Re the article ‘‘Right turn to stay‘‘ (Leader, July 12).
Unfortunately, I deleted the many dash cam videos of the Kingsway, Port Hacking Road South and Mackay Street intersection at Caringbah, showing how dangerous this crossing is for pedestrians.
This included the videos of motorists illegally using the left turn lane to drive straight ahead into Mackay Street, and those using the left turn kerb lane from Port Hacking Road south to turn into the Kingsway.
There were just too many.
I don’t see a problem with the right turn into the Kingsway to Cronulla if the red arrow time would be increased.
Especially for elderly people, those just a bit slower, or parents with children and push chairs, the current pedestrian time is far too short to cross six lanes safely.
Also, maybe cameras could be installed and impatient motorists turning immediately in front of, or behind pedestrians, fined.
These may be the near misses mentioned by Mr Speakman.
It is jaw dropping how many motorists are not prepared to wait just a few seconds longer to allow pedestrians to complete the crossing and let them step onto the kerb before proceeding with the turn.
Permanently removing the few parking spots in Mackay Street would allow one of the left turn lanes from Port Hacking Road south to lead into Mackay Street and thus improve traffic flow.
The other issue is the left turns from Port Hacking Road South into President Avenue and the Kingsway.
The kerb lane turning left leads into President Avenue ONLY.
Yet, it appears that there is a ‘local rule’ and more often than not motorists are choosing the kerb lane to turn into the Kingsway, crossing the marked lanes and cutting off other motorists.
I am sure I am not the only one who has been honked at and abused when doing the right thing.
Maybe the kerb lane ought also to be allowed (with visible markings on the road (!), the current ones are fading) to turn into the Kingsway.
This still would leave the safer option for motorists to use the kerb lane to turn into President Avenue and may even improve traffic flow, especially during morning peak hours.
Or else, install an overhead sign in Port Hacking Road South indicating which lanes lead into which road.
Cecilia Temperli, Dolans Bay
As a regular user of the right hand turn from Port Hacking Road into the Kingsway I would welcome a No Right Turn sign at this intersection.
Currently if traffic is heading south from Mackay Avenue into Port Hacking Road is two or three vehicles then the time for right hand turners is restricted to one car maybe a second car on the amber light.
The logic of Cr Croucher is odd, when he states that the introduction of a no right turn would only ‘‘just move the problem to another location’’.
If this is true then why have any restrictions at crossings if you only move the problem to other locations?
Also as Mr Speakman points out, it deals with an existing problem with north bound traffic into Mackey Avenue illegally using one left hand turn lane in Port Hacking Road because cars are waiting in Port Hacking Road to turn right.
Please put up a No Right Turn sign at Port Hacking Rd and Kingsway.
J Roberts, Caringbah
