Siren Shockers
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Property Raging in the Outlook rain liftout P15-50 P63 Northern Outlook Wednesday, March 15, 2017 NORTH CANTERBURY’S BEST READ COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SIREN SHOCKERS COMMUNITIES REPORTERS used their sirens and flashing vehicles under lights and sirens. recently. engines or ambulances responded lights. Examples of poor behav- ‘‘They’d shut the road and we ‘‘We had one car who wouldn’t to emergencies. Waiau Volunteer Fire Brigade iour include police cars being had to come through ... but the pull over. It was a foreign driver ‘‘We do not drive under lights chief fire officer Hugh Wells stuck for several kilometres traffic we were behind were like and we had to overtake them. He and siren to every incident, so if reckons about half of motorists behind motorists unaware of their ‘what, we’re stopped, what do you wasn’t reacting to the lights or the we are it will be important. It know just what to do when they presence and drivers panicking want us to do?’ We had lights and sirens.’’ could be your family member or see the sirens coming. and risking their lives by running sirens going and people weren’t Christchurch metro area fire best friend that we are trying to The other half either slam on red lights in the mistaken belief moving, it was quite surprising.’’ commander Dave Stackhouse get to, so please make it as easy the breaks or just plain ignore the they are ‘helping’ emergency ser- After police moved traffic said in-car distractions and for us as possible.’’ issue. vice drivers. further to the roadside, Wells said motorists blithely unaware of She said she was ‘‘regularly ‘‘Wehadonejustayearorso There have also been recent the fire engines could fit through what was going on around them amazed’’ by drivers being com- ago ... we were going to a fire and instances of motorists driving the gap in the middle of the road. was an ongoing frustration for pletely oblivious to the fact that we were coming up behind a through potentially serious crash ‘‘If you’re stopped in a queue, if crews heading to emergencies. she was behind them, lights flash- vehicle, lights and sirens going. sites, and foreign drivers seem- you pull over to the left as much ‘‘By far the majority of people ing and sirens wailing ‘‘full They finally realised we were ingly ignorant of the road rules as [safely] possible, there’s are not checking their rear vision noise’’. behind them and chucked the relating to emergency vehicles. usually enough room to get mirrors. If they are not checking, ‘‘I cannot stress enough how anchors on and almost caused During the Hanmer Fires, through. You only have to slow and the music is up high, it only important it is to always remain their own crash,’’ Wells said. Wells said stopped traffic queued and move to the side of the road frustrates emergency teams,’’ he vigilant when you are driving. This and other examples came on the way to the Lewis Pass was somewhere safe ... slamming on said. Don’t have the music up so loud to light as part of an investigation summarily unhelpful while traffic your anchors isn’t going to help.’’ Acting North Canterbury that you cannot hear any by Fairfax community reporters coming towards the firefighters Rakaia chief volunteer fire police commander, Sergeant approaching sirens. And do not in Canterbury, Otago and South- moved over to let them through. officer Tyrone Burrowes said the Anna Lloyd, said a couple of panic – or put yourself at risk to land into motorists’ reactions As did most motorists driving brigade was going to a two-car minutes could make all the differ- try and get out of the way.’’ when emergency service vehicles towards emergency service crash at the Chertsey rail crossing ence when police cars, fire ❚ Continued page 3 31st March 2017. House CLINIC PHONE of Hearing Fendalton Halswell Rangiora Ashburton 2 NORTHERN OUTLOOK, MARCH 15, 2017 stuff.co.nz YOUR PAPER, YOUR PLACE This newspaper is subject to NZ Press Council procedures. FROM A complaint must first be directed in writing, THE within one month of publication, to the editor’s email address. NEWS If not satisfied with the response, the DESK OUR TOP READS complaint may be referred to the Press Council. PO Box 10-879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. TRICKLES AND TIPPLES Or use the online complaint form at Hi Rangiora, Wet weather fails to dampen the www.presscouncil.org.nz Please Well it’s been a long time Waipara Wine Festival include copies of the article and all coming but I have finally and ❚ P7 1 correspondence with the publication. officially joined the Northern Outlook fold. PUMP IT Although I was introduced in North Canterbury’s latest milk CONTENTS the paper at the start of the year, I provider, with a very special 8 Out and About ended up continuing to report for clientelle 10-11 What’s On the Kaikoura Star until last week. ❚ P4 12 Movies So after a rather hectic 10 weeks 13 Ryman Healthcare Ltd travelling the dusty highway back FAREWELL OLD FRIEND 14 Conversations and forth on a weekly and to do list Good St Deli heads to a new 15-50 Property Outlook liftout sometimes thrice weekly basis to location in the city 2 3 51 Gardening cover Kaikoura’s news, my life is ❚ P6 52 Your Money taking a turn for the calmer and I 53 Emergency Management am very much looking forward to RAGING IN THE RAIN 54 Backyard Banter settling properly in Rangiora. Teams turn out for the annual 57 Community Cookbook This will not only be more Rakahuri Rage 58 Your Health relaxing for me but also for my ❚ P8&63 62-63 Sport family, and I am sure in time (once I figure out what I am doing) TACOS WITH A TWIST my ‘new’ colleagues. Nadia Lim brings asian flare to a It’s great to finally join the mexican staple 4 5 team and I can’t wait to get stuck ❚ P57 in to some community news, so please contact me with any stories you’d like me to cover. Contact us ❚ EDITOR: Shannon Beynon, [email protected]; 027 497 3717 NEWS: Jonathan Leask; I look forward to hearing from [email protected]; 03 311 8714 ; 027 403 0007; Matthew Salmons; [email protected]; 03 311 8715; you, 027 204 9742; Emma Dangerfield; [email protected]; 03 311 8710; 027 228 1851 Have a great week, ❚ DISPLAY ADVERTISING: 03 364 8285 [email protected] CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: 03 377 8778 [email protected] Emma. ❚ OFFICE: 03 311 8702 ADDRESS: 6 Durham Street, PO Box 114, Rangiora 7400 MISSED DELIVERIES: fixmydelivery.co.nz ❚ North Canterbury’s largest circulating newspaper with 44,922 copies delivered every week. Kaiapoi Toyota Rhodo-rama! DidyouknowouthereatKaiapoi Our Service and Parts HALF PRICE WOF’s department can offer you LIMITED TIME ONLY- • Complimentary loan vehicles available • Service all makes and models of vehicles BOOK NOW !!! Mention this special when booking and bring in this voucher • Free pick up and delivery (conditions apply) to receive this Half Price Deal. • Fixed price Servicing, no surprises OFFER VALID UNTIL 31 MARCH 2017 Excludes labour and any additional parts. We are now the North Canterbury Special valid for Toyota Vehicles only. Special conditions apply Agents for Michelin & BFG Tyres, 2012 Toyota and have an onsite Brake Lathe Tech of theYear CH-7386598CD for all your brake disc machining Award Recipient For all your vehicle needs don’t hesitate in our workshop Allan McLean Greg Howard to call the Team at Kaiapoi Toyota ..... Service Manager Service Advisor 86 Williams Street , Kaiapoi. Phone 327 9005 anytime. www.kaiapoi.toyota.co.nz They are big, bushy and Rangiora some are wonky. First in, best shrub! EATSEATS &BEATS @ Victoria ParkP Rhododendron Seconds $25 5 Grays Road ‘A Music & Sat 8 April DRIVE THRU AMBERLEY Food Affair’ 3pm to 8pm CJ’s Plant farm PH 0800 394 946 Seeking expressions of interest by 24 March • Rangiora Food Businesses www.cjsplants.co.nz • Gourmet Markets Fridays Saturdays Sundays 9am - 4pm • Local Wineries www.rangiorapromotions.co.nz stuff.co.nz MARCH 15, 2017, NORTHERN OUTLOOK 3 Changes afoot for rural mail EMMA DANGERFIELD pared to a 23 per cent increase in parcel volumes in the same Changes to rural delivery kick in period. at the start of next month affect- The decline in postal deliveries ing more than 7,000 customers in is something of a chicken and egg the Waimakariri district. scenario, with far fewer people From April 1 there will be no opting for the traditional pen and letter deliveries or mail pick-ups paper in favour of modern tech- on Saturdays for rural customers nology. who are currently on a six-day Letter volumes in both rural delivery, although parcels and and urban areas have virtually subscription newspapers will con- halved in the past decade – in tinue to be delivered. 2006, more than a billion letters A New Zealand Post spokes- went through the network com- person said the rural areas pared with 578 million in the year covered on Saturday delivery to June 2016. runs would vary depending on During 2016 letter volumes what parcels and subscription declined by approximately 8 per papers were being delivered. cent, a rate of about 60 million It would not be fair to deliver items a year, an annual loss in Lights, sirens...panic? mail to some customers and not to revenue of about $30m. others in those areas, the spokes- The company held off moving person said.