Richard Moore's Columns

Let's think more of elderly at crossings

27/7/2010

WASN'T it a fabulous Sunday?

The weather was so glorious this fellow got fed up with website work, packed away the laptop, picked up the cameras and took himself on a bit of an explore to Kaiate Falls.

The falls have been on my list of must-visits for ages but the time has never quite been right. Sunday was the chance and I grabbed it with both hands and headed up the back of Papamoa with anticipation.

When out on travel photo assignments I tend to get very focused and tunnel visioned. And it was more of the same at Kaiate Falls.

Check what's around, pick best angle, is it good light? Will I fall off the falls if I stand on that teeny rock over there? ... That sort of thing.

After the first set of smaller water drops it was time to get down to the bottom of the main waterfall - down a much steeper track with lots of those stair thingys.

Tramping downwards the thought popped into my head - am I going to be able to clamber back out? Will I have mobile phone coverage if I need to call for rescue?

And will the TECT rescue chopper be able to get in low enough to winch me away?

Those thoughts evaporated at the bottom of the track, which opened up into a truly beautiful place.

To the left the sound of falling water amid treed cliffs and to the right a gorgeous grotto-like swimming hole shaded by magnificent trees that let dappled light play on the Kaiate stream waters.

The lowest of the waterfalls is really impressive and is the perfect place to bring the kids on a summer day I thought, before shooting off another 40 or so images and getting ready to climb back to the car park.

About 15 steps up the thighs began to moan and groan and after another 30 it was ``where's that blinking chopper?''

Now while I'm not as fit as I could be that got me thinking about the elderly in our society who can't zip about the way they used to.

From my shop in Girven Rd I regularly see older folk take their lives in their hands as they try to cross that nasty bit of road. It isn't bad because of the road, just the speed at which unthinking drivers zoom along there. (Note to top traffic cop - put a speed camera on Girven Rd and you'll make your quota very quickly!)

There are also those in mobility scooters who also have to risk life and limb to get over the other side because there is no pedestrian crossing close to the Girven Rd shops.

The same thing could be said down Papamoa Beach Rd and, no doubt, in every other suburb of Tauranga. More pedestrian crossings are a must for both the old and parents with littlies and prams and council officers really need to have another look at both placement and numbers of the safe zones.

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Here's a way for Tauranga City Council to get more in the bank - how about collecting a bigger proportion of parking-infringement fines?

According to the Herald of Sunday, our city council is one of the most lenient on infringers breaking traffic laws.

In the western Auckland city of Waitakere you have a 29 per cent chance of getting off your misdemeanour, here it is 63 per cent.

It could be that Bay folk are being unfairly prosecuted by bylaws officers, or they spin a good yarn when trying to wriggle out of paying fines, but one would suggest a harder line is necessary.