Browner_

Its difficult to know how to explain these scum to non-NewZealanders.

NZ is quite a rural place outside of the main centres, and these people are leading a life that many would not consider “civilised”, taking methadone (P), playing with guns, and who have very large chips on their shoulders, either maori who resent the white mans presence, or white men who resent the presence of anyone else!

Closer to the cities, there are some very poor areas which are populated partly by very poorly educated people who some would regard as uncivilised and backward, and who are attracted to American gang culture and not intelligent enough to see any other way. Drugs and stupidity is a dangerous combination.

pixi-dust

as ever after ploughing through this thread I wonder where I live compared to most people! We get bananas all year round

Supposedly I live 10 minutes from one of the gang centres of NZ - I go to this town about 4 times a week. Have I ever seen a gang member robbing poor unsuspecting 'white' people in the street - nope! Have I ever seen a gang member even!!! Not that I know of. On the other side I live 20 minutes from the P supplier of the whole of Northland!! ( The 4 Square in Moerewa if the news is to be believed.)

None of these things affect my life one iota. If it wasn't blasted all over the newspapers and on tv I wouldn't ever hear about it, but I live in the thick of it, allegedly. I suppose, the reality is if you move in gang circles I'm sure it will have a bearing on your daily life, me, I have nothing to do with them and wouldn't even know where to look for them if I wanted. So they can't be that obvious.

In reality where I live is a stunningly beautiful, incredibly friendly rural community, filled with people who, on the whole, have a huge pride in their area. I spend most days on my own miles away from anyone else and never know a moment of fear. I'm more scared of the noisy possums in the middle of the night.

Then again I lived in Glasgow before I came here and never saw any gangs there either. I saw kids hanging about sometimes but thats it really.

Annemarie, there's lots of good advice on this thread about properties and land etc. etc. The difficult thing about forums is that everyone has different ideas about life, expectations, what they're looking for. My heaven is your hell. Also everything I've just typed will have no use for you at all as I don't live anywhere near Tauranga!! That must be another gang capital
The only way you'll really know what it's like for you is to try it. Research is good, of course, but in the end only you can see if it's what you're looking for. I know that sounds really trite, it's honestly not meant to.

TeamEmbo

Tauranga? Check the following: (if link works - I'm crap at doing these)

http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/lo...ondsubsection=

but ask the majority of the people on here who actually live and work in Tauranga and am sure you'll hear what a beautiful, pleasant, friendly place it is. We've been there and it is. If we hadn't had the job offer in Cch, we'd have gone to Tauranga.

I really don't see the point in posting a multitude of links to such articles and scaremongering. We all know they exist in every country.

Woodlea

Ah but Browner does - in fact he thrives on scare-mongering and misleading people - must be a bit of a sad git!!

Woodlea

Yes I have views on this. Have you heard of Hell's Angels, have they affected you? Well it's the same in NZ - they won't affect you, unless you chose to live next door to them - why would you do that? Mongrel Mob etc exist in Chch but have no effect on 99.99% of the population. Don't be put off by the headlines, Chch is not Glasgow FFS!

pixi-dust

lardyl

my thoughts exactly - someone here must be on "speed" as 0.01% of the whole population of NZ is 450 people - probably around the number of people killed or injured each year either directly or indirectly as a result of gang-related activity........?

suppose being burgled, extorted or having a visit from the local "gang enforcer" to settle a debt, etc counts and "no effect" but death and mutilation might.........in Chch at least........

Yummy_Mummy

Ehhhhh Hello!!!! Yes i have heard of hells angels ... Oh and they are NOT in Glasgow - Or as far as i know they're not! So how could they affect me??

Oh and did i say Christchurch was "like Glasgow" Nope!

So i have obviously hit a raw nerve on that one....!! You dont have to live next to them to be a victim of their violence!!!

Anyway, the crime in NZ doesnt put me off...Its like anything else... a worldwide virus that cannot be escaped!

mcuddy1

Hey Woodlea we are all entitled to post what we want within the rules, so live and let live.

As far as the snipe at the end of your post, you normally don't get personal is he getting to you?

Browner_

Glad you think its funny. Yeah Im sad, sad I live here

Woodlea

Yes he is, he's just taking all the bad stuff and making it out to be the norm and the reality for most people, which just scare-mongers, people need to know it ain't all like that for normal Kiwis.

As far as the personal snipe at Browner goes - I apologise.

Browner, I'm sorry you're so sad living here, perhaps it would help if you concentrated on the wonderful things about NZ rather than dwell on the bad things, then you might be happier.

Thank you for the corroboration lardyl, as I said the other 99.99% are unaffected.

Sorry for confusing you pixi-dust I was confusing this thread with this one
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=543158
where the OP was from Glasgow.

There enough apologies - time to make the kids their tea, then batten down the hatches, double lock the doors, feed the Rottweilers and set the alarms against the hoards of gangs on the rampage!

Browner_

Dont forget to put on three set of white noise headphones so you can half block out the boy racers

Woodlea

Sorry - don't have any boy racers in my neck of the woods!

lardyl

you really don't get the point do you?????

oh well, welcome to the "99.99%" of Kiwis with the "head in the sand" mentality.........


actually "99.99%" is an exageration intended for ironic effect - actual figure is more like 90%, erm, probably.......

luvwelly

Isn't the difference with the gangs here that it really is a longterm way of life for people?
The comparison with Hell's Angels seems inappropriate since aren't they mainly now getting on in life and just 'pussycats' on bikes enjoying bank holidays at the seaside....I don't know...except at the seaside (behaving themselves) they didn't seem to impact my UK life.

I had heard about NZ's gang problem before I agreed to come here and decided upon arrival that where I was living it probably wasn't going to be an issue for me but I don't live in Porirua...many posters on here do although admittedly they are in the posh bits .