Stupid, stupid, stupid people

**Finn** · 13th February 2008, 09:55

I used to laugh at the stupidity of the average New Zealander, but now it's starting to make me cry. If you think that I am being unreasonable, then I would lump you into this category.

In November, a contractor decides to resurface a small strip of road outside my house in the middle of the fucken night with NOISY FUCKING MACHINERY. I live near a Motorway offramp so their reasoning is that they don't what to disrupt traffic! Even though there is another city offramp very close to mine. As I said in my initial post below, they would have to do it again. Well...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ht=council+cry

Resurfacing (Round 2) started last night at 7pm and finished at approx 6am this morning... in a residential street. Fuckers.

In addition, we had reddish concrete outside my house and it was badly in need of repair. They resurfaced patches of it in December with black shit and it looked like a fucken ghetto. I rang Council and told them that if they wanted their $3,500 rate bill paid, they can fucken do it again, properly. Oops, they did the entire street which lasted 2 weeks and for 4 days, I couldn't get a car or bike out (or in if the timing was bad) of my driveway. Nice.

I could fill up KB with very similar stories of incompetence in this country. For example, a $450,000 bill to repair my house because of kiwi ingenuity, but I won't go there.

Why is it that NZ gets so many things so horribly wrong?

**Sully60** · 13th February 2008, 10:03

Because in regards to contracting the lowest price always wins despite the line on most tender invitations that say "the lowest priced tender will not necessarily be accepted". (Insert Tui add here)

There's always another contractor who will do it cheaper than some who knows what they're doing and does it properly and the council (principals) will always try to keep their money in their pockets.

Why does my residential street ( a culdesac) need to be resufaced again?

I agree with you Finn it's a poor state of affairs.

**YellowDog** · 13th February 2008, 10:03

Doesn't sound too clever.

I like the motto "Learn from the mistakes of others, you can't afford to make them all yourself".

Maybe someone at the council/government should be looking at other national and international screwups and try to avoid the same.

**Blackbird** · 13th February 2008, 10:08

I'm not knocking your argument about the stupidity of some NZ sectors, especially local government and their contractors; but having lived and worked at various places round the globe, it's bloody endemic! It's just that NZ has a small population base and coupled with a strong social network, people get to hear about all the stuff-ups.

Don't get me started about roading stuff-ups down our way either

Geoff

**Finn** · 13th February 2008, 10:08

Originally Posted by Sully60

Because in regards to contracting the lowest price always wins despite the line on most tender invitations that say "the lowest priced tender will not necessarily be accepted". (Insert Tui add here)

There's my other pet hate. While I have nothing against tenders, Kiwi's don't know how to run them properly. In my industry I would say that 80% of tenders fail to meet the original objective. Business for the boys, back handers and shortsightedness.

**Finn** · 13th February 2008, 10:11

Originally Posted by Blackbird

Don't get me started about roading stuff-ups down our way either

Geoff

Mate, I would put up with potholes and potheads just to retire and live in the Coromandel.

**onearmedbandit** · 13th February 2008, 10:12

Because pride in your work has gone.
Because people are so conditioned to hearing how much better things are overseas (which for the most part they are) that they get lazy and apathetic about NZ.
Because the people in power (be it central government or local) believe they know best and that we couldn't possibly know how to look after ourselves.
Because our best are heading off overseas in search of better pay and better living conditions, leaving us with a deficit of 'smartness' in NZ.
Because....

**MSTRS:Me** · 13th February 2008, 10:15

Originally Posted by Finn

There's my other pet hate. While I have nothing against tenders, Kiwi's don't know how to run them properly. In my industry I would say that 80% of tenders fail to meet the original objective. Business for the boys, back handers and shortsightedness.

And god help you if you want a white, middle-aged male for a particular job, and say so in the position ad....

**Deano** · 13th February 2008, 10:17

Finn - ring the Environmental Health Officer at your Council and ask why they aren't adhering to the construction noise standards - NZS6803:1999.

Any noisy roadworks in residential (commercial suburban also) areas of Lower Hutt must cease by 12.00 midnight (which is still greater than the NZ standard allows. Even then, this must be justified with traffic safety issues.

It is often a compromise between resident's sleep and necessary works - if there is an alternative route, then it seems there is a compromise there already and no need to work through the night.

**Finn** · 13th February 2008, 10:18

Originally Posted by MSTRS

And god help you if you want a white, middle-aged male for a particular job, and say so in the position ad....

Trouble is, their aren't any but I really don't care, just as long as they do their job. My company is like the UN.

**idb** · 13th February 2008, 10:19

Everything's good here...

**Finn** · 13th February 2008, 10:20

Originally Posted by Deano

Finn - ring the Environmental Health Officer at your Council and ask why they aren't adhering to the construction noise standards - NZS6803:1999.

Any noisy roadworks in residential (commercial suburban also) areas of Lower Hutt must cease by 12.00 midnight (which is still greater than the NZ standard allows. Even then, this must be justified with traffic safety issues.

It is often a compromise between resident's sleep and necessary works - if there is an alternative route, then it seems there is a compromise there already and no need to work through the night.

Did that in November. He basically told me to go fuck myself as Council signed off the works.

**Deano** · 13th February 2008, 10:27

Originally Posted by Finn

Did that in November. He basically told me to go fuck myself as Council signed off the works.

Write to the Mayor, the CEO, your local MP and the ombudsmen - Council staff just LOVE it when they have to write letters explaining their actions/policies - especially when it goes against a recognised NZ Standard.