how dangerous in nz?
 

i know it's a difficult question to answer, but i was just wondering?

i'm from glasgow which has a reputation as being v dangerous but it isn't really, normally you can talk your way out of any situation, it's only certain area's which normal people avoid where random kickings occur. is it the same in nz?

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

I'm from Glasgow too. As you say, it depends where in Glasgow you are comparing too. There's nowhere here like the bad areas of glasgow, in terms of 'atmosphere', although I agree with Scottish that some areas have a similar feel to the east end of Glasgow (which I don't consider too bad an area)

They show depressed areas of auckland on the news sometimes, as an example of how bad the housing is, and to shock 'normal' kiwis (the impression I get by the tone of the news items). To us it looks great and no way like the depressed areas of Glasgow. There really is no comparison, if you are happy with Glasgow, you will feel really safe in Auckland.

However I have been in a bar in otara which I wouldn't go into even with a bunch of mates, if there wasn't a known local with us. It would be like going into a random pub in springburn on your own. I bet you would behave like the politest person ever though!

You are very unlikely to see anything like 'once were warriors' but I am sure you could find it if you want to. Cities are like that.
Just my opinion you are all welcome to yours.

By the way, you will be lucky to talk your way out of anything here. No-one will understand you! For that matter, you will have a problem with some of the natives too.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Well there was an item on the news this morning about a guy who was stabbed in the neck when he went out to investigate his car being broken into.

I'd say there is something in the news most weeks about a murder or fatal car crash. There have been some high profile cases recently with pensioners being attacked in their own homes.

If you read the online edition of the NZHerald or any NZ news you'll find plenty.

There are also the recent cases of historical police rapes which I found quite disturbing when I first arrived here. Not something you hear a lot about back in the UK.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Crime is everywhere, but IMO NZ feels safer, but I suppose that depends on where you live. I have seen some areas of NZ that I wouldn't drive down with all the windows and doors locked even! Just like Uk really, it has good and bad areas.
Problem the Brits have is that we are always being shown NZ in its glory, the sea views, the houses, the beaches, the mountains.....ahhh......sweet as.......but in reality, will your life be as idylic.......probably not.
It paints a false picture IMO.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

It has the same crime going on as anywhere else does it just has a smaller population that's all.
Thing is when you're fresh over here you don't really know where the good and bad areas are... everywhere in christchurch looked run down and depressed to me and I interpreted that as being a bad area but actually it turns out most of these areas are not. There are lots of really flashy areas here too but they are the newer housing parks that are going up everywhere.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Sky - how would you rate Rangiora for crime - safer than than in Chc city?

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Yes lots safer :)

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

You'll be fine no one could be as unlucky as us lol... and at least you are forearmed with lots of knowledge before you arrive. Just don't fall for the over friendly shop assistants and real estate agents and you'll be sorted.
We like NZ just need a lottery win now :D

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Thanks Sky, can't wait to get there, even with all the problems we'll no doubt encounter. Take it as it comes eh!

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Yes you'll be ok.
Lots of Brits in Rangiora, we'll out number the locals soon :D

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

I'm from Glasgow as well - and actually always feel very safe here - even when I lived in the east end. Where we're going in NZ is very quiet so can't really be compared to a city, but i felt totally safe all the time there too.

Now about the accent........nobody understood a word I said when we went on our trip - honest! I dont have a strong accent at all - but I was met with a lot of blank looks! Very funny! :D

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

We are from Wellington, currently living in gun capital Nottingham. We had only been in a nice part of Nottingham for 2 weeks when my son's friend had his bike taken of him at knive point. I could bore you with lots more of these stories. It was one of the first things that struck us was the level of aggresion in the Uk, from the bike incident to my husband being thretened for parking outside someone's house. I am not going to say that violence, rape and murder does not happen in NZ 'cause it does like everywhere but I do believe that the daily abuse and mindless violence is much less. UK too many people in a small pond equals supermarket rage!
KAZ

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Nobody understands me either and I have a yorkshire accent. I get the same confused looks, especially if I talk fast lol :D

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Hi :)
NZ is as safe as other places but it can be just as bad as others too. It really depends on the areas you want to hang out in. Im sure most countries around the world all have their so called crime hot spots as does NZ. Once you are familiar with the area you soon learn where not to go etc. Some places are fine until it gets dark & then the scum seems to come out of the woodwork. I personally wouldnt be too worried about it because it doesnt take too long to figure it out for yourself.
All I can advise is to do lots of investigating before you sign any leases or offers on houses etc. First hand impressions are always best IMHO too but I know in some case that is not always easy.

As for the accents that always brings a smile to my dial. Was down the working mens club the other night & had a real laugh when I realised our little drining school was like a little league of nations. 3 Poms, 2 Irish, 1 scottish bloke, 1 yank, 1 welshman, 2 australians & 3 Kiwis. Now if you werent used to that the accents flying around the table were amazing but surprisingly we all understand each other & always have a lot of laughs. Lord knows what anyone else in the bar thinks when we all get to talking & telling jokes. Our UK mates can sure spin a good yarn when they want too & I can tell you they are all so darn funny. Once they start on telling jokes there is no stopping them :D

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Agree with most of the above. I used to live in the centre of Manchester. I almost never went anywhere alone after dark - and I am a bloke. Out of all the friends I had in Manc - I was the ONLY ONE to not get mugged and threatened by some sort of weapon.

This was a fact of life. I was fully used to not carrying any bank cards (was common to get frog-marched off to the ATM and forced to give your pin and clear your daily limit) - got used to not carrying cash - or not to keep anything on you you couldn't afford to lose.

I consider myself relatively streetwise from that experience - and my "dodgy area" sensors are relatively sharp. I can honestly say that I've never rushed inside my house, or got into the car and immediately locked the doors whilst I've been in NZ. Granted - I do not go LOOKING for dodgy places, I don't spend much time wandering the streets of otara or the like after dark, but all in all... I really don't think that it's as easy to wander into a dodgy area here than back home.

Sky's comments are interesting.... It is VERY true that a lot of areas look kinda dingy and run down - especially the shops.... but it doen't take long to realise that your first impressions were way off! The 'average' kiwi house is on way more land than a house in the UK, and, unless you licve in a flat, houses are almost always "detatched".

In fact "terraced" houses are so 'odd' to the kiwi culture that the only time you'll find any - they are not even considered to BE houses - but "units" - flats.

but.... I digress.... Crime is everywhere - of course NZ has its share - but there's nowhere on earth you can go that does not have its fair share. All in all, I certainly wouldn't consider NZ dangerous - I feel far safer here than in any city in the UK.

Steve

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Its funny how Glasgow still has that reputation when there are much scarier places in the UK.

Whilst in NZ I never witnessed any trouble but yes some areas looked very dodgy and certain types of peeps hanging around.

But saying that I work in Easterhouse, and have worked in the Gorbals, Parkhad and Bridgeton and again never witnessed any trouble, yes its there but never seen it. My job involves going out and about visiting anti social complants etc and again never felt threatended.

Trouble is anywhere and everywhere I am just lucky never to have witnessed any trouble or been a victim (off now in visits to heres hoping I dont eat my words haha)

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Sounds like a fab night out and made me laugh the way you wrote it fantastic!
Jealous of you having so many mates :)

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Habit I know but I still lock the car doors once I get in. My sis years ago had some bloke just casually get in her car at a traffic light junction in the UK .. was in the early 80s, fortunately he just as casually got out again but it scared the shit out of her and me when she told me!
My son was mugged, kicked and beaten and stripped of all his designer clothes and watch, phone, money etc a week before we came here. He was ignored by passers by as he stumbled around confused and basically in his underwear so I was so relieved to be getting him away from it all but soon as we got here there was other stuff to worry about.
Weed, dope, is a biggy over here!

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

I can HONESTLY say that I have NEVER purposefully taken ANY recreational drug (other than Alcohol Caffeine and once getting spiked with speed....) and that includes tobacco.

However, I don't believe that weed/dope (ie marijuana) is any bigger a problem here than anywhere else. I also don't think your average weed taker would be in any way dangerous (unless you withold their 'munchies' ;) )

The BIG 'problem drug' here is 'P' - or Meth-Amphetamine - it is CERTAINLY the 'P'-Heads who you need to worry about. THEY are the ones that commit the crimes to feed their habits - and also the ones more likely to use violence. I am unfortunate enough to have seen the effects of this - a little bit too close to home. (the drug use - not the crime or violence).

Still - I stand by this country feeling much safer than similar locations in the UK :)

Steve

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Hi Dustinthewind:)
Havent seen you around before so welcome aboard!!
PMSL @ your comments re your drinking buddies, reminds me so much of my brother inlaw in Christchurch. Hes from Manchester & drinks with a lot of guys from all around the world too. You dont drink at The Richmond Working Mens Club by any chance do you.Chance would be a fine thing though, I know they say its a small world but guessing its not quite that small. He does make me laugh though cos hes always describing things like that to my sister & tells her the place was "buzzing with foreigners" then she has to remind him he is a foreigner himself:D im sure he forgets that as hes been in NZ so long now.
The one thing I always find strange & amusing with him is he sounds like most other kiwis now but get him around guys from back home & he falls straight back into the english accent & my earliest memories of him were how good he was at telling jokes. Hes one of those guys that never forget a joke & carries them all off so well. Always the life of any party, lucky man huh?

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Dangers in NZ......IMHO

1) Driving

2) Sun

3) Earthquake

4) Suicide (2nd highest rate of suicide 2nd only to Finland)

5)Volcano

6) Starvation (cos the foods expensive and the wages low)

7) Freeze to death in cold house,s

However if you are a child ....you are in danger from your parents.....according to the book "Slipping into Paradise". :scared:

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Sky, that's awful, hope your son has been able to get over that OK. Awful that he got no help, but typical I'm afraid.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Sky, that is just appalling...how old was your son at the time it happened??

It is a sad sign of our times though that people are unwilling to help someone in distress sometimes in case they end up getting embroiled in the fall out if you follow me...like the man who would hesitate to help a lost child in case he was accused of being a paedophile...sad but it happens...:(

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Your so right Pinkie about it being a sad sign of the times. My brother inlaw, the father of 3 sons & then finally a daughter was so afraid to take his little girl to the park to play in case someone thought he was acting suspiciously withe her:eek: Please any man should be able to spend quality time with his daughter/s & not fear people with think hes up to no good.
On the other hand I can see why some people are afraid to get involved too. My son when he was 22 came across a rather large pacific island man beating the crap out of his girlfriend. My son yelled at the bloke to stop it & take his frustrations out on something else. Brave but silly boy, the guy did stop but turned his anger on my son.....needless to say I got a call @ 3am to come pick him up from town cos he wasnt doing too well. Mum thought he was drunk & headed off to the appointed meeting place. Can imagine the shock I got when I pulled up to see my poor son proping himself up on a parking meter & his lovely white dress shirt covered in his blood. His handsome young face was a mess. Finally got him to agree to go to A & E with me. 10 stitches & a broken nose later we were heading home. He suffered for years with that nose because not only was it broken but the inside of it (cant reacall what they call it now) had collapsed causing him all kinds of breathing problems. Took us 2 years to finally get it sorted & operated on twice to rebuild it & get it right again. Im proud of my boy for going to the aide of a lady but sure wish now that he had looked the other way & I dont mind admitting that because he went to hell & back with his nose because of his bravery.....:mad:

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

16 yrs, I think folk thought he was drugged up or something cos he was confused from being kicked in his head. He didn't even have his shoes left. He turned up at my sisters door hours later she rang me and didn't tell me what had happened just told me to come get him. God I was so shocked when I saw him!

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Poor kid must have been terrified Sky and I bet it didn't do you much good either!! Whereabouts did this happen in the UK??...

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Even if he was drugged you'd want to help wouldn't you - how can anyone see a young lad obviously hurt and distressed and not help? We were in Piccadilly about three years ago, six at night, waiting for a bus which was late, on the way home from work, and three lads were fighting, two on one, and one of them got the lone lad on the floor and jumped (no exaggeration, he launched himself) onto the lad's head, twice. I was scared stiff, there's no way I could have gone near whilst he was being attacked, but after the two ran off I wanted to go over and help him, he was in a mess on the ground, but luckily two men, obviously on their way home because they were still in suits, went to help him. One of them put his jacket over the lad, it was probably very expensive and was getting soaked but he didn't care, he just helped him. They stayed with him until the ambulance came, then one of them went with him. Even when the two attackers came back 10 mins later with yet another lad, the two blokes didn't leave the hurt lad on the ground, and the attackers just stood and watched until the ambulance came, then disappeared. These good samaritans were only young, and pretty weedy to be honest, but they did brilliantly. The scariest thing was, the police didn't turn up, even though someone had called them.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Sky, I know what that feels like. I had to pick my son up from central Nottingham at midnight last night. He is 18 but had forgotton his ID and couldn't get in anywhere. He told his friends he would get a bus home by himself. The bus was going to be 30mins so he called on the off chance for a lift. As you can imagine I was not keen but the thought of that poor boy in Liverpool came to my mind so I went to pick him up. When I got there he was being hassled by two much older men shouting football chants right in his face. I am so glad I went to pick him up.
He was in Wellington recently and said that everyone just seemed to go out for a good time, not like here to get smashed and have a punch up.
KAZ

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Thanks Shepslady!
Guess the world just got smaller for you then cos YES I do drink at The Richmond Club....I will PM you to see if I know your bro inlaw. Dont want to bore others with that info. Sounds a mite scary to me though :D

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Gee Kaz that doesnt sound good, glad you went & picked the lad up. Doesnt make me feel too good either cos my middle son is in Nottingham & I worry myself sick over him now without knowing that but he often jokes with me that he lives in the gun capital of the UK & mentions things that I thought were just to shock me but now I realise there must be some truth to it:eek:

There might be a lot of party goers & drunks on the streets at home but still feel reasonable safe out & about at night!

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

So Nottingham is one big crimewave with everyone toting an automatic?! Funny, but my 21 year old cousin is at Uni there and loves it. As a student he lives in a less than salubrious area and is out and about regularly. Total number of times he's been shot/mugged/viciously assaulted/burgled etc? A big fat Zero! And that after 3 years. The statement that everyone in Notts go out to have a punch up is laughable but I guess forgiveable in one that finds everything about the place 'scary'.
I have lived in London, inner city Birmingham, Brighton and now a Sussex Town. I have NEVER been a victim of crime but have seen plenty of it of course. This constant moaning about Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham etc is tiresome.It makes me wonder how so many people manage to live there and yes, some of them even LIKE it! Statistics prove that whilst you might 'feel' safer in NZ you are MORE likely to be a victim of crime than the UK. Where the disenfrachised exist there will always be crime and NZ is no different.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

We like Manchester :D and I expect the other 2.5 million of Mancunians do too :confused: (well.. alot of them do I am sure) funny when you think about it.. lots more people in little ole Manc than the whole of the South island!! bloody hell.!! no wonder we always got a parking space over there :cool:

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

You couldn't pay me to live in the South Island! Not even a million dollars would entice me to live there. :eek:

Spent lots of time in Manchester, lived just 20 mins away, mind you we have a decent motorway network so anywhere is within reason eh?
So although I lived 'close' to Manchester I wasn't actually 'in' Manchester, lived in a sleepy little friendly village not far away.......

But used to visit at least twice per week, different areas of Manchester and NOT once, ever I have seen any trouble. Not denying its there, I am sure it is, but I never was witness to any.
Haven't witnessed any trouble here either in the last few years I have lived here, long may it continue! :)

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

No Nottingham is not one big crime wave, but it does have a very big youth aggression problem and lots of fights etc after the friday binge drink night. Yes lots of people do like living here, it is if you are careful a great city for students. Prehaps your cousin was very careful or lucky. One of my students not so lucky last year when a car full of youths stopped outside the student union building and beat up a group of our students. The student I now help was left in a coma, now has metal plates in his face, cannot see out of one eye and is now epileptic.
But I hear Surrey is a lovely part of England, enjoy it!
KAZ

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

NZ has its youth problems does it not? Suicide? Heavy drug use? Road deaths? Random violence? What's your point? I recall numerous instances whilst in NZ of police officers having to leave certain areas dominated by large gangs of youths hellbent on drinking and causing mayhem for fear of being overwhelmed and 'dealt to'. Sorry you can't see this as an international problem but prefer to paint it as a specific problem for parts of the UK.

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

This problem is definately an International one but for now it seems that Christchurch is having an unusually bad time with it right now.
Heres a few lines out of todays paper that might interest you.

A gang of at least 50 youths, some as young as 12, is terrorising and attacking residents in a Christchurch suburb.

Members of the new gang , calling themselves Respecting Brown Colours, or RBC, are being investigated by police after a teenager was attacked with a hammer outside The Palms mall in Shirley several weeks ago.

It is believed the gang is predominantly European, despite its name. Members wear brown clothes, bags, hats or bandannas as a show of allegiance.

"Other young people are scared of them and some might rather be with them than against them," he said.

Kindred said it was unclear exactly how many teenagers were involved, but it was unlikely they would stay together long.

"In a year or two, they might have split up," he said.

not all that encouraging to read they "may" have split up in a year or two is it?? Lets hope they get a grip on it soon, its just too scary to think about & Im glad these things didnt happen when my kids were growing up there as that was our local shopping mall:scared:

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Sounds a bit like the Mongrel Mob and other NZ gangs, some of which must be pensioners by now, lol!!

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

What a shame. Shirley Mall had just been developed when we left and we really liked what they had done. Very modern and bright. Great Cinemas and bars too. However, I had experience of the local kids through the Primary School and it wasn't good!

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Agree The Palms (Shirley mall as you call it) is one of the nicest malls in Christchurch. The bars especially great offering superb meals. I hope they get this situation under control soon before things get out of hand any further & anyone else is hurt. Its ridiculous to think a bunch of kids can terrorise the place like that isnt it. Funny how its the younger kids that have a way of spoiling it for others isnt it but nothing a good kick in the rear end wouldnt fix:D

Re: how dangerous in nz?
 

Amen to that sister!