Can you get fined for following too close?

[CookMySock]

Yes, you can. I have been fined for this. Mind you, the car I was following too closely (I couldnt see his bumper) turned out to be a mufti unit. :slap:

Oh well.

Steve

[FastBikeGear]

From the road code:

Dad just found this at http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/road-user-sa...f-changes.html

The Road User Rule says you must maintain a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you (see below) and if going more than 50 km/h, you must leave sufficient room in front for a vehicle passing you to be able to safely move into the gap. The legal minimum following distances set out in the Road User Rule are:

* 16 m, if travelling at a speed of 40–49 km/h
* 20 m, if travelling at a speed of 50–59 km/h
* 24 m, if travelling at a speed of 60–69 km/h
* 28 m, if travelling at a speed of 70–79 km/h
* 32 m, if travelling at a speed of 80 km/h or more.

and this was amended in 2005 (see http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/rules/docs/r...-rule-2005.pdf)
to add 36 m, if travelling at a speed of 90km/h or more.

If you do the calculations these speeds are however at odds with the road codes recommendation to use the 2 second rule.
(see http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/roadcode/abo...-distance.html)

The road coad states the following:

The two-second rule

Under normal conditions, the two-second rule is an easy way to make sure you have left enough following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front, no matter what speed you're travelling at.

To check if you are travelling two seconds behind the vehicle in front:

* watch the vehicle in front of you pass a landmark – such as a sign, tree or power pole – at the side of the road
* as it passes the landmark, start counting 'one thousand and one, one thousand and two'
* if you pass the landmark before you finish saying those eight words, you are following too closely - slow down, pick another landmark and repeat the words to make sure you have increased your following distance.


e.g at 80km/h you are travelling at 80,000 m/hour = 1,333.33 m/minute = 22.22 m/second or 44.44 m every 2 seconds which is 12 metres (37.5%) more than the road user laws above.

Of course despite the road code saying "if you pass the landmark before you finish saying those eight words, you are following too closely" I understand the road user laws take precedence over the recommendations in the road code.

[Max Preload]

The legal minimum following distances set out in the Road User Rule are:

* 16 m, if travelling at a speed of 40–49 km/h
* 20 m, if travelling at a speed of 50–59 km/h
* 24 m, if travelling at a speed of 60–69 km/h
* 28 m, if travelling at a speed of 70–79 km/h
* 32 m, if travelling at a speed of 80 km/h or more.

and this was amended in 2005 (see http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/rules/docs/r...-rule-2005.pdf)
to add 36 m, if travelling at a speed of 90km/h or more.

If you do the calculations these speeds are however at odds with the road codes recommendation to use the 2 second rule.
(see http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/roadcode/abo...-distance.html)

Correct. The rule is 4m for every 10km/h of speed. The 2-second rule is considerably more than the actual required following distance (55m instead of 40m at 99km/h...) but it's easier for the brain-dead droobs this country issues driver's licenses to so freely, to follow.

[Ixion]

Fuck , you're persistent aren't you. Were yhou perhaps a blowfly in a previous existence ? Or a perpetual small child with a head cold?

Pays when quoting law to check the bits either side

Stopping and following distances

(1) A driver must not drive a vehicle in a lane marked on a road at such a speed that the driver is unable to stop in the length of the lane that is visible to the driver.
(2) A driver must not drive a vehicle on a road that is not marked in lanes at such a speed that the driver is unable to stop in half the length of roadway that is visible to the driver.
(3) A driver must not drive on a road a vehicle following behind another vehicle so that the driver cannot stop the driver's vehicle short of the vehicle ahead if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly.
(4) No driver may drive a motor vehicle on any road following behind another vehicle at a distance behind that vehicle of less than—
(a) 16 m, if his or her speed is 40 km an hour or more but less than 50 km an hour; or
(b) 20 m, if his or her speed is 50 km an hour or more but less than 60 km an hour; or
(c) 24 m, if his or her speed is 60 km an hour or more but less than 70 km an hour; or
(d) 28 m, if his or her speed is 70 km an hour or more but less than 80 km an hour; or
(e) 32 m, if his or her speed is 80 km an hour or more but less than 90 km an hour; or
(f) 36 m, if his or her speed is 90 km an hour or more.

Note Sect 3. Says that you must not drive so close behind another vehicle that you'll hit it if it stops suddenly. No blah about distances or times .Cop thinks you wouldn't be able to stop if the driver ahead hits the picks, you get a ticket. Simple as that.

[Draig]

I read somewhere that the French Police are experimenting with fixed cameras that clock your speed AND DISTANCE from the vehicle in front. A fixed penalty notice is automatically issued through the post if you exceed the safety rules.

I see alot of real bad drivers in the SI, many of them blissfully unaware of just how bad they are. Top of the list must be tailgating.

[FastBikeGear]

Fuck , you're persistent aren't you. Were yhou perhaps a blowfly in a previous existence ? Or a perpetual small child with a head cold?

Pays when quoting law to check the bits either side

Note Sect 3. Says that you must not drive so close behind another vehicle that you'll hit it if it stops suddenly. No blah about distances or times .Cop thinks you wouldn't be able to stop if the driver ahead hits the picks, you get a ticket. Simple as that.

BTW just to give this some perspective I was the one being tailgated in the incident. Yes the cop can give you a ticket but that doesn't guarantee he will be successful in court. He would need to give an explanation of why he thought the minimum legal distances didn't apply in the given conditions. If there was no contact between the two vehicles and he didn't have a convincing explanation the ruling might not go in the favour of the cop.

[Ixion]

You know very little about the justice system, do you?

[peasea]

I read somewhere that the French Police are experimenting with fixed cameras that clock your speed AND DISTANCE from the vehicle in front. A fixed penalty notice is automatically issued through the post if you exceed the safety rules.

I see alot of real bad drivers in the SI, many of them blissfully unaware of just how bad they are. Top of the list must be tailgating.

I've been on the Mainland for nigh on twenty months and my biggest gripe by far is slow drivers. I use a State Highway on a daily basis and it's as if the local yokels think that exceeding 75-80kph is going to result in certain death.

Next on the agenda are the cockies who pull out in front you (when yours is the only vehicle for miles) and chug along at 75-80kph in their mud-coated Hilux dog kennels.

Just this afternoon, on the way home, I passed a shitload of vehicles and never went over 110kph the whole trip. They're all in cloud-cuckoo land.

[Varkp]

any following distance greater the 10 meters and somebody slots into it. So it is quite possible in peak hour traffic that you might end up having to reverse.

wonder who gets the fine then, me for suddenly not having a "legal" following distance, ot the guy who suddenly halved my following distance by jumping in the gap

[steelestring]

Yes...
I have been fined for breaking the 28 meter rule... $150
2006 3pm-ish nice weather.
Cruising over the rimutaka's to see the olds in the masty. I had a cop right up my bum alllll the way from the hutt... nervous I was.... so I sat just below the speed limit and worked hard at keeping myself well within the law.
He was following extreamly close so at the next passing lane i indicated and slowed to let him past... he did not pass but except sit up my backside once again.
Once I hit the 100k sign on the hill i was tired of this trooper up my rear and squeezed out not exceeding speed nor anthing stupid... the quicker i went the faster the cop went and then again i went faster on a corner and so did he.... this was weird... but being young dum and full of cum i dropped the hammer and lost him with ease.
Hearing his huge balloon tyre profile squeeling around the corners was kinda sending me mixed signals... no lights on... no siren....

I sort of chilled out towards featherstone and relaxed... when around the next set of visable corners behind comes the cop with sirens on and aiming at me. he then pulled me over.

"dont you think you were going a bit quick back there?"

I reply, that i did not break the speed limit.

"you came close the white line a couple of times"

i said , Ok... and left it at that.. i bit my tounge

He then proceeded to check over, tires, lights, and then ran the plates, where i was going too... after passing his test I thought i was ok to go and he sparked up..

"Umm, do you think you were following 'that van back there' a bit close?"

I said no?? ....what van??

"The van back there...."

Back where I replied??

" The van back there... in that bit " he said....

I said I was sorry and could not remember any van or any time I came close to another vehicle. I then identified the thing closest to a van on my hill ride was a red canter truck on the wellington side.. who i passed when i first lost the cop (this manouvre was textbook due to the cop being up my arse!!)

His reply was.... "Well I think you were... and have broken the 28 meter rule so I am going to ticket you" (and 30 minute fuck around.... hahaha

( the words spoken between me and cop are to the word.. as i was building something up to send through our amazing court system)

Fucking hypocrite!!

Rant over

[ready4whatever]

tailgaters suck big time. i went into the back of a toyota surf with my old wrx. i feel sorry for them and admit i am a prick 4 doing that. cost my insurance 5400 for my car. 400 for theirs

[scracha]

Just this afternoon, on the way home, I passed a shitload of vehicles and never went over 110kph the whole trip. They're all in cloud-cuckoo land.

Shirley you mean 100Kph?

[YellowDog]

If you ride too close, you put yourself in danger.

The fine is just a helpful reminder.

Bikes are powerfull and you don't need to ride so close. The idea is that you accelerate and overtake.

If you are lane splitting, then this is a different ball game.

Take care out there.

[Winston001]

Yes the cop can give you a ticket but that doesn't guarantee he will be successful in court.......

Nominally true but not in the real world.

Judge - "Hmmm......here we have a police officer who's job it is to daily drive and assess traffic behaviour. Trained in traffic law. Experienced.

And then we have Mr Wobblyas, a citizen, no specific driver training or experience at estimating accurate distances, who insists he was not following too close.

I find Mr Wobblyas to be genuine and truthful but I believe he is mistaken. If Mr Wobblyas had produced other reliable witnesses who could support his opinion I might have given him the benefit of the doubt.

As it is, I prefer the officers expert evidence.

Guilty. Fine $150, court costs $130. Dismissed."

[Subike]

I've been on the Mainland for nigh on twenty months and my biggest gripe by far is slow drivers. I use a State Highway on a daily basis and it's as if the local yokels think that exceeding 75-80kph is going to result in certain death.


Just this afternoon, on the way home, I passed a shitload of vehicles and never went over 110kph the whole trip. They're all in cloud-cuckoo land.

we dont want speed jockies down here
go back to ya bombey hills and leave us alone here in paradise.
remember, it is the journey not the destination

Bloody northisland speed freak!