Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Editorial: Clean up city car washers

By Kelly Makiha
Rotorua Daily Post·
21 Jan, 2014 10:02 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A windscreen washer in another city. In Rotorua anyone harassed by window washers can contact police as it is against council bylaws. Photo/File

A windscreen washer in another city. In Rotorua anyone harassed by window washers can contact police as it is against council bylaws. Photo/File

I can sympathise with a Rotorua mother whose son was left petrified after window washers intimidated them in a supermarket car park recently.

Window washers are back in the news this week after we reported yesterday Emma Wright and her 6-year-old son were approached by a window washer who refused to take no for an answer.

She said she didn't want her window washed, but he carried on doing it. She turned her wipers on and he grabbed the blade, breaking it. He then asked for change, but she said she didn't have any. He persisted "not even a dollar?".

The other night I was in the KFC drive-through (would you believe buying something for someone else?) with my 3-year-old daughter. It was dark and I was in the queue. A window washer came out of nowhere and squirted water on the windscreen. I gestured "no" and locked the doors. He carried on washing the window and hung around waiting for money, but I just ignored him. My daughter was startled and wondered what he was doing, but in all fairness I was probably more scared of him than she was.

I mentioned it to the KFC worker at the window and assumed I wasn't the only one to do so.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

My issue is with people claiming they are "just trying to make an honest dollar".

Firstly there's nothing honest about their intimidating tactics. And I wonder how honest their earnings really are? Are they declaring their income to the Inland Revenue Department or are they just creaming extra cash on top of their benefits that you and I are paying for?

My advice to locals is to politely decline their offer and ring the police if you find them intimidating. There is a council bylaw in place to stop this activity.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Discover more

Editorial: Parent classes are so worth it

16 Jan 08:00 PM

Editorial: Buying local is the right choice

17 Jan 10:00 PM

Editorial: Why we must watch cricket

19 Jan 04:00 PM

Editorial: Keep money local

20 Jan 04:00 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

No more 'hunting hui': Māori educators launch association to curb feelings of isolation

12 Jul 06:00 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

No more 'hunting hui': Māori educators launch association to curb feelings of isolation

No more 'hunting hui': Māori educators launch association to curb feelings of isolation

12 Jul 06:00 PM

After 30 years a new chapter begins for Māori teachers seeking connection and support.

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM
'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Bay home crowd rallies behind netball's Magic

Bay home crowd rallies behind netball's Magic

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP