Things I’ve stopped feeling since moving to New Zealand

photo credit: weegeebored

Locking my car doors as I get in

In South Africa, it’s common sense to keep your car doors locked at all times. I was in the habit of getting into the car, starting the engine, and locking the doors (with my elbow).

I’d feel vulnerable driving around with unlocked doors.

Why I stopped : It just feels unnecessary here. (And the locking mechanism in our current car requires more than an elbow!)

Closing all the windows when I leave the house

Likewise, South African street-smarts dictate that you don’t leave possible entry points to your home accessible. We’d feel nervous about leaving windows even slightly open in our bedroom at night, and wouldn’t think of leaving un-barred windows open at all, while we weren’t present.

Why I stopped : Again, it feels unnecessary. Sure, there’s still opportunistic crime here, but I feel less “paranoid”, and more trusting of my fellow man, since leaving South Africa.

Driving around the block when I notice the car behind me taking the same route I am

I used to be proud of this one – it made me feel like a spy – While approaching home, if I noticed that the car behind me had taken the same route for a while, I’d avoid my house, and drive around the block until it turned off. This was on the (quite plausible) assumption that there were bad men in that car, who’d jump out and attack me as soon as I’d opened up my gates and doors, giving them access to my home.

Why I stopped : I felt silly the first couple of times I did it. We don’t have a big electric fence and gate here, which would otherwise making coming-home time the ideal moment to attack. If somebody really wanted to rob our house, they’d do it while we’re not around, to minimize the (significant) risk of being caught.

Summary

Kiwis will all tell you that New Zealand is not without crime. It’s true. But their crime level, and their national awareness of crime, is far, far lower than what we were used to in South Africa. Maybe it’s normal, but it sure makes you realize how abnormally dangerous South Africa felt.

Note: I’ve used the word “feel” six times above, because that’s what I’m noticing: How safe I feel, not necessarily how safe I am.

I don’t have relevant data (corresponding crime and resolution statistics) to make an accurate factual comparison.