Marchers spill onto Auckland Harbour Bridge, defying police

17 Jul 2009 07:28a.m.

Thomas wrote:

If someone asked "What are three of the biggest problems facing the world today?"

Many would say:

Global Warming
Increasing rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Running of our cheap oil/petrol

If someone then asked "What is one solution that helps solve all three of these problems?"

A good answer would be "More people walking and cycling for short trips"

One third of all trips in NZ are under 2km. Half of all trips are under 5km. Therefore, it's clear that many everyday trips can be undertaken by walking and cycling.

We need to create an environment and a culture which gives people more choice for how they can get from A to B. A walking and cycling path across the harbour bridge makes complete sense. It will help reduce traffic congestion in Auckland and create more healthy and environmentally friendly New Zealanders in the process - wonderful.

In 50 years time when tens of thousands of people are walking and cycling across the harbour bridge each day they'll most likely take it for granted. But I won't forget the actions of 2,000 kiwis who took action, stood up for what's right and crossed the bridge.

NZTA had two weeks notice of the protest. They could have set up the bridge with 2 lanes for cars and two lanes for the walkers and cyclists, but despite the notice NZTA obviously made a decision to keep the motorists in grid lock. Funny that. Let's hope NZTA start making better decisions about the future of transport in New Zealand.

26 May 2009 01:19a.m.

Sam wrote:

If Police had stopped only the outside 2 lanes of traffic (also having positioned the barrier to allow 3 lanes each way), as asked prior to and while on the road, both motorists & protesters would have been accommodated. This would have shown how both parties can use the bridge successfully, and I'm sure cyclists and pedestrians would have coped on 2 lanes without causing injury or death to each other. Instead motorists are annoyed and the wrong image of protest is fixed in some peoples minds.

25 May 2009 06:47p.m.

Christine wrote:

The country is truly morally bankrupt! here we have thousabnds of people,many of them encouraging their children and families, breaking the law- simply because it is unfair, unjust, doesn't or shouldn't apply to them,even worse refusing to recognise that is what they did, because they are somehow selectively justified! Youth and Adult court overwhelmed with people using the same excuses- for robbery,theft, drugs,drunk driving- it will be interesting to hear how they might rationalise their behaviour when what goes around comes around.Perhaps they could let us all know what laws exactly they feel do apply to them, and which ones don't, and what were any consequences they would have thought were acceptable as a result of what they did?

25 May 2009 01:39p.m.

Drifter wrote:

So explain to me someone why the last big march was allowed to cross and this one was stopped.was it because the treaty was involed in the last one.

24 May 2009 10:07p.m.

Alex wrote:

In the interest of safety, walking across the traffic lanes of the harbour bridge is very stupid. Given the number of people who went down to show there support there is an obvious demand for economic and environmental alternatives to cross the harbour.
I hope this event coerces the city to wake up an realise that building a walking/cycling lane across the harbour bridge is essential.
Currently the only way to travel across the harbour is by private car, taxi, bus or to take the ferry. Those living on the northern side could commute to the city centre in as quick fifteen minutes by bicycle.
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are all eqipped with means to travel across by foot.
Lets get our Kiwi enginuity to shine and bloody well make it happen!

24 May 2009 07:50p.m.

Kieran wrote:

Not to mention, what if one of the Cars didnt stop in time and ran over a Cop?

24 May 2009 07:35p.m.

Kieran wrote:

Honestly, those Marchers are complete idiots.
Suppose someone was a doctor trying to get to a call out or someone trying to visit their critically injured child/parent at hospital who could've died any minute.

These selfish marchers might not have just cause annoyance to every other person nearby, they might have also done damage to people around them (read above).

24 May 2009 07:05p.m.

chris wrote:

Cant people find something productive to do. At least those truck drivers last year didn't break the law to prove their point. So why was the bridge not turned into New Zealands largest jail?. How many people got caught in the middle of it when the southern motorway came to a stand still all the way back to South Auckland and beyond, (any data on this?). If it were up to me I would just tell them to swim, if they are so keen to exercise, as they are the same people who have nothing better to do and will protest again over something else to do with the bridge, just like that flag, which as far as I know they didn't succeed in.

24 May 2009 02:56p.m.

Christopher wrote:

As a person watching this all from afar, what I have seen in recent weeks in the New Zealand news are two stories about Auckland motorways - this one and the controversy over the Mt. Albert bypass. Are these two events connected in Aucklanders' minds? It seems awfully forward thinking for folks to ideologically reject the expanded motorway access from the airport (because of the homes which would have to be disturbed), and then do this kind of protest in order to emphasise the fact that the people of Auckland want more alternative ways of traveling through their city.

24 May 2009 12:10p.m.

Peter James wrote:

So.. they were all arrested..

or was this more police discrimination ..
opps not PC.
Police discretion .. on whom can and cant break laws..
When protesting..