STOP PRESS | Will Orange's Summer Street plans hit the mark?

The architects' vision is to create a place in Orange where the community and businesses will thrive.

One that's full of services, shops, open, has cultural and recreational spaces, is contemporary, respects history, heritage, environment and visual identity and should be a place where everyone can move safely and efficiently.

The opportunities they see include strong food and hospitality retail within the CBD to service growing visitor population, a highly amenable streetscape with wide footpaths to allow for outdoor dining, a growing number of artisanal food and wine outlets as well as "gastro-pubs" supporting Orange's role as a tourist destination.

We can be thankful they haven't gone off the deep end like, the suggestions put forward by architects in Sydney to revitalise its CBD.

What about this one? Networks of footpaths and public space built underground so pedestrians can walk around under the cars above without having to wait at pedestrian crossings.

Another suggestion is for a floating city moored off the coast so thousands of people can live in island developments with high-speed metro trains and golf carts the only transport.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says people should be able to enjoy the Sydney CBD rather than dread it and it needs a rebirth to drive fresh night life and a new recreational atmosphere. She says infrastructure has a role in liveability and aesthetics to inspire us for what's possible.

Our architects say we need to improve pedestrian amenity and safety along Summer Street with the introduction of scramble crossings. We should also humanise and redesign car parks to accommodate pedestrian links, new trees, digital way-finding and signage and use them for other activities such as markets at off peak times.

lt's been said architecture should excite you, calm you and make you think. Will these CBD proposals do that?

Tailgaters are the biggest road aggressors in Orange, along with drivers lingering in the right lane and not letting others merge.

The NRMA has consistently branded Orange as having one of the worst tailgating reputations in the state.

And many of us every day are exposed to some form of discourteous driving or aggressive behaviour from other road users.

Driving has become a nightmare and we're being clobbered at every turn, so what can we do about it?

We could leave the car in the garage and walk or - a much better idea - petition car makers to bring back those big, solid bumper bars that could knock over a gum tree or guide post without the slightest hesitation or damage.

What do women carry in their handbags?

A survey by a department store found essential items included a leather purse, a small umbrella, scarf and a smartphone.

The typical woman will also pack sunglasses, perfume, moisturiser, lipstick and a hair brush. It's a wonder they can cart it all around.