Tell us what you love about life in New Zealand — and what needs to change. Email rantandrave@nzherald.co.nz
Rave The New Year Honours list has come and gone so Queen's Birthday is next. My two nominations: Lydia Ko and Lorde. Stellar talent and great inspirations whose names, faces and careers are known by hundreds of millions throughout the world.
- Fiona Allen
Rant The person who toots angrily at driversdriving slowly past crash sites is unaware that drivers are supposed to do this. If there is an accident sign, it is illegal to go over 20km/h. The slow drivers are not rubbernecking, they are doing what the police ask people to do for safety reasons. Tooting is trying to make people drive dangerously and/or break the law.
Rave Many thanks to the young man who managed to back out my yellow Honda, which was hemmed in by inconsiderate parkers at Countdown Takanini carpark.
- Jen
Rant It comes as no surprise that numbers travelling on Auckland's train services have surpassed Wellington for the first time and continue to rapidly increase. This is because so many of these people are not paying because of the ridiculous honesty-based ticketing system which Auckland Transport introduced with the new HOP card. Word has quickly spread about there being little chance of being picked up for not paying and the trains are often now full of undesirables vandalising the carriages and stations. Big thumbs-down to Auckland Transport and Transdev, who don't seem to care.
Rave A huge thank-you to the dad-and-daughter duo on Big Manly Beach last Tuesday who helped me hold our boat at the shore. Waves were crashing a little too hard while I was waiting for my husband to return with the tractor and trailer, and they both jumped in and helped steady the boat and get it safely on the trailer. Great community spirit and very much appreciated.
- Janine Arthur
Rant Tennis on the box - why is it that here and at Melbourne, every doubles player, man or woman, has to touch hands with his/her partner after every shot, regardless of whether it was a winner or loser? What lies behind this extraordinary behaviour?