Revenue Gathering aka "Road Safety"

[k14]

Saw that Sunday is doing a doco about the cops and their approach to revenue gathering, oops I mean "road safety" tonight at 7:30. Should be good for a 2 sided view to it, although I doubt if it will change my opinion.

[Menial]

it has abit about how biased the LTSA claims actually are; to do with stopping distances etc I guess

[Skyryder]

Saw that Sunday is doing a doco about the cops and their approach to revenue gathering, oops I mean "road safety" tonight at 7:30. Should be good for a 2 sided view to it, although I doubt if it will change my opinion.

I think what a lot of us do not realise what the cops see on the road in the course of their duty. I remeber a few years ago at a party I got into a chinwag with an officer who was telling me the sort of issues they have to deal with at accident sites. While the blood and guts is bad enough it is the injured that use to give this guy the shits. That and the relaitives girl/boyfriend, husband/wives and the children: both the dead and the living, not to mention a host of other shit that we do not see as we drive past an accident scene. Sometimes we need to stepback a bit and just wonder what it would be like out there without them.


Skyryder

[dangerous]

Sometimes we need to stepback a bit and just wonder what it would be like out there without them. Skyryder

A hell of a more relaxing ride, knowing that after the next car that I'm following at 90kph.... when I pass it, and hit 111kph that I wont be nicked for it AGAIN :mad:

[FROSTY]

I only have a problem with the bloody hidden cameras -They can't possibly achieve anything.

[k14]

hahahahahaha, well that just emphasised the fact that the reasons are solely money driven. That head cop they were interviewing got completly shot down in flames by that reporter.

What a joke.

[Yamahamaman]

hahahahahaha, well that just emphasised the fact that the reasons are solely money driven. That head cop they were interviewing got completly shot down in flames by that reporter.

What a joke.
Indeed, that word 'benefit' did not help the LTSA case at all.

[Deano]

How about this for an idea.

To highlight that it is not just speed that kills, we all make a united effort to call *555 for EVERY incident of law breaking on the road.

For instance, following distances, failing to indicate, pulling out in front of you etc.

I liked the example of overtaking "safely" at 100km/h. It highlighted to me that it is safer to exceed the speed limit if need bew to overtake quickly than to stick within the 100k/h rule - and who really wants to chance a ticket at the officer's discretion ?

I may be a hypocrite in some instances by the way I ride, but generally speaking motorcyclists are putting themselves at danger as we are most vulnerable. I think that you make a judgement call as to whether a particular manouvere is safe or not - and the bikers who do not generally do not live long.

I think incompetence contributes to more accidents than speed. I recall reading in here that something like 12% of road deaths (or accidents are caused by speed), or should that be more accuratley put, speed CONTRIBUTED to the accident, implying that the driver was not able to safely drive his vehicle at that speed.

Take the autobahns - I know they are fantastic roads, smooth, fairly straight etc, but some of those guys travel at up to 300km/h, and if you are under 160km/h, you better be in the slow lane

I don't really approve of narcing on motorists, but if thats what it takes to show the LTSA that other factors beside speed are occurring every minute of the day, then they may have to admit that the focus predominantly on speed is misguided and admit it is revenue gathering.

Personally, if I was regularly getting ticketed for speed, my response would be to go out and buy a detector - so what is the deterrant ?

p.s Its not speeding that kills it is the stopping.

[Yamahamaman]

How about this for an idea.

To highlight that it is not just speed that kills, we all make a united effort to call *555 for EVERY incident of law breaking on the road.


Yeah, I like the idea :)
However:-
Scenario - see incident, stop on side of road, take off gloves, remove helmet, dial *555, damn what was that plate number :crybaby:

[Deano]

I think what a lot of us do not realise what the cops see on the road in the course of their duty. I remeber a few years ago at a party I got into a chinwag with an officer who was telling me the sort of issues they have to deal with at accident sites. While the blood and guts is bad enough it is the injured that use to give this guy the shits. That and the relaitives girl/boyfriend, husband/wives and the children: both the dead and the living, not to mention a host of other shit that we do not see as we drive past an accident scene. Sometimes we need to stepback a bit and just wonder what it would be like out there without them.


Skyryder

I don't think the dig is at the Police, but the LTSA and their policies/evidence.

[Skyryder]

Yeah, I like the idea :)
However:-
Scenario - see incident, stop on side of road, take off gloves, remove helmet, dial *555, damn what was that plate number :crybaby:

Now that is not a silly idea. However when you ring *555 your phone number is recorded so make sure you know the number before dialling.

Skyryder

[Deano]

Now that is not a silly idea. However when you ring *555 your phone number is recorded so make sure you know the number before dialling.

Skyryder

I got asked my name, address and phone number when I rang the other day (had a gutsful of being cut off with little or no indication into my 2 sec buffer )

Thankfully I didn't get asked to go to the station to make a written complaint.

[Yamahamaman]

Now that is not a silly idea. However when you ring *555 your phone number is recorded so make sure you know the number before dialling.

Skyryder
What part of the idea do you like.
(1) Stopping on the side of the road to use a Cell Phone,
(2) or reporting an incident using *555.

In case it was not evident, for a motorcyclist to report an incident using *555 one has to stop and remove helmet and gloves. Pitty really that tin-top users are not also similarly restricted - could save some lives.

It's amazing what you see splitting on the NW. People in tin-tops studying their latest snaps, texting their friends, applying makeup, anything but paying attention to that which is in front of them.
SCARY STUFF.

[spudchucka]

I think incompetence contributes to more accidents than speed. I recall reading in here that something like 12% of road deaths (or accidents are caused by speed), or should that be more accuratley put, speed CONTRIBUTED to the accident, implying that the driver was not able to safely drive his vehicle at that speed.
You are of course correct, incompetence and a complete disregard of the road rules is what causes many accidents. If everyone obeyed the road rules and stayed on their own side of the road there would be few or no crashes. The one LTSA ad of late I thought was any good was the intersection "don't worry be happy" one.

Speed itself may not cause the accidents, (in some cases it does) but it is an aggravating factor of all crashes that contributes to the total damage done as a result of an accident. I fail to see how anyone can deny this.

As for hidden speed cameras, even I'll agree that this stinks of revenue gathering almost as if it were a type of "toll" to use the road.

I can't say what motivates the LTSA but police see all to often the end result of road crashes. This is what motivates cops, not revenue or quotas but the possability that they might save a life.

[James Deuce]

I got asked my name, address and phone number when I rang the other day (had a gutsful of being cut off with little or no indication into my 2 sec buffer )

Thankfully I didn't get asked to go to the station to make a written complaint.

They'll post the forms out. The wife and I have taken to ringing *555 for every little everything that puts us in danger. Including travelling too slowly. Its our little way of fighting back and it would be grand if everyone did it.

[Deano]

They'll post the forms out. The wife and I have taken to ringing *555 for every little everything that puts us in danger. Including travelling too slowly. Its our little way of fighting back and it would be grand if everyone did it.

It would certainly give the statisticians something to mull over.......besides speed.

[k14]

You are of course correct, incompetence and a complete disregard of the road rules is what causes many accidents. If everyone obeyed the road rules and stayed on their own side of the road there would be few or no crashes. The one LTSA ad of late I thought was any good was the intersection "don't worry be happy" one.

Speed itself may not cause the accidents, (in some cases it does) but it is an aggravating factor of all crashes that contributes to the total damage done as a result of an accident. I fail to see how anyone can deny this.

As for hidden speed cameras, even I'll agree that this stinks of revenue gathering almost as if it were a type of "toll" to use the road.

I can't say what motivates the LTSA but police see all to often the end result of road crashes. This is what motivates cops, not revenue or quotas but the possability that they might save a life.

Totally agree with you there. I just object to the way in which this is policed. They say that by doing this they "are" reducing the road toll. But as the professor said, it is inconclusive and following the trends around the world.

What epitomises their attutude is the policeman that was hiding behind a bush with the laser gun. The head cop denied that he was hiding, what a complete load of shit. The only thing that this activity would have caused is some poor sods doing 110kph coming home from work loosing $120 (or whatever), not making people slow down. Although it was an EXTREMLY dangerous stretch of road with multiple fatal accidents each day, it is definately justified :2guns:. The police should try to be seen as clear as possible because just the sight of a marked police car will make people slow down.

I just wish some more people would start making a stand. This should be a good talking point in the elections next year.

[James Deuce]

It would certainly give the statisticians something to mull over.......besides speed.

Non-LTSA ones anyway. :)

[Deano]

Non-LTSA ones anyway. :)

Cynism, I love it . lol

Missed u on Thur ?

[James Deuce]

Cynism, I love it . lol

Missed u on Thur ?


Sorry bud - wife unwell and kids to organise - completely forgot!

[sAsLEX]

Personally loved the bit where he went on about wanting to put trained "operatives" at dangerous spots and not catch a single speeder. Cut to scene of extremly dangerous tunnel, no serious accident due to speed in five years, and all the rotten criminals doing 62 threatening the lives of all the toddlers and babys about to jump in front of them!! :2guns:

Not once have I seen a cop not revenue gathering, speed cameras are on straights and at the end of passing lanes and cop just love these new dangerous expressways!

And when questioned, the "operative", said that he was not simply revenue gathering but saving lives or something....?

Oh and 80 Million dollars was earned in the interest of our safety?? anyone else been down 22 lately could see that there is a lot of places this money could have been spent but it just goes in the government coffers.

To call the officer question dumb would have been an understatement, all he did was preach from some official line, shoud have hit him up about how other countrys have raised speed limits recently, italy 150 or so

[Morepower]

Now here is an idea that I have come up with before.

Lets say its a holiday weekend and there is a known black spot ( like Highway one near mercer ) and its raining.
The HWP knowing that this is a danger spot could sign post the dangerous road as follows ;

WARNING: High risk area next 30kms , Speed Cameras & Mobile Patrols operating.

Then Police the area heavily.

They should catch no one except the extremely stupid and prevent any speed related accidents.This would be much better than sitting at the end of a passing lane where there has been no accidents for the last 30 years.

The only problem with this as there would be no revenue :doh:

and thats why it would never happen

[Lou Girardin]

So ticketing people for 11 km/h over the limit saves lives, does it? Fanatics are people who believe their own propaganda.
Alan Wilkinson has shown that the road toll has risen since this 'zero tolerance' approach started, as it has in Victoria. Our role model.
I particularly liked the segment on overtaking at the speed limit. 28 SECONDS on the wrong side of the road! And that moron cop would still not concede that it was unsafe or that his troops heavily target passing lanes. He wouldn't even definitively state that there is a 10 km/h tolerance. Where do they get these people?
I also despair at the arguement that the cops actions are justified because they see things most people don't. That is the best reason for uninvolved people to set policy, then emotion doesn't cloud the issue. I saw plenty of burnt, dismembered corpses, but it didn't send me into a wild crusade to ticket every driver fractionally exceeding the limit. The cops and LTSA need to regain their perspective on this issue.

[scumdog]

A lot of you have valid arguments but I have a couple of comments:
If the speed limit was raised to 120k on better road I think there would be more problems than before - the public have enough problems remembering when they have just entered a 70k or 50 k area without giving them another speed zone to think about.
The mention of 160k speed limit in Italy - have you checked their road toll lately? like twin towers every six months.
The autobahn, right, solid median barriers, single dirrection of travel, EXPENSIVELY engineered roads AND good road tolls when somebody DOES screw-up.
I'm not supprting LTSA by any means but until the stupidity/folowing too close/inattention road-side camera/radar is perfected I guess we will have to keep speed limits to a level where dumb-asses aren't killing themselves too often and as most of the driving population seems to be dumber than a sack of hammers I guess us "sharper" dudes will just have to fall into line - (most of the time) :whistle:

[James Deuce]

A lot of you have valid arguments but I have a couple of comments:
If the speed limit was raised to 120k on better road I think there would be more problems than before - the public have enough problems remembering when they have just entered a 70k or 50 k area without giving them another speed zone to think about.
The mention of 160k speed limit in Italy - have you checked their road toll lately? like twin towers every six months.
The autobahn, right, solid median barriers, single dirrection of travel, EXPENSIVELY engineered roads AND good road tolls when somebody DOES screw-up.
I'm not supprting LTSA by any means but until the stupidity/folowing too close/inattention road-side camera/radar is perfected I guess we will have to keep speed limits to a level where dumb-asses aren't killing themselves too often and as most of the driving population seems to be dumber than a sack of hammers I guess us "sharper" dudes will just have to fall into line - (most of the time) :whistle:

Actually Italy has a population of 57 million, and we rank 11th equal per head of capita in the developed world for road deaths - with Italy. Their accident rate has dropped since the speed limit was upped by 2%, but that is within both an error of margin, and standard deviation.

[Morepower]

Its an old theme but the ability of many NZ drivers behind the wheel is dismal to dangerous.
I drive 50000kms pa. mostly during the week for work. 8 - 5 during the week its quite good out on the roads as most people are going about thier business and as they are in the majority people who spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel , are driving well and courtiously.

The problem with weekends and in particularly holiday weekends , the whole population gets mobile and this includes a lot whos driving ability is marginal in urban areas let alone out on the main roads. I will avoid driving at these times as the standard of driving is often alarming.

When I taught my son to drive , we spent many hours on a dirt road by the river just going through basics , like starting , stopping , changing gear etc until he was comfortable with the basics of car control.

From there we went to a deserted industrial area on Sundays and learned about intersections , vehicle placement and more practice.

Once he was capable we did stuff like braking hard without locking the wheels , Steering while braking . He interestingly was natural at skid control from driving his go cart on the dirt.

Only then after many weeks did we venture out into the traffic.

By doing it this way car control was second nature and he could concentrate on dealing with the traffic.

Driving schools teach them to pass the licence and little else from my experience , particularly the way some instructers drive themselves !

The current LTSA policy is to Police for the most incompetent out on the roads and not seriously look at how to improve the driving skills of our population. Again because one earns revenue , the other dosn't

Thats my rave for today :) Dave

[scumdog]

Actually Italy has a population of 57 million, and we rank 11th equal per head of capita in the developed world for road deaths - with Italy. Their accident rate has dropped since the speed limit was upped by 2%, but that is within both an error of margin, and standard deviation.

Our road toll has risen slightly - but our car numbers has done so by an even larger amount, as has the km's covered per annum.

[Ghost Lemur]

Are any of you (from both sides of the fence) going to start providing link to back up your claims.

I've just noticed a lot of "facts" being thown around through different threads on this subject and yet no one seems to be backing up their position with verifiable evidence. Before any of you have a go at me, I am not saying that anyone is talking out there asses, just that from a interested and yet open minded possition, it would be better for the indervidual to be able to see the evidence in order to formulate their own possition.

Unfortunately I have found staticians to be much like reporters. Both go into an assignment with a preset possition/angle, and then search out the "evidence" to back up their possition. This is a normal human function, but prevents me from giving them more weight than a little. Whether they support my personal possition or not.

[marty]

The current LTSA policy is to Police for the most incompetent out on the roads and not seriously look at how to improve the driving skills of our population. Again because one earns revenue , the other dosn't

Thats my rave for today :) Dave

unfortunately that is the way of the nz govt - be it labour or national. the same applies for all govt driven initiatives - health (esp. mental health, chronic illnesses, child health, high-need health), policing, roading infrastructure, anything that requires money from the govt to run, in this country it seems to be a band aid fix at best. there is little tax money or effort put into keeping the high-end healthy - that is left to those that can afford it (private health insurance, life insurance, private superannuation, private security patrols etc etc). teaching people HOW to drive is initially so much more expensive than cleaning up the occasional mess on the road, and as for fixing/engineering roads? people should just slow down, as the roads are not safe, and speed kills.

see how easy it is to get into that mantra? i did it without even trying......

[Hitcher]

Like many others I watched the Sunday programme last night. My perceptions about the "twin pillars" -- the LTSA and Police traffic enforcement were confirmed.

1. "Road safety" isn't the issue. Zero tolerance and enforcement are the issue (although the twin pillars argue that enforcing speed limits reduces road accidents and deaths, therefore improves road safety). They also argue (by implication) that drivers who obey speed limits are safe drivers. Drivers who speed are a minority -- the same minority who complain about zero tolerance and enforcement.

2. Don't let facts get in the way of your dogma. "Enforcing speed limits will reduce the road toll" (keep repeating this to yourself until you believe it). If people disagree with this proposition, play the carnage and grief card: "You should see what the Police and emergency services see at accidents," "What about all of those families who have lost loved ones?"

3. Let's not talk about driving appropriately for the conditions, as long as you do it within the prescibed speed limit (even if it takes you 28 seconds or half a kilometre to overtake something).

4. If people are still dying on roads when obeying the speed limit, then it must be the road's fault.

5. This isn't about revenue collection. People who get fined learn from the experience. (I feel a Tui ad coming on). So let's shoot fish in a barrel in the Mt Victoria tunnel or on the Ngaio Gorge road (can only remember one fatality on the Ngaio Gorge road in 17 years -- pissed teenager with girlfriend takes top corner too quickly, mounts power pole, kills girlfriend. I guess this was technically a speed-related fatality but then again, said teenager shouldn't have been driving under the affluence of incohol). Not smart PR guys, when everybody has a favourite "slow driver" story or has tried to get into or out of Dodge on a holiday weekend...

6. Politicians pass laws, not officials. Getting decision-makers to take a different approach to road safety will be bloody difficult as this current strategy has a lot of momentum and significant taxpayer funding to support it. Its appeal is its (over) simplicity, which makes it very seductive to politicians who want to be seen to be making a difference but don't want to think hard about alternatives.

[Menial]

wouldn't sign posting known black spots be cheaper and more effective??? :o

[k14]

Sure, but how much money would that give them??

[sAsLEX]

1.We have a tiered license system at the mo, why not extend it?? Those who complete and excel, not just turn up to, advanced driver training get like a class 1+ or something. They do it in racing to stop morons endangering there peers.


2.Same deal with vehicles, certain classes certain speeds, if you want to go to this hassle of getting your vehicle certified for an extra 10k or so I am sure you would go the the extra hassle of finding which roads your new limit applied to. Example -school areas everyone has to go 40, but on stretches where a good car (one designed to do more than commute the family) is capable of greater speeds it can do so with a properly licensed driver(see 1), ie Waikato expressways etc, within reason. Sure this would cost a little to set up regulate, but to pay for that would be chaeper than a myriad of tickets!

[marty]

(one designed to do more than commute the family) is capable of greater speeds it can do so with a properly licensed driver(see 1), ie Waikato expressways etc, within reason. Sure this would cost a little to set up regulate, but to pay for that would be chaeper than a myriad of tickets!

ahhh but what about the family commuter car that is also a performance car? would that be included? maybe only when only the driver is present - when the kids are in the back seat the speed would be limited. hey i know - sensors in the rear seats to sense child-like life forms, that when activated limit the speed of the hsv/xr6-8/bmw/audi/mercedes/vw/etc etc etc.

of course any volvo and it's passengers would be allowed on these roads at these speeds.

[marty]

well at least i'm getting my speed fix in the air at the moment - no cops, no speed limits, great fun.

it is costing a bit though .....

[Skyryder]

What part of the idea do you like.
(1) Stopping on the side of the road to use a Cell Phone,
(2) or reporting an incident using *555


I am well aware of the problems that a motocyclist has in having to use a cell phone and also the difficulties that this would cause in finding a suitable place to pull over. One of the things that I have noticed not only on this forum but others is that we are powerless when some driver has nearly knocked us off or in some way has endanged our life. At such times doing nothing can have an adverse effect on how we ride. At least potting the sod with *555 hopefully will have some kind of calming effect if nothing else. OK so there mabe some of us out there may think that this approach "is not cricket." OK I can live with that but shoving a knife in some assholes back has at times ressurected the soul in me. Maybe with a bit of luck the Police may investigate the incident further but I would not hold my breath.

Skyryder

[What?]

...call *555 for EVERY incident of law breaking on the road...I called *555 once, then found out the bastards charge you for the privelege. I travel 45 Km to work, and 45 back home. If I called *555 every time I saw something illegal, driving to work would cost me more than my days wages. :buggerd:

[dangerous]

*555........ does it actually achieve any thing? The police cant do a single thing about a call to that number as they have to witness the wrong doing, I just dont get the point of it all.

On more than one ocasion over a few years I have seen in my reaview mirror some twat stumbling for there phone and ringing out (which I thought was ment to be a silly thing to do while driving) after I have passed them for what ever reason Yet I have never heard anything from the coppers............... Well there was this one time when someone potted me for not waiting at the stuck railway crossing signals with barrier so I was said to have turned down a side street and then driven up onto the lines and back down to the crossing and continue on my merry way :spudwhat: Man now that would just be dangerous.... and I'm not dangerous now am I?

Anyhow I told the copper that rang me up that I had no idea what he was talking about and he said "ohh ok, well dont do it again" and that was that :msn-wink:

[spudchucka]

*555........ does it actually achieve any thing? The police cant do a single thing about a call to that number as they have to witness the wrong doing, I just dont get the point of it all.
*555 calls often get transmitted over the radio as soon as they are received, especially if the caller is still following the bad driver and they are willing to make a formal complaint, ie: Be a witness in Court. If the caller is not willing to be a witness then all the cops can do is question the driver about the incident, if they admit it then they can be charged, if they deny it there is nothing the cops can do without the witness.

If the caller stays on the line the dispatcher will try and get a car in position to intercept the bad driver, it happens every day. If the caller makes the call but then hangs up trying to find the vehicle becomes a needle in a haystack situation.

So if you are going to use *555 be prepared to stay on the line and be prepared to go to Court as a witness. If you are not prepared to do these two things then don't whinge about the police not doing anything, (that comment is not directed at anyone so don't jump down my neck OK).

[toads]

I reckon there should be the old system of traffic police and regular police, then there wouldn't be this scenario of police time being taken up with "revenue gaining", personally I feel they in the most part do a good job, the cool speed display signs ( the ones that show how fast you are going all lit up on a digital screen) are the most effective detterents for me to slow down, there's no revenue collecting involved with that, it helps when you have a speedo out of whack due to bigger /smaller tyres than you should have ( speaking about my van here). Personally I think the motoring costs, rego, wof, insurance etc are fair enough, the petrol costs and speed camera's quite frankly piss me off, that's just filling the govt's coffers, so they can make stupid financial descisions like the kyoto protocol etc, so we can research over and over the farting of cows and sheep! rather than fixing our roads

[James Deuce]

I called *555 once, then found out the bastards charge you for the privelege. I travel 45 Km to work, and 45 back home. If I called *555 every time I saw something illegal, driving to work would cost me more than my days wages. :buggerd:

It should be rebated when you complete the complaint.

[James Deuce]

*555 calls often get transmitted over the radio as soon as they are received, especially if the caller is still following the bad driver and they are willing to make a formal complaint, ie: Be a witness in Court. If the caller is not willing to be a witness then all the cops can do is question the driver about the incident, if they admit it then they can be charged, if they deny it there is nothing the cops can do without the witness.

If the caller stays on the line the dispatcher will try and get a car in position to intercept the bad driver, it happens every day. If the caller makes the call but then hangs up trying to find the vehicle becomes a needle in a haystack situation.

So if you are going to use *555 be prepared to stay on the line and be prepared to go to Court as a witness. If you are not prepared to do these two things then don't whinge about the police not doing anything, (that comment is not directed at anyone so don't jump down my neck OK).

It works too. My wife dobbed in a woman driving slowly and erratically over the Rimutaka hill road. The Featherston cop pulled them over at the bottom of hill on the Featherston side. Didn't need the wife as a witness because they drove over the wrong bridge (there are two bridges there so the were on the wrong side of the road!) on the other side right in front of the cop.

It is an excellent system for pinging potentially lethal driving behaviour.

[merv]

wouldn't sign posting known black spots be cheaper and more effective??? :o

As for signage, I love those "Accident Area" signs - like says to you as you approach just hang on and it will soon be the right place to have an accident.

So black spot is a bit like that too - crash here, everyone else does.

[What?]

It should be rebated when you complete the complaint.Yeah, except it's telecom making the buck. I won't ever call it again - if I see something so bad I feel a need to report it, it will be 111.

[MD]

It works too. My wife dobbed in a woman driving slowly and erratically over the Rimutaka hill road. The Featherston cop pulled them over at the bottom of hill on the Featherston side. Didn't need the wife as a witness because they drove over the wrong bridge (there are two bridges there so the were on the wrong side of the road!) on the other side right in front of the cop.

It is an excellent system for pinging potentially lethal driving behaviour.
Thats scary. We all fly over those one-way only bridges and there's limited view ahead of whats coming the other way- mind you, on a one way bridge you wouldn't expect to have to check what is comin at ya.
Full marks to you Wife, she probably saved a life a mile further on :2thumbsup .

[dangerous]

wouldn't sign posting known black spots be cheaper and more effective??? :o

Out the back of Brissbane there is a motor cycle haven called Mt Glorious one of my favorite rides, anyhow on the other side oh the hill it is rather dangerous for bikes as corners tighten up quick and there is a lot of concrete barriers to hit. There has been a lot of bikers killed there so the local athorites put up large signage saying caution with a bike on it.... well it works it slows you down, so why not here.

[James Deuce]

Yeah, except it's telecom making the buck. I won't ever call it again - if I see something so bad I feel a need to report it, it will be 111.

It shouldn't actually cost anything. The wife has a pre-pay phone that never has any credit :) I think you should query that one.

cheers.

[LB]

Thats scary. We all fly over those one-way only bridges and there's limited view ahead of whats coming the other way- mind you, on a one way bridge you wouldn't expect to have to check what is comin at ya.
Full marks to you Wife, she probably saved a life a mile further on :2thumbsup .
I'm with you on this one Mark, that is F#%@ING scary!

[Lou Girardin]

1.We have a tiered license system at the mo, why not extend it?? Those who complete and excel, not just turn up to, advanced driver training get like a class 1+ or something. They do it in racing to stop morons endangering there peers.


2.Same deal with vehicles, certain classes certain speeds, if you want to go to this hassle of getting your vehicle certified for an extra 10k or so I am sure you would go the the extra hassle of finding which roads your new limit applied to. Example -school areas everyone has to go 40, but on stretches where a good car (one designed to do more than commute the family) is capable of greater speeds it can do so with a properly licensed driver(see 1), ie Waikato expressways etc, within reason. Sure this would cost a little to set up regulate, but to pay for that would be chaeper than a myriad of tickets!

Firstly you need testers capable of examining these extra skills, who we don't have. Then you need an area where testing can be done, which most of NZ hasn't.
As for higher speed limits for certain cars, don't Mercs, BM's, etc, etc get involved in accidents? With all their ABS, BDS, DSP systems, when a driver does lose one it's a biggy. Any car is only as good as the nut behind the wheel.

[pete376403]

It shouldn't actually cost anything. The wife has a pre-pay phone that never has any credit :) I think you should query that one.

cheers.The few times I have called *555 it's always shown up on the phone bill. Both 025 and 021 phones.

[Coldkiwi]

I'm a little paranoid about using *555 too much for fear that it will come back to bite me! I certainly use it when i spot debris on the motorway (pull over asap and get the phone out pronto) but I can't exactly follow anyone and talk on the phone while riding anyway! besides... I can't help but think some cage driver with nothing better to do might want to dob me in as I slip past them on the southern carpark each morning... ringing others in sounds like tempting fate!! All the boys would need to do is sit out there next morning and spot my plate again surely?
or is there some little legality I could plead? Spud?

[spudchucka]

I'm a little paranoid about using *555 too much for fear that it will come back to bite me! I certainly use it when i spot debris on the motorway (pull over asap and get the phone out pronto) but I can't exactly follow anyone and talk on the phone while riding anyway! besides... I can't help but think some cage driver with nothing better to do might want to dob me in as I slip past them on the southern carpark each morning... ringing others in sounds like tempting fate!! All the boys would need to do is sit out there next morning and spot my plate again surely?
or is there some little legality I could plead? Spud?
If you "dob" someone in and you follow it through to Court as a witness then the dobbed in person might get to learn a few of your personal details, name and occupation probably. Up untill it went to Court they aren't going to know who dobbed them in and certainly aren't going to know what you ride / drive. I don't see why you should worry about retribution.

But having said that if you drive or ride like a silly bugger just remember what goes around comes around and you may find yourself in the same boat. (I'm not suggesting you ride like a silly bugger by the way).

[Lou Girardin]

Ok, so don't use *555 in case some old fart doing 80 in a 100 zone takes exception to you threatening public safety by doing 111 km/h. This *555 thing is confusing but I'm slowly getting it.