The Ed's Column

[Big Dave]

This month's is on the blog re Police policy:

http://kiwiridermagazine.blogspot.com/2009/06/ed-whos-bad-guy-here.html

[NDORFN]

BRILLIANT! How many signatures on a petition would be required to take it to parliment?

[Mikkel]

Well written piece that highlights what is indeed, IMHO, a serious issue.


BRILLIANT! How many signatures on a petition would be required to take it to parliment?

If you take 8 and put it on its side you might be going somewhere. Petitions, pft!

[NDORFN]

Well written piece that highlights what is indeed, IMHO, a serious issue.



If you take 8 and put it on its side you might be going somewhere. Petitions, pft!

Got a better idea?

[Mikkel]

Viva la revolution! (http://www.enemyforces.net/firearms/ak47.jpg) :cool:

Depends on what you mean by petition - if you mean an online petition, then it's a waste of time. If you're willing to go around gathering real life signatures for a petition and then take it to your local MP, then maybe...

I fear however that the "Speed kills" indoctrination campaign has been successful enough that the majority of the population would be difficult to shake out of their new-found gospel.

[NDORFN]

Viva la revolution! (http://www.enemyforces.net/firearms/ak47.jpg) :cool:

Depends on what you mean by petition - if you mean an online petition, then it's a waste of time. If you're willing to go around gathering real life signatures for a petition and then take it to your local MP, then maybe...

I fear however that the "Speed kills" indoctrination campaign has been successful enough that the majority of the population would be difficult to shake out of their new-found gospel.

I disagree. Having been relieved of the nanny-government, and dropped into a recession where someone getting ticketed $120 for doing 112km could break the bank, people are starting to realise that bubble wrapping ourselves and encouraging the police to enforce the law to the letter isn't productive. I think the lesson most people have learnt from the past 9 years under Aunty Helen is that you have to take risks if you want to grow. Well that's the general concensus I have come across so far... there's only one way to find out!... I am totally prepared to tour the country gathering signatures for a petition, which could be delivered to parliment by bikers en-masse. Do you know of any MP's that ride?

[NDORFN]

BTW... I don't think anyone actually believes in "SPEED KILLS", I think in most minds, that statement translates to "SPEED COSTS". And by "costs" I don't mean lives.

[Ixion]

Preaching to the choir, I'm afraid.

But, interstingly, yesterdays Harold had an article by Jim Hopkins (don't get much more mainstream than that) suggesting that the police need to take a long hard look at themselves.

Pendulums always swing back the other way eventually.

[NDORFN]

It's not preaching to the choir. It's getting the choir to sing to parliment.

[Sparrowhawk]

I'd sign. We all know that it's not speed that kills, it's impacts & loss of control. But I also have seen cops doing dangerous U turns. One last night on Hunua Rd did a snap u-turn coz he saw another cop driving the other way, and then they double parked so they can chat.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a cop basher, I think they do a hard job, but they are being forced to focus on minor traffic violations which is taking them away from robberies & assaults. Priorities people!

[Kickaha]

But I also have seen cops doing dangerous U turns.

I've seen all sorts of people doing dangerous U turns, can we please have a petition about them to?

[jono035]

Yeah, I guess what it comes down to is that speeding is a black and white situation. You get a little number on the gun/dashboard that says whether or not the person is breaking the law and if he is you chase him and ticket him. Actually exercising judgement as to what is dangerous or not is too difficult.

Traffic cops are a long way from being the only ones being subjected to this principle, ever had a boss that spends more time making sure you're not 2 minutes late in the morning rather than paying attention to how productive you actually are?

[p.dath]

The speed limit is the speed limit. Although it seems mean, I have no problems with the Police giving you a ticket for doing 115km/h in a 100km/h zone, no matter how safe you think it is.

Although it seems safe, there are so many dangers you can't perceive, and the additional damage you do to your body at speed costs the tax payer that much more to treat.

So please save me from paying more tax, and travel at the speed limit on public roads.

As for Police pulling U-turns and hurting members of the public; they should be treated the same as any other member of the public doing this. It's not acceptable for one user of the road to hurt another just so they can get somewhere faster.

[jono035]

My problem is not so much with the getting ticketed for going over the speed limit as much as the emphasis that is placed on catching people who speed vs catching people who do what, in my opinion, are more dangerous and stupid things on the road.

I also do not believe that treating the speed limit as a magical golden line where you cross from being safe to unsafe is helpful in any respect...

If something goes wrong at speed then yes, the consequences are more severe, but an extra 12 km/hr over the speed limit on a straight clear passing lane (my last speeding ticket) to get past a guy with a trailer doing 60km/hr in the corners and 90-100 on the straights (illegal anyway) is certainly not the deadly sin that it is currently portrayed to be...

[pete376403]

I got stopped going to the Brass, just north of Kaikoura. Mufti Honda Accord coming the other way flashed the disco lights and did a U turn to get behind me. Did the U turn right at the exit of a (for me) right hand corner. Anyone following me would have hit the car, no questions asked.
I was tempted to ask about the Buller gorge incident and hadn't they learned anything from that but didnt.
My henious crime? 118km/hr.

[NDORFN]

I've seen all sorts of people doing dangerous U turns, can we please have a petition about them to?

No because we wont need to if we force the police proceedures review then not only will the police stop doing dangerous U-turns but the police themselves will stop "all sorts of people" from doing dangerous U-turns. Do you get how this works and how it'll benefit all riders now?

[NDORFN]

The speed limit is the speed limit. Although it seems mean, I have no problems with the Police giving you a ticket for doing 115km/h in a 100km/h zone, no matter how safe you think it is.

Although it seems safe, there are so many dangers you can't perceive, and the additional damage you do to your body at speed costs the tax payer that much more to treat.

So please save me from paying more tax, and travel at the speed limit on public roads.

As for Police pulling U-turns and hurting members of the public; they should be treated the same as any other member of the public doing this. It's not acceptable for one user of the road to hurt another just so they can get somewhere faster.

Why does it have to be about money (tax dollars) when it can be about FREEDOM.

[oldrider]

This month's is on the blog re Police policy:

http://kiwiridermagazine.blogspot.com/2009/06/ed-whos-bad-guy-here.html

I am very dissapointed with the current governments "priority" focus!

Why?

Because I thought they would have placed "Law and order, justice and corrections" on a first priority order for reform!

The current situation (mainly a Labour legacy) is a joke and even more disfunctional than "Auckland City"!

This government is just carrying on where Labour left off and some cases exacerbating the problems. I.E. speed! :doh:

[MaxB]

Good article. I have always wondered what is the point of a cop doing a dangerous lane change or u-turn to catch someone a few percent over the speed limit.

In-car video cams would go a long way to removing the need for chases. You get driver and car i.d. and time and place all in one handy digital file.

[jono035]

Good article. I have always wondered what is the point of a cop doing a dangerous lane change or u-turn to catch someone a few percent over the speed limit.

In-car video cams would go a long way to removing the need for chases. You get driver and car i.d. and time and place all in one handy digital file.

I've never particularly liked that idea, but I don't see how anyone could really argue against it given that it isn't too dissimilar from current speed cameras...

Also, if made reasonably tamperproof, it would provide a good way of seeing more evidence when something like the gorge incident occurs...

[NDORFN]

Good article. I have always wondered what is the point of a cop doing a dangerous lane change or u-turn to catch someone a few percent over the speed limit.

In-car video cams would go a long way to removing the need for chases. You get driver and car i.d. and time and place all in one handy digital file.

I'm totally with you on that idea. It would also make them more accountable for proof of infractions where it's thier word against yours, like not stopping at a stop sign etc...

[peasea]

Good article. I have always wondered what is the point of a cop doing a dangerous lane change or u-turn to catch someone a few percent over the speed limit.


Agreed. The whole system needs a bit of a tune up really, the cops just do what they're told (for the most part) and they're only trying to make quota. The punishment should fit the crime, meaning 115kph in heavy motorway traffic is more of a crime against humanity than 115kph round the back of Mt Ruapehu, even though you're doing 15kph over the limit in both cases. That's over-simplifying it perhaps but you get my drift.

I read an article recently (forget where) in which some person of note suggested that the police should take a long, hard look at themselves in an effort to regain the public's trust etc. I've been saying that for years but I'm not a person of note. However, it was heartening to see someone else has the same opinion and that I'm not just cop-bashing, I'm simply being observant.

Cops have a culture of dishonesty, bullying, self righteousness and a 'you can't touch me' aloofness that needs to be curtailed. In other words; they need to pull their collective heads in and I think they could be about to get such a directive. We'll see.

Learning good manners would be a great start. They could follow that by concentrating more on ticketing people who pull dangerous stunts and failing to indicate etc than doing 111kph on the highway.

Rant over.

[Robbo]

I am very dissapointed with the current governments "priority" focus!

Why?

Because I thought they would have placed "Law and order, justice and corrections" on a first priority order for reform!

The current situation (mainly a Labour legacy) is a joke and even more disfunctional than "Auckland City"!

This government is just carrying on where Labour left off and some cases exacerbating the problems. I.E. speed! :doh:

Well said John. I have always supported MP's who have campaigned on Law and Order as their priority before elections and have been continuously let down in the past. This time i really thought we would see some positive action in this direction but unfortunately we appear to have been let down once again.
Are there any politicians here in NZ who actually have any balls? :angry2:

[jono035]

Are there any politicians here in NZ who actually have any balls? :angry2:

We just shipped the last one off to the UN...

[Marmoot]

The article started brilliantly and went on amazingly on exposing the cause of the problem ("because Police HQ have elevated exceeding the speed limit to a status it simply does not deserve – that of a serious crime.")

Then it went on to an absolutely rubbish closing argument (Should the Police review their policy on 'pursuits' in the wake of the carnage their cops are causing with their (illegal?) U-turns on busy roads?)

It's a bit like having premature ejaculation in a heated intercourse.
Please convey my disappointment to the writer.

The real conclusion should be around how police should review their priorities between to protect, to serve, and to enforce. It is between law enforcement and the purpose of law enforcement itself (safety and security). It is between the methods and the goals. Is the method worth doing for the results?

Review the pursuit policy....bah! What goal and which direction the review should go to? Are we advocating against police pursuit? So ambiguous. So shortsighted.

[Big Dave]

Thank you for your feedback.

I also don't want to 'encourage' boi racers running me off the road on the motorway either. However - there have been some sad events too.