28/04/05

The roads are not dangerous. It is the drivers of some cars and motorcycles who are dangerous.

The vast majority of accidents on these roads are caused by drivers overtaking at the wrong time or place.

You can't blame the road for that. These roads require more care and attention from drivers, that's all. - J Else, Redcar.

NEW POPE

NICK Morrison's feature on the new Pope (Echo, Apr 20) was transparently malevolent - negative and biased. The worst type of cheap journalism totally lacking in balance and knowledge of what the church is and believes.

It was a rehash of so much ill-informed media stodge churned out because of basic ignorance.

For example, the comment that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger shared hardline views on women priests, abortion, contraception and homosexuality is designed to give the impression that he and Pope John Paul were rogue elements - whereas the entire body of Cardinals are at one on all these issues.

Name me one dissenter who, as Pope, would have changed the traditional Catholic teaching?

The Pope and the Catholic Church are not like Tony Blair and the Labour Party. The Pope does not have to bend to every modern European trend. His job is to preserve the faith intact.

If you want to know the real opinion of Catholics of their new Pope look at the faces of young, old, middle-aged, fat, thin, bald, hairy in St Peter's Square and learn from it. Or come to St Anne's Parish in Welbeck Avenue, Darlington, and test opinion across the social scene.

So stop behaving like a spoilsport and enjoy the global party. - Mike Baldasera, Darlington.

NEGATIVE IMPACT

IN MY opinion, Tory policies usually have a strongly negative impact on the North-East.

Since Labour came to power an additional 100,000 doctors, nurses and midwives are employed in the National Health Service and there are many thousands of additional teachers and police officers as well.

The proposed Tory policy of at least £35bn of public expenditure cuts is a threat to these and many other essential public service jobs and services.

When they were last in power, Tory policies resulted in 15 per cent interest rates, more than three million unemployed, the poll tax and massive under investment in the public services. I would hate to see those sort of policies being introduced again, which is why I will vote Labour. - Paul Rivers, Wallsend.

FEMALE FURY

I AM angry, frustrated and disappointed in the way the Government is treating older people and wonder if the electorate of this country is aware the Government is discriminating against women pensioners.

My understanding is when you reach the age of 60 for a woman and 65 for a man, you are of pensionable age and are classed as pensioners.

However, Gordon Brown appears to have forgotten this when he states council tax rebate is only applicable to over 65s.

Gordon Brown allocated £200 this year to pensioners to assist in reducing council tax payments.

There has been no commitment to pay this again next year and I believe that this is a one-off benefit to appease pensioners until the election is over.

If the Government can find £150m for Rover and fund a war, why does it ignore poverty within our own country?

Lots of pensioners find it difficult to meet costs of daily living. - Gloria Walton, Ferryhill.

I RECENTLY had two letters from officialdom. The first was to announce that I will soon reach the ripe old age of 80. My weekly old age pension was to be increased by a whole 25p per week.

I am so excited but I can't find anything to spend it on. I will have to save it for four weeks to get a half single fare from my home village to Durham City (two miles).

Almost by the same post I received my council tax details. Like the people of the Middle Ages I have to pay one tenth of my income (before tax) as tithes.

My teacher's pension takes care of mortgage rates, insurances and council tax. The Government pension is for food, clothes, holidays, repairs - just ordinary living.

I save by letting one week's pension last for two and forego eating out or buying anything for one or two weeks.

None of the political parties mentions my type of poverty - just too little to live on, just too much to get any help or extra money.

I have never missed an election since 1946, and vote for the party who can best improve our quality of life.

None of the parties have presented anything to make us oldies vote or hope. - Jean E Middlemass, Durham.

BEATING VANDALS

I HAVE a certain amount of sympathy for Tony Martin who shot two out of three intruders to his property and for Peter Bayles who electrified his car against vandals (Echo, Apr 23).

It must, however, be pointed out that Tony Martin was in serious breach of firearms legislation and that, as a qualified electrician, Mr Bayles must surely be aware that mains electricity at 240 volts can, and frequently does, cause death.

He should also be aware that PIR sensors can do much more than switch on security lighting, although that in itself has good anti-vandal properties.

They can, for instance, trigger an alert in a remote location, start a closed circuit sound or video system and more. It is also just possible that if Mr Bayles had used a simple step-down transformer to reduce the applied voltage as used by farmers throughout the country to contain livestock within certain areas, he may not have broken the law. That is for a solicitor to advise upon.

In any event, although the use of sophisticated sensing and detection equipment is expensive, it would be cheaper than fines and/or imprisonment. - Alan Benn, Bedale.

HELPLINE

THROMBOSIS - or a blood clot - is arguably the most common cause of death in the UK - yet this is not widely known.

That is why Lifeblood: The Thrombosis Charity is launching the first ever National Thrombosis Week from May 9-15.

Most people know very little about the causes and effects of thrombosis. They aren't aware of the symptoms, and the fact that everyone could, at one time or another, be at risk.

Each year up to one in every 1,000 people in the UK is affected by a blood clot in the veins. Yet thrombosis can be easily prevented.

If any readers would like to help, or like more information, please contact Lifeblood: The Thrombosis Charity, PO Box 1050, Spalding, PE12 6YF, or log on to www.thrombosis-charity.org.uk. - Dr Beverley Hunt, Medical Director, The Thrombosis Charity.