demerits is it worth it?

[AllanB]

That would involve taking responsibility.

This is KB.

Mutually exclusive.

Are you implying that there may not be a 90 day adjustment period for the lower speed signs in Selwyn?

[russd7]

went to New plymouth on Friday last got a ticket for speeding
dam it. now this is my story.
doing 105 ish down a big steep hill just before the awakino gorge some place starting with M but anyway this hill three lanes down hill anyway saw the 50klms temp for road works but rounded a gentle right and pinged at 81 klms not more than 100m in the zone. $300 plus 40 merit points.
I was real nice to the man but he hit me anyway.
so I recon I was real hard done by this time but is it worth writing to the police and point out the sillyness of it all?
Has anyone here ever got a let off for writing in to the police? if so how did you do it? were you greasing or firm whats the secret?
of shall I just pay up and move on? is a court hearing expensive and how much? If there are any traffic Police listening
F**K UP frankly

id say suck it up buttercup, and probably get ya brakes checked if you couldn't slow to 50 from 105ish in the the time from when you saw the sign till nearly 100m past the sign.

people don't take enough notice of temporary road signs, they often don't take any notice of accident signs and flashing lights. don't be in such a hurry

[rastuscat]

Are you implying that there may not be a 90 day adjustment period for the lower speed signs in Selwyn?

My boss led the speed limit review. He's been with the council for 35 years. He knows a thing or two.

Speed in NZ is really easy to comply with.

You can go as fast as you like as long as it's not faster than the number on the sign.

You can go as slow as you like as long as you don't hold anyone up.

Easy.

[YellowDog]

My boss led the speed limit review. He's been with the council for 35 years. He knows a thing or two.

Speed in NZ is really easy to comply with.

You can go as fast as you like as long as it's not faster than the number on the sign.

You can go as slow as you like as long as you don't hold anyone up.

Easy.

Yip.... you can drive recklessly and dangerously, just so long as that number isn't breached. Take a sharp wet bend at 99kph and it wasn't your fault. Sue the council, get the bend straightened, get a special super grippy surface put on the road.

Why bother with indicators, so long as you are only doing 99kph. 400 people dead on the roads and road safety is still low priority.

Whilst speed and road safety continue to mean the same thing, nothing is going to change.

[jellywrestler]

My boss led the speed limit review. He's been with the council for 35 years. He knows a thing or two.

Speed in NZ is really easy to comply with.

You can go as fast as you like as long as it's not faster than the number on the sign.

You can go as slow as you like as long as you don't hold anyone up.

Easy.

the law could also police things other than speed and alcohol but rarely do, they may have the odd blitz on seatbelts etc but fuck all else.
Why, cause it's easy, pull someone up for careless driving they get a lawyer, take the cop into court for a couple of hours etc, so the cops simply don't bother, whens the last time someone got a ticket for not stopping at a pedestarian crossing until the pedestarian is back on the footpath? anybodies guess,
why don't the cops put cameras in the cars and police bad driving instead of falling back on speed speed speed as the be all and end all of our road deaths?

[rastuscat]

the law could also police things other than speed and alcohol but rarely do, they may have the odd blitz on seatbelts etc but fuck all else.
Why, cause it's easy, pull someone up for careless driving they get a lawyer, take the cop into court for a couple of hours etc, so the cops simply don't bother, whens the last time someone got a ticket for not stopping at a pedestarian crossing until the pedestarian is back on the footpath? anybodies guess,
why don't the cops put cameras in the cars and police bad driving instead of falling back on speed speed speed as the be all and end all of our road deaths?

Speeding tickets make up about a third of tickets written.

My maths leads me to believe that the other two thirds aren't speeding tickets.

The main problem is perception. The TV campaigns don't help.

[YellowDog]

Speeding tickets make up about a third of tickets written.

My maths leads me to believe that the other two thirds aren't speeding tickets.

The main problem is perception. The TV campaigns don't help.

Fair enough. Our perception is possibly influenced by the 'we're not cops, but we want you to think we are' Hyundai vans, doing their revenue thing, with zero tolerance.

So far as cops go, 95% good, but I do have a problem with the young foreign cops, especially the Ruskies and Safas. Not good with their standards (from back home) and give good cops a bad name.

[rastuscat]

Fair enough. Our perception is possibly influenced by the 'we're not cops, but we want you to think we are' Hyundai vans, doing their revenue thing, with zero tolerance.

So far as cops go, 95% good, but I do have a problem with the young foreign cops, especially the Ruskies and Safas. Not good with their standards (from back home) and give good cops a bad name.

Saw one of those vans today. Nil markings on the front or back. Marked sides.

Remarkably, i didnt have to worry. As i dont speed.

[Berries]

whens the last time someone got a ticket for not stopping at a pedestarian crossing until the pedestarian is back on the footpath?

Hopefully never. A bit like not crossing the road if a car has already passed the painted diamond, it might sound good in the road code but has no legal basis.

Ducks are ok though - Give way to ducks

[SaferRides]

The main problem is perception. The TV campaigns don't help.

Don't get me started on TV campaigns.

"Keep to the speed limits and you'll be OK when you crash."

[YellowDog]

Saw one of those vans today. Nil markings on the front or back. Marked sides.

Remarkably, i didnt have to worry. As i dont speed.

I generally don't speed either. I use cruise control, both on bike and car.

My last ticket was because the road was going downhill and the cop training session was at the bottom of the hill, of a wide straight road. I got stopped doing 35Kph. Apparently my speed, at the very steepest part of the hill, was 61Kph. Pretty pathetic really. 400 people a year die on the roads and I am getting harassed by those empowered to protect us. On my next trip down that very same stretch of road, I selected a lower gear and was still doing around 55Kph (no police trap this time). I guess I am going to have to start using my brakes more, if I am going to survive in this police state.

I was annoyed because, I was riding sedately and was stopped whilst using the road as safely as I considered was reasonable, for the conditions. The subjective analysis did not agree. I guess I should no longer ride slower in the rain or around bends, because whilst I might end up injured or dead, I will still pass the subjective analysis, of being within the speed limit.

Surely the rules should work both ways. In my experience, most police officers exercise discretion and are good at their jobs. Those young foreign types are often, not so good

[jellywrestler]

Hopefully never. A bit like not crossing the road if a car has already passed the painted diamond, it might sound good in the road code but has no legal basis.

part of the reason you're required to stay stopped until they are back off the road is so other traffic can see stopped vehicles when they may not see pedestrian, it's probably the least observed road rule we've got, yet nothing is done about it, on the streets or an ad campaign

[jellywrestler]

The TV campaigns don't help.

that's cause they all treat you like shit, when are they going to have ones that actually educate you? most people stop learning the day they get their license, and it all goes downhill from there.

[Moi]

part of the reason you're required to stay stopped until they are back off the road is so other traffic can see stopped vehicles when they may not see pedestrian, it's probably the least observed road rule we've got, yet nothing is done about it, on the streets or an ad campaign

Plus, pedestrians who believe that traffic stops "instantly" if the just step out onto a crossing... what happened to "Stop, look right."? Should be painted on the ground... A nearby crossing is terrible - vehicles parked legally in sight lines for both pedestrians and traffic. Also, what's so hard to say "thank you" to a driver who has stopped for you?

that's cause they all treat you like shit, when are they going to have ones that actually educate you? most people stop learning the day they get their license, and it all goes downhill from there.

Totally agree... start with education about Stop signs and Red lights... I'm sure Stop signs apply to the vehicle facing the sign not other traffic...

the VicRoads people had a few rather graphic ads some years ago that re-inforced a few basic principles of road rules...

[Berries]

part of the reason you're required to stay stopped until they are back off the road is so other traffic can see stopped vehicles when they may not see pedestrian, it's probably the least observed road rule we've got, yet nothing is done about it, on the streets or an ad campaign

I have always considered myself fairly knowledgeable on the Road Rules due to a previous job. Although I am taking this off topic a bit I am genuinely interested to know where you got this from. Is this an old NZ rule? I know it is not current, all the current rule says is you have to give way. There is an argument as to when you have complied with that, ie when they have passed in front of you or when they have got to the kerb, but not aware of any offence caused by pulling away before they have got to the footpath on the other side.