debate will continue and both sides will become heated in their language to further their cause, but in all aspects of the debate facts must be true with supporting evidence. The statement, and I quote, “the previously car mad USA where they are now ripping up many free ways as a direct result of the success of newly installed rail based public transport”.
May I ask: a) The length and number of free ways so ripped up. b) The states in which these free ways have been ripped up. c) The length and type of rail which has replaced these free ways.
I’m not holding my breath awaiting a reply as I think it is rather of the same quality as the UN statement on global warming that announced “the glaciers in the Himalayas will have melted by 2035” – one at least of the glaciers is five miles deep. However, now it has proven false no one can be found responsible for the statement.
A. R. Sampson, Whitby
(abridged)
Smokers be damned
Smokers are stupid. Here are five reasons: 1. They voluntarily begin an unnecessary addiction to a pollutant drug 2. They willingly litter the streets with their butts (which get washed down stormwater drains and out to sea for fish to swallow). 3. They can’t understand that it’s not OK to expose their pollution to other people. By wondering the streets, at bus stops, clogging up garden bars and outdoor seating areas at cafes, etc. 4. They happily smoke around their own babies. 5. I don’t care what people do to themselves as long as it does not have an involuntary adverse affect on others (which public smoking certainly does) Let’s ban smoking from all public areas.
Oliver York, Seatoun
(abridged)
Third world
How does Mr Hare [Letters, Capital Times, Feb 10] suppose the indigenous people of third world countries would have used most of those resources he names, if they had not been exported to first world countries? Or if entrepreneurs from first world nations (already developed when they first encountered third world countries) had not established utilities, mines, oilwells, factories, farms, and commerce in many of those backward, uncivilised regions? Since they were so foolishly given independence, most of those former colonies have either stagnated or, more often, regressed in all aspects, though milliards of US dollars (in equivalent total value) have been poured into them by the maligned first world. A typical example is Haiti, though it got independent of France over 200 years ago: just before the recent terrible natural disaster, Haiti had been receiving enormous grants from the US government over half a century and had nothing to show for all that aid.
H Westfold, Miramar
(abridged)
[RE: Chow Bros car park story, Feb 10] Property Recovery Services know every dirty trick in the book when it comes to towing. It is not at all obvious that this is a 24 hour pay and display car park. Why not? Because there is a plant (as shown in your photograph) that completely obscures the 24 hour pay and display sign. That plant is there for a reason – and it’s not for decoration. PRS is the same company that does security for the now defunct Mitre Ten car park. This car park had a big sign to warn customers of parking payment... On weekends PRS would back a truck up against the sign in order to obscure it from view and leave it there all night in order to trick the late night weekend crowds. And they absolutely tow cars away the second their time is up (although they say they give 10 minutes grace). I accidentally parked in one of their traps for literally 10 minutes before I found a tow truck trying to snare my car. How they managed to get it there so quickly still amazes me. What this company does isn’t actually illegal but it damn well should be.
James Dunlop, Wellington
Car park signage
I absolutely agree with your story about the signage at the Exodus gym et al Tory St car park which Property Security Services polices. The sign misled me. It gives the impression that there is free parking for 90 minutes, and pay and display thereafter, which is not at all the case.
John Bristed, Mt Victoria
Pirie St traffic lights
[RE: En-light-ened, Capital Times, Feb 10] I would be interested to know why exactly Sophie Schroder thinks that “pedestrians have it far too good”. I can’t help but wonder how often she actually walks through the city. I walk for over an hour most days and it certainly has not been my experience that pedestrians are in any way privileged. Call me crazy, but it seems to me that if anyone should have to wait longer at crossings it should be motorists, if only because they are protected from the elements! Someone has made a feeble attempt at providing “shelters” at some crossings, these are ineffectual in the face of even a light rain, (though they do look quite pretty). Surely there should be more incentives for people to leave their cars at home and walk but any measures that make it slightly more bearable for pedestrians should be encouraged. Pedestrians are not contributing to climate change by driving so anything that restores the balance even slightly in favour of pedestrians has to be a good thing.
Sam Mortlock, Newtown
(abridged)
RE: En-light-ened article (10.02.10) Your reporter states “However the pedestrian crossing from Pirie Street to the traffic island in the middle of Kent and Cambridge Terraces allows walkers to cross for about one minute 15 seconds” and she also says “This reporter thinks the pedestrians have it far too good, and could give a few of their seconds to poor old Pirie”. Well, if you look at the big picture, the only reason the pedestrians get 75 seconds to cross at this part of the intersection is because it is a “by product” of the traffic movement at this particular intersection. The only cars that cross into the path on this part of the pedestrian crossing are the cars traveling north to south direction on Kent Tce. The rest of the time the crossing is freed up for pedestrians when Vivian St traffic has the green for about 1 minute and Pirie St traffic has 14 seconds. As a pedestrian (and a motorist), I can assure you the majority of traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing in Wellington City do not allow enough time for people to cross safely.
Chris Young, Wellington
(abridged)
Cycling
Your columnist Martin Doyle has spectacularly outted himself as a cyclophile (Captimes 10 Feb). His rant on cycling was a thinly veiled call for help. Don’t worry Martin – help is at hand! Your obsession with sweaty lycra, pumping thighs and shaved calves betrays a deep passion for those who ride the streets of Wellington. Glide proudly around the waterfront, cruise Makara Peak or ride to the pub. Join us – you know you want to.
Patrick Morgan, CAN – Cycling Advocates Network
[RE: According to Doyle, Feb 10] Where does all Marty’s frustrastion stem from? Why does he feel he’s losing control? The sad thing is this just feeds into the mentality of people [like] Martin who think they have more rights than others. More cyclists will be injured or killed the more people share Martin’s ideology.
Ian McCallum, Wellington
(abridged)
[According to Doyle, Feb 10] Although this is obviously tongue and check and done for a laugh I am not impressed as this came across as anti cyclist. There are motorists out there that genuinely believe cyclists should not be on the road and the odd few do make that known.
Russell King, Wellington
(abridged)
Sweet toilets
[RE: Wellyword, Capital Times, Feb 10] I think a fair bit of overkill, as so often happens with many of those Facebook page setups, that makes Sweet Mother’s solely responsible for the many patrons who use their facilities. As anyone who has used that toilet knows, they are open to the public, not just the patrons of Sweet Mother’s. If you don’t want to use their spacious, well lit, comfortable toilet, try your luck with the council ones just a few steps down Courtney Place. I can guarantee you they will not be as well presented or as comfortable as the ones at Sweets. And stop being so whiny.
A J White, Aro Valley
(abridged)
Public transport
I can agree with correspondent Philip Hayward and his views on public transport to which Demetrius Christoforou has the temerity to call “outrageous”. Naturally, the public transport debate will continue and both sides will become heated in their language to further their cause, but in all aspects of the debate facts must be true with supporting evidence. The statement, and I quote, “the previously car mad USA where they are now ripping up many free ways as a direct result of the success of newly installed rail based public transport”.
May I ask: a) The length and number of free ways so ripped up. b) The states in which these free ways have been ripped up. c) The length and type of rail which has replaced these free ways.
I’m not holding my breath awaiting a reply as I think it is rather of the same quality as the UN statement on global warming that announced “the glaciers in the Himalayas will have melted by 2035” – one at least of the glaciers is five miles deep. However, now it has proven false no one can be found responsible for the statement.
A. R. Sampson, Whitby
(abridged)
Smokers be damned
Smokers are stupid. Here are five reasons: 1. They voluntarily begin an unnecessary addiction to a pollutant drug 2. They willingly litter the streets with their butts (which get washed down stormwater drains and out to sea for fish to swallow). 3. They can’t understand that it’s not OK to expose their pollution to other people. By wondering the streets, at bus stops, clogging up garden bars and outdoor seating areas at cafes, etc. 4. They happily smoke around their own babies. 5. I don’t care what people do to themselves as long as it does not have an involuntary adverse affect on others (which public smoking certainly does) Let’s ban smoking from all public areas.
Oliver York, Seatoun
(abridged)
Third world
How does Mr Hare [Letters, Capital Times, Feb 10] suppose the indigenous people of third world countries would have used most of those resources he names, if they had not been exported to first world countries? Or if entrepreneurs from first world nations (already developed when they first encountered third world countries) had not established utilities, mines, oilwells, factories, farms, and commerce in many of those backward, uncivilised regions? Since they were so foolishly given independence, most of those former colonies have either stagnated or, more often, regressed in all aspects, though milliards of US dollars (in equivalent total value) have been poured into them by the maligned first world. A typical example is Haiti, though it got independent of France over 200 years ago: just before the recent terrible natural disaster, Haiti had been receiving enormous grants from the US government over half a century and had nothing to show for all that aid.
H Westfold, Miramar
(abridged)
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