How long can I wait before paying a fine?

[axdout]

Did your parents ever regret keeping you?
Outta curiosity

Nah my mummy loves me, I could be a crack smoking beneficiary that sponges off all you guys, instead I failed to comply with some bogus road rules. I know that makes me a horrible person in the eyes of society but im still her little angel

[MarkH]

On a 49cc pitbike doing a burnout outside my house still counts as operating a motorcycle without a helmet. Told you I am THAT stupid!

Did your parents have any children that lived?

[davereid]

Got my first speeding ticket on the bike today.
was pulled over for doing 121 after overtaking a truck on a straight stretch of road. The problem is, if I pay this ticket before 27th December I will reach the magical 100 demerit points

The demerits are entered on conviction. But the effective date is the offence date.

Look at it like this.

Get a ticket with 100 demerits on Jan 1. 2001
Dork system around until Jan 1 2011 and then get convicted.
NZTA say gee 100 demerits in less than 2 years, demerit disqual applies.

Defending it only helps of you win.

On the other hand, if you were passing someone, and it was radar used for the ticket, it was an easy win, as multiple vehicles in beam, no evidence against you exists unless you admit speeding.

[hardhats]

It sounds to me like you're fucked already and the date of paying the fine & dragging things out is pointless. AFAIK it's the actual date of the offence(s) that apply to the 100 point accrual.

Maybe you should learn to accept that sometimes it's best to follow the truck

Demerit points start from the date you pay the fine. Says so on the ticket. I ain't riding at 80 behind a dirty old truck all the way home on sh2...

[hardhats]

The demerits are entered on conviction. But the effective date is the offence date...

as multiple vehicles in beam, no evidence against you exists unless you admit speeding.

Sounds like I need to check this effective date issue... Might be pointless to delay after all. If it is as you say, probably best to get the 3 months over asap.

Several cars did pass the truck on the same straight after me. Was a bit gutted the cop picked me to pull over, but I was speeding so fair enough.


Some good suggestions, thanks guys, some not. Radar detector will definitely be on the list for Father Christmas.

[Jantar]

Demerit points start from the date you pay the fine. Says so on the ticket. I ain't riding at 80 behind a dirty old truck all the way home on sh2...

I haven't received a ticket for quite some time now, so can't comment on the actual wording on the ticket, but I believe the demerits are applied at the time that the fine is paid (ie the offence is admitted), but the start date is at the date of the offence.

Also you're fucked on the two year rule, because once you have 60 demerits none of them are wiped until you go two years without collecting any more points. So it could be up to 4 years for the first of them to drop off.

May I suggest that you try to delay the application of the points so that your 3 months walking time occurs over winter.

[Owl]

Also you're fucked on the two year rule, because once you have 60 demerits none of them are wiped until you go two years without collecting any more points. So it could be up to 4 years for the first of them to drop off.

Here we go again. Not the case Jantar

[Jantar]

Here we go again. Not the case Jantar

You are right. I based that comment on the last letter I received after my last speeding ticket in 2007. It stated that I now had 60 demerit points and that they would all remain for a period of 2 years. I have just checked the legislation and it isn't the number of points that determines when that 2 years kicks in, its the number of offences.

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/p...erit_resel&p=1

91 Cancellation and reinstatement of demerit points


(1) When 2 years have elapsed since the commission of an offence in respect of which demerit points were recorded, the entry of the points made in respect of that offence ceases to have effect in relation to the person who committed that offence; but if demerit points were recorded in respect of 2 or more offences committed by that person, the entry ceases to have effect when 2 years have elapsed since the commission of the most recent of those offences.

So its 2 years since your most recent offence irrespective of the number of points. That's worse than I claimed.

[Owl]

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/p...erit_resel&p=1

I've read that too Jantar and it reads to me exactly as you describe.

However, I've just phoned the NZ Transport Agency to get confirmation again and they're adamant. The points drop off after 2 years from the date of the offence regardless whether more demerits are accumulated.

Oh and while I was on the phone I asked about mine and 20 demerits are due to be wiped on 6th Feb 2013.

[hardhats]

Just checked with NZTA myself. I currently have 70 points:
35 points from 27 December 2009
35 points from May 2011

On the 28 December 2011 I will be back to 35 points


Also checked with Police call centre for tickets (0800 105 777). The customer service person told me that if I pay the new fine after 28 December I will not exceed the 100 points. Hope she's right...

[Madness]

Hope she's right...

She's not.

[DrunkenMistake]

So its 2 years since your most recent offence irrespective of the number of points. That's worse than I claimed.

It is when you try your best to drop the ones you currently have then pick one up in the morning on the way to work..

Who the hell expects to overtake a mufti cop at 7am!? haha..
I also got a new ticket, it looks more like a receipt than the usual hand written ticket

[Winston001]

Also checked with Police call centre for tickets (0800 105 777). The customer service person told me that if I pay the new fine after 28 December I will not exceed the 100 points. Hope she's right...

No, she's incorrect. The law for the date demerit points accrued from was amended a few years ago to stop people stringing out the prosecution process. It used to be the effective date was the date of conviction, which for most people was the date you paid the fine (a de facto admission of guilty).

Now the law states demerits accrue from the date of the offence.

However: I do wonder just how efficient the matching up of data from the Department of Courts to the Police really is. Its human beings entering the data and I can see how easy it might be for the effective date to mistakenly be recorded as when the fine is paid or a conviction entered.

[scumdog]

And don't forget there's some sucky fish-hooks with demerits.
Like if you are stoopid enough to get done for E.B.A you also get 50 demerits.

So...if you already had (for example) 60 points before you got your 6-months disqualy you will have the said 50 points tacked on - and get you lil 'ol licence plucked from your hot lil hand for another 3 months...

Sucks to be you at that point.

[Madness]

It's almost enough to make you consider buying a Harley. Almost.