SafetyProDumb people Archives

13 Mar

2015

Confiscating car keys from foreign tourists – parochial puffery

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Grumpy, Road Safety, Un-categorised No Comments

“Locals reaching their grubby little hands into hire cars driven by tourists and taking their car keys has been a recent trend in New Zealand”. What’s been happening to car keys? As if it’s not enough for New Zealanders to collectively have one of the worst road fatality rates in the world, we now have a way to redirect our …

02 Apr

2012

Spam and blocked callers. Act now to marginalise these parasites

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Grumpy, Nanny State No Comments

Why should we tolerate spam from our own countryfolk? And why should we answer the phone to blocked callers? What are they hiding? I realise this is not really anything to do with safety, but now and then, it’s healthy to get off the topic. Blocked callers: I used to feel happy when my mobile phone or office phone rang. Maybe it would be …

17 Jan

2011

Car chases by the cops – are they worth it? Well, yes actually

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Grumpy, Nanny State No Comments

After the last deaths from car chases, the Candor Trust spokesperson Rachael Ford appeared on TVNZ News. She wanted any measures taken by the cops, in the course of protecting our property and our safety, to “fit the crime”. Her manner is arrogant and there is an offhanded contempt about her. She fills me with the dread I only reserve for …

10 Feb

2010

Do gooders – please take note

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Grumpy, Managing Risk, Nanny State No Comments

This blog is about do gooders. You might be surprised at my dismissive tone. Sometimes, however, do gooders just need to be put in their place. You see, during the recent “Big Freeze” in the UK, householders were warned by their local authorities that clearing the snow from the public footpath and not doing it well could land them in court …

10 Feb

2010

Acceptable risk and church committees

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Grumpy, Managing Risk, Nanny State No Comments

Every year, my volunteer firefighter colleagues and I take part in the local santa parade. This isn’t your big city affair, just a 20 minute cruise down our local main street. Fire engine lights and sirens, a wave to the kiddies, hand out a few sweets and go home. Everyone loves it, the guys get a bit of recognition and the kids get tooth …

26 Apr

2009

Road safety – time to get serious

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Fixes, Grumpy, Managing Risk, Road Safety No Comments

Time for New Zealand drivers to get serious about road safety. I have the solutions, so don’t panic. It should have been clear to anyone with half a brain and it should have been done 40 years ago. No one had the vision or political will. They still don’t, so it’s up to me to rant and rave. First, let’s go back in time. To November 26th 1979 …

26 Apr

2009

Individual responsibility for safety

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Grumpy, Managing Risk, Nanny State No Comments

I can’t help but think that we are well overdue for a very long awaited re-adjustment in the way we deal with individual responsibility in society. For decades we have been moving inexorably down a path, initiated by Grey People, of subjugating everything “individual” in favour of the common good, the group, the community, the disadvantaged, …

26 Apr

2009

Top Gear – will it survive the grey people?

Simon Lawrence Blogs, Grumpy, Nanny State, Road Safety No Comments

Last week, Richard Hammond, otherwise known affectionately as “Hamster” by his co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May, crashed a jet car while performing a speed run for the top rating BBC programme “Top Gear”. There was a collective sucking in of breath from the safety vultures. It seems Richard will survive. All Top Gear …

Tag Archives: Dumb people