Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

Feeding frenzy of the desperate media

Some of the lesser-read media outfits around town have resorted to their usual summer ploy, presumably desperate to sell papers, by having yet another shark scare campaign.

Every year we see it, shock-horror shark sighting headlines. Propaganda that works up the angst of beachgoers and anxious mums everywhere; pulling little Jane from the water and hauling little Johnnie off his boogie board.

In reality the sharks are always there, especially as the warmer water reaches our beaches.

The real news would be if NO sharks were in the ocean. We'll bring you that headline if it happens. It's completely normal for sharks to be in the waters off the Bay; in fact, most of the NZ coastline. Just because there are a few more excitable visitors around, with nothing more to do all day than lie on the beach and gaze out to sea, it doesn't mean there's more sharks. Just more people noticing them.

Riptide of panic

Here at the Sun we refuse to be swept along in the riptide of panic merchandising. This is not Amity Island. Or Perth. They had a spate of seven deaths in a few years, and that would be something for the media to get their teeth into.

I've lived on this coast all my life and have seen plenty of sharks, but can't recall a fatality or even a significant attack. Neither can any of my boating/surfing/diving mates. Not to say that it won't happen, but the chances are much greater of being killed on SH2 on the way to the beach, or kicked to death by a donkey. Or nailed by a stingray in the murky shallows up the harbour. Or getting too much sun and suffering heat stroke, or developing melanoma.

So people, get this shark business into perspective. There's no point in trying to whip folk into a frightened frenzy, because most of us have been around too long to fall for it.

I've seen much scarier things week: An oversized Frank Vosper lurching on the back of a bus; Russell Packer's ideas as an ambassador for

NZ; and yet another 'vision” from the Mayor.

Meanwhile, in real news: Many of you are feed up with the sea lettuce situation, which has spread beyond the harbour and messing up some parts of the surf beaches. John Todd makes some valid points:

'Went for a swim at Main Beach yesterday and was horrified by the amount of sea lettuce in the shallows. It's all well and good to remove it off the sand, but it is not a good look for swimmers. If I was a visitor and this was my experience I would be looking to vacation elsewhere next summer. It cannot be good for the Bay. Council should be looking after the assets it already has that attracts business and visitors, instead of talking up new assets like stadiums. I feel someone needs to be taken to task over this unsatisfactory situation.”

Too right, John. Between the weed and the shark hype, there's a tourism marketing challenge!

Looking back

Things we learned from 2013:

It was a steep learning curve, the last year. Some of you found out the hard way that there are things that we aren't allowed to do, any more.
We hope that going into 2014 you'll all learn from the mistakes of others. In case you've forgotten the hard-learned lessons, here's a recap of the main points.
For instance, it was with some dismay that so

me you discovered that it's not okay to keep women locked in your basement for a number of years. Or to keep them stashed in the boot of a car.

Bad behaviour

Others were a tad surprised to learn that drugging your husband, and probably suffocating him while unconscious, is also frowned upon.
The concept of scoring a hottie in the council chamber, while you're the married mayor of the nation's biggest city, has certainly lost a lot of appeal in the last year.
Another chap found out the hard way, that it's

not acceptable to ride your bicycle around town with a sawn off shotgun in your pants.
Clearly the advice 'keep it in your pants” applied to the mayor, not the armed cyclist.

Roundabout saga

We've had some interesting exchanges with readers over Tauranga drivers' ineptitude at roundabouts. Well, any inters

ections really. In fact, anywhere near the road. But let's just deal with the roundabout indication problem. Here's the official line:
Rules for indicating on a roundabout from NZTA: 'If you are turning left at the first exit, signal left as you come up to the roundabout. If you are going ‘straight' through, don't signal as you come up to the roundabout. Signal left as you pass the exit before the one you wish to take. If you are travelling more than halfway around a roundabout, signal right as you come up to the roundabout, then signal left as you pass the exit before the one you wish to take.”

Can't be all that difficult, can it? Good luck, and be careful out there.