Heads up KB Plod - Road safety, is that what it is all about really?

[Mom]

I dont diss your profession, not about to now, but some response from others in the blue would be appreciated.

I have been on the recieving end of some wonderfully compassionate care from the uniform, I have a kid who also got the benefit of a bit of country policing ( I told the cop he should have thrown the book!). I have also received a couple (2) of speeding tickets, 1 I roundly deserved, it slowed me right down. The other one for 112kph overtaking on a overtaking lane left me a bit miffed. The attitude of the COP at the time did not help. I wish I had complained actually. Anyway, I respect the uniform, just putting a bit of flavour into this thread.

Our Rodney Road Plod dont have a great reputation on/up here - the Ginga Cunt springs to mind, oh, and the 2 bike cops racing on the motorway that attempted to cover up what they had done, to finally get sprung by another plod can not be forgotten easily.

I am not a fan of COP BASHING, 2 sides of the story etc, though at times the other side of the story confirms the attitude was/is justified.

I commute, Warkworth to Albany 5 and 4 days a week, depending on the weeks. I can predict with confidence where I am going to encounter plod up here, though they do change locations and tactics, they are only ever going to be in a few places. Usually ALL of them (3 marked and 1 unmarked hovering around) can be found in tandem, playing tag.

Sometimes I stop to buy gas at Dairy Flat, there are 3 marked cars parked up and 3 cops having a coffee/donuts inside. Sweet trip home, time and place and all that. Now for the reality of my commute, the coffee and donut stop can not be relied upon.

Last week, heading south to work, I saw every North bound on ramp covered by a COP with Radar. That was at 7:40am mind you, the bulk of the traffic is heading south but they are targetting north bound traffic, hidden from view by foliage. If south bound traffic is paying attention the commute is sweet! Tonight, the toll bridge southbound (always watch that one) was manned by a COP with a radar gun. He was tucked right up behind the building that houses the technology, southbound this is not unexpected.

My favourite place though is the exit of the tunnels heading north. FFS! why does it take 3 marked cars at 6pmish to stop traffic exceeding 80 kph exiting the tunnels? Last night I watched a COP about get mown down(it was close from my 2 cars back perspective) leaping out of the friggen dark (no lights on, no warning at all, no street lights) into the northbound traffic. Gave me a hell fright, I know they are going to be there, so NEVER exceed 80kph out of the tunnels. The bloke they pulled over obviously did not know that, he was just ahead of me and not going fast either.

Road Safety?

Where is the emphasis on that in these examples? I always thought that was the purpose of the new and evolving Highway Patrol?

http://www.police.govt.nz/service/ro...waypatrol.html

The Highway Patrol's aim is to help reduce road trauma and make our roads safer by providing a highly visible, dedicated police presence.

That is part of the mission statement, where does hiding, and leaping out in front of, provide a "highly visible, dedicated police presence"?

Dont stress, you are not the only ones I am asking

[bogan]

What was the buzz word they used instead of quote, public interaction or something along those lines I think. My guess is that is the measure they chose to use for guaging their visibility. Trouble with that is if they were actually visible (in the traditional sense, they wouldn't be as visible in the other sense; if that made sense

Good luck with getting responses form various avenues, of the last dozen or thereabouts I've sent, I got two emails back saying they had been passed on, and one mass reply type which didn't really answer my question. Seems that 'public servant' is a very loose description these days.

Also worth noting, is it might just be Auckland or your local that are going to silly lengths putting tickets in front of safety. The 'snakes' I've seen in manawatu and hawkes bay have always found safe places to camp out at least. And tbh, I see more cop cars parked on my street, than out setting speed-traps; state housing suburb you see

[Mom]

Good luck with getting responses form various avenues, of the last dozen or thereabouts I've sent, I got two emails back saying they had been passed on, and one mass reply type which didn't really answer my question. Seems that 'public servant' is a very loose description these days.

For some reasaon I cant stop myself from TRYING to get through. I hear you though, frustration abounds...

Also worth noting, is it might just be Auckland or your local that are going to silly lengths putting tickets in front of safety. The 'snakes' I've seen in manawatu and hawkes bay have always found safe places to camp out at least. And tbh, I see more cop cars parked on my street, than out setting speed-traps; state housing suburb you see

We do seem to have a very overzealous HP presence on our roads up here. Yes they(the roads) can be fatal (sadly more often than is acceptable) but I fail to see how what I see on a daily basis contributes to Road Safety.

[Mom]

Last from me tonight...

Higher visibility on the roads gives the public a sense of confidence that police are not only out there, but are taking an active interest in their safety. A visible presence also acts as a deterrent to those who wish to flout the road laws.

[nzspokes]

the Ginga Cunt springs to mind,

I think ive heard of him. Not well liked.

[Ocean1]

Yes they(the roads) can be fatal (sadly more often than is acceptable) but I fail to see how what I see on a daily basis contributes to Road Safety.

You've answered your own question.

Two factors:

1) The accident rate is unacceptable, (to the authorities)
2) The accident rate can't be reduced further by tighter regulation or enforcement.

So, you've got officers who on one hand are thoroughly indoctrinated into the current safetyspeak policy set, yet on the other find their work has little or no effect on the "carnage". Perfect WOFTAM recipe.

The fact is the accident rate is perfectly acceptable to the ones that matter. Us, Road users. Must be, or none of us would ride / drive. Have you any idea how difficult it is to hurt yourself out there? Modern road use is ridiculously safe.

Not politically tenable, that general viewpoint.



Strue though.

[bogan]

You've answered your own question.

Two factors:

1) The accident rate is unacceptable, (to the authorities)
2) The accident rate can't be reduced further by tighter regulation or enforcement.

So, you've got officers who on one hand are thoroughly indoctrinated into the current safetyspeak policy set, yet on the other find their work has little or no effect on the "carnage". Perfect WOFTAM recipe.

The fact is the accident rate is perfectly acceptable to the ones that matter. Us, Road users. Must be, or none of us would ride / drive. Have you any idea how difficult it is to hurt yourself out there? Modern road use is ridiculously safe.

Not politically tenable, that general viewpoint.



Strue though.

Yup, broader view, it's a fucked up system, the actual state of affairs regarding the effectiveness of such roadside stops, is likely known by very few, if any. So the system works to maintain the status quo, tickets must imply people learning not to do stupid shit on the roads, which must in turn lower the accident rate. And in this PC world, the focus has gone to measurable offenses (speeding and DIC) so personal judgment and responsibility are reduced (for the officers). And it has always been my opinion, that what the officers focus on, will be what the public focuses on, so we now have sober drivers doing 95kmhr, but paying very little attention to the road, the accidents continue.

Kind of went off on a tangent there, but I guess my point is, the system is managed to prefer control through measurable factors all the way through, so the immeasurable, but more significant factors are overlooked. Until they can measure or at least focus on those other factors, there will always be an 'unacceptable' amount of accidents.

[Mom]

You've answered your own question.

Have you any idea how difficult it is to hurt yourself out there? Modern road use is ridiculously safe.

I have been enjoying the roads around these parts for many years now. I have done so with GAY abandon in years gone by, these days I mind my self in obvious places, and restrict my exhuberance generally. I will be gutted by my next ticket It pisses me off... Millie wants to go! I have changed my mind, not only will I be gutted, I can blame Millie for being a complete tart

Yes I know how hard, EASY! it is to come to grief on the road, a lack of skills, inexperience, other road users suffering the same problems, all combine to attempt to turf us off our rides.

I cant wait for the red flag bearing COPS that wander along in front of a queue of traffic, keeping us down to walking speed. Cant be any more souless than hiding on an onramp, invisible to the traffic they are patrolling, hoping to ping someone exceeding 100kph surely. They must have great work stories to tell

[Sable]

The one time I have been given a ticket was 200 metres from home, doing 61kmph at 7pm with a broken speedo light so I couldn't see it. Fair aye

[Brian d marge]

Road safety , plod ...hahahaha best laugh Ive had all night......except for the wee midget on the floor show at the ,,, eeerrr

you watch how quickly road safety becomes unimportant one the beehive wallahs stop reaching into wallet to pay for the medical bills

Its all about money ......

Stephen

[tigertim20]

you know when you go to work with a to do list, then your asshole boss comes and and says 'fuck your list, youre doing this' and even though you know the bosses agenda is a load of shit, you know you have to comply?

Cops are in the same boat, most of the poor cunts probably thought theyd be out there collaring rapists and kid fuckers when they signed up, only to get assigned shit duties, and tasks that are ultimately decided by a pack of wankers in an ugly round shaped building in welly.

sure theres the odd cunt whos a fucktard, but the most of them are just like us, have been given orders that they dont like, but that they have to obey. difference being they probably put up with alot more shit during a day than the rest of us.

If we have an issue with police tactics and agendas, we need to address the issue above the level of police, because they have their orders at work, just like me and you.

[Brian d marge]

you know when you go to work with a to do list, then your asshole boss comes and and says 'fuck your list, youre doing this' and even though you know the bosses agenda is a load of shit, you know you have to comply?

Cops are in the same boat, most of the poor cunts probably thought theyd be out there collaring rapists and kid fuckers when they signed up, only to get assigned shit duties, and tasks that are ultimately decided by a pack of wankers in an ugly round shaped building in welly.

sure theres the odd cunt whos a fucktard, but the most of them are just like us, have been given orders that they dont like, but that they have to obey. difference being they probably put up with alot more shit during a day than the rest of us.

If we have an issue with police tactics and agendas, we need to address the issue above the level of police, because they have their orders at work, just like me and you.

agreed
shoot the minkey ginder not the minkey

but You do have to understand , the old bill do see rather a lot of absolute retards ...... who should be ticketed for stupidity , rather than 4km over

that being said ..... the whole approach to road safety in NZ and other countries , oh look Victoria is the same as us ....NOT

is BOLLOX ...you could cut the road toll down to half ,,in one simple exersise ....and know how

educate and treat people like humans , make it socially uncomfortable to be an arsehole driver

Kick John key in the nuts ...( nothing to do with road safety , I just want to do that )

be reasonable

Stephen

wonder if Jk had any friends at school . I would have picked on the turd , wonder if anyone else did

though ,,,,,,,,, I wouldn't have tapped Helen

[Mom]

agreed
shoot the minkey ginder not the minkey


educate and treat people like humans , make it socially uncomfortable to be an arsehole driver

Good morning!

Up here we are blessed with a heap of imported ex cop Poms that have come here and re trained. They have a completely different attitude to road policing than Kiwi cops.

And yes, as you say there are better ways but HOW do we get that message across?

[nodrog:Me]

Its because they are cunts

[Swoop]

Last night I watched a COP about get mown down leaping out of the friggen dark (no lights on, no warning at all, no street lights) into the northbound traffic.

One can imagine the ruccus that would ensue IF a plod, doing exactly that, was hit and killed "in the line of duty".
The chances of the car/vehicle driver getting a fair and unbiased investigation into the incident...