Sideswipe: December 15: Happy farewell

Sarah spotted this "divorce cake topper" at a Glenfield charity shop.

Much time spent to save a buck

Damien writes: "Just wondering if you could pass on my congratulations to the tremendous number of people queued up outside the Carr Rd BP station on Thursday night. It was with great amusement that we watched people park for up to 25 minutes to take advantage of the 8c Smartfuel promotion, despite the fact that the everyday saving is 6c. So, at a maximum of 50 litres, these people sat idling in their cars for nearly half an hour to save just one measly dollar."

Catching careless bus

A reader writes: "I saw a real sideswipe when a bus hit the wing mirror of a white station wagon parked outside The PowerStation at the end of Mt Eden Rd last Thursday at 4.55pm. I got the bus' registration number but not the car's. I hate to think of the poor owner of the white car being out of pocket for repairs when they did nothing wrong."

A lesson on speeding learned quickly

A reader felt compelled to share a story to balance all the other stories about so-called revenue gathering by police at this time of year. "I was travelling to the city from Muriwai on a section of the Northwestern Motorway that moves from 100km/h down to 80km/h to allow for roadworks. I'm having a good old natter to my passenger and haven't realised I've hit the new zone. Before long I have some flashing lights behind me. The officer reminded me of the speed limit and asked me to slow down ... and off he drove! Believe me, that act will impact greater on my future speed control than any ticket would have done."

Easy-to-please pre-schooler's letter to Santa

(Via Kiwi Kapers, Glen Eden)

Tequila anyone?

"Just to finish off the 'giant asparagus' correspondence," writes a well-informed reader. "The common name for the furcraea is 'century plant', so called because it only rarely produces a flower spike. It is a native of the southwestern deserts of the US and Mexico where I lived for three years. In the past 50 or so years the plant has become less common in Mexico because the large tuber, from which it grows, is dug up just before flowering to ferment and make the essential food group, tequila."

Picture this: This public service ad, warning of the dangers of drugs is oddly specific.

Picture this: The Inferiority Complex map reminds us that even if we get over the fence of insecurity, chances are the stream of self-consciousness will sweep you into the dreaded pool of doubt.

Capitalising on Christmas: Visitors who had paid £20 a ticket for the Magical Winterland in Harrogate were given a couple of unconvincing penguins, a miserable reindeer at the end of a rubbish-strewn hallway. It was forced to close after just 24 hours following complaints..

Picture this: If you thought the golden chicken wing statue at Massey University in Albany was odd, check these...

Video: London animation company Birdbox Studio have made the most elaborate Christmas cards...

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