Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Truck Off, etc

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  • andrew llewellyn,

    Anyone find the facts?

    Aren't the facts irrelevant in this case?

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    The roads were clear in Christchurch, too: my street is normally bumper-to-bumper on Friday mornings (I have to walk across rather than biking right out of my driveway) and there was quite decent traffic movement this morning. Pity I didn't have to bike anywhere.

    In general, though, I feel sort of apathetic about the whole thing. If the truckies want to block the roads for a morning? Fine, whatever. It's one morning. It isn't going to get the RUC charges decreased, it isn't going to make trucking more economical as fuel prices shoot through the roof, and it doesn't make them right. It just makes them wanky.

    I kind of agree! This sort of thing is routine in Paris isn't it?

    Not just Paris; on a school trip to Noumea I got stuck in my billet's house for two days while there was a strike about...something. Teachers, possibly. Whatever it was, it blocked the roads so badly there was no point anyone going anywhere. The family I was staying with thought it was totally normal.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • noizyboy,

    What's been amusing, as Robyn pointed out over at our Wellingtonista blog (live-blogging the, um, 'action'), is seeing the right-wing radio-talkback mob getting up in arms about the enforcement of a user-pays policy.

    Blimmin socialists!! Errr, hang on...

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 171 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    This whole 'truck you' thing has the fingerprints of astroturfers written all over it.

    Stole my comment. Seriously, would anyone who has driven for more than an hour on SH1 come out in strong support of truckies?!?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    They'll be a "we got rid of the bastards" feeling for a while before they turn around and moan about something else - which they probably backed National on pre-election.

    Look, I think the current irrationally-angry-blame-the-gummint mood is a two-edged sword for National.

    It will help them get elected, but it surely will not help them govern once that group realises all their problems haven't suddenly gone away and starts blaming the gummint again.

    Confident prediction: if that comes to pass, then the NZ Herald will sermonise mightily about a culture of irrational complaint.
    It will be ironic.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    What's been amusing, as Robyn pointed out over at our Wellingtonista blog (live-blogging the, um, 'action'), is seeing the right-wing radio-talkback mob getting up in arms about the enforcement of a user-pays policy.

    The "nice day" observations are relevant. It was fine here in Auckland too. I think torrential rain might have changed the vibe a bit, especially for the people dumped off buses at the city fringe.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis,

    Anybody see the poster that the "Standard" boys put out
    And more to the point were they visiable in the streets

    Personally even though I am a RWW (Right Wing Wanker) in most of the PA readers eyes I felt they had a point

    Diesel burners seem to get a bit of a free ride from the rest of us

    I have to say the overall reaction seems to fit my defination of the current scene "Sick of the present Government" so lets have a change

    It may not seem fair but this whole thing was seen as a demonstration against an out of touch bunch of ...... fill in the dots type leaders

    It is not a good look for Labour

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    Wot is an "astroturfer"?

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Excellent releases to arrive their recently include..

    Not you too, Russell? ;)

    Wot is an "astroturfer"?

    Fake (ie politically orchestrated) grass-roots movement.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Anybody see the poster that the "Standard" boys put out
    And more to the point were they visiable in the streets

    There was one in the Herald's photogallery.

    Personally even though I am a RWW (Right Wing Wanker) in most of the PA readers eyes I felt they had a point

    Nah, no one thinks you're a wanker. And even if they did, you're a winemaking wanker, which is certainly one of the better kinds.

    Diesel burners seem to get a bit of a free ride from the rest of us

    It would be fun to see, say one of the current affairs shows go with a poll that compared the proportion of road damage attributable to trucks with the proportion of the maintenance budget paid by trucking companies and asked "Is this fair? YES/NO?"

    It may not seem fair but this whole thing was seen as a demonstration against an out of touch bunch of ...... fill in the dots type leaders

    Yeah, but that's not particularly rational either. What are they not getting from the current crowd that they believe they'd get from a different government? That would make another interesting poll question.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __Excellent releases to arrive their recently include..__

    Not you too, Russell? ;)

    I'm absolutely shocked by myself. Really.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Wot is an "astroturfer"?

    A professionally organised and coordinated campaign designed to appear as "grassroots" activism. Astroturfing at Wikipedia.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    Makes me wonder what they're paying the spin merchants for - it's certainly not for good advice about timing. Like the whole smacking thing - it's a hiding to nowhere that should have tripped the Danger, Will Robinson! warning lights immediately.

    If RUC haven't gone up for so many years, one has to ask why not? Maybe in a couple of months, petrol tax will magically go down....ha! I live in hope.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    is seeing the right-wing radio-talkback mob getting up in arms about the enforcement of a user-pays policy.

    Blimmin socialists!! Errr, hang on...

    Heh! WHo's going to break it to them...

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red,

    hat are they not getting from the current crowd that they believe they'd get from a different government? That would make another interesting poll question.

    Yeah, but very few people seem to care about the answer. ;-(

    This is all too depressing, I'm off for a drink (and perhaps to plan my emigration, a la the Your View hordes who are often "just about" to jump on that plane to Australia).

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • robbery,

    DRM-free

    you say that like its some kind of selling point advantage to the legitimate purchaser.
    DRM Free is for those who avoid paying and the odd person with multiplatform listening devices. but we know this don't we russell.

    Aside from that I've got a present for you, RWP, interview with dick driver ring any bells?
    coming to a you tube near you soon, in glorious DRM free 80's damaged VHS. you can start the hatin' now.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    I'm off for a drink (and perhaps to plan my emigration [...] to Australia)

    Don't come to Australia! I'm only here for a free post-grad education. Go to the happiest places on earth; Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Iceland, Bahamas, Finland, Sweden, Bhutan, Brunei, Canada. Besides, everybody has lived in Australia. How many of your friends have lived in Iceland?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Stole my comment. Seriously, would anyone who has driven for more than an hour on SH1 come out in strong support of truckies?!?

    Not in a million years. They're big, they're bullying, they're obnoxious. The fact that they don't pay their way, but rather expect the rest of us to subsidise their profits for no social benefit whatsoever is just icing on the cake.

    Truck the lot of them.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Jono Baddiley,

    On the trucking protest, I feel conflicted. On one hand I think "thank god someone has remembered to how to protest. And why didn't this happen with the ECA or other initiatives in the past?".

    And on the other hand I think "why is this worth protesting about?"

    Another view would be that it sorted out the trip into work this morning. I dropped my wife off at her office (it's the last day of her current contract and she had a cake to take in), and there was hardly any traffic at all all the way into and out of (welly)town.

    Wellytron • Since Mar 2008 • 11 posts Report Reply

  • Bob Munro,

    Now, we might have reasons to subsidise truck transport over other forms, but lets be clear and realistic here. We're subsidising trucks by a huge amount. And that's before we include the externalities, which are quite substantial.

    Can anyone explain why we have road user charges still? I thought it was originally to differentiate between diesel vehicles used off road e.g. tractors and diesel vehicles used on road.
    Wouldn't it be easier to just include taxes on diesel the same as petrol and then give dispensation to the farm only vehicles?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    On one hand I think "thank god someone has remembered to how to protest. And why didn't this happen with the ECA or other initiatives in the past?".

    And on the other hand I think "why is this worth protesting about?"

    Well said; sums up my thoughts perfectly. You know, something different for a Friday. I also like the fact it was done round the country, so the people of Gore, for example, didn’t have to miss out on all the fun.

    But the amount of ill-informed support they appear to be getting from ill-informed members of the public is plain frightening.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    Not in a million years. They're big, they're bullying, they're obnoxious. The fact that they don't pay their way, but rather expect the rest of us to subsidise their profits for no social benefit whatsoever is just icing on the cake.

    They traditionally vote Labour.

    But seriously, from an enviromental perspective it is a mistake to raise RUC when a rise in the taxation on diesel could have achieved the same amount of additional funds. A diesel tax increase imparts direct impetus to achieve more carbon efficient operation per km, a road user tax does not.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Here's a song dedicated to all the truck drivers with big trucks:

    Courtesy of the brilliant early '90s Australian comedy show Fast Forward.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Not in a million years. They're big, they're bullying, they're obnoxious.

    Maaate... where were you during the SUV thread?

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    you say that like its some kind of selling point advantage to the legitimate purchaser.

    It is, you don't have to screw over your hardware to play the thing. Plus, Viacom don't get to own your arse...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

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