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New Zealand's Safe, Isn't It?

April 18, 2008 at 10:00 AM | by | Comments (2)

Our usual mentions of the New Zealand city of Christchurch are about half-naked women riding motorbikes through the streets. Since that sounds somehow inviting, at least for male travelers, we're a little distressed to hear the latest news of out of Christchurch: Tourists with accents sometimes get picked on.

Last weekend, a group of Danish and English tourists got more than heckled--a bunch of local men beat them up, after teasing them by saying "They speak funny, they sound funny." Given how amusing the New Zealand accent itself sounds, it's a real pot calling the kettle black situation here, but tell that to the poor tourists who ended up in hospital.

In the otherwise peaceful town of Christchurch, it was definitely a surprise event, and the locals are definitely worried that their reputation as a safe place to travel is getting tarnished. If it gets worse we'll all need to learn Kiwi English before our next trip.

Related Stories:
· Tourists' Alleged Attackers Bailed [stuff.co.nz]
· Mixed Reviews on Bike Boobs [Jaunted]
· New Zealand Travel Stories [Jaunted]

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New Zealand's Safe, Isn't It?

Let's not get too worried about that isolated incident where tourists got beaten up.

The mere fact that it was front-page news suggests that it's a fairly rare event. Compare that with most other cities of similar size throughout the world where yet another tourist mugging doesn't even get a media mention.

Christchurch tends to be a bit monocultural - WASP to the core - and that, on it's dark side, manifests itself as a few small skinhead gangs. Mostly they're more piss and wind that actual bodily harm. The Bloods and the Crips they ain't.

I've walked around CHC at all hours of the night - usually on my way home from Sullivan's Irish pub - and never felt the slightest bit threatened.

Find out more about Christchurch at http://New-Zealand-Travel-Guide.com/canterbury.htm

David Morris on June 6, 2008 at 1:36 AM #Permalink

use your brain

I am a female in my early 20s. people really just need to use there brain, we do have our problems with fights but what country doesn't? Tourist get a false idea that NZ is safer than there own country, please its not its the same, just use common sense, saftey in numbers and be aware of some 'bad' spots, i hope tourism NZ, police and the public can warn tourist of these areas,

seriously NZ is not dangerous. There are just SOME dickheads who ruin it for everyone

travelbug on August 15, 2009 at 7:48 AM #Permalink

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