Police saving our lives again

**Edbear** · 28th October 2010, 07:42

Originally Posted by red mermaid

And how are you supposed to judge a persons total driving skills from a glimpse of maybe 30 seconds of driving?

Only takes a few seconds to see if someone's driving badly...

**Edbear** · 28th October 2010, 07:46

Originally Posted by baptist

Think you need to quantify the remarks a little. I am an "immigrant" and when I moved to NZ from the UK, over ten years ago, the first thing I noticed was the crap standard of driving on the roads here and it has not improved (and our driving test was mickey mouse!). I was raised in London, way more traffic, and way more discipline in driving, ditto on the motorways. One thing also was that in those days (I believe it has changed now) the cops would not give a ticket on the motorway for anything under 85mph They were more concerned with poor lane changes etc.

You're right of course! Many European drivers deplore the standard of driving here, and having a son-in-law from Germany I understand what you say. I did comment about bringing in the German licencing system over here as an example.

**red mermaid** · 28th October 2010, 07:47

If that was correct the driving test would last 30 seconds.

**Rych** · 28th October 2010, 08:01

I can determine bad driving in 30sec not necessarily a bad driver. Only takes 2sec to cross the centre line, fail to stop short, fail to navigate a corner etc...

**red mermaid** · 28th October 2010, 08:32

Exactly, you can see an offence in a couple of seconds but whether that is a complete picture of the persons driving ability...?

**Rych** · 28th October 2010, 08:46

Driving ability doesn't matter, doesn't matter if they are a Formula 1 / MotoGP racer, it doesn't change the fact that a dangerous manover is still dangerous and the consequences for dangerous or careless actions are the same.

**Edbear** · 28th October 2010, 09:30

Originally Posted by Rych

Driving ability doesn't matter, doesn't matter if they are a Formula 1 / MotoGP racer, it doesn't change the fact that a dangerous manover is still dangerous and the consequences for dangerous or careless actions are the same.

That was my point. Police are as easily able to spot moronic driving as we are, so the question was how often do they pull someone over for careless in addition to speeding?

After all, the traffic cops spend far more time on the road than most of us and must be very familiar with the general standards of driving in NZ. You hear them comment on such programmes as we watch on TV and the despair in the tone of their voice as they point out the mistakes of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Average behind the wheel.

**avgas** · 28th October 2010, 09:36

Originally Posted by Edbear

Get a few youngster's together with beer and testosterone flowing freely, egging each other on and all sense of reason gets flushed down the toilet.

Or a group of 40+ bikers with new bikes.
Same cheese, just a a little older.

What gets me is the born again numpties on new BMW's who don't know where to put themselves on the road.

At least with the young squids you can hear them coming.

**red mermaid** · 28th October 2010, 09:46

You can do sneaky things like....oh no, thats right, people whinge about that sort of thing and flash their headlights to warn other drivers.

**Ocean1** · 28th October 2010, 09:58

Originally Posted by red mermaid

You can do sneaky things like....oh no, thats right, people whinge about that sort of thing and flash their headlights to warn other drivers.

That's just for offences that we consider well unjustified. Y'know, 105Km on the urban "motorway".

You dudes still not allowed to ambush patrons outside a pub carpark of an evening?

**red mermaid** · 28th October 2010, 11:39

And who decides what is well unjustified?

**pritch** · 28th October 2010, 11:41

Originally Posted by Ocean1

You dudes still not allowed to ambush patrons outside a pub carpark of an evening?

I don't know what gave you the idea there was a rule like that. That happened to a car I was in near Nelson one night. That cop was a bit ummm creative(?) too. He presumably saw the headlights of our car on the foliage across the road and turned his lights off.

I commented to the driver that there had been a car coming but that that the headlights had disappeared. A couple of hundred metres down the road the cop switched on all his lights...

The President of the local RSA was leaving one evening as a cop car went past in the other direction. The cop did a U turn and pulled him over.

Both drivers passed the breath tests.

When visiting a pub or club it's generally a good idea to leave your transport somewhere it will not be automatically associated with the venue if seen. Of course it's also a good idea not to exceed the blood alcohol limit.

**Ocean1** · 28th October 2010, 14:44

Originally Posted by red mermaid

And who decides what is well unjustified?

The person on the end of the light switch, obviously. Same as you guys.

Originally Posted by pritch

I don't know what gave you the idea there was a rule like that. :

Oh it was fookin' years ago, during one of the early tweaks to the DIC laws. Te public were revolting and it was admitted to be a bit OTT to shoot fish in a bowl like that, entrapment an' all.

I remember thinking at the time "blast away dudes, they're not game they're noxious pests, they're ALWAYS in season.

So, legal nitpickery notwithstanding who here reckons it's OK to travel at the speed at which you're most comfortable and less likely to daydream?