The New Zealand Transport Agency combines an excellent grasp on irony and a ripping sense of humour. (Thanks Joseph)
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On the way to work Graeme saw a white people mover, with a few young women in it, turning left at the lights. A late-model red car opposite them was turning right, so the people mover had to give way. It clearly wasn't going to give way, so the red car gave them a friendly toot. The girls started yelling and swearing and "flipping the bird" and drove round the corner, failing to give way to the red car. Then, the driver of the red car reached down and turned on its police lights.
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A reader writes: "When we as immigrants apply for a rental house from the estate agencies - just a small house, or one that's going to suit the pocket - the first thing they ask you is how many kids do you have? You tell them you've got maybe two or maybe four kids and then they tell you that by law each child must have their own room. And if I point out that our neighbours have bunks in their rooms, we are told they are locals, so you can't bullshit them."
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Another reader writes: "As a landlord, I have been ripped off, lied to and threatened with Tenancy Tribunal action so many times by dishonest property managers. My experience is, they inflate the repairs needed or miss out information as a way to manipulate and get the outcome they want. A small fixable problem with a stove became the stove needs to be replaced and if not done today the tenant is taking you to the tribunal. In reality, after talking to tenant and trades direct, stove was fixed within a couple of days and the tenant happy. Yet when I have a problem like tenants having dogs on a 'no pets' lease or no nail holes in my freshly painted walls I am told it's not a big deal and that I have to expect it with a rental. It's all about playing the sides off against each other and letting the other side think each is totally unreasonable so you are thankful for having a property manager to sort it out."
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Helen reckons "no matter what the landlord puts in the tenancy agreement, and regardless of what you sign when the tenancy starts, they cannot make you pay to have the carpets professionally cleaned". It's a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act to require it at the end of a tenancy.
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Dianne writes: "I am the mother of the 'screaming child' at Buzz Aldrin's talk. Firstly, he was not screaming - but yes, he did start to gripe and yes, we did leave. After being shouted out in front of hundreds of people, I shambled out very embarrassed. My husband followed and we kept our baby outside for most of the talk. The rest of the time he was in his pram with a dummy, right by the door for a swift exit in case. Children do make some noise. What a very impatient society we are turning into."
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Today's Webpick: Rhys Darby does for HP in the US what he did for 2 Degrees here in an ad campaign feat. Dr Dre; Plus the ten worst attempts at cutting down a tree. Go here.
Follow Ana Samways on Twitter
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See today's Herald cartoon
