(11-01-2025, 09:24 AM)kiwimade64 Wrote: I agree, harm_less.  As a 'frequent flyer' (not literally!) on the Kaimai Range, I've pretty much seen the lot.  BUT in saying that, there was a double yellow line and a blind corner coming up.  Quite the risk to take.  Damed if you do, damed if you don't.  Just glad it wasn't us coming round that blind corner, and it could easily have been us.  Am really tempted to put a dash cam in our car, it would save a lot of he-said-she-said-they-said.

(11-01-2025, 08:14 AM)harm_less Wrote:

(11-01-2025, 07:27 AM)Olive Wrote: I watched that video clip in horror.   I wonder if the driver was properly licensed?   The company owning the truck isn't exactly renowned for its integrity.    A few years ago there was a big scandal about corruption in several Waikato branches of VTNZ whereby some officials were selling licences, particularly heavy truck licenses.   Every time I see a badly behaved truck I wonder about the capability of the driver.   

We've seen some horrible truck driving when driving back from Auckland late at night - articulated trucks driving in convoys and having fun by overtaking one another on narrow country roads.

This report in the Herald includes the speed of the vehicle whose dashcam was recording the incident (which the TV footage chose to crop out at the crucial time). I can totally understand the truckie's frustration with a slow car in the 'passing lane' doing around 45kph as the truck was trying to maintain momentum on a long uphill climb. Once the truck loses that momentum it becomes a real grind for them as they juggle between low gears. The overtaken car is just fortunate that the truck didn't choose to overtake them on the left, as I would have done in the same situation (though in rewatching the video the truck being overtaken by both of them would have prevented this).

My observation is that the truck travelling at speed came upon a car hogging the passing lane who failed to move over or accelerate when the truck started filling his rear vision mirror (possibly also warning the car with a horn blast but no audio on the dashcam video) so was forced to decide whether to brake and lose his uphill momentum or use his speed to overtake, admittedly with some risk involved. Also the front pillar and speed recorded by the dashcam would suggest it was in another truck which the J-Swap truck was just completing an overtaking move on so what added risk was then presented if the overtaking truck chose to stay behind the white car? Cut in short on the other truck or be beside it as the passing lane finished?

Having travelled that road many times I know that similar situations aren't uncommon and that the behaviour of light vehicles is often very inconsiderate and frequently dangerous to other road users and particular heavy vehicles.

(12-01-2025, 06:03 AM)kiwimade64 Wrote: morning ladies   Another hot day on its way.

The roses need dead heading and there are a few weeds to pull so I'll get onto that shortly.  MrK is emptying one of the compost bins, love the compost he makes.  It's lovely and dark and full of soil goodies.  There is something satisfying seeing our garden and food waste being turned into beautiful soil.  The bird bath needs it's daily clean and top up.  By late afternoon it is pretty much empty.

We have a shelf full of National Geographic magazines I need to find a home for.  I might see if the op shop would like some and the local kindies.  Buggar, should have asked our daughter if she wanted some for her pre-schoolers.  The shelf they are on is needed for more books

I've started stitching now and so far, so good.  There is a lot of cutwork, and it looked a little confusing as to where I will be cutting.  I've traced the design into my workbook and shaded in the areas to be cut to make things a little clearer. 

The Furry One has gone back to bed, guess I'll be doing the garden 'rounds' on my own this morning.

Happy crafting

(12-01-2025, 09:27 AM)kiwimade64 Wrote: Welcome Niger Lover, so good to have another friendly face to chat too

Edited to add, Niger Lover, when my sister-in-law moved a couple of years ago, she bagged up most of the compost and took it with her.  She was starting a garden from scratch and the new owner wasn't fussed if it went.  Could be something to think about.

(12-01-2025, 09:40 AM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: I love my compost bins, ..... Makes it easier to pull the bin off the contents once it has had a year to cook and then that heap can be easily harvested or just spread if I have positioned the bin in the right spot......
Still, it means I get all the pleasure of the results...

(12-01-2025, 01:22 PM)harm_less Wrote:

(12-01-2025, 09:40 AM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: I love my compost bins, ..... Makes it easier to pull the bin off the contents once it has had a year to cook and then that heap can be easily harvested or just spread if I have positioned the bin in the right spot......
Still, it means I get all the pleasure of the results...

An alternative method I've seen in gardens opened during the Taranaki Garden Festival in the Sustainable Backyards category is to cut (hole drill) the lower section of a 10L paint bucket and then bury it to near the top in your vege garden. Put your kitchen scraps into the 'sunken' bucket and then fit the lid to keep opportunists out of its contents. The earthworms will then consume and transport the contents into the surrounding garden. Genius combined compost and worm farm method without the vermin risk and heavy work involved in conventional composting systems.

(12-01-2025, 01:54 PM)Niger Lover Wrote:

(12-01-2025, 01:22 PM)harm_less Wrote: An alternative method I've seen in gardens opened during the Taranaki Garden Festival in the Sustainable Backyards category is to cut (hole drill) the lower section of a 10L paint bucket and then bury it to near the top in your vege garden. Put your kitchen scraps into the 'sunken' bucket and then fit the lid to keep opportunists out of its contents. The earthworms will then consume and transport the contents into the surrounding garden. Genius combined compost and worm farm method without the vermin risk and heavy work involved in conventional composting systems.

Cut the entire bottom out of the bucket?

(12-01-2025, 02:06 PM)harm_less Wrote:

(12-01-2025, 01:54 PM)Niger Lover Wrote: Cut the entire bottom out of the bucket?

Not in the examples I've seen. Just use a hole saw or large (auger) drill bit to provide access for the worms but the integrity of the bucket remains so you can relocate it complete if required.

(12-01-2025, 02:21 PM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: I have done that, but even easier is to just dig a hole and bury non protein kitchen waste, being sure to make it deep enough to be beyond seedling planting depth. That works really well for new gardens that have little organic matter already in place.

.....