Setting speed limits - a US perspective

[trailblazer]

he was riding a bike and there was plenty of room for a car and a bike as the car was only a little mazda 2. He never crossed the yellow lines. the ticket stated dangerous driving while passing on double yellow lines. the car was by the left hand white line and you could of passed with another smallish car without crossing the yellow lines and we hadn't even got to the speed limit which was 80ks. the judge went on about how it was dangerous riding and that he had to show zero tollerance for such a reckless incidant. We had no evidance to prove his innocence other than my statment so either the ticket was worded wrong or the judge dosn't like motorcyclists.

[MSTRS:Me]

he was riding a bike and there was plenty of room for a car and a bike as the car was only a little mazda 2. He never crossed the yellow lines. the ticket stated dangerous driving while passing on double yellow lines. the car was by the left hand white line and you could of passed with another smallish car without crossing the yellow lines and we hadn't even got to the speed limit which was 80ks. the judge went on about how it was dangerous riding and that he had to show zero tollerance for such a reckless incidant. We had no evidance to prove his innocence other than my statment so either the ticket was worded wrong or the judge dosn't like motorcyclists.

Traffic court...prolly a JP. And why didn't your mate (or his lawyer) put a copy of the road code in front of the court?

However, the charge was 'dangerous driving' which is wholly different from 'illegal overtaking manouevre'...

[oneofsix]

he was riding a bike and there was plenty of room for a car and a bike as the car was only a little mazda 2. He never crossed the yellow lines. the ticket stated dangerous driving while passing on double yellow lines. the car was by the left hand white line and you could of passed with another smallish car without crossing the yellow lines and we hadn't even got to the speed limit which was 80ks. the judge went on about how it was dangerous riding and that he had to show zero tollerance for such a reckless incidant. We had no evidance to prove his innocence other than my statment so either the ticket was worded wrong or the judge dosn't like motorcyclists.

Sorry trailblazer but you are just a scum bag motorcyclist and what judge would listen to you over the nice policeman. I particularly like the "dangerous driving whilst" bit, means the charge wasn't overtaking on the no passing lane. Me thinks you were done.

[Katman]

If the motorcyclist wants to sit well to the left...then they invite just that.

Trouble is John, there's plenty of New Zealand car drivers would wouldn't think twice about intimidating a motorcyclist into moving over to the left.

The law is a recipe for disaster.

[marty]

from the article:

I have investigated more motorcycle fatalities in 25 and 35 mph zones than in any other posted range.

Is that because they were ignoring the posted speed and exceeding the limit, allowing the holes in the cheese to start lining up, or they simply fell off at 25-35mph?

[Highlander]

Then, either he did cross the line, or the cop lied or his lawyer was feckin useless...

The road code states http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...g/passing.html. Note the picture showing the blue car passing the orange - within the same lane.

Could it be a 'grey' area...the rules do state 'where there is room for two vehicles'....we all know that officially, motorcycles don't count as a vehicle (except for offences, of course)...so maybe the lane was too narrow for two cars side-by-side.

From your link:
"You can pass at a no-passing line if:

you stay on your side of the solid yellow line, and
you can see 100 metres of clear road in front of you for the whole time while you are passing, and
the lane is wide enough for two vehicles. "

Bold added for effect. Note the second bit. I have often seen this done when there wasn't 100m visibility ahead ( may have even done it myself). Might that have been the reason for the ticket?

[Swoop]

The road code states http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...g/passing.html. Note the picture showing the blue car passing the orange - within the same lane.

I'm still amazed with the amount of kiwi drivers who fail to comprehend the "Passing on a three-laned road" situation.
They see a bit of yellow and say "you can't pass here".

[MSTRS:Me]

Trouble is John, there's plenty of New Zealand car drivers would wouldn't think twice about intimidating a motorcyclist into moving over to the left.

Perhaps. Which is reason enough to travel at the same speed (or fractionally more) than the rest of the traffic. Or be aware of what is behind, and being proactive about moving over before being forced to...

The law is a recipe for disaster.

Not really. And it's always been the law.

[oneofsix]

I'm still amazed with the amount of kiwi drivers who fail to comprehend the "Passing on a three-laned road" situation.
They see a bit of yellow and say "you can't pass here".

That's interesting as they didn't use to put the bit that specifically says you can pass like that in the road code, you use to have to work it out for yourself. I suspect this is why so many still believe you can't pass like this, they haven't worked it out or looked at a recent road code

[Katman]

Perhaps. Which is reason enough to travel at the same speed (or fractionally more) than the rest of the traffic. Or be aware of what is behind, and being proactive about moving over before being forced to...

All well and good - until you throw inexperience into the mix.

[MSTRS:Me]

True. Everyone starts out inexperienced. Some don't make it to experienced. And there's only one way to become experienced, isn't there?
Impatient, fuckwit cagers are just one part of a whole book of things a rider must learn about.

[trailblazer]

Sorry trailblazer but you are just a scum bag motorcyclist and what judge would listen to you over the nice policeman. I particularly like the "dangerous driving whilst" bit, means the charge wasn't overtaking on the no passing lane. Me thinks you were done.

I guess it is a bit like the ticket i got in my car. Operating a motor vehcile with an unsafe seat. All it was was just a small tear in the seat on the right side of the back the car had gotten off 2 pink stickers and had 2 brand new wofs from vtnz with that seat in there. The cop that had pulled me up had pulled me up 2 days prior and pink stickered me for suspension and i had just got off the pink sticker and when he pulled me up this time he asked about my suspension again so i told him he couldn't do shit about it as i had gotten off his last bullshit fine and i didn't have to do anything to the car as it was perfectly legal thats when he hit me with the unsafe seat fine andi couldn't get out of the fine. So i guess it all comes down to the wording on the ticket.

[onearmedbandit]

I guess it is a bit like the ticket i got in my car. Operating a motor vehcile with an unsafe seat. All it was was just a small tear in the seat on the right side of the back the car had gotten off 2 pink stickers and had 2 brand new wofs from vtnz with that seat in there. The cop that had pulled me up had pulled me up 2 days prior and pink stickered me for suspension and i had just got off the pink sticker and when he pulled me up this time he asked about my suspension again so i told him he couldn't do shit about it as i had gotten off his last bullshit fine and i didn't have to do anything to the car as it was perfectly legal thats when he hit me with the unsafe seat fine andi couldn't get out of the fine. So i guess it all comes down to the wording on the ticket.

Really? You got a ticket for that? Or was it a ticket for your attitude?

[Bassmatt]

This is the bit I'm struggling to believe. And even if it is true, one cops opinion does not mean the entire forces opinion.

When was the last time you saw or heard about someone being pulled over let alone ticketed for traveling too far below the posted limit?
Fuck they could fill there quota in a week around here if they were interested, AFAIK it just doesnt happen.

[onearmedbandit]

When was the last time you saw or heard about someone being pulled over let alone ticketed for traveling too far below the posted limit?
Fuck they could fill there quota in a week around here if they were interested, AFAIK it just doesnt happen.

There is no law against driving below the limit. There is however a law against impeding the flow of traffic.