I’ll sign!
PLEASE inform me how to sign the petition against a dog beach at Coogee Beach (Herald, March 28, 2015). Some of my friends and I would certainly like to sign it.
I am living in South Fremantle and I like to go for a quiet long morning walk.
A few years ago I stopped walking along the beach to Coogee jetty as the number of dogs under no control became just too much.
Apart from being harassed by over-friendly dogs I have had two cases of foot injury where a roaming dog ran past, planting its paw on my foot and running back, using my foot as a turning point. I suffered a deep infection from its claw as a result.
There are also many dogs on the so-called dog-free lawn in between the two dog beaches in South Fremantle and apparently nobody to enforce the law.
I now drive down to Coogee Beach from South Fremantle in order to go for a quiet walk, avoiding uncontrolled dogs running around.
A dog beach on the northern part of Coogee Beach will just be the beginning of a takeover of the beach, as there is in many cases no owner control with dogs and in addition nobody out there to hand out fines.
If people were able to control their dogs and respect other people it would be ok, but the fact is quite a lot of dog people do not care about others and have no clue about how to control their dogs.
Alternatively, a strict control from authorities handing out fines might help but I suppose that there is not enough resources for this to happen.
J Fugl
Dale St, South Fremantle
The Ed says: We’ve been told you should look out for the old fellas hanging out in front of the cafe around 9.30am most mornings.

Dining alfascist
LIVING in Fremantle for the past three years, I thought I’d seen it all. I was mistaken.
Monday lunchtime I was tucking into my favourite nachos dish at the Coffee Club on Market Street when a clipboard-carrying and very animated woman came barging in from the footpath, waving instructions and demanding some attention to an issue outside.
It turns out she was a Fremantle council employee. Acting more like a Gestapo agent she instructed the staff to immediately move all tables and chairs inwards by two feet.
“Immediately”? This is not at 9am which would be a far more appropiate time. This is at 1.45pm in the middle of lunchtime trade and at great bewilderment and annoyance to the many patrons who were dining there.
Apparently the tables and chairs were blocking the footpath but I saw no evidence of this. I tried to get the Gestapo agent’s attention and ask her why she wasn’t acting within the context and balance of the situation, but she completely ignored me on two attempts.
Memo to Fremantle council: you have some employees who need serious retraining and a quick-fire course in how to win friends and influence people.
Gary Johnson
Marine Tce, Fremantle

Danger signs
THE Herald beat me to the punch.
I’d been intending to write to WA main roads and the south metropolitan health service about the confusing and/or lack of signage directing motorists to Fiona Stanley Hospital when I read your article (Herald, March 28, 2015).
Contrary to the suggestion there are no signs on South Street, there is one on the south side just east of Murdoch Drive. However, it is next to useless as it refers to “Murdoch Hospital” (is there such a place?) and the view is obstructed by a street light!
Another issue is St John of God also has a sign where Fiona Wood Road abuts South Street (ie, before the previously mentioned sign) that directs motorists to its private emergency department, thus greatly increasing the potential for those seeking urgent medical help to head to the wrong location.
How this essential matter could be left unresolved after the hospital has been commissioned is beyond me, though I’m not overly surprised given the poor quality and positioning of other directional signage all over the metro area.
I’m convinced the people at main roads who are responsible for signage don’t drive on our roads, for they seem to have no idea about what motorists need. WA main roads and the health service must fix this problem without delay (not in six to 10 weeks!) otherwise they seriously risk having blood on their hands.
Colin Delane
Anscombe Loop, Leeming

Alarming
I READ your article on the decision to send a group of councillors and council staff from the Melville and Cockburn councils on a trip to “study waste-to-energy technology” (Herald, March 21, 2015). Most alarming.
Not only have we invested heavily in the infrastructure for recovery and recycling of “waste” (which should much rather be called “resources” and in any event, reduced and minimised as far as possible), but the negative impacts of burning “waste” is quite well known and documented.
Besides which there can hardly be a need for us to cause further dangerous pollution through burning valuable resources to generate energy in a state which has excellent resources for renewable energy, which has already been well received and implemented by the community at large.
There appears to be growing awareness among the community that we need to change from our wasteful ways and wide acceptance of the benefits of resource recovery.
Where does this absurd idea of waste-to-energy emanate from? I am not aware the public has expressed any wish to go this route or that their wishes have in any way been canvassed.
I would be most happy to hear from other concerned members of our community who may contact me on 9364 8856 or at louisviljee@gmail.com
Louis de Villiers