One of my earliest ventures into talk radio was at about the age of thirteen, doing some vox pops (interviews in the street) with people in Lismore about the recently installed traffic lights. Armed with a cassette recorder, I took to the streets to see what the good folk of Lismore thought of the installation of our first set of traffic lights in about 1979.

This was pretty big news in Lismore at the time, and I seem to remember it was also somewhat controversial. Though I no longer know where the recording is, I remember some people saying it was a waste of money, while others thought it was a sign of great progress.

The lights at the corner of Woodlark and Dawson streets were removed many years later, at about the time roundabouts became the “norm”.

Everyone I know who visits Lismore for the first time mentions the roundabouts, and in particular the exotic decorations that characterise them. That’s especially at Christmas time, when one of the roundabouts is decorated with a Christmas tree made from recycled goods.

PS – Lismore no longer has any traffic lights. We’re a roundabout town, these days.