Demerits... Damn...

**cowboyz** · 11th June 2006, 18:35

Originally Posted by Virago

Nah, sorry mate, that sound to me like self-serving crap. "Oops, lost my bike license. Never mind, I can still drive my car. And if I lose my car license, I can still drive your kids to school in a bus."

Your ideas of what is fair seem a little warped to me.....

But my sympathies for the ticket you got - seems a bit harsh to me.

Not really. When I am driving my car I drive it like a car. When I am riding my bike I ride it like a bike. When I am driving a truck I drive it like a truck. When I am driving a forklift I drive it like a forklift.. you get the point.

6 months ago I could have said that I have been driving for 16 years with no demerit points. Then I had a really bad run where every time I opened the throttle (all demerits apart from these 10 came from my bike) a cop showed up. I got 80 points in 6 weeks. I never complained at all with my +49 ticket. I took it on the chin because I got caught. Simple as that. Even though I didn't (and still don't) think I was riding dangerously. However the demerts and impending loss of licence slowed me down and now I try to ride/drive slower but when the conditions warrent it, it is difficult to obey the speed limit. I don't have to *try* to do 140 in either my car and definitely not on the bike. They both cruise easierly at those speeds. Being nabbed so close to the 100k limit is just too harsh. I pulled up as soon as the cop put his lights up and I could have thrown a stone at the 100k sign. Funny thing was that while I was having a gander at my locked speed the cars that were going past at 70-80k/hr. I surpose they think they don't have to slow down if the cop is busy.

**Ixion** · 11th June 2006, 18:39

Those cowhick towns on the road between the ski fields and the Smoke have been notorious for those cuntish tricks for at least 50 years.They used to run their own traffic cop forces back in the day, and the revenue from the fines paid by out-of-towners pretty much financed the township.

Legally, the signs delineate an AREA. So one side of the sign you may do 50, the other side 100.

Some years ago there was a spate of cops lurking a few metres on the 50 kph side of the signs and pinging motorists who hadn't braked hard enough. In one publicised example in Dorkland there was a sign (on Waipuna Rd) which was just round a bend, so that if you were doing the legal 100, and braked as hard as a hard thing immediately you saw the sign, there was still no chance in hell of being down to 50 by the sign. Very lucrative that was. There was a fuss and that's when the 200mtr discretion thing came in. But it is ONLY discretion, not law, and PC Cunt regulalary ignores it. And it only works one way, on the 100 turning to 50 , not the other. In law, you must maintain 50kph until AFTER you pass the sign, and only then start accelerating. Yeah, right.

**onearmedbandit** · 11th June 2006, 18:44

Originally Posted by cowboyz

Not really. When I am driving my car I drive it like a car. When I am riding my bike I ride it like a bike. When I am driving a truck I drive it like a truck. When I am driving a forklift I drive it like a forklift.. you get the point.

You are one of the few with their head screwed on properly unfortunately cowboyz, and have to pay the price the powers that be decide are suited to the majority who can't see past their own actions.

**sels1** · 11th June 2006, 19:26

Originally Posted by MD

Welcome to the demerit club. I'm a life member.

Lol, Ive recently joined that club too....

Originally Posted by cowboyz

So that makes 90 so far. Got a nice little speech on how I am going to be fucked with one more ticket too. Damn..

Know how that feels. I am now driving around with one eye on my speedo and the other looking over my shoulder. I always used to watch the road in front and ride safely - now I spend so much time watching the speedo I am in danger of missing something happening in front of me! The last cop to book me suggested I should "modify my behaviour" and I guess thats happening, but it is not necessarily making me a safer driver. Its funny I can go over 30 years with barely a ticket or accident and collect 4 tickets in the last 12 months....I think it is a reflection on the effort being put in to revenue collecting.

**Lord Derosso** · 11th June 2006, 22:01

Originally Posted by cowboyz

Not really. When I am driving my car I drive it like a car. When I am riding my bike I ride it like a bike. When I am driving a truck I drive it like a truck. When I am driving a forklift I drive it like a forklift.. you get the point.

Sounds like a great idea. Just one very small point. If you get caught for drunk riding is that now drink driving or DIC, and can be transferred to your car licence so you can keep riding? I am concerned about what I have read on this site about numerous stories of over zealous ticketing in some areas. Reminds me of a smokie we had running around Kaitaia many years ago. Always hiding behind hedges and ruthless with tickets. He was the one who got me the one and only time. Of course locals do get to know the danger points in time. Yes, Wellington has a tailgater problem and I just get out of their way. I find it worse around 50 kph zones.

**number33** · 12th June 2006, 10:19

Otaki used to have some wanker in a camera van setting up on the town side of the northern approach. The fucked up advisory signs had 100 on one side and 50 on the other. You'd have to brake from highway speed to town speed in a 6 inch strip. The asswipe in the van would have made a killing. Noticed the sons of bitches don't setup there no more. Obviously had heaps of complaints. Road safety be fucked, it was a blatant cash collecting scam. The fuckers got away with it for how long? and how many enemies of the state did that one slimy individual create? See the queer fucks at ltsa(they don't deserve capital letters) - are now printing their brainwash shite on your windscreen rego/road user holders. "SPEED KILLS". Had to tape over their crap in the work truck. Where's the "PULL OVER TO THE FUCKEN LEFT" messages? Anyone with half a brain knows it's the arrogant fuckers travelling on the centreline at 70 - 80kph that are the big danger on the highways.
Later'

**MWVT** · 12th June 2006, 11:39

http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/...rcement-guide/

Thats the police 'policy' on enforcing speed limits.

QUOTE - When enforcement is taking place in an area where drivers are making the transition from a higher speed to a lower speed area, vehicles should not be targeted within 250 metres from the point where the speed limit changes unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as protecting people operating at road works or to ensure the safety of children near schools;

So previous posts saying it only applies in high speed to low speed transition, depends on your reading of the above. It applies to the "area where drivers are making the transition from a higher speed to a lower speed area". My reading of that means it applies in both directions

Thing to note of course, is that is 'policy' so who knows what the consequences are of breaking it (I suspect none).

However, go down to the bottom of the above document, and it says -
breaches of policy must be reported to the National Road Policing Manager.

And under National Road Policing Managers, responsibilities it says -
audit adherence to this Guide.

What this means for you though is SFA. They will 'audit' every now and then, and you will be expected to pay the fine. But you could stuff around talking to the cop, and making a declaration and asking for the file fromt he infringements bereau, but whatever you do, don't contest it in the courts, because then you will be paying either lawyers fees, court costs or both.
Bugger

**scumdog** · 12th June 2006, 12:06

Originally Posted by MD

. What a prick standing by the 100 sign pinging people trying to build up to the limit.
Ithe traffic should be slowed. But getting stung when exiting town, that stinks.

Sounds like that arsehole "Cash register" Cop from Taihape.

The cop might have been standing at the 100 sign - but where was the speeding occuring? Right at the 100? "I don't think so Tim"

I get a lot of people whinge "But I was almost at the 70" when they've been pinged for 69 in a 50 - until I point out they were 300 metres back down the road where the pedestrian crossing to the Night'n'Day store is when they got 'clocked'.

Oh, by the way, the 250 metres 'buffer-zone' thing is a 'gentlemans agreement' - you can be pinged right up to the line so make sure you all don't get to complacent about the 250 metre buffer eh?.

**scumdog** · 12th June 2006, 12:09

Originally Posted by Lord Derosso

Reminds me of a smokie we had running around Kaitaia many years ago. Always hiding behind hedges and ruthless with tickets. He was the one who got me the one and only time.

Reads to me: "I speed except when I see a cop"

Got 'ambushed' did you? Bad Luck

It's a two-way thing: people 'flash to warn of cop - cop hides.

At the end of the day you were still speeding, how you got caught is immaterial, this is the big world, not a schoolyard where you can cross your finger and call "pax, no fair".

**MWVT** · 12th June 2006, 12:55

Originally Posted by scumdog

It's a two-way thing: people 'flash to warn of cop - cop hides.

Oh come on, we flash to "encourage people to obey the law"........... honest. At least thats what i say if ever i'm asked.

If you hide most of your effectiveness is lost. When out in the open, almost everyone slows down, when hidden, only the folk you pull over slow down. And if you are truly in a "black spot" then surely you want everyone to slow down.

**scumdog** · 12th June 2006, 14:20

Originally Posted by MWVT

Oh come on, we flash to "encourage people to obey the law"........... honest. At least thats what i say if ever i'm asked.

If you hide most of your effectiveness is lost. When out in the open, almost everyone slows down, when hidden, only the folk you pull over slow down. And if you are truly in a "black spot" then surely you want everyone to slow down.

It's just that they only slow down when they SEE the cop - and then it is "resume speed"

The effectiveness is only in a 400 or so metre 'bubble' with no deterent to those wanting to travel quicker than they should...

We only stop cars and issue tickets to "encourage people to obey the law" ....honest. At least that's what I say if I'm ever asked.

**scumdog** · 12th June 2006, 14:28

Originally Posted by Titanium

Apparently you can not be ticketed within 200 m of a change of speed zone 100 kmh to less.

Check it out. Your ticket should have a distance from it on there.

Cheers

Peter

The tickets up your way must be way different to the ones down here - no place or requirement to put any distance from any speed zone change down here.

**MWVT** · 12th June 2006, 14:35

Originally Posted by scumdog

It's just that they only slow down when they SEE the cop - and then it is "resume speed"

The effectiveness is only in a 400 or so metre 'bubble' with no deterent to those wanting to travel quicker than they should...

We only stop cars and issue tickets to "encourage people to obey the law" ....honest. At least that's what I say if I'm ever asked.

Fair enough, I deserved that one,

I would make the point though, that the 'bubble' can leave a residual effect, I for one have several places in mind i would never dream of speeding, knowing that it would be begging to get caught and fined. Quite independent of any discussion of safety. If those places are also unsafe (or more unsafe than most) to speed, then a benefit is gained merely from being there and being visible.

All that accepts your point fair and square that there is a reason for dishing out fines, and it is an attempt to improve safety on our roads. Any issues i have with that, tends to be around the edges, and the devil is in the detail.

**Lou Girardin** · 12th June 2006, 16:05

Sitting at the change of speed limit to catch someone doing 14 km/h over the limit is, as ixion said, a trick of a particularly badly diseased vagina.
It's like the MOT arsehole who used to sit in the 50 km/h zone entering Paraparaumu, which was only 50 metres from a 70 zone, which was only 50 metres from the 80 zone and ping everyone for speed dangerous for 70 to 80 in the 50 zone.