Returning Lady Liberty, why Wes Streeting may be right and fear of dogs

Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments.

Mental health: a crisis or a Gen-Z excuse?

‘Reeves has scuppered any hope that there will be jobs for the workshy’
I’m sure there’ll be predictable outrage at health secretary Wes Streeting’s comment that doctors are ‘over-diagnosing’ mental issues (Metro, Mon). He’s absolutely right, though. This comes as a survey by PwC reveals a quarter of Gen Zs have considered quitting work.

They aim to achieve this by playing the mental issues card. Why should the hard-working taxpayer be burdened with the cost of keeping those who, frankly, don’t want to work.

I think of the generation who came back from World War II, many traumatised in a way that we can only imagine but who slotted back into the jobs that they had before.

They got on with it, although some were undoubtedly affected. I know because in my early years of employment I worked with some of them. The only problem is that, at a time when we seek to either get people into work or off their benefits, the government imposes a tax on jobs by increasing employer national insurance contributions and the minimum wage.

This leads into a wider discussion about taxation but, simply put, if we all want improved public services we all pay for it by increasing the basic rate of tax.

By choosing to tax employment, chancellor Rachel Reeves has scuppered any hope that there will be jobs for the workshy. Hardly joined up thinking. John Daniels, Redhill

Afraid of dogs? It’s time to get over it

‘Not everything is about you and your fears’
Charles (MetroTalk, Fri) says dog owners should apologise rather than thank him when he gives way to them on pavements and alleyways because they have chosen ‘insensitive and unpredictable’ pets. He needs to grow up and realise everything is not about him and his fears – and maybe go to therapy to get over his fear of dogs.

There is a scene in the 2002 sci-fi film Equilibrium – set in a world where feelings are outlawed – where a man is sought out for carrying a puppy in his car. Left to snowflakes like Charles, the demonising of dogs as in that scene will become real. DL Borrell, Hazelhurst

Why transport announcements matter

‘Have they ever seen an accident on a moving escalator?’
Jules Stewart’s disparaging remarks about the ‘bombardment’ 
of ‘nannyish’ announcements on our transport systems (MetroTalk, Thu) needs a response.

Have they ever seen an accident on a moving escalator when a passenger, not holding the handrail, has fallen and caused others below also to fall?

I have, and I pressed the emergency stop button. Have they ever seen a passenger’s fedora hat alight from his head as he was approaching a platform due to the wind turbulence from a leaving train?

I have. The hat landed on the track, the man jumped down to retrieve it, oblivious to the live rail when I questioned him as he climbed back up.

Have they never seen disabled passengers carrying heavy shopping not reaching the bus door before the unknowing driver starts to move off?

I have, and I re-pressed the bell to alert the driver to stop again.

Do they not know that blind people travel on the Victoria Line?

I do, and knowing which side the doors will open at the next stop may actually be helpful to them.
Stanley Haines, London

Complaining about tube announcements? Must be nice

‘people who have so little to worry about’
Reading Monday’s MetroTalk, I was really happy for those people who have so little to worry about that they consider excessive announcements on the Tube and public transport as a serious issue. Martin, London

The real reason for ‘Mind The Gap’.

‘everyone knows’
Regarding the Mind The Gap announcements on the London Underground – everyone knows that crocodiles live in the gap between the train and the platform. Ray Kingdom, Burgess Hill