letter from the police

[WRT]

As a point of interest, in my old job we had to deal with the IT equipment getting discarded from the Police stations up and down the country as part of their roll-out of new gear. And the old gear (especially from the smaller, rural stations) was pretty crappy. It wouldn't surprise me if it was printed on an ink jet printer, we saw heaps of them from the police - perhaps as many inkjets as lasers.

And this may be off topic slightly, but having seen the quality of the gear the Police had been using before the roll-out - its not wonder they dont have time to solve crimes - heaps of 486's and older! They cant get to the scene of the crime cause they are busy waiting for their computer to boot up!

[k14]

This happened to one of my mates a few months back, what he did was on the form they sent to fill out he put a big black cross through the front, fliped it over and on the back wrote down that his bike hadnt been riden by anyone else, and that if it was his bike seen poping a 180k wheelie in a 50 zone at that time to prove it. this was 3 months back and he hasnt heard a thing since. our conclusion was they only had part of his licence plate and just wanted him to cave and spill his guts. they come over and delivered it in person tho, and tried to get him to confess then and there, then 3 days latter the letter followed. my advice is dont give them what they are asking for, send the letter back with a denial, and untill they drag you to court with evedence just keep denying, it will waste a heap of police time(at least they wont be out issueing tickets) and with any luck like was the case with him they will give up....IMO if they new for a fact it was you or your bike they would have come over to see you with a ticket..no question

Yep what I was thinking. Think you should probably take it as being legit, ring up the officer who's name is on the letter and ask about it. Just don't confess to it, I'd say some car driver just phoned them up and they only way they can get you is if you admit to doing it.

[Lou Girardin]

Phone Helensville Police and check if it's genuine. If it is, it's then your choice to identify the driver, bearing in mind the penalty for not doing so. Ask who estimated your speed, cop or public, don't admit anything. If it was a public complaint, deny it.

[bugjuice]

'course, it doesn't help when you've got a memorable reg plate, huh?

[ManDownUnder]

Take it to the local cop shop and tell them your friend got this - and have them confirm if it's the real deal or not.

If required, you might want to add don't think it relates to your friend as they can't recall the incident in quiestion...

MDU

[R6_kid:Me]

i got one of these letters last year. Unfortunately i burnt it when the whole ordeal was over. Turned out to be an off duty copper - Cant do anything until they get to work the next day/after weekend. As suggested, take a trip down to the po po station and ask them if its real if you really dont believe it... IMO its better to just get it sorted and be straight talking with them. Dont dispute it if you know it was you and you were going that speed (or faster), there are people i know of on here, including myself that have been let off in these situations, usually the copper cant be bothered doing the paper work.

[crshbndct]

I would send them a very polite letter back explaining that you have no recollection of the incident but ti is concievable that you were in fact on the road at that time but it is inconcievable that you would be travelling that quickly. They can't do anything about it unless they have got an exact lock on what the bike was doing at the time. "estimated" is not good enough.

Or just ignore it completely.

quoted for truth

[R6_kid:Me]

could always say it was for sale... and that someone took it for a test ride. You dont have a name or contact number anymore and that you have since resolved the problems with g/f and/or wife and are now alowed to keep the bike

[crshbndct]

To Whom it may concern.

I am writing in response to a letter I recently received wherein it states that a vehicle bearing my registration was spotted doing an “estimated” 130 Kilometres an hour.
In the letter it also states that the vehicle is a car, with a driver.

My vehicle has an engine of approximately 999cc, which I doubt would have the power to propel a motorcar of average description to anything over 100 km/h. Indeed I ran a simulation of a 1000cc(an extra cc, I know, but I thought that this is not stacking the odds in my favor, and so is acceptable.)vehicle of average size. The highest top speed it reached was 86.4km./h, or 54mph. Now, while 55mph is the speed required to make a flux capacitor function and propel forward or back in time as I see fit*( For reference, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux_capacitor) the vehicle is question does not have the ability to achieve the speeds of which I am accused. I would welcome a recorded radar reading, laser reading, or any such device, as I would be delighted to know that my vehicle is capable of not only going 55mph, and enabling me to travel through time and meet my friend Marty McFly, but I would be able to do it effortlessly, and not have to continuously do it heading towards a brick wall/drive-in screen/oncoming traffic, and hope to reach warp speed before a tragedy occurs.

Also in the light of the fact that there is no proof, and that I do not recall even being on that road on that day I would like to deny these charges. If you wish to pursue this matter further you can contact my solicitor, Mr Johnny “Whose yo Pimp Daddy” Cochrane, c/- eat myballs inc, California.

Regards,

(Your name here)

[The Stranger:Me]

Thats an old one that doesnt work. You have to prove it was for sale and ridden by an unknowen. Good luck with that.

Advice from my cousin in HP, return the letter blank. You will then get another one. Also return it blank. At worst the owner of the vehicle will get a fine for the alleged speed....no demerits or if it was an insane speed no loss of licence.
You can decide to pay it or defend the ticket (summons will arrive sometime later) . This process invariably takes many months. Good chance of getting off once prosecution see the case. Ask for disclosure first to see what the police actually have as evidence against you, probably not a lot.

my 2c

I would have thought that the burden of proof lay with the police. I have been hit twice and had the other party get off with lame excuses.

First one I was parked and in a party and got hit, the guy took off. The guy following saw the lot, got his rego and came into the party and found me. We went strait down the police station and reported it. He got off, claimed it was stolen at the time, despite his not having reported it.

The second one was a red light runner, whom hit me then did a runner. No sweat I got his rego. Go to the police and report this one too. They track the car to the owner up north, whom had loaned it to his cousin and had no idea where it was.

Mind you, there is one huge difference here, neither of these were for the most heinous crime of speeding. No doubt you can expect a SWAT team and helicopter soon to collect your "friend" for a minimum of 7 years hard labour for being such an evil bastard.

[madboy]

If you're too much of a smart ass about it, you run the risk that the copper will dig his heels in and decide to make an example of you. Of course, it's still fun to stick it to them

If it were me, I'd say I don't believe anyone else was riding my bike at that time, but in saying that I'm not entirely sure that I was either since I can't recall exactly where I was and when. It is possibly that it was me.

Therefore you have near enough satisfied your legal requirement to provide them with the details of the rider (they'll hardly prosecute for that answer).

Then find out whether it was a cop or joe public who spotted ya. Others responding above are quite right, if it's joe public then deny everything. In my experience, you'll prob get off. If it's an off-duty cop, you're completely at their mercy. Either they'll tell you you're good boy for fessing up, don't be so stupid at that speed, don't do it again, and let you off... else you'll get ticketed.

But don't admit that it was you, no matter what. Admit only that to the best of your knowledge it was probably not someone else.

[scooterboynz]

My guess is that your "friend" wasn't home when they called to deliver it and they simply left it in the envelope. Sometimes mail goes missing, blows away in the wind etc. If the letter wasn't actually served on you..... your friend, as in handed to you....... your friend by the constable or delivered by registered mail then I would suggest it has not been served correctly. You and your friend can choose how best you should take that piece of information.

do you really think that the police have the spare time and resources to hand deliver a letter about someone who was alledged to be speeding?

[The Stranger:Me]

If it was something like murder or rape I would have to agree with you.
But you have to keep this in perspective, the man was speeding.
There is no worse crime is there?
So yes it is quite likely they would hand deliver it.

[zeRax]

To Whom it may concern.

I am writing in response to a letter I recently received wherein it states that a vehicle bearing my registration was spotted doing an “estimat.......................................... ..............
.................................................. ..
.................................................. ..

looooooooooool

[ManDownUnder]

looooooooooool

That was a sing by the kinks wasn't it?

I met her in a bar donw in old SOHO...