Good for you, Russell for having the energy and tenacity to follow this through, and for helping a mate out. It's just so exasperating that these hoops have to be jumped through when cannabis is a dull little herb which is less harmful than coffee.

It is actually an offence for anything other than a push bike to stop inside the green box at lights; here in Wellington I've seen folks in cars and motorbikes get a $175 fine for being there. A bit harsh maybe but that, apparently, is the law.

Whilst we're at it I can attest that Wellington car drivers are good with bikes; I go up and down Brooklyn Hill every day. Some of the best drivers are lorry and truck drivers (thank god). I always wave my thanks when cars and trucks are considerate, I like to think this is driving their behaviour (pun intended).

My eBike (Specialised Turbo S) has a regen mode that you can turn on (i.e. it's not on constantly). It's useful on long down hill rides as it acts as a slight brake , and thus helps pro;long brake pads. You're right, though, it doesn't add much back to the battery, on a recent descent from about 400m above sea level to sea level, over about 6 Km I added 4%. And you couldn't cycle with it on regen along the flat, well you could, but it would be like cycling uphill. On newer versions of my bike regen can be set to activate every time you use the brakes.

"Car drivers" (whatever that actually means) should welcome more cyclists as every cycle is one car less, so they can dash off to their next traffic jam all the quicker.

Done ("and you 'ave been"). Always happy to help as I enjoy your informed and useful views on the world. Happy to move to a regularised (is that a word?) set up with payments to see PA.

Excellent piece of journalism, gave a good insight into a very important story. It's a
pity he doesn't work for TV3; we would have been spared their top story at 6 last night which involved Valerie Adams selling her latest book for five minutes.

Until yer average voter looses their government and media maintained fear of "drugs"; and politicians realise that, as butch as it sounds, you can't win a "War on Drugs" any more than you can poke fear in the eye there will be no progress out of this surreal situation.

Alcohol, it goes without saying, is the nastiest of all poisons we choose to use and yet people don't see it as a drug, nor as the massive problem it is.

And the main issue is why do humans want to get out of their trees, and what does this say about us, and how, if we agree we just gotta do it, can we do it as safely as possible?

I no longer take any drugs, bar coffee (hey, I live in Wellington, I believe it's illegal not to here), but I see nothing wrong in others so doing, unless they try driving or hitting each other (or me). I do object to my tax money being spent on nicking people for getting high, as shown on that superbly silly programme "Drugs Bust'.

Well worth the money, amazed you never asked before...