"Unfortunately, there are currently no agents available. Please do try again later. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused."

People who don't look/don't care/couldn't give a monkey's about others around them...

Case in point - several people this morning tried to step directly in front of me, despite clearly looking straight at me as I approached on my eScooter - luckily, I was going very slowly and am aware enough to avoid accidents at slow speed, but seriously...what are they thinking? 100kg combined of metal and flesh rolling towards them and they just don't care...

People...who needs them? 

Handsomedan:

 

People who don't look/don't care/couldn't give a monkey's about others around them...

 

Case in point - several people this morning tried to step directly in front of me, despite clearly looking straight at me as I approached on my eScooter - luckily, I was going very slowly and am aware enough to avoid accidents at slow speed, but seriously...what are they thinking? 100kg combined of metal and flesh rolling towards them and they just don't care...

 

People...who needs them? 

 

That's reflected in other things too - people who step out of a shop into the footpath without looking both ways and coming on top of you or just in front of you.

Or being in line and someone else's friend arriving and getting in front of you to form their group.

freitasm:

 

Handsomedan:

 

People who don't look/don't care/couldn't give a monkey's about others around them...

 

Case in point - several people this morning tried to step directly in front of me, despite clearly looking straight at me as I approached on my eScooter - luckily, I was going very slowly and am aware enough to avoid accidents at slow speed, but seriously...what are they thinking? 100kg combined of metal and flesh rolling towards them and they just don't care...

 

People...who needs them? 

 

 

That's reflected in other things too - people who step out of a shop into the footpath without looking both ways and coming on top of you or just in front of you.

 

Or being in line and someone else's friend arriving and getting in front of you to form their group.

 

The people stepping out of shops one was especially noticeable when I was on crutches for a couple of months...so infuriating. 

Kind of reminds of a film K Branagh made a while ago about Frankenstein (I think). Some rich arrogant toff walking along or out of a door or something, walk straight into someone, looks the offending oik up and down and says disdainfully 'Why don't you look where I'm going !'

Well I like it anyway.

Handle9:

 

Just to add on to this they asked me for a whole lot of documentation in March. After a bit of backwards and forwards I ignored them and they went away. Either their "systems" are useless and they forgot to follow up again or they were asking for information they didn't really need. Either way it's aggravating.

 

I get the AML stuff is necessary but when I left the country I wrote to them and told them we were leaving. I also asked if they needed any further information. I got told "no, it is fine, don't worry". Then 9 months later they were asking for a whole heap of information and couldn't tell me what had changed.

 

Your frustrations with your bank remind me of my frustrations with a certain NZ company. What it is really about is inflexible bureaucratic procedures and little regard for the customer. Welcome to the dark side.

freitasm:

 

Handsomedan:

 

People who don't look/don't care/couldn't give a monkey's about others around them...

 

Case in point - several people this morning tried to step directly in front of me, despite clearly looking straight at me as I approached on my eScooter - luckily, I was going very slowly and am aware enough to avoid accidents at slow speed, but seriously...what are they thinking? 100kg combined of metal and flesh rolling towards them and they just don't care...

 

People...who needs them? 

 

 

That's reflected in other things too - people who step out of a shop into the footpath without looking both ways and coming on top of you or just in front of you.

 

Or being in line and someone else's friend arriving and getting in front of you to form their group.

 

I was out for dinner with my wife last night and watched a driver approach a pedestrian crossing too fast, just before a junction at which he had to give way to the right. He was so busy staring at the bar on his left that he (a) failed to bother looking at the crossing at all and (b) sailed out of the junction without even glancing right or indicating at all.

Fortunately, there were no pedestrians or other road users in his path of death.

Rikkitic:

 

Handle9:

 

Just to add on to this they asked me for a whole lot of documentation in March. After a bit of backwards and forwards I ignored them and they went away. Either their "systems" are useless and they forgot to follow up again or they were asking for information they didn't really need. Either way it's aggravating.

 

I get the AML stuff is necessary but when I left the country I wrote to them and told them we were leaving. I also asked if they needed any further information. I got told "no, it is fine, don't worry". Then 9 months later they were asking for a whole heap of information and couldn't tell me what had changed.

 

 

Your frustrations with your bank remind me of my frustrations with a certain NZ company. What it is really about is inflexible bureaucratic procedures and little regard for the customer. Welcome to the dark side.

 

 

 

 

 

When I did my Permanent Residency application, the one thing outstanding at the time we had our final meeting with INZ was the bit of paper from the police in the UK stating that I had no criminal record.

Meanwhile, I had been granted Top Secret clearance for my then job here in NZ. Obviously the vetting for that went far beyond a quick computer printout from the UK police, involving deep background checks on family, interviewing of referees by the Security Services and so forth.

I offered the INZ official the letter granting me that clearance as evidence of my lack of criminal past.

No. It says here we have to have a letter from the UK police. Please get that.

But this is much better..

No. We need the actual bit of paper from the UK Police.

(Etc ad infinitum)

Bureaucracy is certainly alive and well - and unaware of just how foolish it can be, seemingly.

Batman: I had an application overseas and required proof of English language proficiency. The document they needed was certificate of high school completion in NZ. I have a degree in a NZ University. No that dormy count. High school completion or go sit an English test.

I had the same thing with PR.

I asked them where the box was that allowed me to indicate it was my mother tongue because surprisingly that was not an option for demonstrating proficiency!

Geektastic:

 

I asked them where the box was that allowed me to indicate it was my mother tongue because surprisingly that was not an option for demonstrating proficiency!

 

Not entirely unreasonable in view of the inability of some native speakers in this country and elsewhere to communicate coherently.

Rikkitic:

Your frustrations with your bank remind me of my frustrations with a certain NZ company. What it is really about is inflexible bureaucratic procedures and little regard for the customer. Welcome to the dark side.

 

 

Handle9:

 

No they are quite different. My issue is that they are repeatedly asking questions that they already have answers to. Your issue was a one off fraud check that is very easily done.

I put both in the category of inflexible procedures that inconvenience the customer. In spite of what everyone has insisted, I still have not encountered any other company that does this. I have been working on an upgrade project and have since made a half-dozen purchases from different suppliers. Not a single one has tried to put me through the credit card check nonsense. That strongly suggests it is not the norm.

The pathetic summer we're suffering in Wellington (so far, anyway).