Ticket for going too slow

[Supertwin Don]

Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 (SR 2004/427) (as at 10 May 2011)
lane—
• (a) means a longitudinal strip of the roadway intended for the passage of vehicles or a specific class of vehicles that is separated from other parts of the roadway by a longitudinal line or lines of paint or raised studs; and
• (b) includes—
o (i) a cycle lane; and
o (ii) a lane for the use of vehicular traffic that is at least 2.5 m wide; and
o (iii) a lane of a two-way road divided by a centre line

roadway means that portion of the road used or reasonably usable for the time being for vehicular traffic in general

2) A driver, when driving on a road marked in lanes,—
• (a) must drive as far as practicable entirely within a lane except when complying with subclause 2.1(2) or when changing lanes; and
• (b) must not move from a lane until he or she has first ascertained that the manoeuvre may be made safely.
2.1(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.

Yeah, I can quote the LT Act as well – the big thing about “going slow” is what is regarded as the “normal and reasonable flow” of traffic – if your idea of “normal and reasonable” is every vehicle travelling at the maximum speed allowable everywhere – you ain’t living in the real world !
In some cases, the “flow” can be increased by lowering the limit – because of the way people react to the presence of other vehicles, at a lower speed, more vehicles are able to use the road.
So, please don’t confuse “flow” with “speed”.

[MSTRS:Me]

"As far to the left as to be practicable..."
That one is a double-edged sword though. I know of some who have done just that (driven on the shoulder in order to not impede traffic) and who have then been pinged for something like "Driving in such a manner as to create a lane that does not exist".

The law is an ass.

[Jantar]

....In some cases, the “flow” can be increased by lowering the limit – because of the way people react to the presence of other vehicles, at a lower speed, more vehicles are able to use the road.
So, please don’t confuse “flow” with “speed”.

Lets look at that claim in detail. For this purpose lets assume that the vehicles are all cars with a length of 5.4 meters.

Take a 1 km section of road with a speed limit of 100 km per hour. All vehicles on the road are travelling at 100 kmh (27.8 m/s) and keeping a 2 second gap from the one in front. Thus the traffic is flowing at the maximum rate for that piece of road. Each vehicle is taking up 55.6 meters gap plus 5.4 meters or a total of 61 m. Therefore there are 16 vehicles on that stretch of road, and they are flowing at a rate of one vehicle every 2.2 seconds.

Take that same 1 km section of road and drop the speed limit to 50 kmh. All vehicles are now travelling at 80 kmh (13.9 m/s) and keeping a 2 second gap from the one in front. Each vehicle is now taking up 27.8 meters gap plus 5.4 meters or a total of 33.2 m. Therefore there are now 30 vehicles on that stretch of road and they are flowing at a rate of one vehicle every 2.4 seconds.

The flow at the lower speed is worse, even though there are more vehicles on the road.

So, please don’t confuse “flow” with “number of vehicles”.

of course we could just take that concept to the logical conclusion and have a speed limit of 0 kmh and turn our roads into massive parking lots. Now we can get 185 vehicles per km of road even if they aren't going anywhere. Oh, wait.... Isn't that the Auckland motorway system during peak times?

[Jack Miller]

Oh god are you one of those drivers/riders that takes up the whole length of a passing lane to pass one vehicle?

Only on this occasion - it was a very short passing lane and, since I was checking my mirrors I knew no one else was behind me also trying to pass.

[willytheekid]

Poor widdle Fokky, upset by the big bad Popo wuz we?

No your taxes pay me to enforce the law, not to put up with trash talk like we do. We put up with the trash for free. I'd come in on my days off if I was allowed to dish some back, but apparently we have to take it, and not give some back.

One of my troops just processed a drink driver in North Canterbury, the tosser spent the whole time banging on about how much of an injustice it was, how he's a better driver after a few drinks, the usual bollocks. My soldier just sat there, did what was necessary, handed him his court documents and saw him off the premises. One day we'll be allowed to dish some back, just not now.

I actually don't expect my troops to be automatons. If they dish some back now and again I can understand why. I can't (officially) agree to it, but I can sure understand it.

Please email the hugs via Heidi Klum, I'll accept hugs from her anytime.

+1

Just can't believe the amount of shit you guys put with! , as you said "taxes pay me to enforce the law, not to put up with trash talk like we do"....couldn't do it personally! (I would end up stepping on someones throat! lol)
The ChCh police were amazing! during the quake, I was stuck in central city and "trying"! to ride out to get my partner & baby boy....on every corner was a poor cop standing his/her ground (while dodging falling debris etc) and trying to help the community get to safety...I for one will NEVER forget the personal risk you guys put yourself in to help....nothing but respect for you guys and tough job you do
In regards to you stopping slow or dangerous drivers, GREAT job rastuscat , keep it up

[Berries]

With several other things going on at the same time it is possible not to notice that the vehicle you're overtaking has sped up and, given that speeding up while being is overtaken is illegal it's not reasonable to punish someone for not noticing it, or for reacting to it.

You keep talking about speeding up while being overtaken as being illegal, but it is hardly a well known or publicised rule. You have already said how drivers speed up due to their subconscious telling them the road is wider, as it is when you get to a passing lane. The fact that people do speed up then is hardly unexpected and I would say it is reasonable to expect it to happen.

It goes like this..........

The roads must be really shit up your way if you have to rely on passing lanes when riding a bike.

[Smifffy]

Well around here there is a camera van parked at the end of a short passing lane 10 days out of 30, and you get to guess which days and which lanes.

Oh god are you one of those drivers/riders that takes up the whole length of a passing lane to pass one vehicle?

On the flip side, dont ever accept a ticket of this nature as a given, the issuer is at the bottom of the list, he/she has superiors to answer to and they (at times) listen to joe public.
I got pinged at 119, wrote in an and got off of the pending ticket.

Almost what I do to a T

Just that once past I move to the left to allow others that 'need' to get past me to do their thing.

[Supertwin Don]

Lets look at that claim in detail. For this purpose lets assume that the vehicles are all cars with a length of 5.4 meters.

Take a 1 km section of road with a speed limit of 100 km per hour. All vehicles on the road are travelling at 100 kmh (27.8 m/s) and keeping a 2 second gap from the one in front. Thus the traffic is flowing at the maximum rate for that piece of road. Each vehicle is taking up 55.6 meters gap plus 5.4 meters or a total of 61 m. Therefore there are 16 vehicles on that stretch of road, and they are flowing at a rate of one vehicle every 2.2 seconds.

Take that same 1 km section of road and drop the speed limit to 50 kmh. All vehicles are now travelling at 80 kmh (13.9 m/s) and keeping a 2 second gap from the one in front. Each vehicle is now taking up 27.8 meters gap plus 5.4 meters or a total of 33.2 m. Therefore there are now 30 vehicles on that stretch of road and they are flowing at a rate of one vehicle every 2.4 seconds.

The flow at the lower speed is worse, even though there are more vehicles on the road.

So, please don’t confuse “flow” with “number of vehicles”.

of course we could just take that concept to the logical conclusion and have a speed limit of 0 kmh and turn our roads into massive parking lots. Now we can get 185 vehicles per km of road even if they aren't going anywhere. Oh, wait.... Isn't that the Auckland motorway system during peak times?

Sorry, matey, Traffic Engineering definitions:

Volume = total number of vehicles during an extended period e.g. vehicles per day
Flow = total number of vehicles during a shorter period e.g. vehicle per hour
so by your numbers, the "flow" at a lower speed is greater - 30 vehicles rather than 16 vehicles - or if you like 7.3 vehicles per second as against 13.6 vehicles per second

(signed) Lecturer in Traffic Engineering / Highway Engineering for NZ Diploma in Engineering.

[Taz]

Why does it always have to be a ticket? Why not a friendly chat and some good advice which will send the errant motorist on his/her way with still a small amount of respect for those policing our roads?

[Kickaha]

Why does it always have to be a ticket? Why not a friendly chat and some good advice which will send the errant motorist on his/her way with still a small amount of respect for those policing our roads?

Yeah because if some ignorant arsehole is holding up 11 vehicles without pulling over I'm sure that will work

I've been pulled over before and gone on my way without a ticket on a few occasions as I suspect a lot of others have but we'd hardly be on here whining about it as people that get a ticket do

[Metastable]

To the OP -> Good Work! Regardless if one is going fast or slow it is important to be considerate to other road users. It isn't hard to pull over and let the crew past if you feel like driving super slow.

[FJRider]

Why does it always have to be a ticket? Why not a friendly chat and some good advice which will send the errant motorist on his/her way with still a small amount of respect for those policing our roads?

Because they remember the ticket ... the chat ....

[Jantar]

Sorry, matey, Traffic Engineering definitions:

Volume = total number of vehicles during an extended period e.g. vehicles per day
Flow = total number of vehicles during a shorter period e.g. vehicle per hour
so by your numbers, the "flow" at a lower speed is greater - 30 vehicles rather than 16 vehicles - or if you like 7.3 vehicles per second as against 13.6 vehicles per second

(signed) Lecturer in Traffic Engineering / Highway Engineering for NZ Diploma in Engineering.

I'm glad I'm not one of your students. That is 30 vehicles per km at the lower speed as opposed to 16 vehicles per km at the higer speed.

If you want vehicles per hour then at 100 kmh and 2.2 seconds per vehicle, that is 1636 vehicles per hour. At 50 kmh at 2.4 seconds per vehicle then that is 1500 vehicles per hour. So by your definition of flow the higher speed is still better. its just your maths that's worse.

And please, never let me in a line of traffic that is passing at 13.6 vehicles per second! Even with no gap and an average length of 5.4 m they would need to travelling at 265 kmh.

[GPXchick]

Are people aware you can actually ride/Drive 100 KMPH on the motorway, i know some areas change. Yet it seems on my daily commute people are happy to podle along at 85km It shits me...............

[scumdog]

I've been pulled over before and gone on my way without a ticket on a few occasions as I suspect a lot of others have but we'd hardly be on here whining about it as people that get a ticket do

Lots get 'chatted' to...quite a few do remember it for a while, even more remember the ticket a bit longer....

But ranting on KB about a supposedly undeserved ticket is the thing to do, it makes everything alright.

Apparently.