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NZ: Road spraying "releases spirits"

rex

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Road-spraying 'releases spirits'
04 December 2006

A police-led initiative of spraying water on state highways to release the trapped spirits of those killed in motor crashes has been declared a success.

Latest report on the superstitious nonsense of "road blessing" in New Zealand.

Full article available here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3888120a10,00.html
 
Let's not forget appeasing the Taniwha (with $$$$...) so that the State Highway road upgrades (on SH1, one of the roads "hosed down" :) ) could be completed.

Well, to "buy" the local Tanga te Whenua's (Tribe's) support for the project, or at least stop objecting to it...
 
Recently, there was a road blessing with sugar on a high-accident road here in Bulgaria. Well, how about more speed limits and bumps in the middle of the road? I often travel by that road, it's quite congested.

Also, recent prosperity in BG leads to having people buy new cars and as a result driving more riskily. Why, of course one is immune to accident with that new SUV, and of course you can try to gain over three cars and a truck all at once on a two-way road.

Of course, sometimes we run out of salt to sprinkle on the road, but no worries- we'll spill some blessed sugar and all will be OK. Interesting, is anyone going to publish the statistics that there were less accidents?
 
It's no sillier than praying for road crash victims in a church. Since this example seems to have been without cost to the taxpayer, I view it as ordinary personal religious woo. It seems to me that the media sometimes cover traditional Maori spiritual beliefs in a more negative light than "mainstream" christian beliefs.
 
Personally, I have purchased a magnetic tiger repelling fence at incredible cost to myself. However, I am totally safe from tigers.

Wait a minute, there aren't any tigers here...
 
Carnivore said:
You mean my expensive ultrasonic tiger repeller is just a scam! :eek:
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Not at all, it works just as well, and saves you the hassle of regularly scattering the breadcrumbs by hand.

The salesman said the breadcrumbs were just to deflect the the orgone emissions! :mad:
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Well, the salesman might have been lying to you, but from what I understand, the UTR is an excellent product. It's working right? No tigers in your town.

JonnyFive said:
Personally, I have purchased a magnetic tiger repelling fence at incredible cost to myself. However, I am totally safe from tigers.

Wait a minute, there aren't any tigers here...
Click to expand...
Then it must be working.
 
rex said:
Road-spraying 'releases spirits'
04 December 2006

A police-led initiative of spraying water on state highways to release the trapped spirits of those killed in motor crashes has been declared a success.

Latest report on the superstitious nonsense of "road blessing" in New Zealand.

Full article available here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3888120a10,00.html
Click to expand...



I think it's all rather silly, but I have no real problem with it. It's not hurting anyone, and maybe it helps families of people who have been killed. Better yet it might even make one or two people drive a bit more carefully.

-Gumboot

ETA. I think describing it as a Police-led initiative might be misleading. I was under the impression local iwi initiated it.
 
gumboot said:
ETA. I think describing it as a Police-led initiative might be misleading. I was under the impression local iwi initiated it.
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Agreed. The term "Police led" to my mind implies "taxpayer funded", which was certainly my initial assumption on reading the first paragraph. Just me being cynical, but I do wonder if that was the impression the editors wanted to convey.
 
Carnivore said:
Agreed. The term "Police led" to my mind implies "taxpayer funded", which was certainly my initial assumption on reading the first paragraph. Just me being cynical, but I do wonder if that was the impression the editors wanted to convey.
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Ok, just to clear up the misconceptions here, it was certainly taxpayer-funded and the Police "led" the spraying crews in marked cars.

Overall, the Fire Service sucked water out of the Holy Waikato (South of Huntly's sewage outlet, no doubt.). Said water was then loaded into Fulton Hogan water tankers for dispersal, hire charges, courtesy Transit NZ. several Police cars were used to escort the spraying vehicles, direct traffic, etc.

Cost to taxpayer:

1 fire truck: $1000 (min)
Fulton Hogan hire: $2000 (min)
4 Police vehicles (min): $4000
Damage to NZ's international reputation amongst thinking people: Priceless.

This stuff REALLY pisses me off. I spoke to a Kaumatua the next day who assured me that all that was needed to remove the tapu was ONE Ratana priest or appointed Kaumatua to say a karakia at the roadside and sprinkle some Waikato water on the road.

This was pure publicity stunt, coutesy the Great Unwashed Kiwi Taxpayer. Let's get those Maori seats back, eh, Parekura?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Edit: I see the thing took 2 1/2 hours, so I'd immediately double those minimum estimates above - I thought they were only out for an hour.
 
The Atheist said:
Ok, just to clear up the misconceptions here, it was certainly taxpayer-funded and the Police "led" the spraying crews in marked cars.

Overall, the Fire Service sucked water out of the Holy Waikato (South of Huntly's sewage outlet, no doubt.). Said water was then loaded into Fulton Hogan water tankers for dispersal, hire charges, courtesy Transit NZ. several Police cars were used to escort the spraying vehicles, direct traffic, etc.

Cost to taxpayer:

1 fire truck: $1000 (min)
Fulton Hogan hire: $2000 (min)
4 Police vehicles (min): $4000
Damage to NZ's international reputation amongst thinking people: Priceless.

This stuff REALLY pisses me off. I spoke to a Kaumatua the next day who assured me that all that was needed to remove the tapu was ONE Ratana priest or appointed Kaumatua to say a karakia at the roadside and sprinkle some Waikato water on the road.

This was pure publicity stunt, coutesy the Great Unwashed Kiwi Taxpayer. Let's get those Maori seats back, eh, Parekura?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Edit: I see the thing took 2 1/2 hours, so I'd immediately double those minimum estimates above - I thought they were only out for an hour.
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OK, that makes a difference. The public officials concerned should certainly have to be held accountable for using public resources for a religious ceremony.
 
Carnivore said:
OK, that makes a difference. The public officials concerned should certainly have to be held accountable for using public resources for a religious ceremony.
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You're quite right, but Maori are entitled to these special extras as a result of having been persecuted for the past 250 years by whitey, so it's ok in this instance.
 
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