10mph motorway driver given ban

[Grahameeboy]

A woman has been banned from driving for seven days after she drove along a motorway at speeds lower than 10mph.

Stephanie Cole, 58, of Fishponds, Bristol, repeatedly braked as she straddled the hard shoulder of the M32.
When police caught her there was a sign on her car which read: "I don't do fast. If I'm too slow for you DON'T hoot just overtake!"
Mrs Cole, who admitted driving without reasonable consideration, was also ordered to take another driving test. <!-- E SF -->
Magistrates said they took into consideration the fact that Mrs Cole has multiple sclerosis.
When officers stopped Mrs Cole, she told them she had "no confidence" on the motorway.
<!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44334000/jpg/_44334976_slow203.jpg Mrs Cole has been undergoing treatment for "fear of driving"

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->
She had been travelling from her home to a Staples stationery store when she was arrested by police on 30 August.
"I really didn't want to go on the motorway, but I desperately had to go to Staples for an ink cartridge," she said.
"I don't know any other way to get to it so I went that way," she added.
"I think it was one of those things you do by mistake and that's exactly it was, I was on there by mistake.
"It just felt awful. I didn't know what to do. I panicked and turned to jelly inside and I didn't know what to do."
North Avon Magistrates' Court had previously heard that Mrs Cole's GP had been treating her for "fear of driving" for the past three-and-a-half years.
Andrew Howard, from motoring organisation the AA, said there had been calls for a minimum as well as maximum speed limit but enforcement of this could be tricky.
"It's something that's often talked about but really is hard to do on a practicality basis. "We know that there are lots of times when the weight of traffic, for example on a motorway, means that you can get nowhere near the proper speed limit, you may even have to stop, and obviously if there was a minimum speed limit there would be a lot of confusion when that happens."<!-- E BO -->

[Grahameeboy]

Was thinking that this could be a worry for a lot of drivers on the motorways in NZ

[The Pastor]

speed kills.

[AllanB]

My horn did some overtime the other day behind a camper-van doing 50 on the open road back from Hanmer Springs. Man there was a huge pile of cars behind that one all bumper to bumper all very shitty - probably did not help when a bike when past the lot!

'See mum motorcycles are cool'

[Grahameeboy]

My horn did some overtime the other day behind a camper-van doing 50 on the open road back from Hanmer Springs. Man there was a huge pile of cars behind that one all bumper to bumper all very shitty - probably did not help when a bike when past the lot!

'See mum motorcycles are cool'

The driver probably read the story about the Austrian lady.................

[Dave Lobster]

If people drive too slowly, report them (http://www.police.govt.nz/service/road/roadwatch.html).

[McJim]

If people drive too slowly, report them (http://www.police.govt.nz/service/road/roadwatch.html).

I think current legislation is that it's an offence not to pull over when reasonably practical if you have more than 4 vehicles backed up behind you.

I saw a fair number of 'Killer Kampers' when I was out on 2nd Jan. Did the Southern Scenic route from Invercargill to Balclutha through Papatowai. Odd how they drive these things with the handbrake on.:rofl:

[Grahameeboy]

I think current legislation is that it's an offence not to pull over when reasonably practical if you have more than 4 vehicles backed up behind you.



Free parking on the motorway then

[McJim]

Free parking on the motorway then

There are no motorways in New Zealand.....just really long car parks! :rofl:

[BIGBOSSMAN]

I've driven the M32, even been to Fishponds (no fish). Perfectly good stretch of well designed motorway (unlike the crap ones here).
She should really be euthenased immediately to avoid future problems.

[breakaway]

What the fuck? She needs to learn some internet and order that shit online for door delivery.

[Ixion]

I hope the NZ cops don't read that and get ideas. When you ride as slow as I do, the risk of getting an unspeeding ticket is a constant worry. That's why I have a radar detector, so I can speed up temporarily if there's a cop around.

[xwhatsit]

Was thinking that this could be a worry for a lot of drivers on the motorways in NZ

Certainly. For instance my commute takes me over Mangere Bridge. Speed limit is 100kph.

The amount of overweight people in people movers sitting at 50kph drives me spare. Coming from the Onehunga on-ramp there's simply not enough time to get up to speed if anybody's doing anywhere near the speed limit in the other lane. About the only time I wish for more power from my bike.

So now I come from Queenstown Rd on-ramp. The difficulty being so many times you get stuck behind a driver doing 80kph in the fast lane, while people are doing 50-60kph in the slow lane. Why? Motorway is near-empty. No traffic about.

Most offenders who take the Mangere Bridge off-ramp turn left towards Favona, not Mangere Bridge. Perhaps they're saving fuel? Or God simply wants them to take their time and piss off the non-believers?

[Ixion]

They don't have licences. They work on the basis that the slower they go, the less likely they are to be stopped by the police. It works.

[huck farley]

My horn did some overtime the other day behind a camper-van doing 50 on the open road back from Hanmer Springs. Man there was a huge pile of cars behind that one all bumper to bumper all very shitty - probably did not help when a bike when past the lot!

'See mum motorcycles are cool'

Why should they be in a hurry, they are on holiday. Probably from overseas and paying $200+ a day. NZ drivers have no patience at all, chill out.

[xwhatsit]

NZ drivers have no patience at all, chill out.

That's very easy to say when you live in Wanganui, but some of us don't have time to sit around, us Aucklanders need to get back to Running the Country.

[Grahameeboy]

Why should they be in a hurry, they are on holiday. Probably from overseas and paying $200+ a day. NZ drivers have no patience at all, chill out.

But, but aren't Kiwi's those laid back people south of Australia........

[Maha]

But, but aren't Kiwi's those laid back people south of Australia........


South East i think you'll find Gaggyboy....:niceone:

[sunhuntin]

first time i went down south, i got stuck behind a camper on the first day. cos id only just bought the 250 and was still uncertain on it, i just kicked back, relaxed and did the same thing all tourists do... admired the beauty around me. course, it took me all day to get where i was going, but it wasnt rushed [80k steady] and was quite pleasant.
often, if i get stuck behind a slower vehicle, ill just stay there. generally there ends up being a cop up the road. unless im late for work, whats the rush? better to get there late than not get there at all.


will never forget last years trip... im crusin at about 110 or so... a 4wd thingy goes flying by. i get around the corner, and mr 'look at me cos im big, fast and use heaps of fuel" had been pulled up for a breath test. hehehehe :whistle: i carried on, laughing my head off.

[Mully]

Why should they be in a hurry, they are on holiday. Probably from overseas and paying $200+ a day. NZ drivers have no patience at all, chill out.

I see your point Huck, but I need to point something out. In many countries, where getting a (cage) licence is difficult, time consuming, expensive and requires skill, people are taught that if you are holding up traffic, pull over and let them go past.

In a few European countries, it is illegal to put a slow vehicle in the fast lane, unless you are overtaking a slower vehicle. At which point you must get back into the slow lane.

The NZ road code barely makes mention of holding people up. It's what happens when you decide that high speed is the only menace on the roads. Then people get frustrated and overtake badly and have accidents, at which point the accident is attributed to high speed.

And, as an Aucklander, I can safely say that Aucklanders, wherever in the country they happen to be, are generally the worst offenders.

[Ixion]

I see your point Huck, but I need to point something out. In many countries, where getting a (cage) licence is difficult, time consuming, expensive and requires skill, people are taught that if you are holding up traffic, pull over and let them go past.

In a few European countries, it is illegal to put a slow vehicle in the fast lane, unless you are overtaking a slower vehicle. At which point you must get back into the slow lane.



Technically, is in NZ too.



Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004
Part 2 Roads (r 2.1 to r 2.14)
Lanes
2.1Keeping left

(1)A driver, when driving, must at all times drive as near as practicable to the left side of the roadway unless this rule otherwise provides.

(2)If a driver's speed, when driving, is such as to impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic, that driver must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, move the vehicle as far as practicable to the left side of the roadway when this is necessary to allow following traffic to pass.

(3)A driver may drive in the right lane in the direction of travel when driving on a multi-lane road if—

(a)the driver is turning right, or making a U-turn from the centre of the road, and is giving the prescribed signal of that driver's intention to turn right; or
(b)the driver is passing; or
(c)the left lane is unavailable to the driver; or
(d)the driver is required by any provision of this rule to drive in the right lane; or
(e)a variable lane control downward-facing arrow sign indicates that the driver must drive in the right lane; or
(f)the driver is avoiding an obstruction; or
(g)the traffic in all other lanes is congested; or
(h)the traffic in every lane is congested.



Try getting a cop to enforce that one, though

[Mully]

Technically, is in NZ too.

Try getting a cop to enforce that one, though

Yeah, bingo. And that's half the problem. While the Road Code mentions it in passing (and from memory, only when it talks about towing), there is little to no enforcement of that rule. I have been in convoys behind some asshat several times and seen/gone past HP cars who didn't bat an eyelid.