Posts by BenWilson

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • Hard News: A Weird Day in the Hood,

    I find it hard to blame the police, although an investigation is always worthwhile when there is a killing, just to clarify procedures and lay future ground rules, and indicate flaws in training. But until I get a P-crazed gunman at the end of a breakneck car chase shooting wildly at me and everyone else, I won't really feel myself to be a qualified judge of other people's actions. What happened is extremely lamentable, but it could well have been worse, there could easily have been more deaths from the car chase alone, let alone the shootout. When someone is acting as crazy as this guy was, you have to take calculated risks, because not taking them is also taking a calculated risk. And there isn't much time for calculation.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: A Weird Day in the Hood,

    Alcohol might still account for many more incidents of violence, but it's P that produces the real showstoppers.

    I guess the difference being that someone having a P-fueled psychotic break is not 'impaired', indeed they are somewhat 'enhanced', which makes crazy twice as bad. And <anecdotal evidence warning>, my experience is that P only appeals to people who are already a bit nuts.

    I don't regard it as a defence, and I do not think the courts should either.

    As with alcohol.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Reasons to be cheerful,

    Oh, yeah and those bastards too. Bloody good at making my name sound like it's overpriced.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Reasons to be cheerful,

    I've always been bitter, given that my middle name is Matthew, that I never got a cent out of those pretenders, Bonn Motor Works, who have been trading on my initials for years.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Reasons to be cheerful,

    From memory, I think it ends at Bond St, which isn't all that helpful.

    Depends where you are going. Gets you to the corner of Ponsonby/K-Road much more pleasantly and safely than trying to slog up Newton Rd from the off ramp.

    You know, I never knew that you could continue under the bridge there. It's really not obvious.

    Not intuitive at all. It actually makes me wonder if there would be any difficulty in just avoid the overbridge altogether and cutting the cyclepath straight through the reserve at the bottom of Ian McKinnon Drive. Would require a cycle crossing, or a cycle lane on the left of Ian McKinnon, but it would cut out a gnarly ascent, and save your legs, or my battery.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Reasons to be cheerful,

    JackElder, I totally agree on the dangers of riding fast on a the pavement. But even with power assist, I'm not going fast up steep hills, so the pavement is suddenly my friend. I'm no more at risk than any pedestrian. And there is broken glass in every gutter, I put that down to street sweeping machines.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: It's not OK to just make…,

    Find out what's wrong before that person turns into Michael Laws ...

    Nice one. But I don't think the smallness of the country contributes anything to reducing rivalry. Small towns are notorious for their feuding.

    The extent of the problem is totally your call, though. You're not responsible for dragging Ralston out of his fug. It just might be a nice thing to do, you clearly have some respect for the guy.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Reasons to be cheerful,

    But it doesn't really have an uphill and a downhill as such, does it?

    It does if you want to get home again.

    And doesn't it rather defeat the point of riding an off-road track to be assisted on the slopes? Getting up Chinaman's Hill on the way to work in the morning though, sure ...

    It's just a different way. For a hardcore offroader, I imagine slogging uphill is a large part of the point, but for me, it 'defeats the point' because I ride for pleasure, not pain. It's still exercise, I'm just in control of how intense it gets, something which is very difficult in Auckland.

    I totally agree about the NW route, and have been researching heavily on Google Maps any alternatives for both me and the council. One bright spark online noted that you can do a left at the motorway underbridge and follow a cycle path that is much flatter on the other side of the motorway. But there's still no getting around a stiff ascent into the city at some point. It is kind of strange that the cycleway doesn't just continue to hug the motorway, which is totally flat, all the way to Newton bridge, but I notice that private properties come really close to the motorway at that point, maybe they just couldn't afford to buy the space yet. Another note which totally eluded me until I actually went online, was that the cycle route does not end at Newton Bridge. It sweeps down and under the bridge, and ends at Upper Queen St, which is a much nice place to be on a bike than the bottom of Newton Rd. Google maps Street view is my new best buddy. But it's still an ascent. Hence my choice of power assistance. If I had to use my muscles, I probably wouldn't do it at all.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: It's not OK to just make…,

    By 'a bit much' do you mean he might find it offensive, or use it as an excuse to hack into you again?

    I'm not posing the idea as a duty for you. It's just a better idea than boxing, if you would like the public snipes between the two of you to either end, or at least be explained. But I understand it's a really hard thing to do, I definitely struggled every time I did it. It was on par with calling up a girl and asking for a date, something that carries the nerve racking fear of rejection. But at the end, I think it's better to be rejected than to never know if it could have been. That's just me. In your case it could just be better to have this minor antipathy forever, it definitely gives you something to write about. But I take your word as true that you actually think he has some real talent, which could be turned to good. Surely there's an opportunity there?

    My take on Ralston is that he's a bit lonely, and understandably bitter about his fall from TV.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Reasons to be cheerful,

    hmmm...Ben I hope you get a lot of painful spam from people selling saunas.

    A poetic fate for someone who appreciates seeing more of women than the tip of their nose? Except for the fact that every sauna I've ever been in is full of mostly naked men.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

Last ←Newer Page 1 906 907 908 909 910 1066 Older→ First