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LETTERS

Trial to ease Hobart tra c?

Turning right from Campbell Street into Davey Street [Hobart] traffic is unimpeded as there is not a pedestrian crossing on the southern side of the junction. This could be applied where Elizabeth Street meets Liverpool Street by not having the mountainside pedestrian crossing at peak periods. This could be applied at lots of meetings of any two one-way streets. Is this worth a trial?

Jim Garrigan // New Town

Service stations for EVs

Due to the ascendency of electric and hydrogen powered vehicles, privately owned internal combustion-engined cars are already on the decline.

The change will have repercussions on several industries and employers.

The principal function of service stations, that of fuel supply, will cease to exist unless existing stations can exchange low-charged batteries for fully charged ones.

For this to occur every car produced will need to be equipped with identical batteries that can be exchanged robotically in less time than it takes to fill a tank with fuel.

In the early days of mobile phones every manufacturer had their own unique recharge connectors in the belief this would increase sales until realisation came that identical connectors were unanimously accepted by populations everywhere.

Alan Churchill // Glenorchy

Lessons on safety from Switzerland

(Left) Rob reckons Switzerland has the right idea when it comes to road rules, signage and safety. Do you agree?

Your articles on road safety caught my eye. We need to look at absolute basics, road design and signage. Tasmanian roads are full of poor messages, for example, you are informed repeatedly that might is right. When lanes are reduced it is always the slow lane that disappears. The slow lane should be rethought as ‘the lane’, right lanes to be used when and if available and when not available you carefully merge back into ’the’ lane. One rule I loved from my time living in Switzerland is no passing in the le lane. So you can always change back to the ‘slow’, or as I call it ‘the’ lane without worrying about someone unexpectedly cutting in from behind.

Speed limits need to be clear and predictable. Again from Switzerland, there were three basic limits and you knew which one applied from the road type and surroundings. Most of our country roads should have an 80 limit, not 100. We seem to have a limitless variety of limits. Take responsibility and keep limits safe.

Rob Bester // via email

Make your investment go the distance

NET RETURN ON INVESTMENT

NET RETURN ON INVESTMENT

CURRENT PERFORMANCE:

LAST QUARTER PERFORMANCE:

2.30%p.a* 2.40%p.a*

LAST YEAR PERFORMANCE: 2.47%p.a*

Returns are net of fees and are likely to change in line with changes in market interest rates. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. There is a risk that an investment in the fund will achieve lower than expected returns. An investment in the fund is an equity investment in a managed investment scheme. It is not a bank deposit. An investor faces a higher risk of losing some or all their investment than is the case with a bank deposit. This information does not take into account the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any investor. Before making any investment decision, investors should consider taking professional advice.

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Brush up on the manual for merging

As a motorist of over 40 years, I am bewildered at the lack of knowledge of motorists who don’t know the Tasmanian road rules, specifically of how to merge into traffic on federal and state highways. The road rules clearly state that when merging “if your marked lane ends”, which it does when using an on ramp to the Bass Highway, you must give way to any traffic in the lane you are moving into. Even if the “on ramp lane” markings do not continue to the end of the lane, then you are changing lanes, and you must give way to any traffic in the lane you are moving into.

Peter (Pete) Le Comte // via email

Perhaps the solution to the above might be to erect reminder signs in the on-ramp lanes when entering either a federal or state highway as to the correct and lawful process of how to merge? RACT ONLINE

Have you got any concerns about the Leith Overpass proposal on the Bass Highway? Here’s what some of you had to say on Facebook:

WHEN I SPOKE with a consultant at the meeting on Friday morning about the overpass with ramps, I mentioned ‘blind Freddy’ can see that this overpass is designed for B double access. So, when they get over the overpass, where are they going to go?

Leith Road to Forth has a 10-tonne limit on it, so the consultant said. If Leith Road needs to be upgraded to heavyvehicle access, as much of that road is landslip prone, who will pay for a road to be built for heavy-vehicle access in a landslip area? Central Coast rate payers, that’s who – and it will cost a fortune.

Gra Har

WRITE TO US

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on any motoring or travel-related topics and auto questions. Please keep them brief – we reserve the right to edit.

IT’S GOT ME totally ba ed how some of these accidents occur in places where you have got a clear line of sight both directions. Is it inattention, impatience or plain stupidity of some drivers? It’s irrelevant what you do to the roads/highways because you can’t fix these behaviours. A roundabout is the best solution as I would be livid if my home was acquired due to stupid drivers.

Brett Chatwin

WHAT’S WRONG WITH putting in a roundabout? There’s one in Latrobe and two headed into Burnie. Surely that is a viable option? And a cheaper one at that.

Denelle Young

DRIVERS CAN’T EVEN adhere to the 40km/hr speed reduction that is in place currently due to bridge works. Maybe some speed cameras might deter the speeding drivers to reduce risk in the area.

Deidre Campbell

journeys@ract.com.au

@ractofficial

It all starts with spirit

spiritsuper.com.au

Advice on Spirit Super is provided by Quadrant First Pty Ltd (ABN 78 102 167 877, AFSL 284443) and issuer is Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718), the trustee of Spirit Super (ABN 74 559 365 913). Read the PDS and TMD at spiritsuper.com.au/pds before making a decision.

A NEW SOLUTION TO WEIGHT LOSS

If weight loss were as simple as calories in and calories out, we would not have 64% of the adult population overweight. This approach to weight loss is no longer effective. What we do know is that different types of food produce different responses in the body.

We can seesaw from diet to diet, depriving ourselves of food, then binge and feel guilty and move in and out of exercise with minimal success and often put on more weight. It doesn’t have to be like this, says Amanda Coombe, owner of Personal Best Fitness, Tasmania’s most-awarded Fitness Business.

Pauline was no different; when she started at Personal Best, she was overweight and needed to re-gain some fitness in order to cope with the demands of being a busy medical practitioner.

“Like most people I understand the importance of fitness, emotional health and having some time for me. I had been a member of plenty of gyms throughout Australia and never achieved my goals, even with my knowledge.”

Pauline realised she needed to be kept accountable and wanted to learn how to use her time at the gym more effectively without over doing it.

“I wanted to work with someone that understood my needs, someone who would keep me accountable, offer variety and was very patient and encouraging. My personal trainer Marc challenged the way I thought about food and exercise. What did I have to lose, as I has never been successful with weight loss before?”

Pauline lost 16 kgs in 6 months and credits her success to setting specific goals and having a knowledgeable personal trainer who had the skills to help her.

“I have not been this fit since my early forties and can now run without getting stress fractures as Marc has changed my technique. I have significantly improved my upper-body strength and posture and no longer ache after long days on my feet.

“Personal Best is a one-stop-shop for weight loss, injury rehabilitation and improvements in general health and wellbeing. I would encourage anyone who needs to make a positive change to their lifestyle to get started,” she says.

It’s never too late to take control and put yourself on a path to better health, as Pauline has done.

“Now that I am retired, I have a body that co-operates with what I want to do.”

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