Bloody Effin Revenue Collectors

[merv]

Not aiming this specifically at you Merv

But I've yet to hear of anyone that believes they ride or drive dangerously and everyone on the road always likes to think they know what they're doing but that doesn't mean that they do,it's always the other guy who can't drive/ride,after all when's the last time you heard someone admit to being a bad driver?.

You saw my comment though, no problems, no insurance claims, hell I'm so defensive no-one has ever hit me either. Anyone who has lost their no-claim bonus or anything like that or who has crashed more times than they care to remember, if they make such comments we know they are dreaming. They are out there believe me and I'm not one of them. They know who they are even if they don't admit it. A good example is that dear boy from the 'rapa that killed his mate recently.

[merv]

Well then they wouldn't drive SS Holdens or XR8's either. Perhaps all cops should be restricted to driving Ladas and bikes no bigger than 50cc, otherwise they might find themselves in a position where they could break a law. Every road user makes up their own mind about how they drive regardless of their proffession or private lives.

Exactly, but that just confirms my point about the merit of the law. There are no true believers if the enforcers don't abide by it.

[MikeL]

There are no true believers if the enforcers don't abide by it.

That's a bit unfair although I can understand where you're coming from. The fact that your expectation of saintly behaviour from your minister of religion is disappointed when he proves too susceptible to human frailties is not an argument against the moral principles themselves. It does however lead to an expectation that we will be spared the hypocrisy of a "holier than thou" lecture.

[marty]

That is the point and it slacks me off as I don't believe I ride or drive dangerously at all, yet at times cops have ticketed me. It is their judgement versus mine. After 35 years of riding/driving without any problems or insurance claims I think I know what I'm doing.
.

have you ever been charged with dangerous driving?

[Lou Girardin]

What happened to the principle that if you enforce the law, you are obliged to observe it precisely. Even when your colleagues aren't around.
After all, if it's held that a member of the public can drive within 10 km/h of the speed limit. a Police Officer should not exceed it at all.
Before all you Pleecemen get a rush of blood to the fingers, I will say that nothing has changed in the last 30 odd years. Occupational immmunity was as attractive then as it is now.

[merv]

have you ever been charged with dangerous driving?

Nope.

It always just been the niggly speed infringements in places that I thought safe. One was even on the Canterbury plains back in the 70s for doing 99 when the limit was 80 FFS. They kinda hid behind bushes even then. That one was in the name of fuel conservation and I wasn't driving an old Valiant V8 or anything.

[scumdog]

What happened to the principle that if you enforce the law, you are obliged to observe it precisely. Even when your colleagues aren't around.
After all, if it's held that a member of the public can drive within 10 km/h of the speed limit. a Police Officer should not exceed it at all.
Before all you Pleecemen get a rush of blood to the fingers, I will say that nothing has changed in the last 30 odd years. Occupational immmunity was as attractive then as it is now.

Yeah, what DID happen to that principle Lou? - luckily I did all my wheelies/skids/speeding when I was a freezing worker

[vifferman]

But I've yet to hear of anyone that believes they ride or drive dangerously and everyone on the road always likes to think they know what they're doing but that doesn't mean that they do,it's always the other guy who can't drive/ride,after all when's the last time you heard someone admit to being a bad driver?.

I sometimes drive (or ride) badly. Sometimes I guess it's potentially dangerous, and sometimes it's definitely very illegal.

Strangely, I most often do dumb things when my wife's in the car.
But I can do dumb things on the bike all by myself.

I haven't had a ticket of any sort since 1977, and that was for not having a mirror on my Elsinore (shortly after the regulations were changed). The mirrors were useless anyway, as they vibrated enough that you couldn't see what was behind, so whether they were on the bike or not, I still glanced around to see what was behind me. This was the point I (unsuccessfully) made. But, the law is the law.
The fact I haven't had a ticket is more good luck (and observation) than anything else.
I have had four crashes in the last 5 years, and none in the period from 1978 to 1999. Legally, none were my fault. But all could have been avoided, so I accept some measure of blame for them, and hence I can learn from them.

Commuting every day in D'Auckland traffic is just asking for trouble, and if I were sensible, I'd park the bike up, and take the bus or car. I guess it probably makes me an idiot that I choose not to.

[spudchucka]

Exactly, but that just confirms my point about the merit of the law. There are no true believers if the enforcers don't abide by it.

Sorry but its a self defeating arguement as I see it. By the same logic cops shouldn't be able to own guns because they can kill people or possess cold & flu pills because you can make drugs from them.

[merv]

Sorry but its a self defeating arguement as I see it. By the same logic cops shouldn't be able to own guns because they can kill people or possess cold & flu pills because you can make drugs from them.

Only true if you can confirm that cops owning fast cars and bikes never speed, but then you've told me in the past they do (and I know some that do) so there is no real argument over this so there is no point trying to further defend a position. They can possess guns and other stuff legally too but do they do illegal stuff with them?

The issue over the road rules is that there are few people out there, cops included, that truly believe they should be abided by in total. I've already told you about the speed cop cars have been followed travelling on our city streets with no warning lights on or anything, just cruising along just like the public does. I am sure even the politicians that pass the law are just the same, but are too PC in front of the electorate to speak up and say so, except Tony Ryall.

The problem is how to bring some sense to this when others always roll out the death and injury stats and call that proof.

[merv]

p.s. Do you guys in the force ever sit around with your bosses and debate this stuff? Are any conclusions ever reached or do you just say stuff it, well back to doing our jobs boys that's what the politicians dictate?

Talking to us doesn't really help as we all seem powerless to make change and the country is slowly sliding into a control freak's paradise.

[spudchucka]

p.s. Do you guys in the force ever sit around with your bosses and debate this stuff? Are any conclusions ever reached or do you just say stuff it, well back to doing our jobs boys that's what the politicians dictate?

Talking to us doesn't really help as we all seem powerless to make change and the country is slowly sliding into a control freak's paradise.

Have had a few stand up arguements with station senior sergeants about the inbalance between policing the roads and policing criminal activity, can't say I've won any yet though.

As far as policing the roads go from my point of view, I won't give a ticket to someone for something that I would have done myself. Consequently I won't give tickets for doing 11 kph over the limit, (unless you happen to be a burglar, thief or drug dealer, in which case I'll give you what ever tickets I can because you are a low life bottom dweller).

[jrandom]

As far as policing the roads go from my point of view, I won't give a ticket to someone for something that I would have done myself.

If you were in HP, would you be allowed to continue that (admirable) policy?

[spudchucka]

If you were in HP, would you be allowed to continue that (admirable) policy?

Can't answer that because there is no way I'd be there. I do however know several in HP that adopt the same position as myself and still manage to keep the bosses off their backs.

[igor]

Have had a few stand up arguements with station senior sergeants about the inbalance between policing the roads and policing criminal activity, can't say I've won any yet though.

As far as policing the roads go from my point of view, I won't give a ticket to someone for something that I would have done myself. Consequently I won't give tickets for doing 11 kph over the limit, (unless you happen to be a burglar, thief or drug dealer, in which case I'll give you what ever tickets I can because you are a low life bottom dweller).

something we agree on at last.