Rants & Raves: City of snails

We have become the city of snails. Photo / Martin Sykes

Tell us what you love about life in New Zealand - and what needs to change. Email rantandrave@nzherald.co.nz

Rant

When is someone going to fix the congestion-causing bottlenecks the NZTA has created on the Southern Motorway with on-ramp signals, and between Drury and Papakura where there are only two lanes, and at Mt Wellington Highway where three lanes merge into two? We have become the city of snails.

Isaac

Rave

On Saturday morning, my family and I went grocery shopping and I, six months pregnant and suffering from gestational diabetes, fainted in the supermarket. A huge thank you to the staff and shoppers in Ormiston Pak'n Save who helped us. Staff there brought sugary drink, lollies and chair to me, they stayed with us and assisted us to complete our shopping. NZ is our adopted country; this is one of the many reasons that we love it so much here.

Angie

Rant

To the person in the pink car moving on to the motorway at Westgate on Saturday morning, you did not have the right of way. Learn how to merge into the traffic by adjusting your speed so that you can move into a gap in the traffic. As you were clearly behind me, presumably with an overlap, I didn't even see you until you tooted as I was watching the outside lane waiting for a gap so that I, myself, could merge in without forcing others to slow down.

Fred

Rave

Many thanks to the person who picked up my house keys in the Karamatura Falls Park and left them with the ranger. And to Duncan (ranger) for ringing me, then returning them to me.

Ian

Rant

Bullying isn't just in schools! Tonight a couple was incredibly rude to the lovely checkout operator at Countdown who is marvellous to all the customers. Last week the friendly lady in the bakery was treated like dirt. The "New Zealand way" is to treat everyone fairly and politely. If we love the way New Zealand is - friendly and respectful of others - we need to call people out when we see them bullying. If we say nothing, the problem will grow.

Rosemary

Rave

Grateful thanks to the policeman who stopped and assisted in changing my flat tyre on the Southern Motorway. His courteous manner and help made what could have been a difficult and possibly dangerous task an easy and pleasant one.

Grant