Price of trail rides?

[takitimu]

Jeez, you buggers are just encouraging them too put up the prices. I think 50 bucks is wrong - conisdering we live in the most heavily taxed, lowest income country in the 1st world ...

Close to lowest income maybe, but most heavily taxed not even close, UK taxes are going to 50% top + 20% VAT ( that probably doesn't include the National Health levy the name of which I forget & the BBC tax ), we'll remain under Aussies tax rates after the next tax cut as well, I think you'll find instead of the most heavily, we are actually one of the lower taxed countries.

Besides, as Birchy pointed out the level of Trail Rides in NZ blows away the rest of the world & it's cheap as nuts. It's a real problem actually, in many ways I'd like to wander back overseas next year, but giving up the riding in NZ would be damn tough.

[warewolf]

conisdering we live in the most heavily taxed, lowest income country in the 1st world ...

Yeah but it's quite a socialist country. Fer instance, if you stack your bike at said trail ride, ACC (in theory) takes care of you. Most other places worldwide you'd have to have your own expensive private health and income protection insurance. Health & welfare in this country are pretty good, comparatively. eg free healthcare for under 2's including while they are still in the womb.

Didn't Mr Key recently point out that someone earning 50K with a wife & 2 kids would effectively pay only $1500 tax, after Working For Families Tax Credits? Doesn't sound like a heavy tax burden. If they also put $1040 in to KiwiSaver the govt will match it, which means they really only paid $500 tax!!! 1%... not a lot.

[secondfield]

Dont be mugs, you sound like the mum who quietly ignores the abuse of her children because 'oooh at least we aren't getting screwed by the govt AS BAD as those poor pommie buggers'. One thing about us kiwis is we are a bit apathetic and we dont see the woods for the trees. Look at this shit -

Accounts Receivable Tax
> Airline surcharge tax
> Airline Fuel Tax
> Airport Maintenance Tax
> Building Permit Tax
> Cigarette Tax
> Corporate Income Tax
> Death Tax
> Dog License Tax
> Driving Permit Tax
> Environmental Tax (Fee)
> Excise Taxes
> Local Body Tax
> Unemployment (UI)
> Fishing License Tax
> Food License Tax
> Gasoline Tax (too much per litre)
> Gross Receipts Tax
> Health Tax
> Hunting License Tax
> Hydro Tax
> Inheritance Tax
> Interest Tax
> Liquor Tax
> Luxury Taxes
> Marriage License Tax

> Divorce License Tax
> Medicare Tax
> Mortgage Tax
> Personal Income Tax
> Property Tax
> Poverty Tax
> Prescription Drug Tax
> Provincial Income and sales tax
> Real Estate Tax
> Recreational Vehicle Tax
> Retail Sales Tax
> Service Charge Tax
> School Tax
> Telephone Tax
> Telephone , Provincial and Local Surcharge Taxes
> Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
> Vehicle License Registration Tax
> Vehicle Sales Tax
> Water Tax
> Watercraft Registration Tax
> Well Permit Tax
> Workers Compensation Tax
> ETS
> GST

Sick yet?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was one of the
most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had a large middle class, and a parent stayed home to raise the kids.

The other choices in Politics are not much better (Labour, blah blah etc) what with ETS, employment legislation and the farting cow debacle.

Soon, a tax pending (ETS) that is based on dodgy science and 94% of kiwis say NO to the people we pay to look after us. Do they listen? fuck off. Gosh dont our great ' leaders' ever have inspiration or vision for our nation?. Do us big fat FAVOUR for once? No, they laugh at us thinking that WE think these Ex Bankers, Lawyers and ego maniacs have a any sort of vision for our nation?

Instead of saying 'well at least we dont have to pay for that' and quietly scuttling away to a safe little haven and wishing tommorow was just like yesterday, stand up and say THESE PRICKS ARE RIPPING US OFF

Maybe we deserve a communist govt, with a bit of luck the chinese will deploy armed guards here to safeguard the land we sold them 20 years ago? ...as long as we can play with our toys, seek pleasure at will, watch our kids debt themselves heavily for a privatised half assed tertiary education and effectively bury our heads in the sand things will stay the same ..... wont they?

If you compare our minimum wage and the value of our dollar in the first world (UK/AUS/USA) then we don't measure up. Never defend Politicians, they are liars, cheats and smiling assasins.

End of Rant

I still think 50 notes is a bit excessive for a 'farmy' type trail ride. Id pay 40 buck probably, if there were a few good hills, flowing farmland, a bit of mud and shit, roots, stepups a touch of sand too possibly..

[takitimu]

...
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was one of the
most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had a large middle class, and a parent stayed home to raise the kids.
....
End of Rant

Mmmm, the good old days of unlimited agricultural access to UK & no EU tariffs, combined with some subsidies ( SMP ) to help out, the problem was we relied on Ag for to long then decided to go hitech, forgetting we already were hitech in ag & only now getting a balance, don't get me started on the stupidity of F&P / Navman, at least Tindell has a decent fund going. We insist on our own Stock Exchange ( against all rational reason ) & then join our two big Dairy Companies on the most dodgy of reasons, Fontera will I predict within 15 years be at least 30% overseas owned, not necessarily a bad thing, but given it's effectively a monopoly it is ( I note the Govt are trying to mitigate the disaster by continuing to force Fontera to supply milk at cost to other processors, but because our capital market is so screwed, the processors are primarily overseas owned ). I don't have an issue with overseas ownership in balance, it's the lack of balance that worries me.
Not just Govt issues ( Though Labour were a disaster ), most were/are own goals sorry.

I'd still way rather be around now though, a 1960's scramble bike or a TXC250, not a tough decision , internet or party phone lines, beer in the supermarket or 5pm closing. Alot of good reasons to enjoy now.

[chop]

yea your right nige, bike a 1960's scrambles bike would be way better but your stuck with what youve got haha

[Shorty_925]

Some people have got it right, if the ride costs and doesnt end up being a good trail, then I wont be going back.

I know of a local school fundrasier ride, they got in a marketing group and a year later the price doubled, it was an alright ride, but not double. This year they canned the afternoon loop part way through, put everyone onto the public road to head back to the carpark, just wish the cops were there to come down on them like a tonne of bricks for pulling such a stupid move.

On the other side, I prefer racing, and am happy to pay more for racing, but local trail rides are the usual farm trail ride, $25 with a feed, not too bad for a easy days riding. Everyone now and then head across to an epic event, which I know is more, but the track is usually better.