After approximately 27 years in Tauranga we have decided to move on. Three of the reasons are as follows: 1. Tauranga is too expensive and I have outlived my retirement fund. 2. Traffic here is chaotic, with a lack of courtesy from drivers who don't know what indicators are for and who are so illiterate that they can't read speed limit signs. 3. This is an untidy city. At least it is up in The Avenues south of 15th Avenue. There are some berms there that are obviously reluctantly mowed by residents because the grass is untrimmed and creeps over the footpath to a considerable degree. After heavy rain, litter (leaves, twigs, paper and plastic) from the gutters that the city council fails to sweep blocks the drains and finishes up on the berms, leaving a high water mark as the water drains away. Footpaths are also breaking up because of damage by tree roots.

Finally, I would suggest that if the berms were at least reduced in size, vehicles could park on wider roads but there would be no need to play dodgems by ducking behind parked cars to avoid inconsiderate oncoming traffic.

R Stewart, Tauranga South (Abridged).