this post was submitted on 27 Aug 2023
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No mention of what they’re protesting but hopefully this isn’t some sort of attempt to repeat the literal shit-show from last year.

Edit: apparently it’s people gluing themselves to roads to promote trains. https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/traffic-disruption-warning-by-police-ahead-of-restore-passenger-rail-protest/

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I'm in favour of public transport, but these people are an embarrassment. I've told them that civil disobedience is great, but please don't block roads. I suggested they block the door to national and labour party events, as an alternative.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As a civil disobedience tactic I can see why you'd do this. Its pretty straightforward to pull off and hard to prevent, which if disruption and attention is your goal is kind of ideal.

By comparison, any political party event of note will have security and therell be only a few key points to disrupt. Roads are everywhere and way harder for the police/security to anticipate and prevent ahead of time.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

There is the rather large downside, in that you are disrupting the lives of ordinary people, many of whom, like myself, need to be driving for work reasons.

Consequently, everyone will hate you. These guys aren't popular at all, especially among Wellington tradies.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I want to be clear I think it's fairly annoying and potentially dangerous to glue oneself to a major arterial road. That said, the goal is to annoy people like you until you stop driving and start taking the train. It'd be a better plan if the trains weren't wildly unreliable.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've got a van full of tools I need to do my job, dumbass. Public transport simply isn't an option for me.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Rude much? I didn't say anything at all about what you should do, I only said what their goal was. Way to be an asshole about it, dickhead.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

annoy people like you until you stop driving and start taking the train.

This isn't saying anything about what I should do? And what do you mean by "people like me", anyway? You get back what you give out, sunshine.

Don't make assumptions about me, you know nothing about my like.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The goal is

But you ignored that part. As well as everything else I had written.

You're the one making assumptions here. Or you're being deliberately obtuse just to pick a fight on the internet. Either way, fuck you for being nasty to me when all I was trying to do was talk about the subject of the thread.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago

Just remember, there's a large chunk of people who need to drive, for various reasons, and your assumption that everyone is driving because it's easier for them isn't really helpful.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They're not trying to be popular, they're trying to get attention

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, punching someone will get their attention, but it won't get them on your side.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They're not punching people though

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

It's a metaphor.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

"I understand, but please don't inconvenience me"

I get where you're coming from, it may take you longer to get to work or something. But man...

[–] [email protected] -5 points 1 year ago

Their cause is intercity rail services, which, by all accounts, will be expensive to run, and require heavy subsidies.

All while a decent network of intercity buses are operating.