Sideswipe: April 16: Long-life voucher

Long-life voucher.

"We thought you might be interested to hear of our record-breaking ticket redemption.We issue complimentary vouchers on trips where marine mammals aren't seen (less than 5 per cent of our trips) and this family from the UK had a voucher from April 2002 which they redeemed yesterday — 17 years later! This time round the family got to see dolphins and whales. We want to know if any Kiwis have one that can beat 17 years."

No thanks

Spotted at Sylvia Park by John Laurie.

Cat joy-rides

"While stopped at traffic lights in Hamilton I glanced in my rear-view mirror and saw a ginger cat riding on the roof of the car behind me," writes a reader. "As the lights changed I thought the cat could jump off and be killed so I stopped, ran back to the car and told the driver, 'um, there's a cat on your roof'. She stopped and the cat walked down the bonnet, so I picked it up, opened her passenger door and placed the cat inside. As I ran back to my car I heard her say, 'honestly, it's not my cat!' "

Walking into trouble

Roberto Guglielmi managed to fool everyone for over a decade that he couldn't walk. In 2007 he came up with a plan to pass himself off as a paraplegic and collect a benefit. His boarder, who was behind on rent, pretended to hit him with a car while he was crossing the street. With the help of a false medical document, Guglielmi was able to pull off the scam. In order to deceive doctors during mandatory visits to confirm his disability, he would inject lidocaine into his legs to numb his muscles, undergo traumatic therapies and use a wheelchair whenever he left his home. Guglielmi's intricate scam finally came crushing down on him. A former caretaker became suspicious and notified authorities. A team of detectives launched an investigation and discovered the man's double life. Although he would always use a wheelchair in his home city of Firenze, whenever he went out of town, he walked.

Source: Repubblica.it

Driver who prefers old layout

"Te Atatu Countdown recently reconfigured its car park layout," explains a reader. "This shopper obviously prefers the old layout."

Video Pick

Chihuahua saved by quick thinking mate…

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz