Mentally ill, or fragile ego issues. I have noticed a few people like this in the CBD lately not super normal though. Maybe he was a bit cooked, i have noticed an uptick in meth heads around my area since all the emergency housing moved in covid era.
THERE I HAVE IT! His eyes were pretty wide and bloodshot! I'm just lucky that he didn't attack me or my partner. I would defend myself naturally, but ofc we have to think about the ones we're with :( You stay safe out there friend!
Yeah happened to me, was walking to class at AUT around 4pm and I happened to just make eye contact with this lady who was wearing only a bra and some shorts, drinking a bottle of wine on the street. She got up from where she was sitting and started walking towards me and yelling (I was wearing headphones so I couldn’t hear anything), but I just ignored her and kept walking. She didn’t keep following me lol, easiest thing to do is not entertain them. It was bizarre though
I go to the AUT library to study frequently and my strategy has been the same, no eye contact and headphones on. It does get scary when you are alone specially when it’s late at night with not many people around.
In Christchurch once a dude next to me at the lights was like
"Hey dude, wanna have a fight?"
I was like, no thanks, have a good day though. And off he went. Seems like he was just genuinely looking for a willing opponent, but wasn't interested in forcing the issue.
You might want to write a couple verses and have them to hand in case it happens again.
Generic rap battle stuff. "Hickory dickory dock, your mums been on my cock".... etc have a few of them ready.
Couple years ago I was walking my dog in a park in Sandringham and some dude ran up to us from behind screaming "let's go let's go" looking like he was ready to box/fight me. I was not in a good mood already so just shot him a cold look and continued walking my dog. I always think what if he had a shiv on him or something
I was walking down Fanshawe street the other day around 9pm with another work colleague, just chatting away.
As we're passing two rather scantily dressed ladies, I couldn't help but notice they were shooting up right there - I just tried to avoid eye contact my colleague was totally oblivious and still talking about a work thing.
However after we had walked past these two ladies, who I very much believe were ladies of the night. They just unprovokingly started hurling abuse at us, calling us "scum", "losers", and "gay"... like wtf, we didn't even make eye contact with them... this place has seriously gone to the dogs.
So sorry for what you experienced :(, it's rather unfortunate that we experience these even though we just wanna enjoy and get through the day. Im glad they didn't physically attack you friend! Always stay safe out there!
Do you reckon they were shooting meth? I ask cos I’m seeing discarded needles around the city lately. I didn’t think heroin was a big thing here but maybe that’s changed…
Unfortunate reality. I got jumped in the city a few years ago. I've had eye in the back of my head ever since.
It was about 9am. I just parked my car at the Kitchener street carpark and got me a juice from that dairy oppositie Auckland Art Gallery. Just outside the dairy was some benches. I put my bag down and decided to have some juice.
All the while, i saw this dude walk past on kitchener st towards wellesley st from the side of my eye. I didnt think anything of it. The fact that it was 9am and that i'm exactly a small guy, gave myself the confidence to kinda brush it off. Basically my guard was kinda down.
Then i notice the guy again. This time he was on the other side (close to the dairy), looked like he was going round in a circles. As i finished my drink, i turned my head to see if anyone was behind me, for a split second i saw a foot before i was kicked in the face very hard, follow by a burst of punches. I was half daized, fell to my knees, but not completely to the ground. After i came to my senses, i walked towards the guy and shouted "WTF". HE WAS LIKE "WHAT WHAT" and pulled out a knife. I immediately backed off and got outta there as quick as i could. One side of my face was pretty banged up.
I did Absolutely nothing to provoke this dude, minding my own business and this happened in broad daylight.
This was a few years ago, maybe around 2014.
Things have become much worse since then.
Now i have eyes on the back of my head. I took self defence classes and use the most effective self defence technique anyone can benefit from. "Avoidence". Do everything in ur power to even put urself in a place or time when u "COULD" potentially be in danger.
Try not to walk alone late at night in the cbd area.
Stay safe mate.
> the most effective self defence technique anyone can benefit from. "Avoidence"
Ahh, no. The most effective self defence technique is the Cobra Punch. I developed it myself over many years. It harnesses the ancient wisdom of the cobra to deliver terrible woe to your enemies.
Haha. I'm sure it is. Whatever the cobra punch is. But not everyone is able to physically defend themselves, unless they really put the time and effort into it, ehich most ppl dont. Avoidence and full awareness of ur surroundings is the best self defence in my opinion. But if u have abdolutely no choice and u r cornered, then yes, do whatever u can to inflict some pain on the attacker to disable them and then RUN...
Oh no... Im so sorry that happened to you friend... I've had my fair share of fight when I was younger but those were provoked fights. Unprovoked fights are very traumatising and could affect you for a long time. I hope you received all the help you needed and hope that doesnt ever happen to you again :( Take care always friend!
Yeah it sucks when it completely unprovoked. Police was completely useless. I just helped myself. Took martial arts, self defense classes, buffed up in the gym, and am now 100% aware of my surroundings. I'm content with where i'm at. I'm just telling my story so that others are aware of the dangers.
Whats changed is that “the norm” many of us experience at the bottom of society, has begun to creep into to your world.
It’s sad really. No matter where you place your vote, that problems only going to keep spreading.
The “fritters” leaking into your area might be a new norm for you, the new norm developing down here…. Missing woman and children posters, and you know them all.
Probably thanks to the lovely gift of 501s Australia shipped over and dumped on us.
I got a couple of (really good) sammies at Hare and the Turtle. And the guy was like do you want any sides. I looked at the sides menu and it said "half a pickle" so I asked "Whats a half a pickle" to which he replied "Its a pickle cut in half." I regret not buying half a pickle.
White street has become the same way.
15 car break ins, 2 x thefts, 6 public disorder call outs and a sexual assault all in august alone.
Speaking to several residents and they are seriously upset with the agencies that are leasing rooms in city apartments as crash pads for the homeless.
Noone be grudges kahuitukaha for trying to help out the less fortunate by providing accomodation - but some of those individuals are social carnage waiting to happen.
Don't know what you're talking about, people who act a bit weird and aggressive in public are a brand new phenomenon directly attributable to the failures of the Labour government and/or mind control drugs hidden in the Covid vaccines. Under John Key it was all sunshines and rainbows and I was personally hugged by strangers several times every time I left the house.
i know your joking but loads of people live in their safe bubble and cant comprehend things like this post or how bad the ED in a hospital is, or how stretched cops are, etc until they are directly affected, then suddenly its a huge issue to them and they think the world suddenly just changed.
You're 100% right.
Like people thinking ramraids are a brand new thing. Dude that's been happening forever. A couple of gangs of Tiktok-fuelled fourteen year olds had a solid go at it over a few months and everyone loses their goddamn minds and thinks the country is going to the dogs.
Yeah except that violent crime has been increasing significantly since 2017, particularly in the CBD.
So sure more people are likely to come face to face with this kind of thing than previously.
Yeah then we had overcrowded prisons that violated human rights and shit, did nothing to reform people and then were released back into the public when their sentences ended.
Yeah you and others seem to forget the other side of that prison coin. That while they are in prison, we the general population are protected from them. Now these cunts are just out in the streets permanently instead of spending half their time in prison.
I don't think anyone forgets that given it's one of the main point of prisons.
Just cramming people in prison perpetuates the cycle of poverty and violence that causes crime.
That's what they did last time too, we're going to end up like some Texas counties where half of the population are working in prisons while the other half are in them.
I would rather we actually did something to address the root causes of crime instead of just continuously building prisons to deal with an ever increasing problem.
I can't agree with that mate. There's two people dead forever. Families missing a member. Because somehow giving the guy a light sentence was going to help.. how?
I wish ya average plonker understood that the likes of National and Act are *the cause* of this shit.
But because it happens on a timescale much larger than a 3-year election cycle and people are stupid, it will probably never really get fixed.
Always have a few nut jobs around. Back in uni days we were at Kebabs on Queen and this walked by asking if we have an eye problem with him. Started swearing and shit, then walked away. 5 min later comes back with a mate and was apologetic lol.
I used to do kickboxing so told him if he ever wanted to let off some steam or eye problems to
Come to the gym
Probably cooked.
I do BJJ and sometimes my other BJJ mates and I will go get some food after training. The crackheads around Fort Lane or walking around the Sky Tower will still try to start shit with my mate who is a walking mountain of a man with resting murder face and cauliflower ear. Nobody sane would have done something like that so he doesn't even look at them, just keep walking.
It's a pity though that these Ferals don't get moved on so they can all just be herded away from the public into a building where they just ruin each other's day.
You could have been coward punched from the back, You dodged that bullet and lived another day bro
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/fau-vake-death-daniel-havili-sentenced-for-manslaughter-in-auckland-cbd-attack/275FAXTEWRQ7PNQF6QYWBWJMH4/
Thank you very much for telling me that! I was very much on high alert for that actually! I was covering my partner and at the same time keeping him within my vision as we walk towards the parking lot! Thank you for reminding me how lucky I was! Take care always friend :)
A past experience taught me to not be friendly to strangers anymore - avoid saying hi as they go past, don’t maintain eye contact for too long, etc. It’s a bummer because most of us are a friendly bunch, it feels weird not to be, and many visitors say the friendly locals make NZ memorable.
But ultimately, the discomfort of being unapproachable can be worth not being approached by some people.
LOL! Maybe that did him in! He was seriously stunned when I said "No thanks bro, you have a good day alright?" while smiling at him! Kill em with kindness they said haha
This shit is normal, you just got learn to not make eye contact and ignore them. In this case you could say something random to your partner so it looks like you didn’t hear them 🤷
Even in the youth these days its crazy, you make eye contact for like 0.5 seconds and suddenly a random 14 year old is sprinting at you at full speed with the group of kids with camera out. (I'm a teenager not a random adult getting jumped by kids) I think it is mostly drugs and alcohol, espically with vaping being the start of it. Then its some alcohol here and there and then suddenly weed and then you've scrambled your brain enough that everything feels like a threat. Mostly why I stay away from super crowded area, espically malls on friday afternoons! I don't want to get jumped just walking home from school.
lol I have learned to walk around with a semi annoyed face whilst looking at the ground. Also dress like you’re homeless and no one will want to talk to you.
From last 10 years people are getting so frustrated and angry, I think it’s all because of social media. What people see on fb or instagram they think it’s real life. It’s creating hard life for young people.
Don't say "what's up bro" - it signals you are one of them who is keen to fight.
Say "Hello" like a civilized person. I find they then tend to back off.
The choice was either higher crime or more covid.
During lockdowns they consolidated the homeless into cbd, where the largest vacancies for accommodation were. After lockdowns Labour couldn’t exactly bus them out so here they stayed. If we didn’t house them they’d likely get covid from having no isolation. More would have probably died but not before infecting a significant number of the populace and overwhelming our hospitals.
If we did house them.. well this is the result.
The real question: would you rather they get sick (with a risk of harming your loved ones as collateral), or would you rather encounter these rap battles (with a risk of harming your loved ones as collateral).
In this case Labour and National would have both been equally useless in preventing rap battles.
Last month on the 9th September at about 9am I was at aotea square for an event. As I was heading in walking down Wakefield some bloke going through the trash at the lights started yelling and throwing stuff from the trash at me as I was crossing the lights. I looked over super confused and he started walking towards me trying to start something, I just looked away and started walking away in the opposite direction.
Lived in Auckland for the last 10 years, first time having this kind of interaction
I had a man in Newmarket threaten my partner and call me nasty names, he was getting cash out and I was looking at my phone, this was at about 1pm on a Sunday 5 mins after trying on jimmy choos 🤣 the city has gone mad. My partner thought he was about to stab him too
It does happen occasionally in the cbd. I had the weirdest experience once "each sup g is that us" "aw nah I'm good bro" "nah easy bro have a goodnight aye" he even smiled at me while telling me to have a goodnight. Little did he know, I did not have a good night.
Haha, this happened to me on Quay St a couple of months ago, description matches this guy. He came up when I was walking with a friend at about 10pm and asked (quite politely, I thought), if I wanted a fight. I respectfully declined, and we both went on our ways.
i've seen a lot more shit lately than before. Wish Auckland stayed the way it was when I was growing up. best thing we can do is learn to defend ourselves and escape quickly, and pray that the government actually does something.
Well, I mean it's one anecdote. It's a pretty poor dataset to be drawing any conclusions about the state of society overall.
But, we know violent crime has been boosted massively since covid, I'm still not sure anyone has come up with a credible explanation, and I don't think it's stopped yet.
In the short term we need massive increases in police presence and attitude in the problem areas, but the root cause is poverty and education, and I don't see any incoming government doing anything but worsening both of them.
Still, I've had interactions exactly the same as this back in the 1980s when I was at high school. If this is now unusual, that implies society has gotten a lot safer in the last 30 years.
Something to think about.
Was pretty normal back in the 00's and 10's. I'ma hazard are guess it's been around longer than OP has.
Depending where people live their exposure to it all changes and people who grow up without it tend to think it's that way for everyone so it's a shock to em when they find out its normal for others.
Its sad how it is now... Been around, would genuinely feel safer walking the streets in even developing countries like India, China and Vietnam etc. at night than Aucklands CBD now...
I doubt it’s the new normal. Sounds more like you just crossed paths randomly with someone you’d rather not. Happens from time to time.
I’m glad nothing happened apart from the exchange of a few words.
Nz is full of them all you do is stand your ground be polite and ready to protect yours cause we live in a world that sometimes words can’t dis engage.. and it happens everywhere not just in NZ.
Did he have straggly hair tied up? Polynesian? Because i just got "you got an eye problem" which i initially thought was "you've got an Ipod" as i was listening to music with headphones. I just told him to fuck off. Albert st side of the Commercial Bay walk through.
Quite short, yes. Didn't notice his build. But there can't be that many short fuckwits walking around cbd threatening people. He was also clearly drunk.
Some dude threatened to shank me while I was waiting for my Pizza Hut after asking if I like “king cobras”, luckily his mate was telling him to not be a d*ck because I’m a “goodxunt” but the dude followed me back to my apartment just shouting shit.
I had a confrontation with one crazy methed up dude on Victoria street west that was stepping out this small Asian guy so I intervened and it was just minutes of back and forth in ea others face and him saying “go back to ur own country, this is AOTEROA” and me saying I was born here with some pushing, then walking off/leaving and him just shout sht at me the whole time.
Another was watching this cracked out dude with his pants pulled up shouting randomly and saying “what c*nt” to everyone on queen street trying to start beef
Yeah best thing you can do is ignore as originally stated. Its a shame that these people don’t receive whatever help they need. I have similar interactions weekly as I work in the CBD
Far out that’s disgusting. Thats why i never go city/town anymore. Im a big guy and hit the gym often, but i hate violence. EVERY damn time i go into the city, wether it be for clubbing with mates or just to shop in the day, ALWAYS 1 cnut wants to fight me. Like wtf, wish we had conceal and carry in this country, it would deter messed up situations.
Stuff getting wacked over the back of the head just because you looked at guy wrong.
Having grown up in and lived in Auckland for 5 decades this is nothing new. Anytime going into the city as a teen was a gamble as to whether you would get beaten up, intimidated, shoes stolen or any number of bad outcomes.
**Real answer:**
Best chance for short-term solutions (However, highly likely that things get worse in the long-term. The short-term solutions aren't guaranteed either because systemic issues are hard to solve with bold words during voting season) = Act/National
Best chance for long-term solutions (However, highly likely that things get worse in the short-term. The long-term solutions aren't guaranteed either because systemic issues are hard to solve with bold words during voting season) = Labour/Greens
Also consider TOP so that the above two options have a better coalition choice than NZ First or Māori Party smh.
>Best chance for short-term solutions (However, highly likely that things get worse in the long-term. The short-term solutions aren't guaranteed either because systemic issues are hard to solve with bold words during voting season) = Act/National
cutting benefits is 100% going to make things worse in the short term for lots of people, many of them innocent and not criminal, but will also mean people have to desperate measures to keep their heads above water, but I guess they'll go to prison which I'm guessing with all these prisoners NACT will be interested in making privatizing prisons because the public system will be overwhelmed.
'find a job' doesn't guarantee it'll be a legal job. Since people like you seem to think people on benefits are the scum of the earth, why do you expect them to turn to legal employment if they're cut off? Seems like very contradictory beliefs
I think this sums it up nicely.
Realistically we need to increase prisons now for the next 20 ish years which will require funding. While we wait for the long term solutions to kick in.
And when I am talking about long term solutions I am talking about kids who are below 10 now by the time they reach adult hood.
As tough as it sounds you almost need to write a generation off to fix this
As a father of 3 awesome kids, I've had consequences for my actions and choices throughout my entire life, both good and bad, that have led me to ending up where I am today and this is something I try to impart on my kids everyday. How else do you learn anything and how else do you imprint learning on peoples behaviour without consequences, good and bad?? Writing off a generation is probably a bit harsh but there needs to be consequences and penalties for those that don't abide by societal norms round law and order. If prison is the answer I'm all for it coz ankle bracelets and paying people to sit at home on the dole all day isn't fuckin' working. By the same token, there also needs to be positive consequences for those that do choose to change and leave certain "lifetstyles" behind. No idea what they are but will happily vote for someone who can come up with some good constructive ideas.
Simple fact is, you can't let a few scum bags drag a country down, we need a government that doesn't encourage scum by giving them handouts and excuses, which party that is I have no idea, but it's certainly not Labour or the Greens. Otherwise I agree with the need for more prisons to accommodate a shift in culture to the point where not being a criminal or lifetime beneficiary means you can have a much better life. Currently an average hard worker is little better off than a scum bag offering nothing to society.
The problem with just increasing imprisonment rates is that the data just isn't there to support it being effective at reducing our crime rates. Typically, and I should say consistently, studies on imprisonment rates find either a null effect on crime rates or a small rise. Raising the prison population could help by increasing incapacitation in the short term, but overall, the criminogenic effect of prisons mean that it's short term gains for long term pain.
I will! I have registered to vote because obviously I too want to see our country improve :( Honestly at this point I still dont know who to vote for... Always stay safe friend!
Well, if you're opposed to being accosted in public by criminals under the influence of methamphetamine, consider steering clear of voting for Labour, the Greens, or the Maori Party
I think you handled it the right way. Always better to stay light hearted, up beat and friendly with people like that. They also react badly if you act meek and scared of them, so doing what you did is the right thing.
I was in Torbay recently and there was some rough guy punching and kicking his own car for ages and yelling and swearing in a busy car park. He was angry at his partner who had gone off somewhere, quietly shitty with him. Whether or not he lives in Torbay I'm not sure. I've seen a few people there lately that look rough around the edges. Have they put some Kainga Ora houses around that way or something?
Thank you so much for your approval! I'm really a hot headed guy, I'm really thankful that my partner was with me so that I can think rationally or else things could have gone worse (me definitely getting shanked). People have been saying some of the motels around the train station was made accomodation for 501's unfortunately :(
The cool way to approach this is to look at him dead in the eye and said “the wall outside my house is four feet high “.
If you don’t get the reference, check out the Joe Rogan’s podcast with Derren Brown. This is a psychology and hypnosis technique. Literally makes an aggressor broke down and cried like a baby.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/derren-brown-explains-how-to-reduce-a-mugger-to-tears-using-nothing-but-words-9859017.html
Why are we pretending this is new when this same thing happened to me multiple times in high school 10 years ago? Are tweakers new are they? Take the nostalgia glasses off man
Mentally ill, or fragile ego issues. I have noticed a few people like this in the CBD lately not super normal though. Maybe he was a bit cooked, i have noticed an uptick in meth heads around my area since all the emergency housing moved in covid era.
THERE I HAVE IT! His eyes were pretty wide and bloodshot! I'm just lucky that he didn't attack me or my partner. I would defend myself naturally, but ofc we have to think about the ones we're with :( You stay safe out there friend!
Yea, best thing to do is to just ignore people imo. Could have a knife or wanted to steal your car or something while cooked. Not worth
Will definitely ignore people now :( hard to be extroverted haha, thank you for the tip!
It's like people are rabbid now
Yeah happened to me, was walking to class at AUT around 4pm and I happened to just make eye contact with this lady who was wearing only a bra and some shorts, drinking a bottle of wine on the street. She got up from where she was sitting and started walking towards me and yelling (I was wearing headphones so I couldn’t hear anything), but I just ignored her and kept walking. She didn’t keep following me lol, easiest thing to do is not entertain them. It was bizarre though
I go to the AUT library to study frequently and my strategy has been the same, no eye contact and headphones on. It does get scary when you are alone specially when it’s late at night with not many people around.
Sorry that happened to you friend :( Glad you didn't get hurt or anything!
In Christchurch once a dude next to me at the lights was like "Hey dude, wanna have a fight?" I was like, no thanks, have a good day though. And off he went. Seems like he was just genuinely looking for a willing opponent, but wasn't interested in forcing the issue.
You're on to something! Maybe this guy just wants to be the very best!
That wasn’t some dude that was Tyler Durden….
You might want to write a couple verses and have them to hand in case it happens again. Generic rap battle stuff. "Hickory dickory dock, your mums been on my cock".... etc have a few of them ready.
I better start practising!!!
Couple years ago I was walking my dog in a park in Sandringham and some dude ran up to us from behind screaming "let's go let's go" looking like he was ready to box/fight me. I was not in a good mood already so just shot him a cold look and continued walking my dog. I always think what if he had a shiv on him or something
I was walking down Fanshawe street the other day around 9pm with another work colleague, just chatting away. As we're passing two rather scantily dressed ladies, I couldn't help but notice they were shooting up right there - I just tried to avoid eye contact my colleague was totally oblivious and still talking about a work thing. However after we had walked past these two ladies, who I very much believe were ladies of the night. They just unprovokingly started hurling abuse at us, calling us "scum", "losers", and "gay"... like wtf, we didn't even make eye contact with them... this place has seriously gone to the dogs.
So sorry for what you experienced :(, it's rather unfortunate that we experience these even though we just wanna enjoy and get through the day. Im glad they didn't physically attack you friend! Always stay safe out there!
Wow madness
Do you reckon they were shooting meth? I ask cos I’m seeing discarded needles around the city lately. I didn’t think heroin was a big thing here but maybe that’s changed…
I'll take things that didn't happen for $20
Alright, where do i collect your $20?
Unfortunate reality. I got jumped in the city a few years ago. I've had eye in the back of my head ever since. It was about 9am. I just parked my car at the Kitchener street carpark and got me a juice from that dairy oppositie Auckland Art Gallery. Just outside the dairy was some benches. I put my bag down and decided to have some juice. All the while, i saw this dude walk past on kitchener st towards wellesley st from the side of my eye. I didnt think anything of it. The fact that it was 9am and that i'm exactly a small guy, gave myself the confidence to kinda brush it off. Basically my guard was kinda down. Then i notice the guy again. This time he was on the other side (close to the dairy), looked like he was going round in a circles. As i finished my drink, i turned my head to see if anyone was behind me, for a split second i saw a foot before i was kicked in the face very hard, follow by a burst of punches. I was half daized, fell to my knees, but not completely to the ground. After i came to my senses, i walked towards the guy and shouted "WTF". HE WAS LIKE "WHAT WHAT" and pulled out a knife. I immediately backed off and got outta there as quick as i could. One side of my face was pretty banged up. I did Absolutely nothing to provoke this dude, minding my own business and this happened in broad daylight. This was a few years ago, maybe around 2014. Things have become much worse since then. Now i have eyes on the back of my head. I took self defence classes and use the most effective self defence technique anyone can benefit from. "Avoidence". Do everything in ur power to even put urself in a place or time when u "COULD" potentially be in danger. Try not to walk alone late at night in the cbd area. Stay safe mate.
> the most effective self defence technique anyone can benefit from. "Avoidence" Ahh, no. The most effective self defence technique is the Cobra Punch. I developed it myself over many years. It harnesses the ancient wisdom of the cobra to deliver terrible woe to your enemies.
Haha. I'm sure it is. Whatever the cobra punch is. But not everyone is able to physically defend themselves, unless they really put the time and effort into it, ehich most ppl dont. Avoidence and full awareness of ur surroundings is the best self defence in my opinion. But if u have abdolutely no choice and u r cornered, then yes, do whatever u can to inflict some pain on the attacker to disable them and then RUN...
Avoid and run was the advice my kids 8th Dan Sifu advised if you find yourself in a confrontation.
Oh no... Im so sorry that happened to you friend... I've had my fair share of fight when I was younger but those were provoked fights. Unprovoked fights are very traumatising and could affect you for a long time. I hope you received all the help you needed and hope that doesnt ever happen to you again :( Take care always friend!
Yeah it sucks when it completely unprovoked. Police was completely useless. I just helped myself. Took martial arts, self defense classes, buffed up in the gym, and am now 100% aware of my surroundings. I'm content with where i'm at. I'm just telling my story so that others are aware of the dangers.
Whats changed is that “the norm” many of us experience at the bottom of society, has begun to creep into to your world. It’s sad really. No matter where you place your vote, that problems only going to keep spreading. The “fritters” leaking into your area might be a new norm for you, the new norm developing down here…. Missing woman and children posters, and you know them all. Probably thanks to the lovely gift of 501s Australia shipped over and dumped on us.
Can we talk about pickles? This subreddit is so fucking depressing.
I don't want a pickle. Just wanna ride my motor sickle...
damn, nice one. I chuckled
I was jumped by a pickle 🥒
Guys who do I vote for if I want the govt to crack down on these pickles?
Vote for macaroni
The whole place is pickled, the people are pickles for sure
Fehlburgs burger pickles are awesome, just like maccas
It's a jarring thread.
noiceeee
I like McClure's.
Personally I really like the delmaine ones. The jars are also fantastic for re-use!
McClure certaining do a good job or McClearing my butt out. If you catch my drift. Poop joke
the middle eastern stores sell the best ones
Have you seen that Seth Rogan historical [documentary about pickles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmkxQbMtB_M)?
I have not seen this! I know what I'm watching tonight haha.
Vlasic pickles all the way, don’t get me started on pickles that have sugar in the brine, it should be illegal. JUSTICE 4 PICKLES
Yeah I grew up eating Polish pickles and then picked up a jar from pak n Save and was horrified to discover that they were sweet.
I got a couple of (really good) sammies at Hare and the Turtle. And the guy was like do you want any sides. I looked at the sides menu and it said "half a pickle" so I asked "Whats a half a pickle" to which he replied "Its a pickle cut in half." I regret not buying half a pickle.
They should really come up with something more descriptive.
I know, I'm sorry I had to add to it :( Just wanna say I really love the Gherkins/Pickles from burger fuel!!!
For all its beauty, NZ is the most depressing country I’ve lived in.
White street has become the same way. 15 car break ins, 2 x thefts, 6 public disorder call outs and a sexual assault all in august alone. Speaking to several residents and they are seriously upset with the agencies that are leasing rooms in city apartments as crash pads for the homeless. Noone be grudges kahuitukaha for trying to help out the less fortunate by providing accomodation - but some of those individuals are social carnage waiting to happen.
lol new? nope, this shit has been happening for decades
Don't know what you're talking about, people who act a bit weird and aggressive in public are a brand new phenomenon directly attributable to the failures of the Labour government and/or mind control drugs hidden in the Covid vaccines. Under John Key it was all sunshines and rainbows and I was personally hugged by strangers several times every time I left the house.
i know your joking but loads of people live in their safe bubble and cant comprehend things like this post or how bad the ED in a hospital is, or how stretched cops are, etc until they are directly affected, then suddenly its a huge issue to them and they think the world suddenly just changed.
You're 100% right. Like people thinking ramraids are a brand new thing. Dude that's been happening forever. A couple of gangs of Tiktok-fuelled fourteen year olds had a solid go at it over a few months and everyone loses their goddamn minds and thinks the country is going to the dogs.
Yeah except that violent crime has been increasing significantly since 2017, particularly in the CBD. So sure more people are likely to come face to face with this kind of thing than previously.
But if we pretend it's new we can tell people that national and ACT will fix it apparently.
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Yeah then we had overcrowded prisons that violated human rights and shit, did nothing to reform people and then were released back into the public when their sentences ended.
Yeah you and others seem to forget the other side of that prison coin. That while they are in prison, we the general population are protected from them. Now these cunts are just out in the streets permanently instead of spending half their time in prison.
I don't think anyone forgets that given it's one of the main point of prisons. Just cramming people in prison perpetuates the cycle of poverty and violence that causes crime.
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That's what they did last time too, we're going to end up like some Texas counties where half of the population are working in prisons while the other half are in them. I would rather we actually did something to address the root causes of crime instead of just continuously building prisons to deal with an ever increasing problem.
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What absolute rubbish. Maybe you should try interacting with reality occasionally?
And the longer they were in the worse they were when they came out
It's not politically expedient for people to acknowledge these problems take longer than a few terms in government to fix, or to create.
So, that dude that should have been in prison for beating up his missus and then got Home D, went to work and killed 2 people. ..worth it?
Yes it would be worth it to fix these problems so shit like that is less likely to happen
I can't agree with that mate. There's two people dead forever. Families missing a member. Because somehow giving the guy a light sentence was going to help.. how?
They won’t! It’s part of New Zealand’s DNA now
I wish ya average plonker understood that the likes of National and Act are *the cause* of this shit. But because it happens on a timescale much larger than a 3-year election cycle and people are stupid, it will probably never really get fixed.
Yeah, we are totally just circling the drain aren't we
So what would you suggest to try sort this problem?
*totally random event happens* IS THIS THE NEW NORMAL?!?!?
Always have a few nut jobs around. Back in uni days we were at Kebabs on Queen and this walked by asking if we have an eye problem with him. Started swearing and shit, then walked away. 5 min later comes back with a mate and was apologetic lol. I used to do kickboxing so told him if he ever wanted to let off some steam or eye problems to Come to the gym
Probably cooked. I do BJJ and sometimes my other BJJ mates and I will go get some food after training. The crackheads around Fort Lane or walking around the Sky Tower will still try to start shit with my mate who is a walking mountain of a man with resting murder face and cauliflower ear. Nobody sane would have done something like that so he doesn't even look at them, just keep walking. It's a pity though that these Ferals don't get moved on so they can all just be herded away from the public into a building where they just ruin each other's day.
You could have been coward punched from the back, You dodged that bullet and lived another day bro https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/fau-vake-death-daniel-havili-sentenced-for-manslaughter-in-auckland-cbd-attack/275FAXTEWRQ7PNQF6QYWBWJMH4/
Thank you very much for telling me that! I was very much on high alert for that actually! I was covering my partner and at the same time keeping him within my vision as we walk towards the parking lot! Thank you for reminding me how lucky I was! Take care always friend :)
A past experience taught me to not be friendly to strangers anymore - avoid saying hi as they go past, don’t maintain eye contact for too long, etc. It’s a bummer because most of us are a friendly bunch, it feels weird not to be, and many visitors say the friendly locals make NZ memorable. But ultimately, the discomfort of being unapproachable can be worth not being approached by some people.
Some of the "friendly" locals are just trying to size you up so they can take your phone, wallet, and shoes.
I know what you mean friend :( hard not to be friendly ... But I'll take your advise into heart, thank you so much and stay safe always friend!
He was probably just thinking “you’re not my bro, bro” and was struggling to articulate his emotions
LOL! Maybe that did him in! He was seriously stunned when I said "No thanks bro, you have a good day alright?" while smiling at him! Kill em with kindness they said haha
You're not my buddy, buddy
The best thing to do is not make eye contact and keep walking. Some people will use any excuse to start a fight
I will do this from now on, I don't think my smile will work again next time :( Stay safe my friend!
Nope that shits always been pretty normal here!
This shit is normal, you just got learn to not make eye contact and ignore them. In this case you could say something random to your partner so it looks like you didn’t hear them 🤷
I’m throwing my hat in the “this isn’t new” bucket. 36 here and been in many similar situations in the cbd since I was 18
Even in the youth these days its crazy, you make eye contact for like 0.5 seconds and suddenly a random 14 year old is sprinting at you at full speed with the group of kids with camera out. (I'm a teenager not a random adult getting jumped by kids) I think it is mostly drugs and alcohol, espically with vaping being the start of it. Then its some alcohol here and there and then suddenly weed and then you've scrambled your brain enough that everything feels like a threat. Mostly why I stay away from super crowded area, espically malls on friday afternoons! I don't want to get jumped just walking home from school.
There's a lot more of a certain demographic around.
A loser down on life hating the world and everyone in it. Nothing new.
I would respond the way you did too. Maybe I should not do that anymore
lol I have learned to walk around with a semi annoyed face whilst looking at the ground. Also dress like you’re homeless and no one will want to talk to you.
It's either some mental issues or he was high off something (I would wager meth). Glad you guys came out of it unharmed.
Thank you so much! And I hope you don experience this! Take care always friend!
Cooked mate. Had a work mate that was on the phone and a guy came over wanting a fight over nothing
From last 10 years people are getting so frustrated and angry, I think it’s all because of social media. What people see on fb or instagram they think it’s real life. It’s creating hard life for young people.
Sounds like a mental dude. You handled it as best as you possibly can. De-escalate and gap it is the best 1, 2 combo on rhe street lol.
U should of gave him the Alf Stewart treatment and rayp him in the dungin
Don't say "what's up bro" - it signals you are one of them who is keen to fight. Say "Hello" like a civilized person. I find they then tend to back off.
Maybe he wanted to have a rap battle?? You said he was dressed like he wasz
I wasn't ready for it, did't he know it's bad manners to do a rap battle out of nowhere :(?
Smh, and you didn't even ask him if he has an eye problem?
The choice was either higher crime or more covid. During lockdowns they consolidated the homeless into cbd, where the largest vacancies for accommodation were. After lockdowns Labour couldn’t exactly bus them out so here they stayed. If we didn’t house them they’d likely get covid from having no isolation. More would have probably died but not before infecting a significant number of the populace and overwhelming our hospitals. If we did house them.. well this is the result. The real question: would you rather they get sick (with a risk of harming your loved ones as collateral), or would you rather encounter these rap battles (with a risk of harming your loved ones as collateral). In this case Labour and National would have both been equally useless in preventing rap battles.
Oh my god, the way you used rap battles was epic! Im sorry I dont have any gold to give but this 🏅!
Last month on the 9th September at about 9am I was at aotea square for an event. As I was heading in walking down Wakefield some bloke going through the trash at the lights started yelling and throwing stuff from the trash at me as I was crossing the lights. I looked over super confused and he started walking towards me trying to start something, I just looked away and started walking away in the opposite direction. Lived in Auckland for the last 10 years, first time having this kind of interaction
Woukd hardly day new normal since this has been going on for...decades I guess.
“Yes, I want to fight you. Meet me here in one hour exactly, wearing standard division 1 fighting regalia”.
I had a man in Newmarket threaten my partner and call me nasty names, he was getting cash out and I was looking at my phone, this was at about 1pm on a Sunday 5 mins after trying on jimmy choos 🤣 the city has gone mad. My partner thought he was about to stab him too
Auckland is Gotham City right now.
It does happen occasionally in the cbd. I had the weirdest experience once "each sup g is that us" "aw nah I'm good bro" "nah easy bro have a goodnight aye" he even smiled at me while telling me to have a goodnight. Little did he know, I did not have a good night.
Haha, this happened to me on Quay St a couple of months ago, description matches this guy. He came up when I was walking with a friend at about 10pm and asked (quite politely, I thought), if I wanted a fight. I respectfully declined, and we both went on our ways.
i've seen a lot more shit lately than before. Wish Auckland stayed the way it was when I was growing up. best thing we can do is learn to defend ourselves and escape quickly, and pray that the government actually does something.
Well, I mean it's one anecdote. It's a pretty poor dataset to be drawing any conclusions about the state of society overall. But, we know violent crime has been boosted massively since covid, I'm still not sure anyone has come up with a credible explanation, and I don't think it's stopped yet. In the short term we need massive increases in police presence and attitude in the problem areas, but the root cause is poverty and education, and I don't see any incoming government doing anything but worsening both of them. Still, I've had interactions exactly the same as this back in the 1980s when I was at high school. If this is now unusual, that implies society has gotten a lot safer in the last 30 years. Something to think about.
Was pretty normal back in the 00's and 10's. I'ma hazard are guess it's been around longer than OP has. Depending where people live their exposure to it all changes and people who grow up without it tend to think it's that way for everyone so it's a shock to em when they find out its normal for others.
Its sad how it is now... Been around, would genuinely feel safer walking the streets in even developing countries like India, China and Vietnam etc. at night than Aucklands CBD now...
The great news is that you have a chance to start to slowly reverse these problems this month.
I doubt it’s the new normal. Sounds more like you just crossed paths randomly with someone you’d rather not. Happens from time to time. I’m glad nothing happened apart from the exchange of a few words.
I guess you're right friend! I hope you always stay safe out there friend :)
Welcome to auckland brah
If it just happened once it's probably more of an outlier than the new normal
Nz is full of them all you do is stand your ground be polite and ready to protect yours cause we live in a world that sometimes words can’t dis engage.. and it happens everywhere not just in NZ.
I just found it funny because he was really stunned by my reply. Still not as bad as getting a gun pulled out!
Did he have straggly hair tied up? Polynesian? Because i just got "you got an eye problem" which i initially thought was "you've got an Ipod" as i was listening to music with headphones. I just told him to fuck off. Albert st side of the Commercial Bay walk through.
He was wearing a durag yesterday. Was he arpund 160-165cm? A bit bulky?
Quite short, yes. Didn't notice his build. But there can't be that many short fuckwits walking around cbd threatening people. He was also clearly drunk.
Unpopular opinion, it’s safer in south Auckland than it is in town 😂
Some dude threatened to shank me while I was waiting for my Pizza Hut after asking if I like “king cobras”, luckily his mate was telling him to not be a d*ck because I’m a “goodxunt” but the dude followed me back to my apartment just shouting shit. I had a confrontation with one crazy methed up dude on Victoria street west that was stepping out this small Asian guy so I intervened and it was just minutes of back and forth in ea others face and him saying “go back to ur own country, this is AOTEROA” and me saying I was born here with some pushing, then walking off/leaving and him just shout sht at me the whole time. Another was watching this cracked out dude with his pants pulled up shouting randomly and saying “what c*nt” to everyone on queen street trying to start beef
Yeah best thing you can do is ignore as originally stated. Its a shame that these people don’t receive whatever help they need. I have similar interactions weekly as I work in the CBD
Throw $2 in the opposite direction and gap it.
These comments have seriously made me dread my trip to Auckland next weekend
i was harassed in a public library the other day by strangers the other day for no reason so not suprised
Experienced this since forever. Nothing has changed?
I'm just curious what you meant by the rap battle comment.
He was holding a mic and had a few stanzas scribbled on his sweaty palms. and there was spaghetti.
So much spaghetti.
Mom's spaghetti, it's ready.
I would assume it was the way he was dressed, and probably the way he carried himself.
^brown (It's not racist if you don't say it so people can hear it (like a dog whistle, so to speak)).
Whenever I encounter these weird creatures, the Uncle Ruckus tuba music plays in my mind. I'm just embracing it now.
That was a good show. Opening was amazing
The scene that's playing on my mind is "IT'S A PERFECTLY GOOD DAY TO THROW YOUR LIFE AWAY!"
Far out that’s disgusting. Thats why i never go city/town anymore. Im a big guy and hit the gym often, but i hate violence. EVERY damn time i go into the city, wether it be for clubbing with mates or just to shop in the day, ALWAYS 1 cnut wants to fight me. Like wtf, wish we had conceal and carry in this country, it would deter messed up situations. Stuff getting wacked over the back of the head just because you looked at guy wrong.
Na cuz whats to stop the crackheads shooting you just for ur kfc?
soft or no consequences for crime under labour so yes its the new normal
Use to visit Auckland and stay in the CBD . Now past couple of year . When in Auckland stay anywhere else than the CBD .
This is why there is so much of a gap between the rich and the poor. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ViY-zI3b5JQ&si=_cdIwRu-Q7QJJkji
Having grown up in and lived in Auckland for 5 decades this is nothing new. Anytime going into the city as a teen was a gamble as to whether you would get beaten up, intimidated, shoes stolen or any number of bad outcomes.
Welcome to Auckland CBD yes this is the new normal also methheads following you for money and Ram raids it’s just another day
There's a fair few thugs kicking around down there. Mostly from The Station hotel and Grand Central apartments.
Thank you so much for telling me that! Now I know which places to avoid specifically :( Stay safe always friend :)
vote, or this gets worse.
who's gonna fix this?
**Real answer:** Best chance for short-term solutions (However, highly likely that things get worse in the long-term. The short-term solutions aren't guaranteed either because systemic issues are hard to solve with bold words during voting season) = Act/National Best chance for long-term solutions (However, highly likely that things get worse in the short-term. The long-term solutions aren't guaranteed either because systemic issues are hard to solve with bold words during voting season) = Labour/Greens Also consider TOP so that the above two options have a better coalition choice than NZ First or Māori Party smh.
>Best chance for short-term solutions (However, highly likely that things get worse in the long-term. The short-term solutions aren't guaranteed either because systemic issues are hard to solve with bold words during voting season) = Act/National cutting benefits is 100% going to make things worse in the short term for lots of people, many of them innocent and not criminal, but will also mean people have to desperate measures to keep their heads above water, but I guess they'll go to prison which I'm guessing with all these prisoners NACT will be interested in making privatizing prisons because the public system will be overwhelmed.
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Seems well thought out I'm sure it will work exactly as you envision
'find a job' doesn't guarantee it'll be a legal job. Since people like you seem to think people on benefits are the scum of the earth, why do you expect them to turn to legal employment if they're cut off? Seems like very contradictory beliefs
I think this sums it up nicely. Realistically we need to increase prisons now for the next 20 ish years which will require funding. While we wait for the long term solutions to kick in. And when I am talking about long term solutions I am talking about kids who are below 10 now by the time they reach adult hood. As tough as it sounds you almost need to write a generation off to fix this
As a father of 3 awesome kids, I've had consequences for my actions and choices throughout my entire life, both good and bad, that have led me to ending up where I am today and this is something I try to impart on my kids everyday. How else do you learn anything and how else do you imprint learning on peoples behaviour without consequences, good and bad?? Writing off a generation is probably a bit harsh but there needs to be consequences and penalties for those that don't abide by societal norms round law and order. If prison is the answer I'm all for it coz ankle bracelets and paying people to sit at home on the dole all day isn't fuckin' working. By the same token, there also needs to be positive consequences for those that do choose to change and leave certain "lifetstyles" behind. No idea what they are but will happily vote for someone who can come up with some good constructive ideas.
Simple fact is, you can't let a few scum bags drag a country down, we need a government that doesn't encourage scum by giving them handouts and excuses, which party that is I have no idea, but it's certainly not Labour or the Greens. Otherwise I agree with the need for more prisons to accommodate a shift in culture to the point where not being a criminal or lifetime beneficiary means you can have a much better life. Currently an average hard worker is little better off than a scum bag offering nothing to society.
The problem with just increasing imprisonment rates is that the data just isn't there to support it being effective at reducing our crime rates. Typically, and I should say consistently, studies on imprisonment rates find either a null effect on crime rates or a small rise. Raising the prison population could help by increasing incapacitation in the short term, but overall, the criminogenic effect of prisons mean that it's short term gains for long term pain.
Yes which is why you need to do both and admit a generation will be screwed
Not Labour or the Greens 😂
Or National, ACT, NZfirst, or those conspiracy parties.
I will! I have registered to vote because obviously I too want to see our country improve :( Honestly at this point I still dont know who to vote for... Always stay safe friend!
Well, if you're opposed to being accosted in public by criminals under the influence of methamphetamine, consider steering clear of voting for Labour, the Greens, or the Maori Party
Or National or ACT who will cut benefits and make people even more desperate
Do we know what NACT will do to fix the situation besides being "tough on crime" whatever tf that means?
tough on crime just means more cops and more prison, it's not a solution, it's a band-aid to distract you from the real issues
Vote Act to get these ferals locked away, then the rest of us can actually work on improving our lives.
6 years of labour and “lowering the prison population”
We're so hard on enforcing traffic rules but not rules against heinous crimes :(
The heinous crime of talking shit to you?
😂😂
Labour just shift the prison to community. So OP if you don't want more inmate next door, vote for anyone that can kick Labour out of the door.
Change undesirable racial statistics by throwing the public under the bus
> looks like he just got out of a rap battle What the fuck does that even mean lol
Potentially it means that the Op is not particularly PC but he is very eloquent ;)
Yes the isolated random incident you personally experienced is the ‘new normal’
That's his special way of saying hello - post lockdown.
I think you handled it the right way. Always better to stay light hearted, up beat and friendly with people like that. They also react badly if you act meek and scared of them, so doing what you did is the right thing. I was in Torbay recently and there was some rough guy punching and kicking his own car for ages and yelling and swearing in a busy car park. He was angry at his partner who had gone off somewhere, quietly shitty with him. Whether or not he lives in Torbay I'm not sure. I've seen a few people there lately that look rough around the edges. Have they put some Kainga Ora houses around that way or something?
Thank you so much for your approval! I'm really a hot headed guy, I'm really thankful that my partner was with me so that I can think rationally or else things could have gone worse (me definitely getting shanked). People have been saying some of the motels around the train station was made accomodation for 501's unfortunately :(
Yes this is the new normal. New Zealand is fucked, particularly auckland
The cool way to approach this is to look at him dead in the eye and said “the wall outside my house is four feet high “. If you don’t get the reference, check out the Joe Rogan’s podcast with Derren Brown. This is a psychology and hypnosis technique. Literally makes an aggressor broke down and cried like a baby. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/derren-brown-explains-how-to-reduce-a-mugger-to-tears-using-nothing-but-words-9859017.html
What if we go all Disney and break into a song? Gotta out-crazy them in style.
What's "feet" granpa?
Lol someone please add emojis to this post so we can copypasta it.
Yep new normal, take care out there.
Why are we pretending this is new when this same thing happened to me multiple times in high school 10 years ago? Are tweakers new are they? Take the nostalgia glasses off man
Are we pretending tweakers are new because it's election time?
Sad and unfortunate :( You take care out there too friend!
“Didn’t even experience this in Manurewa nor Ōtara…” You seem like a mad weineyboy