Police speed camera stolen near Tauranga

**What?** · 16th January 2004, 09:23

So who saw the complete piece of CRAP about this on the front page of Thursday night's Bay Times? Dumb reporter (probably a peroxided blonde) seems to think that the camera remover has flogged it for financial gain, or maybe to retrieve the photos...
Like Charlie Brown said, "Good Grief"

**cheetor** · 25th January 2004, 12:54

Originally Posted by Jackrat

Iv'e often wondered how one of them things would handle a 180g .308 projectile at say 2800fps,and if it would manage to take a photo' as the bullet
was closing in.
Hey just a thought

I rekon a coupple of paintballs from my paintball gun woiuld do the job

**wkid_one** · 25th January 2004, 14:52

PLus no criminal damage as it is just like airborne tagging that needs to be cleaned off.......

**pete376403** · 6th February 2004, 00:13

Originally Posted by wkid_one

Yes - but the camera that earns the most money is the one in Nguaranga Gorge in Wellington

And ain't it a pisser that they spent around $5million putting up all those electronic speed limit signs, so the limit could be changed up and down as conditions warranted. With the camera set on 80K (fecking stupid for a four lane divided highway) the electronic signs are redundant.
And another thing - if the Gorge is so dangerous that it needs to be 80K how come the limit ups to 100K about 3/4 way down?

LB · 6th February 2004, 03:53

Originally Posted by pete376403

And ain't it a pisser that they spent around $5million putting up all those electronic speed limit signs, so the limit could be changed up and down as conditions warranted.

Most of the time those electronic signs say nothing at all.

When they do say something, it's when it's raining and they say "slippery surface watch following distance". So most car drivers will sit there and watch the following distance (rather than what's going on around them) rather than increasing their following distance.

I think once or twice it's said "accident SH1 expect delays".

IMHO they're a waste of $5 million.

**avgas** · 18th November 2004, 20:30

been done to the 1 next to my old house (grt nrth rd, titirangi intersection) was cleaned within 6 hours!!!!

**simo** · 18th November 2004, 20:51

Heh Jackrat, you read me mind, the perfect load for speed cameras, suppressed .223 55gn hollow point from 250 meters through a 24in barrel, love to see the photo as the round closed in, you could redrill the bolt holes for the camera box with this setup!!!! Down Triangle road in Henderson, we passed a green motorised ATM, that someone had snuckup and attached a big cardboard sign to the back that said REVENUE COLLECTION IN PROGRESS, couldn't stop laughing as the plonker in the van wasnt aware of the sign, bloody Westies

**cycosis** · 18th November 2004, 21:05

good job,that will bring the road toll down

**ajturbo** · 18th November 2004, 21:10

isn't that strange!!!!
i go past that camera nearly every day..it is 10km from my place on a no exit rd!! ( road is closed for mayjor work ) i have not noticed it missing at all!!!
did it get replaced asap??? it will have one with me giving it the finger...

i think i was doing around 80km/hr.. but it is after the school, going in that direction, going towards the school i do watch my speed as you just don't know what those little buggers will do!!!.. flash looking school, i wonder if luke wants to go there???

**Jamezo** · 18th November 2004, 21:17

Originally Posted by avgas

been done to the 1 next to my old house (grt nrth rd, titirangi intersection) was cleaned within 6 hours!!!!

there's one at the northern end of fergusson drive, got spraypainted, and IIRC, didn't get fixed for like weeks! (my memory is bad, it was anywhere from 1 to 3...)

**simo** · 18th November 2004, 21:43

Originally Posted by cycosis

good job,that will bring the road toll down

Try this for 1%, in the lastest news on stuff.co.nz, the cops trot out some statistics, they stopped 13,810 drivers last weekend in AK, they booked 140 drivers for excess breath alcohol, yes you guessed it 0.01% hit rate, we are are all targed for purposes of revenue collection because of 1% of the population. What they don't say is the revenue collected from all the stopped vehicles without WOF, regos, etc etc. Sure we caught 140 drivers, but we wrote out tickets for 5000 vehicles average fine of $80, love a business like that - $400,000 in fines.

I have to admit though, getting pissed driver's off the road has got to be good for all. However, hiding speed cameras under trees, and pinging Ma & PA for 63 kms suggests a very wide net all sitting under the banner of bringing the road toll down, expands the potential revenue base with using the justification " if we can save one life" There is no decisive evidence that citizens sending cheques to the police changes their driving habits at all. Our road toll is still over 400 per year in spite of all the millions collected - The road toll will be with us forever, I hope I don't have to spell out why.

**rodgerd** · 18th November 2004, 22:02

Originally Posted by wkid_one

400 motorists at say a minimum of $120 a ticket - that is $48000 for 5 days work.

Well, you know how it is when people are too thick not to break the law in front of a fixed camera.

**rodgerd** · 18th November 2004, 22:11

Originally Posted by spudchucka

Actually the police don't see any of that money. It goes to the great Govt slush fund, undoubtedly to keep the increasing population of beneficiarys in there expected standard of living.

Increasing? Unemployment's down, dude. You may have noticed the stories about employers wanting to bulk import cheap labour so they don't have to *gasp* pay people more to get them.

**rodgerd** · 18th November 2004, 22:13

Originally Posted by pete376403

And ain't it a pisser that they spent around $5million putting up all those electronic speed limit signs, so the limit could be changed up and down as conditions warranted. With the camera set on 80K (fecking stupid for a four lane divided highway) the electronic signs are redundant.
And another thing - if the Gorge is so dangerous that it needs to be 80K how come the limit ups to 100K about 3/4 way down?

Limit there is more about keeping traffic flowing. People who study traffic flows for a living (odd occupation, I know) tell me that you get better overall trips if, eg everyone goes at a steady 60 rather than a stop-and-go 100 on congested roads.

**rodgerd** · 18th November 2004, 22:16

Originally Posted by simo

I have to admit though, getting pissed driver's off the road has got to be good for all. However, hiding speed cameras under trees, and pinging Ma & PA for 63 kms suggests a very wide net all sitting under the banner of bringing the road toll down, expands the potential revenue base with using the justification " if we can save one life" There is no decisive evidence that citizens sending cheques to the police changes their driving habits at all. Our road toll is still over 400 per year in spite of all the millions collected - The road toll will be with us forever, I hope I don't have to spell out why.

I'd love you to spell out why the road toll has damn near halved since the 80s. Or is it just a happy conincidence occuring in spite of the higher levels of car ownership and use since then?