Hit and run question

**9cents** · 19th June 2007, 19:00

Quick question as I'm curious about this:
What's the punishment for leaving the scene of an accident without checking on the victim?

I can't imagine what sort of person just does a runner without at least checking to make sure the other parties are OK. Grrr makes me so angry!

Quick background story:
Saturday evening travelling northbound SH1 just past the Khyber pass turn off. I was in the left lane, traffic in the second lane had just come to a stop. I started slowing down anticipating traffic ahead of me to be stopped too.

Some ass without indicating pulls into the left lane right in front of me leaving no room to brake in time and no way to avoid him. Slammed into the side of his car and slid along the road with my bike for a bit. There is no way he didn't notice that. I look up and he's already taking off.

A couple of very nice motorists stopped in front and behind me so I wouldn't get run over and checked if I was OK. Somehow I am, worst injury is a bruise on my hip.

Bike looked munted, still have to find out if it's repairable or a write off

**Indiana_Jones** · 19th June 2007, 19:05

Well the person who hit and ran me (ran through a red and hit me when i was on my bike) got 14 months without driving and about $1000 in fines i think.

I didn't any money out of it. I only had 3rd party, his insurance wouldn't pay as he was drunk and the courts didn't award reperations.

-Indy

**swbarnett** · 19th June 2007, 19:13

Did you get his plates?

Trouble with people like this is he probably didn't know anything had happened. With the weight difference there probably wouldn't be anything to feel from a glancing blow. Irrespective of this it's still "leaving the seen of an accident" whether he knew or not (might make the sentence a bit lighter though).

Found this on LTNZ's web site (http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/leg...ty.html#tables)

Failing to stop after an accident where no other person is injured or killed [sect 35] - Imprisonment for up to 3 months, or a fine not exceeding $4,500, or both, and disqualification for at least 6 months

Failing to stop after an accident where a person is injured or killed [sect 36] - Imprisonment for up to 5 years, or a fine not exceeding $20,000, or both, and disqualification for at least 1 year

**deanohit** · 19th June 2007, 19:20

Bummer for both of you.Yeah, I cant imagine myself ever taking off like that, no matter how worried I was about the consequences. My uncle was hit at a crossing in central Wellington bout 20 years back,broken leg,ankle an back,so he must have been hit extremely hard,an yet,the driver took off an left him lying in the street.Never caught an never charged.At least my uncle can still walk an ride unlike some poor buggers.

**90s** · 20th June 2007, 10:02

Did you notify the police? They may have cameras on that section for traffic control. If they don't potentially they will have the car furhter on and you might be able to ID it from the approx. time etc.

Both my grandmothers were hit by drunks in sepperate hit & runs. One was killed. The other was never the same and lost her freedom, confidence and mobility. She did gain steel hips though.

The mind boggles as to the selfish immaturity of these twats.

Glad you are OK though. Can't be fun laying in the road on the SH1.

**phoenixgtr** · 20th June 2007, 10:22

It seems like this happens alot more than it should. I was involved in a hit and run last year. The car was stolen. They caught the guy and charged him for stealing the car but couldn't prove he was driving it at the time it hit me. What a load of crap. I hope you catch yours and you can get some money to fix your bike.

**The Pastor** · 20th June 2007, 10:25

Originally Posted by Indiana_Jones

Well the person who hit and ran me (ran through a red and hit me when i was on my bike) got 14 months without driving and about $1000 in fines i think.

I didn't any money out of it. I only had 3rd party, his insurance wouldn't pay as he was drunk and the courts didn't award reperations.

-Indy

Your insurance company should make a claim on his insurance company, then his insurance company will take him to court for the money. Its the way it works.

**yod** · 20th June 2007, 10:37

Originally Posted by renegade master

Your insurance company should make a claim on his insurance company, then his insurance company will take him to court for the money. Its the way it works.

yup...unless you have the same insurance provider...then you tend to be screwed

**pritch** · 20th June 2007, 10:43

Originally Posted by 9cents

What's the punishment for leaving the scene of an accident without checking on the victim?

May I suggest sometimes not a lot.

One of my colleagues was driving along minding his own business one rainy day. An idiot "boy racer" wannabee in an ancient little Jap car that would only be capable doing so in the rain, came drifting around the corner. Wham! $17,000 worth of damage to a near new car and an injury to our driver.

Idiot and passenger drive off laughing.

There were witnesses though and the Police were called. My colleague, a former Brit cop, had taken the rego, and the Police officer attending said that this was all good as they had been after this guy for a while...

I was subsequently somewhat underwhelmed to see that he was charged with failing to keep left...

About the worst thing that happened to him would have been when the Insurance Company came after him to take him to court for the $17,000. He was going to contest the claim until I pointed out that he had not contested the Police charge and had subsequently already been found "guilty" by default.

Thing is though, whatever damages the court found against him would have just been added to the thousands of dollars in unpaid fines he already owed, including his latest "Failing to keep left".

My feeling is that at some point in all of this his car should have been seized.

Reminds me of a saying, "The only people who are policed are those who permit themselves to be policed."

**The Pastor** · 20th June 2007, 13:51

Originally Posted by pritch008

Reminds me of a saying, "The only people who are policed are those who permit themselves to be policed."

Its too damn true! I hate it how I, who generally gets on with my life and pay my fines etc always get the maxium peneltys for the most trivial stuff. Pisses me off when I watch police 10/7 or motorway patroll and they give the dickhead drunk drivers the minimum demerits (i.e., the demerits for the lowest offence). When I get pulled over they want a damn strip search breath test wof rego check, police background check, search of the vehical.

Most people get the "can I please see your licence" line, where as I get the "spread em and lift your left nut sac.HANDS ON THE BONNET! DON'T MOVE" Freeking bulllllshit.

The last time I got pulled over, all i did was stand up on my pegs (maybe not the smartest thing to do, thats ok for getting pulled over), but I was alone on the street no one infront of me etc, not speeding etc, but then 10 mins later this cop came RACING (about 120 in a very busy 50/70 zone) around the coner lights blazing tires squeeling to a halt just to get me, turns out he'd been on the radio waves trying to catch this biker for like 10 mins, and he didnt even charge me for the standing on the pegs. He was boasting about how he caught me? I was like WTF its not a game or somthing, standing on ur pegs isnt even dangerous, Complete twat.

**peasea** · 20th June 2007, 15:26

Originally Posted by renegade master

Its too damn true! I hate it how I, who generally gets on with my life and pay my fines etc always get the maxium peneltys for the most trivial stuff. Pisses me off when I watch police 10/7 or motorway patroll and they give the dickhead drunk drivers the minimum demerits (i.e., the demerits for the lowest offence). When I get pulled over they want a damn strip search breath test wof rego check, police background check, search of the vehical.

Most people get the "can I please see your licence" line, where as I get the "spread em and lift your left nut sac.HANDS ON THE BONNET! DON'T MOVE" Freeking bulllllshit.

The last time I got pulled over, all i did was stand up on my pegs (maybe not the smartest thing to do, thats ok for getting pulled over), but I was alone on the street no one infront of me etc, not speeding etc, but then 10 mins later this cop came RACING (about 120 in a very busy 50/70 zone) around the coner lights blazing tires squeeling to a halt just to get me, turns out he'd been on the radio waves trying to catch this biker for like 10 mins, and he didnt even charge me for the standing on the pegs. He was boasting about how he caught me? I was like WTF its not a game or somthing, standing on ur pegs isnt even dangerous, Complete twat.

I know how you feel. A few years back I got out of my car for a leak in the bushes. Cop drives by, does a u-turn and accuses me of uplifting a drug stash! WTF??? Get's drug and reinforcements out to scene, finds nothing, searches car, finds nothing, searches me and my mate, same result. I gave him an earful for hassling us and he arrests me for 'obstruction', which was complete bullshit, I didn't obstruct any of the proceedings and the next day the charge was dropped. I spent a night in the can for NOTHING! I made a PCA complaint, even though I had a witness it was chucked out, not upheld, put through the shredder. Wankers.

**_intense_** · 20th June 2007, 21:29

well if my story is anything to go bye, the C*%$!! gets off scott free. Have four witnesses aswell..

**Patrick** · 22nd June 2007, 15:24

Originally Posted by 9cents

Quick question as I'm curious about this:
What's the punishment for leaving the scene of an accident without checking on the victim?

3 months imprisonment, up to $4500 fine and minimum 6 months disqualification... if you got the plates....

**rwh** · 22nd June 2007, 18:30

Originally Posted by renegade master

The last time I got pulled over, all i did was stand up on my pegs (maybe not the smartest thing to do, thats ok for getting pulled over),

Um - is standing on the pegs illegal? I do that often - usually to ride comfortably over a judder bar, but I'd do it on a long trip to stretch my legs a bit, too. I had never heard there was anything wrong with it.

Richard

**swbarnett** · 22nd June 2007, 18:34

Originally Posted by rwh

Um - is standing on the pegs illegal? I do that often - usually to ride comfortably over a judder bar, but I'd do it on a long trip to stretch my legs a bit, too. I had never heard there was anything wrong with it.

Richard

Personally, if it is illegal I don't care. It's a valuable technique and is just the nature of the beast.