Wanker Cop

[Lias]

Forbidding people to drive if they fail to give way?

Sounds good to me.. how many bikers are killed or injured because of ignorant cagers not giving way?

[Lou Girardin]

Good thinking Lou, I'll e-mail your idea to Robby & George on your behalf.

Put big kissy lip prints on it. Although Robbie will get jealous.

[Wolf]

I've been what I would consider fairly well pissed, (to a level that there is no way I would consider driving), and still blown under the adult limit.

I agree on that. I find I can drink enough spirits to totally fail an Adult breath test and still feel lucid and capable of performing most functions - head and vision clear, capable of walking in a straight line etc (wouldn't drive/ride, tho' - the ability to navigate and react at approx 6-7kph does not mean I'm fit to navigate and react at 50-100kph) - and a glass of wine that would not put me over the limit can leave me giddy, light-headed and generally feeling "pissed". I don't feel up to walking, let alone driving, but I'd pass a breath test because my total intake of alcohol is below the "guidelines". No way I'd drive/ride even tho' I'd be "legally" allowed to according to the machine - at that point I'm having demonstrable difficulties at 6-7kph.

[Lou Girardin]

No, on reflection I changed my mind. And I do not advocate anything. I just say that I agree that the police position is reasonable. If 400 is dangerous enough to be charged, then 399 can't be completely safe. And Parliament has given police the right to forbid a driver to drive if they have reasonable grounds for thinking them impaired. 399 on the blowy machiney thing seems reasonable grounds. And as you go down the numbers, where do you draw the line and say its not reasonable grounds? I guess you could pick any number , but until Parliament sets a figure , the 150 number is as arguable as any.

If the forbidding to drive thing is punishing people (I am not sure that it is) then the complaint must lie to Parliament, who have given the police that power, not to the police for using it.

I guess if a cop detected that a driver was going through giveway signs because of some impairment (left his glasses at home? ) he might forbid him to drive in that case also. But going through a give way sign would not normally indicate impairment. Just stupidity or carelessness.

Won't say I'd be very happy if it happened to me, especially if it left me stuck in BumFuck, Nowhere. But I guess the answer is to do what I do if I'm going to be riding. Don't drink (I'm not a teetotaller, I just don't drink if I'm going to be on the bike)

I know what you're getting at, but the test is that the cop must believe on reasonable grounds that someone is impaired. Merely reading a breath test device won't cut it. There must be other elements, such as erratic driving or demeanour when stopped. I've forbidden drivers who were in an uncontrolled rage. But it was far more than being pissed off at getting a ticket.
And the law IS the law. You can't say something is illegal, but this is so close to illegal that we'll punish that too. Say, doing 99 in a 100 zone.

[Ixion]

I know what you're getting at, but the test is that the cop must believe on reasonable grounds that someone is impaired. Merely reading a breath test device won't cut it. There must be other elements, such as erratic driving or demeanour when stopped. I've forbidden drivers who were in an uncontrolled rage. But it was far more than being pissed off at getting a ticket.
And the law IS the law. You can't say something is illegal, but this is so close to illegal that we'll punish that too. Say, doing 99 in a 100 zone.

Ah, it's that dreaded D word again. Discretion. They're not alowed that any more.

[spudchucka]

Ah, it's that dreaded D word again. Discretion. They're not alowed that any more.

Bullshit I'm afraid!

[Lou Girardin]

Bullshit I'm afraid!

You could use your discretion and have an anger-free day.
Bikey cops post clearly inferred that they do not excercise discretion. Fail youth and you walk.

[WINJA]

Sounds like MY company car!- you're not a cop are you?

OINK OINK , I DONT WANT TO SAY TO MUCH BUT ......

[Phurrball]

Once upon a time I felt sorry for drivers that got done for just over the limit (400). But after doing my own random tests I have figured out that it takes quite a lot of piss to get a reading at that level. I've been what I would consider fairly well pissed, (to a level that there is no way I would consider driving), and still blown under the adult limit. I don't feel sorry for those people anymore because it is actually a fair quantity of booze.

Interesting that you have conducted some tests Spud - I'm curious as to whether others in your line of work have done this also, or maybe an organised test on the job?

I'm not surprised that you reached the conclusion you have. I've had friends who took the Advanced Crim. paper at Otago and came to much the same conclusion - trot off to the cop shop, drink various alcoholic beverages whilst being tested from time to time and comparing the objective test result against the subjective perception of the drinker. Apparently most people feel quite inebriated by the time they reach the limit. Now that's what I call a field trip! [Although I once got paid to go with undergrad Micro students to Speight's brewery and drink beer...]

Scumdog's approach in offering a ride home to people blowing near the limit is sensible and pragmatic - if well executed [which I'm sure it is].

Taking the keys off any motorist who blows over 'youth fail' in an undiscriminating manner as alluded to by Bykeycop is asking for legal trouble as already suggested by others.

That said - having lived some distance from where I work and play for a year or so, my drinking has shrunk to almost nil, as I always drive home - a token beer with food at most. If you're a designated driver you shouldn't be in the position of feeling you need to be breath tested, although the results of that request beget interesting discussion here if nothing else...

[spudchucka]

You could use your discretion and have an anger-free day.
Bikey cops post clearly inferred that they do not excercise discretion. Fail youth and you walk.

Discretion doesn't come into it, thats just good old fashioned common sense at work.

[spudchucka]

OINK OINK , I DONT WANT TO SAY TO MUCH BUT ......

Hey, that explains the avatar!

[spudchucka]

Interesting that you have conducted some tests Spud - I'm curious as to whether others in your line of work have done this also, or maybe an organised test on the job?

Well, strangely enough the police bar is never too far away from the intoxyliser machine so there is usually some form of "scientific" testing going on in the name of understanding where the drunks are coming from. Its professional development, honestly, it is, why else would I want to drink large volumes of beer and then blow into a machine?

Scumdog's approach in offering a ride home to people blowing near the limit is sensible and pragmatic - if well executed [which I'm sure it is].

Every drunk I process gets a ride home. Often if you just boot them out the front door you end up locking them up for disorderly behaviour not too long afterwards. By the way, every person I process that fails the road side test but passes the evidential has been forbidden for 12 hours, had their keys taken and given a ride home. I've never had a complaint about this practice and in fact most people have thanked me.

If you're a designated driver you shouldn't be in the position of feeling you need to be breath tested

A point lost on the originator of this thread, hopefully it is begining to sink in.

, although the results of that request beget interesting discussion here if nothing else...

Opinions...... like arseholes.............

[250learna]

Unless of course the outcome isn't as you wish it to be and then you hope that he gets knocked of his bike by a drunk and ends up in a hospital bed.

You're a dickhead mate if thats how you really think.

yes, after he said "no", i gave him the finger and ran of like a little girl...idiot!!! Read what i said again i am polite regardless, its something more primitive individuals have a hard time doing!

and do you realy think i want someone to get hit by a drunk idiot because they are a fuckhead who had no friends so become a cop to get back at society? let me answer that one for you just so its clear and easy to understand! NO!!!

Note: i know you will probably say something about becoming a cop to get back at society being incorect?? right....lets get that post count up and argue over that one In reality you know what is ment by the statement so dont waste time (wimps who want power)

[spudchucka]

they are a fuckhead who had no friends so become a cop to get back at society?

You were able to figure all that out soley on the single, brief interaction you had with this man. I guess that makes you a special kind of idiot because you can know all about a person after they have spoken a whole five words to you.

[Lou Girardin]

You were able to figure all that out soley on the single, brief interaction you had with this man. I guess that makes you a special kind of idiot because you can know all about a person after they have spoken a whole five words to you.

Maybe his actions spoke louder than 5 words.