Perhaps they don't own mirrors.

While on an early morning bicycle ride last February, I had the unfortunate luck of colliding with a concrete block which had been left discarded on the side of the road. 

The accident resulted in my falling heavily to the ground, instigating initial unconsciousness and numerous injuries. 

Had I not been wearing an approved helmet, consensus of medical opinion was that probably, the outcome could well have proven fatal. 

Please, do not "dumb down" laws regarding the wearing of bicycle helmets.

Worn correctly, they do save lives.

When I was a little bloke down on our farm in north-east Victoria, one of our highlights on our dairy farm was to have a ride in the dray behind our big draft horse.

It was never a smooth ride because the wheels of the dray would often drop into a hole where a tree stump had been burnt out.

The trees had been removed for timber for the house and other buildings, or sold to the local sawmill.

This left behind big stumps all around the paddocks, and the only way to get rid of the stumps was to wait till the right time of the year and burn them.

No machinery to do the work in those days.

The right time of the year to burn the stumps was definitely not spring time.

One of the lessons learnt very early in our youth was that when a stump is burnt the fire can burn for weeks underground, along the lines of the tree roots.

(I have very severe memories of my foot going through the surface of the ground, into a burning tree root and very hurtful consequences.)

It was also very common for cows to put a foot through the surface and stir up a fire if there was something to burn. 

And then, what about a windy day?

So, when in the last few weeks I see the people in bright uniforms still doing controlled burns to alleviate the fire danger, I just shake my head in disbelief!

How can they be so stupid? 

Surely their superior officers know the risks?

Having just received our electricity bill, we have a credit of $123, as we have regular fortnightly payments deducted from our account, which obviously covers our usage, plus the multitude of charges Origin adds on.

As well as having a credit, our kilowatt hours decreased by 0.93 (or 9.76 per cent) over the past year, our gas emissions decreased by 0.1 tonne and our consumption is the lowest compared to other households in our area.

Despite this, our supplier has indicated our fortnightly payments will increase.

Are we concerned? 

No way, because Malcolm and Lucy have promised many times they will take on the energy companies and charges will decrease.