blog

Adding meaning to the title Bouncers

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

So this has been bugging me for sometime! I have read so many complaints about drunken tourist’s and locals in Queenstown, but I think its finally time someone brings to light how terrible the bouncers of bars in Queenstown are!

Yes you have a hard job, but your not there to fight guys, your first job should be a host/greeter, this is a very transcendent town and it survives by word of mouth and tourist’s in Queenstown going home with a great experience! Do not get me wrong, I appreciate there are some “dingbats” out there who should be removed from the bar, but not all of us are like that!! It seems as though when you go into a bar, the bouncers are just waiting for you to slip up! This is not a rant to all the bouncers in Queenstown, but surely there are sooo many people who would agree with this, personally I got shoved across the road by a bouncer a few weeks ago for been slightly to drunk for his liking, a simple “hey bro, your a wee bit to drunk, go grab something to eat” would have been enough, but to just push me out across the road is too far pal!

You guys are not above the law, I think its time Queenstown bar owners have a long hard think about what there customers experience when they first enter the bar and who is making that first impression and if its good for your business!

Cyclists & Pedestrian safety on the Shotover Bridge

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

OMG, I have just driven home and am shocked at the stupidity of some people in this town! Driving out of Queenstown across the Shotover Bridge, I passed a cyclist on the right hand side of the road, that’s right heading against the traffic - and then a pedestrian 20 metres behind him!

Do these people have a death wish? Surely it is a matter of time before someone is killed on this bridge - can’t the Council at least make this pedestrian free - most cyclists who are brave (or crazy) enough to use this bridge at least have the common sense to cycle on the left hand side of the road, albeit still dangerous with traffic flying past at 100km/hr and no shoulder or cycle lane. People should be using the Old Shotover Bridge and there should be signage for it. Something should be done before someone is seriously injured or worse, killed.

Response from NZ Transport Agency,

The NZ Transport Agency appreciates the concerns raised about the unsafe behaviour of some cyclists and pedestrians who are using the Shotover Bridge. Cyclists and pedestrian do not need to use this bridge as the nearby old Shotover Bridge provides a safe alternative over the river and is well signposted so they can find it.

Regards, Roger Bailey

NZ Transport Agency

Ignorant Drivers

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

Here is the latest way to totally confuse all other drivers at an intersection / roundabout and almost causing a crash.

You drive up to the round about without indicating, then, when you get halfway through the roundabout, you suddenly indicate a right turn, thus insuring that you take all other road users completely by suprise. I have seen this manouvre in Queenstown many times recently, and it fools everyone every time without fail.

The best part is you never get caught, because the police dont bother policing roundabouts as they are far too busy elsewhere.

A bit of Romance please

Mon, 07 May 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

Last weeks whinge titled “Cupid” got my spirits up and gave me some hope knowing that I’m not the only one that thinks like that. I’ve been on a few dates the last couple of months and I find that guys around Queenstown especially are just after one thing and that’s to get into your pants. What happened to dating and a little bit of romance? Call me old-fashioned, I know this is a transient tourist town and that most foreigners only pass through Queenstown, but that’s no excuse to boot romance out the door. Are there any descent guys left?

Ignorant Tourists

Mon, 07 May 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

In the last month we have seen whinges about customer service and about customers themselves, and I think they both pertain to the same issue. One of the reasons Queenstown is such a unique and awesome place to be, is that it is entirely international and cool cats from around the world hang out here to enjoy and participate in everything that we have to offer.

Like it or not, everyone here needs to be able to understand a whole host of accents and hand gestures as travellers and working-travellers try to communicate – and pretty much everyone is here to have fun, right? So there’s loads of cultures being mixed up and when an American says “Get me one of these” we might not wait to hear them say “thank you” once they’ve got it and occasionally we’re going to get situations where a traveller who has had a long day sitting on a coach crosses paths with a shop assistant who has worked too many hours for minimum wage and they get frustrated with each other. But it balances out in the long run because someone will perk up your day with a witty comment and we just don’t write about fun people in the whinge section. What does seem to be found in almost all nationalities of traveller (and is the real subject of my whinge) is a group of people that don’t really know what Queenstown has to offer and waste time asking questions rather than reading the Lonely Planet on the way here.

These are the people that ask “What’s the long line outside that burger place for?”. “Are there any good bars around here?” and “I’ve done a bungy…now what should I do?”! I really don’t get how you can travel through New Zealand and not take the opportunity to find out a little about a place before visiting it! Often people pass through in just a couple of days and it’s sad that they haven’t taken the time to work out how they are going to fill every second of their time in Queenstown with fun! Surely people of every nationality want to find out about a place and take advantage of their time here?

So when tourists ask for directions to McDonalds or KFC, I feign ignorance, send them in the wrong direction and hope that they can find something more exciting to do with their lives.

Parking

Mon, 07 May 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

Well done, to Off Road and Dennis Mander. First we have Off Road displaying their greed, selfishness and arrogance over the park on Shotover St in front of Thrifty Rentals and now clever Mr. Mander solves the problem by putting in broken yellow lines. Now we all suffer.

Come on Dennis get out of your ivory tower and show some guts. A 30P sign would have been far more appropriate. This morning on Frankton Road we have a Clay Shooting van Off Road (again) and ArtBay all tying up parks which I thought were for everyone. How will you deal with this now Dennis, yellow lines? No wonder New Zealand is one of the most regulated countries in the free world with greedy selfish people and thoughtless bureaucrats. I think maybe it is time to put “ pay and display “ parking in Shotover and Church Streets and also put a stop to vehicles with advertising painted on them tying up long term parking for days on end. If Mr. Mander would do his sums he would see there is as much as a million dollars a year to be made from paid parking in the fore mentioned streets.

Response from QLDC,

The parking controls on Shotover and Church Streets are generally P30. Council policy is not to apply pay and display parking to parking restrictions of P60 and less but, instead, to apply the time restrictions and back this up with enforcement. The provision of free parking for this relatively short period parking is intended to provide a level of free parking in the busiest areas of the town centre for the benefit of local businesses and their customers. I hope this helps.

Regards, Denis Mander - QLDC

Cupid

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

This is rather some advice rather than a whinge, directed at all the men out there! If you have a lovely and caring girlfriend/wife whom you cherish and have the utmost regard for, look after her! Write her poetry or pick her a flower every now and then, without any specific reason. Showing affection does not make you any less of a man. Women love to be wooed and shown that they’re appreciated, don’t ever lose that spark. It’s all about romance! Appreciate each other and show that you appreciate one another.

A wise man once said: “You say you love someone. Love doesn’t mean anything, love is only what you are feeling. Your actions and what you do to the ones you love are what really matters!”

Illegal Dumping

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

A while ago I rode the Tour De Wakatipu. The picturesque ride took me through some wonderful places I hadn’t been to despite living and riding round here for more than five years now. Last weekend I took the family down to the Shotover Delta past the poo-ponds to show them part of the route I rode through along with many 100s of others. It is a well maintained area making it a great place to walk down to the end of the Shotover to watch jet boats blast by as planes cruise in overhead to ZQN. There were also some teenagers riding around on their off road motorbikes which is fine as there’s lots of space for all.

What p#ss#d us off though, was a couple of dirty scumbag locals driving down there and clearly using the area as a free dump to leave their rubbish. From afar we saw a big new ute emptying a full, tied down load of freshly cut tree branches and a 4x4 and trailer emptying a load of topsoil and landscaping waste! When we walked out a while later past where it had been, it looked like it had dumped off many many loads from the evidence. There was also other domestic type rubbish which had recently been dumped there.

Annoyingly none of us had our ubiquitous cell phones on us to take some evidence photos for the QLDC and police. I could report it, but I think having a whinge here will highlight this appalling behaviour for everyone and it will be interesting for the QLDC to voice their opinion here for us all. Next time we’ll take some pictures to report it and hopefully others will too.

Response from QLDC,

Thanks for this. It’s good to highlight that the community and its visitors don’t find this sort of behaviour acceptable. Council will endeavour to monitor the area, however we are very much in need of community input when it comes to reporting illegal dumping, also known as ‘fly tipping’. A photo would be great but a registration number is sufficient or simply report the rubbish so at the very least we can clean up to try and deter others. These things can be easily reported by going to the Council website: www.qldc.govt.nz or emailing: service@qldc.govt.nz or giving us a call: 03 441 0499. People caught are subject to a fine. Again thank you for highlighting this issue.

Regards, QLDC

Queenstown Parking

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

What on earth is going on with the car-parking in Queenstown? First they put prices up across the board, and then they block out one of the main car parks in town for a film crew?! WTF! Carparking is always going to be an issue in a town where everything else is super expensive. So why block out an entire car park for private commercial gain. QLDC way to annoy your car parkers again. Oh and the you can park in Boundary St carpark... sure I can, but that’s not what I pay my annual permit for, is it now?

Response from QLDC,

Thanks for the opportunity to comment. The removal of the carpark in Shotover Street was done primarily for safety reasons. The regular parking of large vehicles there obscured sightlines for vehicles pulling out of the nearby private carpark. Because of the proximity of this to the Stanley St / Shotover St roundabout the space was removed.

Regards, Denis Mander QLDC

Queenstown Prices

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

My family and I moved here two years ago and fell in love with Queenstown. At the time we did all the tourist-type things (as you do) and had a ball! But after six months we settled down and got back to work, we found out just how expenisve it really is. Queenstown has got to be kidding how much it charges, from general shoping to going out and having a beer.

Yes, we understand it’s a tourist town, but you have to sort something out for the people who live here that don’t know any different. Yes, some bars have loyalty cards but what about everything else? My family and I are comfortable (money wise) and we feel sorry for the people in this town that don’t know any better. Our suggestion to tourists and new arrivals is to get out and see how much cheaper the rest of the country is. On that note we are leaving in one week. Good luck to ya Queenstown.We are taking our money elsewere.

P.S Do something (fast) about that eye sore of a hole out towards Frankton way between Glenda Drive and Frankton roundabout (it hasn’t been touched since we’ve been here) as it’s the first thing visitors see comming into and out of Queenstown.

Queenstown Gym

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:08:55 +1200

Dear Editor,

Is it just me who gets a little bit miffed that Queenstown Gym is closed on Public Holidays? Christmas and New Year I can understand, but Otago Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday, Really? Lakes Leisure open on Public Holidays (except Xmas and NY) so why can’t Queenstown Gym? It’s not like we get reduced price membership for the weeks when there is a Public Holiday!

Response from Queenstown Gym,

Dear Client, It is indicated clearly in the contract that each member reads and signs when joining, that we are closed on all public holidays. Any further confusions the client has, we have a complaints box which is checked every day, or please come and talk to me directly in the gym at any time.

Many thanks, Edwin