Irresponsible Bar-Stewards!
by Malcolm MacKenzie
Earlier this evening I watched the news on TV, the first 35 minutes on TV3 then switched to TV1. I normally only watch the first ten to fifteen minutes of news then, who cares, there's nothing of any interest after that.
Two items caught my interest, the first being activities taking place on Mount Ruapehu. They had snow mountain bike racing and downhill ski and snowboard racing. The downhill was just "GO" then every man for himself. The venue was steep, and shown on TV were a lot of crashes. The commentary was "these people take part in order to thrill and to scare themselves." So far so good. But surely, according to collectivist thinking, should this not be banned? Should not a law be brought out to protect these people from themselves? These people are being personally and socially irresponsible. They could injure themselves. They may be happy with the risk, but what about their friends and relatives? Suppose they did injure themselves, isn’t it we/us as taxpayers who are going to have to foot the bill? How dare they? Ban it I say -- bring out a law -- lock the selfish bastards away where irresponsible people belong -- fine the arse off them -- they will think twice next time -- the irresponsible sods!
Second item also involves the snow. At a popular ski resort (can't just remember the name but it's around Ruapehu) the visitors (skiers) like to wind down in the evening by filling their little ski-tired bodies with alcohol -- in fact many of them like to wind down so much that they remain doing this activity until well into the next morning. Now these people do not wish to incur a $1000 fine for driving home under the affluence of incohol so they need some form of transport home. At that particular time in the morning all the local taxis have finished their service for the night, so how do they get home?
A bright young fellow who lives locally (a future capitalist no doubt) has spotted a "gap in the market" and has offered his services. All the local bars have got his phone number and if anyone inquires of the bar staff how they might possibly get back to their place of residence, they furnish these unfortunates with his number. He charges $5 per head -- and wouldn't you at that time in the morning? I think it's pretty reasonable -- I would also give him a tip.
He was stopped by the police recently and told he could not continue with this activity. The LTSA had found out about it and shut him down. He was NOT licensed. He can be fined $10,000 if he continues to give people a ride home. Why? you might ask. Well, because he is not licensed and he is accepting remuneration for his service -- it's that simple. He is not doing anything that might endanger someone's life because the LTSA will be happy to allow him to continue if he does not accept payment. They will also be happy to allow him to continue if he pays them a considerable sum of money for his license. Everyone is happy with the service he offers -- the customers, the bar staff and the entrepreneur himself (and probably his mum too).
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls -- THIS is what is wrong with New Zealand. Why don't these busy-bodies leave everyone else the hell alone? Why are we not allowed to grow up to adulthood? Why are we treated like children? Why is it that the only time politicians think we are capable of making sensible personal decisions is when we vote for THEM?
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