' Driven Mad” author Simon Loveridge replies to responses to his letter in The Weekend Sun last week:

1st response to Alison badger of Omokoroa

from "Chill out, slow down", to the "Happy Hopper Rider"

isn't it funny how you didn't mention anything about the Bay Hopper bus option in your first response, of course you had to come out and say you use it now. i don't really care about your commute from Omokoroa to Tauranga on the Bay Hopper, as it wasn't the route i was talking about with the issues. and i did not know that the Bay Hopper employed retired ex "Professional Drivers" at the wheels of there buses, good on them.

i feel for those people on the same route that you take, on the days when you have to start early & work late, cause those are the days when you will be doing 30 in the 50 & 80km pr/hr in the 100 km zone etc, not looking in your mirror just making everybody go at your snail pace.

Oops, i let my prejudice get the better of me there!

but not all part time Bay Hoppers are thoughtless space wasters whilst on there way to a game of petanque/bridge with there crocheting squares, most of them do the speed limits required and use there mirrors, indicators & keep an eye on their speedometer (if you know what this is Alison).

do you work for the likes of Southern Cross or Sovereign? cause you seem to care about my health quite a bit. im all sorted is this area, thanks thou Alison.

Alison badger, Omokoroa.

2nd response to W.S Bonniface of Tauranga

for those of you who missed it, here is what Mr/Mrs? W.S Boniface had to say about me,

i bet you are one of those arrogant drivers, who think they are bullet proof, ANSWER - YES

and sit on my bumper travelling too close (while i rip the head off it), ANSWER - YES

or speed up and pass, even though I am travelling within the required speed limit for that area and you break the law to pass! ANSWER - NO
one of those arrogant drivers who give me the fingers sign, when I pull over in a safe place, to let you pass, even though I am doing the speed limit, ANSWER - NO, IF YOU MISTAKE MY THUMBS UP FOR THE MIDDLE FINGER, THATS YOUR EYESIGHT ISSUE, NOT MINE.

Once again you would be at fault and breaking the law. WHY WOULD I BE AT FAULT? YOU WERE THE ONE THAT PULLED OVER IN A "SAFE PLACE" TO LET ME PASS WITHOUT INDICATING FIRST

i find it most interesting that you want to compare your 4.5k's travel (est.) from Bayfair roundabout to Hewletts road to my 21.5k,s (est.) from the south end of Te Puke to Hewletts Road.

But you are right, doing your huge k's for over 20 years, it must be hard with the double lanes you have to choose from outside Bayfair to Hewletts road, and even attempting that in the "peak times" twice a week, that does deserve some sort of recognition.

please don't offend me by making out your Dad was the only one protecting what we have left, of this beautiful country, for "people like myself". As my Grandfathers & Great Grandfathers also fought for N.Z

the only other thing worth hearing about from the rest of your comments is the Model T Ford, if you still have it. as the rest of it means nothing about the backlog of traffic from Te Puke to the Bayfair roundabout.

and i gave it some thought whilst typing my reply to you, and my ANSWER - NO i won't take back what i said to Graeme & Alison, just like i don't expect you three to take back anything you have said about me, or in regards to my letters. otherwise whats the point in Brian having this Letters Column?

if you can't handle it, don't comment.

P.S at least your Dad would of had the nuts to put his full name in the paper.

Bonniface, Tauranga.

3rd response to Paul Knights of Tauranga

well what can i say, a good batch of Te Puke Thunder last summer & to much Romeo & Juliet movies

Paul Knights, Tauranga.