Looking back at February 15, 2014
Car drivers don't get the problems they cause along Mt Ousley, according to truckie Tony Reh.
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Tony took Mercury journalist Dominic Geiger on a drive up and down the winding mountain road to offer an insight into what its like driving a big rig and trailer while cars are whizzing around.
"Cars jump in front of you, slam their brakes on, and you're just trying to maintain speed," Reh said.
"It makes my job very stressful when it shouldn't be. If only car drivers had a little bit more understanding of the sheer weight and the things we've got to do to avoid accidents."
Geiger wrote that he saw several instances of cars overtaking Mr Reh's truck only to cut back in front of him and hit the brakes.
Reh said that stopping a truck suddenly wasn't as simple as touching the brakes, like in a car.
In fact he said truckies tried to use their brakes a little as possible.
"We come up and down that mountain every day and our main priority is to keep our brakes cold," he said. "When accidents happen we can use our brakes in an emergency."
Also in the Mercury of February 15 was the news that Jamberoo Action Park would be holding a satellite event for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival.
Called Jamberoo Goes Gay, event organisers Gay4Life had booked picnic huts on the park grounds, with DJs to perform and food and drink packages available to ticket-holders.
The park will remain open for other visitors at the time.
Gay4Life was started by a group of people who were tired of the same old things - going out to bars and partying," Gay4Play's Gary Wright said.
"They wanted to do something different."
Elsewhere, BlueScope played down the effects on the company from Toyota's plan to stop making cars in Australia.
"With a three-year transition period before automotive production ceases in Australia and BlueScope's continuing strategic focus on growth in building and construction markets, the overall impact to BlueScope is not considered material," a spokesman for the company said.
The announcement came just months after Holden said it would cease local manufacturing.
BlueScope had supplied 14,000 tonnes of steel annually to Holden.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
