In praise of driving an electric car

IN answer to the letter from Mr Clynch (The Yorkshire Post, May 8) concerning electric cars, the range limitation that he mentioned has not impacted 
on my motoring as yet – it 
would not suit all motorists though.

Am I possibly a little smug? I don’t know, you would have to ask my friends who waved the letter under my nose!

It is certainly a joy to drive with plenty of acceleration if you need it.

Electric transmissions are simpler than internal combustion engines; the drain on the battery from using the radio and wipers is minimal; more significant is the use of the heater in winter but heat is available immediately –wonderful!

There is a pedestrian 
warning noise at speeds less than 20mph.

The real point of the subsidy to encourage electric motoring is to help reduce carbon emissions which are causing our planet to warm, meaning more violent weather as well as higher average temperatures.

In any event the £35m is relatively tiny compared 
with the billions of pounds of subsidy given by all of us to the overall costs of motoring, even if motoring taxes were taken into account.

Incidentally, there is no 
reason that motoring taxes should be used for the benefit of motorists, no more than tobacco or alcohol taxes should be used for the benefit of smokers or drinkers.

Watching the clock on care

From: M Metcalfe, Threshfield, Skipton.

REGARDING your editorial that the clock is ticking on care crisis (The Yorkshire Post, April 24).

Unfortunately the clock has struck a bit late. My family are scattered, I am unmarried and aged 87.

I am getting as good care as possible but the remaining second cousins need to earn money and so have little time.

Here in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, we are too far for the best care at the point of access because there are hospitals too far away for safe care, plus the cost of accessing them. Wensleydale is at risk because the triage hospital at 40 plus miles away, is moving paediatric care to Middlesbrough.

Also the midwifery is only to be made midwifery-led. Why cannot a midwifery unit be attached to a hospital in the national park for our children could die form an asthma attack when too far away?

Regarding my last hospital admission I returned in an ancient ambulance, hired from a company, which was a rattling and a very lumpy ride and I felt sick.

It should have arrived at 5pm, it arrived at 7.30pm. I arrived home at 9pm to an empty house. Has the clock stopped?

Pear blossom breaks record

From: Philip C Tordoff, Hightown View, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire.

THE ancient pear tree in my garden once formed part of an orchard consisting of around a dozen apple and pear trees, of which this is the sole survivor. Fully-grown even before the start of the Second World War, it is thought to be over a century old.

Almost without exception it has had a good crop of bloom, but this year’s display must surely be a record, as every branch was totally covered with blossom. This may be partly because of the virtually frost-free winter and spring that we have had. The pears themselves are small, round and very sweet, but sadly the majority are way out on the branches and almost completely inaccessible.

The many hundreds which fall to the ground fortunately form useful compost for the following year.

No need to eat sentient beings

From: Jenny Moxham, Moores Road, Monbulk, Victoria, Australia.

SLAUGHTERING un-stunned animals obviously causes unimaginable terror and pain that will not be reduced by labeling (Labelling meat ‘will not help animal welfare’, The Yorkshire Post, May 14), but electric stunning does not ensure a pain-free death either. Renowned neurobiologist Harold Hillman describes electrical stunning as “torture”.

Isn’t it time we evolved and moved away from the brutal and needless custom of killing other life-loving, intelligent, sentient beings for flesh that we have no requirement for? We are not natural carnivores and, as a vegan of 35 years, I can assure you no animal products are necessary to enjoy a healthy and happy life.

They’re killing art of debate

From: D Croft, Greystones Close, Aberford, Leeds.

MALCOLM Shedlow (The Yorkshire Post, May 12) is so right. This country supposedly prides itself on having freedom of speech but the politicians on Question Time spend all the time speaking at the same time and not allowing anyone to make an attempt at answering any question. All they want to do is shout each other down. The art of debate is not-existent.

David Dimbleby as a chairman is completely useless. He makes no attempt to stop the constant interruptions. On most occasions it ends with three or four people speaking at once. He should either resign or be sacked.