blog

Hitch Hiking needs your help

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:08:55 +1300

Dear Editor,

Myself and a friend were hitch hiking one day, we’re standing there in the sweltering heat with broad smiles and our thumbs out (in what is universally acknowledged worldwide as the hitch hiking symbol), seventeen cars pass and no one stops.

We’re a young pleasant looking English couple, the perfect hitch hiking combination, washed, clean, shaven, wearing neat clothing and expensive hiking footwear. We hold no destination signs, positioning ourselves in a visible and safe spot so everyone has opportunity to stop with enough braking distance. So why the refusal to share your vehicle? Patiently waiting a businesswoman pleads complete innocence ignoring our presence, the builder with enough seats for a family of six nods his head, thanks mate, the fashionable driver, sunglasses, leather driving gloves waves at us like the queen she is, the foreign couple in their touring caravan shrug their shoulders, Je ne comprends pas, the elderly lady who is just visible over the steering wheel gestures ‘no’. All in all the majority of drivers with room for us acknowledge our existence, but for some reason, pass us by anyway, refusing point blank to stop, to save the environment, economically share your vacant car and help us on our way with a good deed.

Isn’t life all about karma? Paying it forward as the saying goes? Is it fear of hitch hikers, the unknown, refusal to acknowledge others in need, of being in their own little bubble? There are many reasons in Australia what seems to have killed the once widely used phenomenon of hitch hiking, one is the movie Wolf Creek. We remind every driver quoting this film, that the director of Wolf Creek Greg Maclean would be quick to respond that the movie was about stranded backpackers in Australia falling prey to a murderous man offering to fix their car, then taking them captive. They were not hitch hikers!

In Queensland hitch hiking is banned, therefore law abiding citizens are less inclined to stop for us. Perhaps others believe we’re bludgers, ones who live off others making no contribution to the world. Others suggest that we should simply catch the bus. Buy a car they say, what an expensively inconvenient tie to have when you are travelling the world. Do they pass us by too fast on their way home from the office believing the next car will pick us up, whilst we start to sizzle at the roadside on the melting tarmac.

There are websites organising economical car sharing. We would love to take up this option, but prefer hitch hiking not having time to organise rides in advance, we usually travel last-minute and don’t generally plan. Whichever the reason, we would like to thank the individuals that have taken the time to pick up hitch hikers. To those who have been so generous to take us to the best hitching spots if they can only take us so far, to the people who have even gone so far as to take us to the door of where we want to be and the great many fellow travellers who have just stopped to apologise for not being able to pick us up. We have shared stories, food and water, we have been the company of a lone driver on a long trip, entertained a foreign family learning English on their holiday, we have met builders on their way to work, tourists en route to some spectacular waterfall who offer to take us with them, couples with many dogs who still manage to squeeze us in, single women on their way home from their hectic day at the office and a Sri Lankan Doctor travelling home for his birthday as well as many others.

We have the hitch hiking bug and nothing will prevent us reaching our aim to travel the world on the use of our thumb. Hitch hikers are unfortunately a dying breed, which is sad because it is a great means of travel.

What will happen to the hitch hikers in the foreseeable future? Well hopefully after reading this, if you see us on the roadside be sure to stop your car even just to say hello or good luck.

Road Safety Advice

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:08:55 +1300

Dear Editor,

As a driver who uses the roads everyday from Queenstown to Wanaka, both the Crown Range and the Kawarau Gorge, I see drivers several times a week endangering the lives of others with their reckless behaviour. Today while driving to work a car pulled out in front of me forcing me to break heavily, this was not 2kms from where two people recently lost their lives. Then on my way home a car overtook me and then the truck and trailer in front of me, pulling back in, on not only a blind corner but a dip in the road. There is no possible way that this driver could have seen 10 metres in front of them, let alone the mandatory 100 metres behind them! I’m surprised that I haven’t seen more really bad accidents. The ones that I have seen along with the driving I have witnessed concern me.

To these drivers I’d like to offer a little advice, for self preservation really. There are passing lanes, wait for the next one, it’s not that far - really! But mainly I’d just like to say chill out, the person in front of you may not be a local like you, they may be driving slowly for SAFETY reasons and you know what they might not have seen you. They don’t know the road so how would they know about the hidden slow vehicle bay coming up. We locals are used to the roads, but some people aren’t. Before you comment, don’t forget that our region is built on tourism. I would take one of these cautious drivers any day over the cocky locals boasting about making it to Cromwell through to George in 17 min.

To everyone else that uses these roads safely and that treat your fellow drivers with respect, Thank You and take care.

Earthtonz NYE Messtival

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:08:55 +1300

Over the New Year period myself, my partner and six friends went to the Earthtonz MESStival! We were all looking forward to spending the weekend in a great environment and awesome atmosphere. Upon arrival at the festival we were told all cars were going to be searched for alcohol (not drugs, Just alcohol!!) because bringing a few stubbies to an event is far more damming than LSD, Ecstasy and even P!! So the car was turned over and we all got through the gate without so much as a pat down or a sniff round the crotch from a sniffer dog. We arrived at our chosen camping spot and instantly noticed the lack of people and the fact there was only one stage? My partner described it as similar to a Tuesday after the Glastonbury Festival (after everyone has left)!

Anyway, we headed off to the beer tent where we had to buy vouchers…Tui was the only Beer available, over priced and in a small can. On the Friday we had no problems buying 12 cans at a time (as there were 7 of us and we were carrying them back to the camping area). But this was not possible on the Saturday. For some reason the lovely bar staff were told completely different rules to the previous day. They had to open every can they sold encouraging us to drink them quicker before they got warm, which seemingly defeated the object of slowing the drinker down! The live music on the small gig bus on the Friday night (which was gone by NYE) was pretty cool and a pretty good atmosphere considering the 100 people that were dancing and seemingly getting stoned from the mass cloud of weed that was brought (and not smuggled) into the event. Saturday morning came round and I was up early to grab a cup of tea before the masses arrived… Nowhere was open till 10am and the Gypsy hot dog van could serve coffee, not tea. Anyway, food was of the order… A ropey bacon sandwich, a raw cheeseburger and an underdone egg sandwich was about it. It was red hot by 10am, everyone there could tell it was going to be a scorcher but there wasn’t anywhere to sit in the shade to watch the music. Anyway after realising the lack of people, instead of the 10,000 we were led to believe would be turning up, everyone decided to have a wee dance to the Freestylers who were actually pretty good. Come 11.30pm it was time for Mr Tommy Lee to start his set. Well, I have to say I’m a seasoned Drum and Bass head and have listened to Dance music for many, many years and I have never heard so much garbage in my whole life. It was similar to someone smashing pots and pans (off-beat). His stage presence I have to say was good and the highlight was when he started counting down the New Year’s celebrations a minute too early to the actual countdown!

The toilets themselves weren’t too bad considering, although I’m wondering the state they would have been in if 10,000 people had turned up. The coffee dudes from Dunedin and the Security staff I have to say were really friendly and even the cops walking round chatting to most were of good nature…

Next year we are considering having a festival in our back garden, I’m sure we will be able to provide better music and pull in more of a crowd!

Response from Earthtonz,

As one of the organizers of the first Earthtonz NYE Music Festival I am proud to say the event was indeed a success except for our ticket sales.

Believe me, you aren’t nearly as disappointed in the size of the audience as we are. We interviewed about 100 campers on the morning of 1 January and the VAST majority had a good time. Sure, for our first festival there were some issues that we intend to address next year. But every first year festival, even one’s run by experienced promoters such as we are, is not going to be perfect. I challenge you to name another festival that sells their beer at $5 - you can’t and we tried to get more variety in our food vendors - next time we will. Next year we intend to have more bigger name Kiwi acts

as well as at least one major current superstar. But no one can deny that DJ Muggs, The Freestylers and The Crystal Method are legends - and have never played the South Island, so you should be grateful to experience their talent. We learned a long time ago that we can’t please everyone and apparently you are in that group. I hazard to say that by the tone of your letter there was nothing we could do to make your experience enjoyable. Fortunately, you are in the huge minority.

Give us another chance next year - I promise you will not be disappointed...

Regards, Dan Allen
Earthtonz Entertainment Ltd.

NYE Heroes

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:08:55 +1300

Not a whinge more of a thank you. Witnessed first hand on New Years Eve the amount of planning and hardwork from locals and non-locals alike, who made NYE 2012 a hugely successful event, if it wasnt for all these people then Queenstown and similar events wouldn’t be so popular. So thank you to all the Emergency services, the street cleaners, the firework man, the security, the guys n girls serving behind the bars, the door staff, the people behind the food counters, the front of house staff, the cleaners, the people who run the bar crawls, the countless volunteers who spare their time to pull these events off! THANK YOU, you’re all part of what makes Queenstown so great and memorable, here’s to 2012!

Doc Logic

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:08:55 +1300

Dear Editor,
Over the past few years I have been a regular visitor to your wonderful area. I am an avid mountain biker and the ever expanding network of trails throughout the district have been a major draw card for myself and numerous friends. Lately one of my favourite rides has been out to the 7 mile reserve from Queenstown. The Queenstown Mountain Bike Club has done some amazing work (all volunteer might I add), over the past Winter on the Queenstown end of the trail, to make it more “biker friendly” without turning it into a boring highway.

So it was with complete surprise last week while riding this amazing trail to find that the wooden bridge the QMTBC built over a wet, difficult (and dangerous), rocky section had been removed.
After completing my ride I called into one of the local bike shops to see what they knew of the bridge situation. They told me apparently DOC had

demanded it be removed (after previously approving it), because it was not “up to standard”. The bridge had been in place for over 4 months, was very sturdy, well-built with treated timber and even had chicken wire stapled to it for grip (safety). So why on earth did DOC demand it be removed? This was no “Cave Creek” platform, just a simple little bridge less than a metre off the ground at its highest point.
It seem the “bureaucratic preciousness” of DOC management is alive and well here in Queenstown. They should be thankful to community organisations like QMTBC for voluntarily making their trails better, safer, and more accessible for all users, not just bikers.

Please DOC. Use a bit more common sense next time and everyone will be better off for it.

Response from DOC,

The QMBC is to be commended for their huge efforts at the Seven Mile Recreation Reserve over the last 5 years. Under a management agreement, and with the full support of the Department, this has resulted in a great set of trails, structures and information panels, as well as several events being held out there to raise funds for new works.

Our agreement means that the QMBC has to seek permission before any new MTB trails and structures are built, and to include any new structures on their inspection schedule. This means that the public can have confidence that anything they are riding on is of a high standard.

Over the past few months the QMBC have sought permission to build new trails to avoid the steep and sharp corners on some of the mixed walking/riding sections of track. This is all good stuff and has been approved. The QMBC understand the responsibilities associated with working on public land, primarily the provision of quality facilities and the avoidance of random and sometimes unsafe facilities, however well intentioned. Your reader makes several statements that are incorrect. No permission was sought, by the QMBC or anyone else, to build this structure or to discuss other solutions, such as re-routing the trail around this section. This particular structure came to our attention just prior to Christmas as an entirely random and poorly constructed DIY effort on public land. The structure was not ‘sturdy’. For example, none of the legs were fixed into the ground, rather they were just resting on it. In several places, the platform had been propped up by unsecured pieces of wood. One of the supports underneath the boardwalk had been cut away to fit around rocks, weakening the whole structure as a result.

The upper boardwalk assembly itself was fixed to the supports by only a few nails. The boardwalk planks were offset against the supports underneath.

Further, the drop off on the down hill side was such that building consent would have been required, the drop being over one meter and onto unfavourable ground. All other structures at Seven Mile have been inspected by qualified persons and do comply.

Suffice to say that these factors were sufficient to warrant immediate removal once this random, poorly built and unapproved structure came to our attention. Should any member of the public still think that this area of the track requires work to make it safer or better for riding then they should approach the DOC Wakatipu Office direct to talk to us and work out a sensible outcome for everyone, rather than just having a crack themselves.

Regards, John Roberts
Programme Manager Community Relations

Wanaka Road Rage