Fencing Overbridges

[SlashWylde]

Seems some halfwit morons have been at it again:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/st...ectID=10386308

with reference to this statement:

"Mr Flanagan said it was "not practical" to fence every motorway and highway overbridge. The network is such a big network - what do you fence and what don't you fence?"

I would have thought the answer was obvious. Fence the bridges in areas such as Papakura and Otara (read, lower socio-economic) which have shown they have a high ratio of stupid little kids (and even stupider adults) who consider graffitti, vandalisim and throwing crap off overbridges to be suitable passtimes.

I have made it a habit to scan the railings of these bridges as I approach them, whether on the bike or in the car, but it's a sad state of affairs when it has come to this.

[Gremlin]

Jeeez, what are thinking boy?? When was a human life, or the traffic impact on the motorway worth more than a fence on a bridge??

Of course, if we actually had effective punishment, an "incentive" not to do dumb shit, and parents actually doing their job, we wouldn't have a problem in the first place, would we?

[Waylander]

I remember one of the more recent time I was up in Auckland, Saw a couple of kids standing around on the top of the overpass. Thought they were just watching cars go under till I saw one of them lob something down at the car in front of me. Fuck that pissed me off. Was a passenger in a car at the time else I would have chased them down. This was just out of the CBD I think.

[imdying]

Punishment should fit the crime... drive some APCs under the bridge, throw them off...

[Flatcap]

If these little shits are determined enough a fence unfortunately is not going to stop them - they will just lob their missiles over the top.

And of course we will not be able to give them a good hiding if we do manage to catch them in the act. This is why Tazers were invented - to allow infliction of agony without permanent damage...

[Waylander]

And of course we will not be able to give them a good hiding if we do manage to catch them in the act. This is why Tazers were invented - to allow infliction of agony without permanent damage...

Just leave your helmet on. Then all they will be able to say is it was some biker. As if they would ever go to the police.

[Magua]

It's taken this long and they are still debating wether it's necacery or not? Bloody hell.

[diggydog]

If these little shits are determined enough a fence unfortunately is not going to stop them - they will just lob their missiles over the top.

And of course we will not be able to give them a good hiding if we do manage to catch them in the act. This is why Tazers were invented - to allow infliction of agony without permanent damage...

That would be true, but i've seen wear they put A wire fence right around in a arch, they have done this in case someone maybe suicidal.
As i said today, to my work mates, that could of been your wife and kids.
Shoot the fuckers they are getting younger and can'nt find any thing desent to do.

[Swoop]

The bridges are fine.
The objects that get thrown off bridges have a higher IQ than the thrower....
Put the fences around them instead.

[placidfemme]

This throwing things off over bridges and the like has been going on for ages... Sam and I went to a Ride Right Ride Safe course last year sometime, and on the way home kids were sitting on a hill beside the road throwing shit at traffic... i didn't notice them until a largish brown object just missed Sam's bike, followed by another two just missing me...

They don't need a bridge to throw crap off of... Fencing the bridges IMO is a waste of tax payers money, rather put cameras on overpasses that have been targeted in the past and ones they think will be targeted in the future, catch the little bastards on tape, then hunt them down and punish them (although punishment in NZ equates to a cookie and milk)

Bring back corporal punishment and tougher sentencing... and lower the criminal age to 14 or lower, if they are old enough to risk killing people they are old enough to share prison cells with murderers and child abusers...

[SlashWylde]

Right then. The answers simple. If these little shits think it's OK to throw wood and bricks at motorists, I see no problem with motorists throwing lumps of lead back at them.

Little ones mind you. I hear 9mm lumps at a velocity of 1000fps are particularly effective in getting the point accross.

[Jantar]

As someone has already been killed by objects thrown off these bridges, and it has been widely publicized, then I believe that this should be treated as attempted murder. The police should therefore treat these criminals as murderers and hunt them down using full resources.

Right then. The answers simple. If these little shits think it's OK to throw wood and bricks at motorists, I see no problem with motorists throwing lumps of lead back at them.

Little ones mind you. I hear 9mm lumps at a velocity of 1000fps are particularly effective in getting the point accross.

Because there are people out there attempting to muder us then we should be allowed to defend ourselves. SlashWylde has the right idea, but I would prefer to use a piece of lead only 0.308 inches (7.62 mm) in diameter and travelling at 1800 fps.

[Lou Girardin]

Transit apply a cost/benfit ratio for this type of work.
All the cross-median fatals were not enough to warrant median barriers until the Govt of the day stepped in and ordered the work.
So, one death is not enough, more have to die.

[Postie]

They don't need a bridge to throw crap off of... Fencing the bridges IMO is a waste of tax payers money, rather put cameras on overpasses that have been targeted in the past and ones they think will be targeted in the future, catch the little bastards on tape, then hunt them down and punish them (although punishment in NZ equates to a cookie and milk)

nice idea but how much do you think a couple of cameras would cost on each bridge, and how long till you see it on trademe for $1 reserve or just destroyed all together.
And like you said, what will they do anyway, find their carboard box, drag them out and slap their wrists.
I say we should put the army to use, train up heaps of snipers and put them in a nice secluded spot overlooking each bridge and shoot the fuckers. Its probably a bit harsh for throwing things off a bridge, but it will solve the problem.
i guess they could just use BB guns, just have to make sure they hit them in the eye or somthing.

[Swoop]

Update.

Harold National News
Concrete death boy jailed for four years

11.15am Wednesday September 6, 2006


A 15-year-old boy was jailed for four years today for throwing a concrete slab off an Auckland motorway overbridge killing a man.

Ngatai Rewiti was acquitted of murder in July but found guilty of the manslaughter of motorist Chris Currie from Taupo, after the incident in August last year.

Mr Currie was driving north on the Southern Motorway when the 8kg lump Rewiti dropped on his car killed him instantly.

In the High Court in Auckland today, Justice Helen Winkelmann described the incident as act of "breath-taking stupidity" but she said it was not premeditated.

She discounted his sentence from a starting point of six years allowing one year off for his early guilty plea to manslaughter and another for his remorse.