Operation Mataki - SH75 to Akaroa

[rastuscat]

It's my duty weekend this weekend. I'll be out on 75 on Sat and Sun, and possibly Friday evening too.

Stop for a chat, unless I stop you for a chat. I will not be bringing my sympathy with me, so get ready to be fined if I catch youse doing unlawful stuff.

Donut vouchers always help........they won't get you off a ticket, but they always help.

[dangerous]

well.. ya wont be chatting to me, but a counter part might he did last time I rode to the Woodstock rally... thought he was so cool standing next to his cage with his remote in hand... mutter mutter

[gloplg]

Donut vouchers always help........they won't get you off a ticket, but they always help.

Hey RC if you eat too many donuts you could wind up looking like Jellywrestler's avatar.

[rastuscat]

Op Mataki failed to live up to its' promise this weekend.

Both days I was out there, and the most exciting thing I came across was a small brown dog called Simon.

Wrote a few tickets, all for car drivers, but that's only coz they were the only ones I caught doing naughtiness.

Big ups to those who managed to enjoy the ride without going nuts.

A number of other events saw most riders in other places so numbers were down a little, but most of the riding I saw was within the rules, and largely safe as houses. I wasn't everywhere though, but on balance, I was stoked to have come away with not much paperwork.

See yaz out there on my next duty weekend. Next weekend and the one after are my troops weekends.

Raz

[dangerous]

hey so RC, who are the coppers that measure up shit after a serious acco? like I had one go a bit mental at me yesterday (jumping up n down waving his hands etc, I just thought the boys where some what friendly on the coast)
Ya come out of a 70k zone into a 100k and being on the coastthe fog line is the bush, I saw the hiddenish 100k sign, thankyou for visiting type sign but was focused on a work ute cutting a wee bit of the next leftie I compleatly missed a 30k sign (was told later there was one there down at ground level) straight after I saw the marked ute I saw a dayglo on the side of the road next to a trypod *enter the jumping up n down copper* thought it was just a surveyor happy to see me, round the corner was a marked police wagon 2 bikes and a bunch a people on the other side of the road...

I figgered it was a speed laser and I was traveling a bit fast for him to get me, but was informed a biker died there the day before and the people where painting a big white cross on the rock wall... opps, whell honestly his 30k sign should have been way better displayed and not under a 100k sign amoungest the bush and other signs, I was tuned on the bend... spose I proved to the copper who now I relise was a surveyor working for the goverment that the corner can be taken at the speed limit with out issues

[Rashika]

So after having done a few kms this weekend to woodstock rally via lewis, westport and coast i was actually impressed with the cops... But especially this morning, when they lined up and breath tested everyone leaving the rally site. You were able to go up to the gate before you even had your gears on and have your test and got a tick if all clear. Those that failed could go back and sleep it off without any issues, and the rest of us could leave knowing we were all fine. WHY dont the cops do a bit more of this proactive stuff? Maybe they do and i havent seen it yet?

[Dave-]

So after having done a few kms this weekend to woodstock rally via lewis, westport and coast i was actually impressed with the cops... But especially this morning, when they lined up and breath tested everyone leaving the rally site. You were able to go up to the gate before you even had your gears on and have your test and got a tick if all clear. Those that failed could go back and sleep it off without any issues, and the rest of us could leave knowing we were all fine. WHY dont the cops do a bit more of this proactive stuff? Maybe they do and i havent seen it yet?

Heard of it before.

we were once waiting outside Riwaka hotel after a Shapeshifter concert and the cops were walking around breath testing folk who asked for it.

Believe it or not but the cops don't actually want to ticket you for drink driving.

[dangerous]

Heard of it before.

we were once waiting outside Riwaka hotel after a Shapeshifter concert and the cops were walking around breath testing folk who asked for it.

Believe it or not but the cops don't actually want to ticket you for drink driving.

dont know so much about that, usually at a rally they are just up the road, by then ya on the bike and screwed, however this time just up the road was a speed trap... more money to be made from that I spose.

[Rashika]

dont know so much about that, usually at a rally they are just up the road, by then ya on the bike and screwed, however this time just up the road was a speed trap... more money to be made from that I spose.

yes this is more like it... its not often they will test you prior to being in/on a vehicle, but its a much better use of everyones resources, and I am all for it (so was everyone I spoke to about it).

[Scuba_Steve]

dont know so much about that, usually at a rally they are just up the road, by then ya on the bike and screwed, however this time just up the road was a speed trap... more money to be made from that I spose.

yes this is more like it... its not often they will test you prior to being in/on a vehicle, but its a much better use of everyones resources, and I am all for it (so was everyone I spoke to about it).

yep up the road is the usual approach. We've even been rejected for a test before when we walked up the road to get a pre-test, They just outright blatantly refused to test until we were in control of a vehicle.
It's that sorta thing that can take a perfectly acceptable & reasonable law & turn it into a scam.
Allowing people to test themselves before controlling a vehicle is always the better, safer way to do things & it's the way things should be done.

[Dave-]

yep up the road is the usual approach. We've even been rejected for a test before when we walked up the road to get a pre-test, They just outright blatantly refused to test until we were in control of a vehicle.
It's that sorta thing that can take a perfectly acceptable & reasonable law & turn it into a scam.
Allowing people to test themselves before controlling a vehicle is always the better, safer way to do things & it's the way things should be done.

So the cops wanted you to drink drive? which contradicts all their advertising? sounds like a terrible business model to me.

Smells like bovine faecal matter.

[oneofsix]

So the cops wanted you to drink drive? which contradicts all their advertising? sounds like a terrible business model to me.

Smells like bovine faecal matter.

As a business model, remembering that business is about making money and not giving away service for free, it makes sense. However you are correct in that general preferred perception is that they are meant to be trying to save lives and prevent drink driving. The idea that they will only check if they can then arrest on failure runs against what the public would like to think they have empowered them to do.

[rastuscat]

hey so RC, who are the coppers that measure up shit after a serious acco? like I had one go a bit mental at me yesterday (jumping up n down waving his hands etc, I just thought the boys where some what friendly on the coast)
Ya come out of a 70k zone into a 100k and being on the coastthe fog line is the bush, I saw the hiddenish 100k sign, thankyou for visiting type sign but was focused on a work ute cutting a wee bit of the next leftie I compleatly missed a 30k sign (was told later there was one there down at ground level) straight after I saw the marked ute I saw a dayglo on the side of the road next to a trypod *enter the jumping up n down copper* thought it was just a surveyor happy to see me, round the corner was a marked police wagon 2 bikes and a bunch a people on the other side of the road...

I figgered it was a speed laser and I was traveling a bit fast for him to get me, but was informed a biker died there the day before and the people where painting a big white cross on the rock wall... opps, whell honestly his 30k sign should have been way better displayed and not under a 100k sign amoungest the bush and other signs, I was tuned on the bend... spose I proved to the copper who now I relise was a surveyor working for the goverment that the corner can be taken at the speed limit with out issues

Serious Crash Unit.

[willytheekid]

As a business model, remembering that business is about making money and not giving away service for free, it makes sense. However you are correct in that general preferred perception is that they are meant to be trying to save lives and prevent drink driving. The idea that they will only check if they can then arrest on failure runs against what the public would like to think they have empowered them to do.

Yup! ...when your 200 million in the shit* due to the Govn't crushing your funding and recruitment (why the F..K??)...the business in question DOES tend to focus on the bottom line!
Hence when they pull in extra staff etc to monitor bike rally's, they do tend to make an effort to justify the extra expendature...and rightly so (besides, If you don't want to "donate"...don't break any laws...its that simple really)

But if they are refusing to breath test "worried" riders before they actually ride (those who have drunk the night before and are concerned about there safety and legality the next morning)...well thats just wrong!...and to a degree, its a form of entrapment! (but once again, there is a process for voicing your concerns if you see this happening...use it!...cos if there doing that sort of shit...thats just pure bullshit!, and it needs to be stopped)

*http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/nation...et-freeze-risk

[GrayWolf]

yep up the road is the usual approach. We've even been rejected for a test before when we walked up the road to get a pre-test, They just outright blatantly refused to test until we were in control of a vehicle.
It's that sorta thing that can take a perfectly acceptable & reasonable law & turn it into a scam.
Allowing people to test themselves before controlling a vehicle is always the better, safer way to do things & it's the way things should be done.

here's an Amazing thought, Personal responsibility.....
Yes you too can do this, it only takes a small amount of forethought, and what's more ANYONE can do this absolutely amazing thing.....

1) dont drink and drive

2) if you do drink? Make sure you ARE well below the amounts that 'might' put you above a test..... there is plenty of literature and information out there as to time it takes to digest/absorb/excrete alcohol from the system. As well as the amount of standard units that can be safely consumed over an evening/day.

3) yes you too can purchase a PERSONAL breath tester... either a one use balloon, or an electronic one.......

But wait, there's more..........

There is an AMAZING Govt organisation that will do this for you, just 'Drink, dont think... and when they meet you, they will inform you as to whether you 'got it right' or didnt.... But of course there is a small downside to this AMAZING system... a 'user pays' fee is deemed appropriate!