Letters - March 16, 2018

Switch off fog lights in normal weather

There are many drivers who, each winter, cause fellow road users inconvenience while not achieving any benefit for themselves.

It is those who use their fog lights (mainly front but also rear) in normal weather conditions.

They cannot see any better, their fellow road users are dazzled and their own brake lights may be undetectable.

Not only is this practice stupid and inconsiderate, it is also illegal:

- Rule 226 of the Highway Code requires us to use dipped headlights when visibility is no more than 100m. We can use fog lights but MUST switch off when visibility improves.

- Rule 236 states we MUST NOT use fog lights except where visibility is seriously reduced.

We MUST switch them off when visibility improves.

There is a potential that these people could be charged with lack of consideration for other road users, careless or even dangerous driving.

Those of your readers who are guilty – please stop.

It isn’t clever and you are a nuisance.

Mike Livesey

Address supplied

Transport

Disgust at state of Harrowside Bridge

I’m not sure dismay describes my feelings about the state of the Harrowside Bridge repairs (The Gazette, March 10). Disgust is more appropriate in my view.

Both councillors Gillian Campbell and Fred Jackson (pictured) were full of praise for the speedy completion of the work on Harrowside but now Coun Jackson is forced to admit that further resurfacing work will be required on the bridge.

I thought this was in response to residents’ complaints about the work but Coun Jackson seems to say that the issue was known at the time when he said, “we were restricted by the machinery that could be used on the bridge and also the desire to open it as soon as possible”.

I’m bound to ask in what way was the resurfacing work ‘restricted by the machinery’? Was this not taken in to consideration at the planning stage?

If not, then this was a badly-planned operation. Those who thought its early completion was too good to be true were correct. And in what sort of parallel universe is it desirable to open the bridge as soon as possible only to have to close it again in the near future?

And what about the newly introduced weight restriction on the bridge that appeared without any announcement. Did Coun Jackson think that no-one would notice?

Coun Jackson reveals that full reconstruction of the bridge would cost in the region of £3.5m. I can’t help thinking that this would have been a much better use of council tax payers’ money than the wholly unnecessary tramway extension or the new town centre traffic management system that will duplicate sat nav systems already used by more motorists.

This council makes me despair.

Alf Eldridge

Belmont Avenue

Blackpool

World cup

Boycott might spare fans pain

So it is suggested that we punish Vladimir Putin by boycotting the World Cup.

Big deal!

After all, we aren’t going to win the tournament and it might spare fans a great deal of heartache.

Tim Mickleburgh

Address supplied

World cup

Will anyone really notice our absence?

Will anyone notice if England boycotts the World Cup in Russia? It would be much better if genuine contenders, like Germany, did so, but they won’t.

Henry Cobden

Via email

Politics

Donkey nodders in parliament

Watching Prime Minister’s Questions on TV, I have to laugh, being reminded of the old song, Donkey Serenade, with all the Ministers nodding their heads off in agreement to Theresa May’s every word.

I wonder if they have carrots for their breakfast?

Tarquin Holman

Via email