Radar gun accuracy

[Warren]

Was he wearing fluro vest clothing. Got talking to an OSH rep the other day. Seems sometime in the dim distant past this guy was pulled over for some traffic infringment. Cop got nasty because of disputed speed. Anyway it turned out that if the OSH guy was issued a ticket, the cop or his station?? could expect a full safety audit on account that he was not wearing his fluro clothing. Apparently there is some requirment for the Highway Patrol to do so. Won't get you out of a ticket but you can put in a complaint to OSH. Another thing this guy told me is that you can detain the officer while you seek legal advice. This could be done via cell phone. Anyone heard of this? This guy seemed to know what he was talking about.


Skyryder

I heard that the cop got an instant $150 fine (could have been more but cannot remember) from the OSH inspector who was off duty but still got the speeding fine himself from the officer.

[sAsLEX]

Ba Barrmmmm.. Sorry mate, but that was way back when they had badges on their hats. No longer the case, just a Police insignia now.
Their "badges" are in their wee pocket wallet, alongside their Police ID.
If you want to see their ID, just gotta ask.
Badges mean sweet FA nowadays, I got one from the Police tuck shop for 20 bucks.

they have to pay for their own badge if they want one I think

[Krusti]

My advise is allways treat P Officers as if they were your wife and you have just forgoten her birthday, etc......grovel, if this does not work slag him on an internet site later.....the only way!

[Lou Girardin]

Another thing this guy told me is that you can detain the officer while you seek legal advice. This could be done via cell phone. Anyone heard of this? This guy seemed to know what he was talking about.


Skyryder

This is good if you'd like a free nights board at the Govt's expense.

Errors on tickets are relatively meaningless if the cop can produce evidence covering the required elements of the offence at a defended hearing.
The best defence is either an alibi, or casting doubt on the accuracy of the speed check. To do that, you or your lawyer must have some knowledge of procedures and speed checking equipment.
Good luck.

[spudchucka]

Another thing this guy told me is that you can detain the officer while you seek legal advice. This could be done via cell phone. Anyone heard of this?

Skyryder

I'd like to see somebody try that.

If they detained me would they have the foresight to advise me of my rights pursuant to the NZ Bill of Rights Act?

Can I sue them civily if they don't? (Unlawful / Arbitrary detention)

[spudchucka]

Yes, it's all open for debate huh.

Mind you, you'd think a cop would be able to copy a date of birth correctly. From the 5th of October on the license, he somehow got to the 31st of November on the ticket. Nice to see some high calibre individuals holding positions of authority.

Wrong date of birth on the ticket?

Perhaps you should be highlighting that fact to the infringement bureau?

[spudchucka]

Oh, it gets better; I've heard that because of a throwback to early 20th Century law making, Police officers can't issue a ticket (etc) without their hat.

Check your source of information, I'm afraid it aint that reliable.

I once had a little Norman Gunstan type tell me I couldn't hand him the ticket because I wasn't wearing my hat and I nearly got squashed by a truck through rolling around on the highway laughing my ring out.

For some reason he never defended it and just coughed up the $$$$.

[spudchucka]

Badges mean sweet FA nowadays, I got one from the Police tuck shop for 20 bucks.

The pricks charged me $35.00!

[Lou Girardin]

The pricks charged me $35.00!

That was $20 with every 6 pack of donuts.

[Ultrapix]

That my friend might acctually get you off the ticket...now take that to a lawyer that does alot of traffic infingments,etc

Yeh I thought about that one too. You never know tho do you if you're just wasting your time with stuff like that. The courts seem to operate on an intoxicating mix of common sense (Did you commit the crime? Yes. Off to Jail then) and analism regarding details of the case (was your name spelt correctly? No, middle initial one letter out. Well then obviously the charge is directed at someone else; you're free to go). Which model they choose to subscribe to on the day seems to have as much to do with what they had for breakfast or what their horoscope read as anything else.

I'm not sure whether to admire or despise lawyers for the ability to win cases on that basis. Maybe admire the thinking and debating skills and despise the ethics?

I guess in the end you play the game, and if you win, you win, if you lose, you lose. And this way at least provides some sort of entertainment within the proceedings?

Can anyone recommend an Auckland lawyer to contact with this crucial piece of information? Would prefer not to parade myself over bFM's free legal advice line.

[marty]

just write in to the PIB, but they will quote you summary proceedings act, that the offence is not nullified just for want of form.

and your mate who's giving you advice would be a classic in a roadside arguement.

[marty]

I don't believe in putting up with whatever rubbish the police see fit to hand down. This is a motorcyclists site; I would have expected a bit more fighting spirit from the members here. Do you really all believe that speeding is dangerous and needs to be controlled so heavily? If so, I expect to see a flood of GSX-R600's (etc) for sale in this week's Trader.. followed closely by want ads for GN250's and KR150's. Restricted at that (retarded ignition, 4500rpm limiter and only 1st and 2nd gears to use), with flouro jackets, permanent training wheels and braking parachutes for a completely safe motorcycling experience. Ahhhh, isn't that better?

Or have you all been worn down from years of this sort of relationship with the Police, where all that ever happens is you waste your own time and money trying to defend yourselves? I'm not proposing a revolution here; just that we question the power of such an authority to punish us for something as trivial as this, and show our objection by challenging those powers and enforcements when we genuinely think they are being abused.

we're just sick ofpeople coming in here and complaining that they've broken whatever law and that is is so unfair..

[Ixion]

Case of picking y'battles. And making sure y've got enough ammo to win.

[Ultrapix]

we're just sick ofpeople coming in here and complaining that they've broken whatever law and that is is so unfair..

Yeh me too. Let's live in a police state where every single law is enforced to the maximum allowable amount, and no recourse is available. Ever. Did you stick rigidly to the 50 limit this morning? Indicate for at least 3 seconds? Check your bike for W.O.F. issues before you left? Manually check your PAYE amounts on your wages? Censor your language so as not to breach any sexual harrassment laws all day? How ridiculous do you want it to get?

I appreciate that laws are there to provide some sort of common behaviour control, which is probably a useful thing. However I think that a byproduct of mass control like that is that it's not always fair or right to everyone, and wasn't fair or right for me in this instance. If I'm caught speeding and it was extended and/or noticed and/or intentional, then yeh, fair call and I would willingly pay. But that's not the situation here, and I don't believe I should have to cop the black mark against my license. At present, you only need to be caught doing 21 k's over the limit three times within 2 years and you lose your license. That would be easily achievable and a major hassle I'd like very much to avoid.

So I have every right to complain about a ticket and seek advice on it if I want to; part of being a member here. You also have the right not to bother reading this thread, why not exercise it?

[Ixion]

But you have not sought advice. You have intimated that you think the ticket unfair, for reasons unspecified, and questioned the procedures of whereby the accuracy of the device is certified.

The procedure for the latter has been reliably explained, and no matter what may be your opinion of that procedure , it will, if it has been followed(and you provide no reason to suppose otherwise) be sufficient for the police to secure a conviction.

You do not have anyrhing to fight with, on the facts revealed, and fighting would but be to throw good money after bad.

I am sorry if you think you have been unfairly treated, and for my part I am perfectly willing to accept that you have been. But it is not me, but a judge, whom you need to convince, and so far you have evinced nothing likely to convince him. It is perhaps unfair, but that's life. Shit happens.