KEY POINTS:
Driving on Symonds St last week, Jan Hendrix of Henderson came across this chaos-causing road marking.
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Mark, the cyclist who shared his experience of hitting a pedestrian (and then had the gall to implore that the public be more aware of him and his two-wheeled ilk), elicited many responses from other road users. "If cyclists want to be given the same respect and consideration as other road users, they need to follow the same rules," says Andrew. "Here's a reminder: It is illegal to pass on the left; it is illegal to run a red light; riding two abreast may be legal, but it is stupid. Try doing it in your car and see what happens. Cars have indicators, cyclists have arms. The Road Code suggests cyclists dismount at major intersections and use the crossings. (What a sensible idea.) If they follow the same rules as everybody else, and remember that cars can accelerate and travel much faster than them, and that the average NZ driver is not as skilled as they should be, and if they use a little bit more common sense and less arrogance, they might find using the roads a little more enjoyable."
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And Wayne reckons Mark should review his attitude to his cycling rights. "He is in charge of a vehicle on the road. That gives him certain responsibilities, just like a driver of a car, and that includes keeping within the speed limits."
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One lone voice agrees with Mark. "Auckland drivers place little value on other road users, particularly cyclists. On my commute along Remuera Rd I ride the slalom of iPodded pedestrians, inconsiderate stinky buses, school kids dropped off in traffic and the indicator-less masses of left-turning cars. It is unfortunate that cycling to work is not a safe alternative in Auckland."
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Postcard from YoMomma.com is a website where readers anonymously send emails from their mum. The contributions range from the hilarious to the poignant and cover trivial domestic matters, deep and meaningfuls and straight up advice on love, like this: "I am sure it will happen again. The trick is not to kid yourself. Everyone is all in love in the beginning but as time wears on every relationship gets a bit stale. At first you wouldn't even dare fart in front of him, 10 years later you're talking to him while you're sitting on the toilet. Things just change."
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A struggling gardener who found US$140,000 in a California street handed it over to police rather than using it to solve his financial problems. "It's like karma," Eli Estrada, 41, told Los Angeles TV station KNBC. "Whatever you do comes back." Estrada found the fortune in a bag lying in a street in Cerritos, just outside Los Angeles. The $20 bills were unmarked and bundled into wads of US$20,000. He said his initial jubilation soon turned sour. "Either you feel like you're being set up, or maybe it's a crime and now you're involved. Those thoughts were in my head at 100 miles an hour." Estrada turned the loot in to police, who discovered the money had fallen from an armoured truck. The firm gave Estrada US$2000 for his honesty.
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Today's Webpick: Pranksters at the gym try and make other gym-goers feel as uncomfortable as possible. Watch it here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
