Waimea Weekly
03 548 2770 41 Nile Street East, Nelson
03 548 2770 03 548East, 2770 41 Nelson 41 Nile Nile Street Street East, Nelson
Locally Owned and Operated
41 Nile Street East, Nelson
Wednesday 24 January 2024
Relay for Life returns
Page 18
Speedway success
Page 5
Driving behaviour gone downhill ANNE HARDIE About 12,000 vehicles are driven along the busiest sections of the Coastal Highway every day and accidents happen which are often due to driving behaviour, says the chair of the Automobile Association’s (AA) Nelson District. Richard Popenhagen says driving
behaviour has deteriorated on Tasman’s busy roads in the past few years and there is a strong case for more driver education. He says many of the accidents occurring on the busy road can be attributed to impaired driving, distraction, or driving behaviour such as tailgating or using a cellphone, which he says is “as bad as
driving drunk”. The road can be driven safely though, he says. “Tens of thousands of people drive that road every week and don’t have crashes. The country as a whole in the last few years seems to be more aggressive and wound up. There’s more frustration and less tolerance. We need
to calm down a little and give fellow motorists a bit more space. It only makes a 30 second difference. “We see people venting on social media and it’s like a sense of entitlement that we need a straight run on a piece of road.” He says driving licences are not a right, but a privilege that comes
with responsibility. He points out that mistakes can happen and the causes for two accidents last week near Māpua are still being investigated. One person died in the second accident on State Highway 60 (Coastal Highway) at the Māpua
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Dental subsidy puts a smile on faces ANNE HARDIE The Government’s $1000-a-year dental subsidy for beneficiaries is putting a confident smile on their face that will help them get jobs, says a Richmond dentist. New Zealand Dental Association’s Nelson-Tasman secretary and Tasman Dental Centre Ben Simmons is all about creating a “beautiful confident smile” for his patients and in the past year he has been able to make that a reality for beneficiaries. Since the end of 2022, beneficiaries have been able to get up to $1,000 worth of dental care each year and Ben says it has been transformative for many people. “There were people who were losing their
Richmond dentist Ben Simmons likes to put a smile on the face of his patients. Photo: Anne Hardie.
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EXCITING NEW MENU! Thai and Chinese options now avaliable THE FLAVOURS OF THE EAST
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294 Queen St, Richmond Phone 541 0665 | OPEN - Lunch: : Tues, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun 11am to 2.30pm | Dinner: Tues-Sun 4.30pm to 9pm
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