Police Press Release - Bulletproof motocyclists

[Ronin]

From: http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/21676.html


30 November, 2009 - 15:00

Increased motorcycle traffic on Canterbury's State Highways recently has urged Police to issue yet another warning to riders. Several motorcycle related events around the South Island have meant large numbers of motor cycles travelling up and down State Highways 1 and 7.

Focused enforcement has resulted in a higher than usual number of infringement notices issued to motorcyclists for speeding, with speeds of 120km/h plus being the norm. Overtaking on bends and yellow lines are also far too common, as are riders who do not have the appropriate licence or who are breaching the conditions of their graduated licence.

Increased enforcement is also targeting the behaviour of motorcyclists on State Highway 75 between Christchurch and Akaroa, where 4 motorcyclists lost their lives in 2008.

"Unfortunately there is a section of the motor cycling fraternity who see themselves as bullet proof and are prepared to take unnecessary risks which all too often are claiming their lives, and putting other road users at risk," says Senior Sergeant Neville Hyland, Canterbury Highway Patrol. "The saddest part of this whole equation is that a large proportion of these riders are family men, who run the risk of depriving their own families of a husband and father."

It is timely, with Christmas approaching and the summer weather more conducive to dusting off the bike and taking it out for a ride, to urge all motorcyclists to act responsibly and within the law. "If you feel the need to ride at high speeds, take it to the race track," says Senior Sergeant Hyland.

A 41 year old male motorcyclist will appear in the Rangiora District Court charged with driving while suspended, after being stopped twice by Police in North Canterbury within half an hour this afternoon, Monday 30 November. He was initially stopped for speeding (141km/h) and his licence suspended for 28 days for travelling at more than 40 km/h over the limit. He was stopped a second time a short distance away and his motorcycle impounded.

Two motorcycle riders have lost their lives on Canterbury roads so far in 2009. Last year, seven riders and two pillion passengers were killed. The increased enforcement will continue.

Senior Sergeant Neville Hyland, phone 03 3132669

Oh dear.....

[R6_kid]

Fair call. I don't agree with the 'speed kills' campaign, but blatantly ignoring the law and riding in an unsafe manor is just retarded. At a time when we have the media spotlight on us, and outlets like TV3 ready to pounce on any negative biker-related story they can, you'd think that those who act this way would be able to restrain themselves just a bit.

[pzkpfw]

About twice as many people died last year from stuff-ups in hospitals, as riders died.

( http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/3109215/Mistakes-contribute-to-92-deaths-in-hospitals )



(Not that I'm saying it's a good thing. Much better if none of us died, of course. And it's something we can control ourselves (as opposed to being at the mercy of an overworked hospital staffer).

Just trying to put perspective on it.)

[mashman]

PAH!!! what can ya say to something like that... accidents will happen, people will have a rush of blood to the head every now and then... let's just hope noone comes a cropper... cheers for the concern Mr Fuzz

[avgas]

Speeding on Burn Munro week.......never........

Sounds to me like the trap was set well before the bait was placed

[nrc]

See this has just made the Stuff website...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/3111253/Crackdown-on-bikers-reveals-speeding-widespread

Looks like a pretty good copy and paste job to me.

NRC.

[YellowDog]

I am all for road users of any kind being stopped for dangerous driving/riding.

This speeding thing is a problem. Travelling at 140kph on European roads is pretty common and not a problem (or at least it wasn't the last time I was there)

[Elysium]

The Fuzz are warning you!

Seriously 120 is what most traffic seems to be driving at anyway, hell I can be doing 120 and still have tail gaters trying to get past me.

[NighthawkNZ]

Looks like a pretty good copy and paste job to me.


Most likely and RSS feed of some decription

[MSTRS]

.................................................. .............

Seriously 120 is what most traffic seems to be driving at anyway, hell I can be doing 120 and still have tail gaters trying to get past me.

You in NZ? Doesn't sound like it!
Anyway, if you do 100-110 those tailgaters will still be there, doing their stuff. It's not your job to stay in front of them. But if you try, and a cop sees you, anecdotal evidence says that you, the motorcyclist, will be stopped. There must be an instruction doing the rounds.

[laxette]

About twice as many people died last year from stuff-ups in hospitals, as riders died.

( http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/3109215/Mistakes-contribute-to-92-deaths-in-hospitals )



(Not that I'm saying it's a good thing. Much better if none of us died, of course. And it's something we can control ourselves (as opposed to being at the mercy of an overworked hospital staffer).

Just trying to put perspective on it.)

ACC must be gonna tripple acc contributions for medical staff too then:woohoo:

[scissorhands]

'Any excuse to ticket biker', month, coming up in Canterbury

[Elysium]

If they want to make even more money they should look at truckies who drive over their speed limits.

[AllanB]

Nah - 120 is fast in the South Island. It cracks me up when you leave the South and head over the creek the speed immediately increases in the North Island. Well IMO anyway.

120 on the open road around Christchurch and Canterbury will see you passing 95% of the traffic. Well excluding motorcycles.

I am pretty sure I know the reason for this too .......

Most of our drivers are that shit on the open road that they need to keep their speeds low!

On the bright side we are much nicer people in the South Island :woohoo: (until Skidmark comes back :bash:)

[R6_kid]

If they want to make even more money they should look at truckies who drive over their speed limits.

If they want to make the roads safer then they should target people that are potentially endangering their own lives and those of others. Assuming they are ticketing bikers for passing on double yellows and passing around corners then I think they are starting the right place.

In my experience most cops can turn a blind eye to slight speeding, but you can't expect them not to ticket people for dangerous behaviour - especially if it is known that a 'problem group' will be passing through a particular area. You'd have to be a hermit to not be aware of the fact that the Police tend to target areas that are likely to be transited by people heading to any motorsport event. The thing is that by staying reasonably within the law on one long distance journey you will realise that you don't gain a whole lot by riding/driving like a dickhead.

[ukusa]

Speed isn't the killer, 120kph is not really the issue imho. It's the dickheads that pass on blind corners, crossing the centreline around sweeping bends. It soesn't matter if you're doing 80 or 120 in those situations. If you can't see what's ahead don't do it.
I've ridden in plenty of rides with 10+ bikes in a group ride, all sitting on 120kph and in my experience the cops usually just let you carry on cruising as long as no-one is doing anything stupid or any hugely excessive speeds like 140 - 150

[AllanB]

SH 75 is the 'track' to Akaroa and treated as such by a lot of motorcyclists.

It's a fine road with a nice set of curvy flats before the climb up and down the hills to Akaroa. Good stops for coffee etc at Little River, the Hill Top pub or Akaroa. Excellent motorcycling country and 'difficult' to behave legally.

Unfortunately the 'other' vehicle traffic has increased considerably over the past few years as the Rail Trail has opened up. Blind corners, cyclists and camper-vans - you have got to watch out for them!

They do at least one motorcycle blitz our there over summer, checking documentation and running marked and unmarked cars up and down the highway. Nothing wrong with that as to be honest we appear to need reminders occasionally to behave.

[MSTRS]

Hugely excessive is subjective. 60kph past a primary school at 10 to 9 of a mon-fri is. But 200+ on a straight road, with no intersections, nobody around, in the middle of nowhere isn't. Necessarily.

[AllanB]

200+ on a straight road, with no intersections, nobody around, in the middle of nowhere isn't. Necessarily.

Katman
:corn:

[Ronin]

Katman
:corn:

Oi shift over.

:beer:

[Ronin]

Speed isn't the killer, 120kph is not really the issue imho. It's the dickheads that pass on blind corners, crossing the centreline around sweeping bends. It soesn't matter if you're doing 80 or 120 in those situations. If you can't see what's ahead don't do it.
I've ridden in plenty of rides with 10+ bikes in a group ride, all sitting on 120kph and in my experience the cops usually just let you carry on cruising as long as no-one is doing anything stupid or any hugely excessive speeds like 140 - 150

That's the one.

[fliplid]

If they want to make even more money they should look at truckies who drive over their speed limits.

I'd be bloody lucky to get my work truck actually up to the legal motorway speed, especially with a legall weight load on board!

[neels]

I get tailgated by people in cars because I cruise at 100-110:laugh:

[Elysium]

I'd be bloody lucky to get my work truck actually up to the legal motorway speed, especially with a legall weight load on board!

In all seriousness I don't see many truck trailer units obeying the speed limit. What is the limit for Truck and Trailer, 90km/h?

[p.dath]

Hugely excessive is subjective. 60kph past a primary school at 10 to 9 of a mon-fri is. But 200+ on a straight road, with no intersections, nobody around, in the middle of nowhere isn't. Necessarily.

Except we have no public roads in NZ engineered for this level of speed.

It only requires the smallest of fuck ups (oil on road, pot holes, spilled gravel, rider error) to make 200km/h a death sentence - and not just for you.

[p.dath]

I get tailgated by people in cars because I cruise at 100-110:laugh:

Easy - let them pass. Not worth having an accident over.

[Tink]

Unfortunately the 'other' vehicle traffic has increased considerably over the past few years as the Rail Trail has opened up. Blind corners, cyclists and camper-vans - you have got to watch out for them!

.

I tend to agree, speeding blind and hitting the back of another vehicle can't be fun... but keeping to the limit and still hitting another vehicle is still no fun... so its a no win situation or ya just slow down on the blind.

It happened to a friend... :( on a hill... car doing 70km.

I have pillioned twice recently at night, and both times we have been over taken doing 80km (us)... them (at least 90km or more... on double yellow lines... and they were in a CAR...

mmm food for thought, I want to live to ride, not die to live.

[phred]

The Fuzz are warning you!

Seriously 120 is what most traffic seems to be driving at anyway, hell I can be doing 120 and still have tail gaters trying to get past me.

I was overtaken by a shitbox doing 130 on the Hauraki plains whilst traveling at 120. Who are the cops targetting? I was then tailgated by a commode through karangahke gorge whilst travelling slightly above the posted speed limits.
Keeping to the speed limit is a good way to get your arse kicked by oh so safe cagers.

[Edbear]

I tend to agree, speeding blind and hitting the back of another vehicle can't be fun... but keeping to the limit and still hitting another vehicle is still no fun... so its a no win situation or ya just slow down on the blind.

It happened to a friend... :( on a hill... car doing 70km.

I have pillioned twice recently at night, and both times we have been over taken doing 80km (us)... them (at least 90km or more... on double yellow lines... and they were in a CAR...

mmm food for thought, I want to live to ride, not die to live.

Umm... How does one do that...?:wacko:

[Tink]

Umm... How does one do that...?:wacko:

I was awaiting someone to pick up on that one... someone that climbs mountains, or jumps out of planes, extreme people or us even riders, LIVE (we don't sit in front of the tv all our lives, we live)

But if we do it properly without being a idiot there is more likely chance we will not DIE.

[skidMark]

Nah - 120 is fast in the South Island. It cracks me up when you leave the South and head over the creek the speed immediately increases in the North Island. Well IMO anyway.

120 on the open road around Christchurch and Canterbury will see you passing 95% of the traffic. Well excluding motorcycles.

I am pretty sure I know the reason for this too .......

Most of our drivers are that shit on the open road that they need to keep their speeds low!

On the bright side we are much nicer people in the South Island :woohoo: (until Skidmark comes back :bash:)

too late..... xoxox :laugh:

[skidMark]

Funny thing is i'm on SH1 in north canterbury frequently, and i see more cars doing silly overtakes than bikes, and more often than not cars overtaking bikes....

saw a guy yesterday wind his falcon ute up to about 160 just to pass 2 bikes cruising at about 105.... riders seem pretty sensible down here compared to the auckland crew, most on tourers/ cruisers... and 2 up... cops down here dont really have anything better to do though.

[Chisanga]

Funny thing is i'm on SH1 in north canterbury frequently, and i see more cars doing silly overtakes than bikes, and more often than not cars overtaking bikes....

saw a guy yesterday wind his falcon ute up to about 160 just to pass 2 bikes cruising at about 105.... riders seem pretty sensible down here compared to the auckland crew, most on tourers/ cruisers... and 2 up... cops down here dont really have anything better to do though.

Seems similar to the North Western in Auckland. Default speed seems to be at least 120 in the fast lane and have seen some very dodgy overtaking. The Southern is more sedate as far as speed (but not in crazy overtaking/lane changing cages).... I guess it is busier and has narrower lanes?