Reporting dangerous driving.

[MaxB]

My experiences with *555 heve been mixed. Dobbing in isn't really a Kiwi thing but when a drunk nearly took out my family that all changed for me. I have now used that number a grand total of 3 times.

A few years ago we were coming south on the Southern motorway at night when one of the boi racer types cut 3 lanes at once almost taking the front of my car. I was in an emergency braking mode as he and his car full of maggots took the space that I would have been in if I had not braked hard. My missus *555d and held up the phone while I gave the details. This car would spend long periods half on and half off the left hand lane. Then it would veer over to the fast lane without signalling causing a fluury of late braking and swerves. For about 20km.

The comms joker phoned me back and told me to stay with the him and follow at a safe distance. In about 5 mins a mufti Commodore pulls alongside and the passenger makes all these hand signals. It takes me a while to realise he wants me to ID the car (a Legacy RS). I floor it and take the cop to within a few car lengths. I get high beams behind me and pull over. As soon as the cops are in front on come the disco lights and he pulled over the drunk. Not difficult because he was already driving in the gutter!

Comms said thanks and hung up.A few days later the cops phoned and I dictated my statement to them. I was told the driver was twice the legal limit and was disqualified and they were taking him to court. They did not require a signed statement as they had so many witnesses already. I spent days afterwards checking the front of my car for damage, I just could not accept that there was no contact between us.

FWIW that was my good experience of the *555 system.

[Mikkel]

Biker code or no biker code - I completely agree that you should be an upstanding person and do onto others how you would have them do onto you...

BUT!!!

If someone is driving like a complete fucktard with no regards for mine and others continued state of advanced mobility I am going to assume that he won't give a rats arse about me following him and telling it to him as it is. Quite the contrary I'll assume that my doing so will be more likely to instigate a calamity that could eventually land me a criminal conviction - or even a visit to the hospital or the morgue...

Ever since it became socially unacceptable to punch people in the throat for being stupid idiots (or skewering them on your rapier after a short exchange of maternal insults) tools like *555 and 111 are the intelligent persons only option of bringing about consequence for those who do not give a damn about their fellows. It is not only an option - I'd say it's your duty!

These days the only people who ought to be nervous about this post's topic are the indeed those who are unwilling to sort their shit out and live a respectful existence.
It is no wonder that congregations of people based on criminal activities (e.g. gangs, mobs, et cetera ad nauseum) are trying to enforce values that are against this. If people stopped being afraid and did what was right organised crime would be gone tomorrow.

[Genestho]

Well its just a matter of highlighting one part of a systematic failiure that enables recidivists to keep on keeping on, the recidivist drunk driver seems to be in most cases obviously out of control, and pretty easy to spot.
Lol now Ive asked people to post their experiences its all stopped.
Over the years most kiwis seem to whinge and moan and sway on their heels and say "cant change it so why bother" nobody does much and the ones that succeed are the ones with grit determination and passion.
Perhaps you need to go through this to feel action.
aka - the cheesecutter campaign...major kudos given.
Anyway cheers to those that have submitted their *555 experiences, I will coalate annonymosly minus the swearing etc.
I realise that as a community theres possible issues against *555 for obvious reasons; Sweet As. I'll continue on educating anyway.
Cheers.

"Patience make her heart grow stronger
Reassure her she’s where I want to be
Never was the grass ever greener
I’m about ready as I’ll ever be"
Op Shop - One Day

[Patrick]

[QUOTE=scumdog;1376303... as down here in southern impoverished red-neck land a motorcyclists word is as good as anybodys - But hey, I live in a fantasy land it seems.....[/QUOTE]

Its catchy... its the same in these parts too...

Lol now Ive asked people to post their experiences its all stopped.

As so often happens... give up proof and all is quiet...

If urgent, ring 111. If a minor traffic matter ring *555.

Do nothing, nothing will happen....

[Patrick]

[QUOTE=The Guzzi Widow;1377445
My husband and his mates may have lived if somebody had bothered to make the *555 call when the drunk driver had crossed the centre line earlier in his journey and had been weaving for awhile.

Nobody made that call.

Strange how so many witnessed it and did nothing.[/QUOTE]

That, is where it is tragic... So wrong, for so many reasons.

Far better to make the call and find out all is well than not to make the call and turn up at the scene of carnage.

[Swoop]

I reckon you've about summed it up. Every man and his dog, every woman and her cat, reckon they're shit hot drivers, and disapprove of most other drivers. And consider themselves competent to judge other people's driving.

Incidentally has anyone else noted the common theme of truck drivers in the *555 thing. Sort of "I can't do that in my 20 ton 18 wheeler, so you're bloody well not going to either". Given the appalling standard of driving I see in some HG drivers, I don't really think they're qualified to judge.

Quite right. Kiwi drivers think that they drive well, when they need to be thinking "how can I drive better?".
Truck drivers are another problem. 80% of them have forgotten the "Keep left" creed. Are they now joining the ranks of other "professional" drivers such as taxi and bus drivers?

[jcupit69]

Some NZ drivers are shocking!!!! In the uk there are some ass holes on the road but its worse here (NZ is still 100x better thow). We must have a way to report them thats taken seriously!!!

On the rumatukas the other day with a mate, passing traffic in a passing lane, and some ass in a 4x4 pulls out for no reason and nearly killed me!!! I buggered off and when my mate tryed to pass him in the next passing lane the muppet tried it again!!!! Never mind we could have ripped down him in the twistys, but no we did it in a passing lane and he tries to kill us!!!

Also been knocked off by a 4x4, just chillin doin 45 in a 50 while my bike warmed up, and some tit in a 4x4 (neva found out if it was a man/women, was to busy passing in and out of conciousness) decides he wants to pull across my lane to do a u-turn without checking if anythings coming or even indecating.......ten hours later in hospital and the police come and decide all their gona do is give him a ticket for failure to give way!!!! Neva mind i nearly lost a testical and was concussed for 2 weeks, not to mention the state of my bike!!!!

More should be done to allow the police or someone to do something about stupid drivers trying to kill us through sum stupid vendetta or just lack of competence. In future I will try *555 and may consider the poilce website.

Congrats to you guzzi widow, big green point 4 you, and keep up the good work!!!

[jcupit69]

Quite right. Kiwi drivers think that they drive well, when they need to be thinking "how can I drive better?".
Truck drivers are another problem. 80% of them have forgotten the "Keep left" creed. Are they now joining the ranks of other "professional" drivers such as taxi and bus drivers?

True that about cab drivers!!!! Sitting in the fast lane of the motorway at 95kmh and refusing to move over like your not even there!!!
Far to many drivers sit in the fast lane of the motorway under the speed limit for no reason, and then their the first to complain when you have to undertake them!!!

[fireliv]

I *555 a guy once who was drunk driving, the comms people wanted me to follow him but the guys who were driving the car had turned the other way so we lost him and couldnt turn round. Comms lady got pissed off at us for not but she didnt say follow him and my driver didnt live in the direction he was going. Not sure what happened, they got the number plate and my number but never heard back.
My bro & dad are truck drivers and I know that they use it all the time, often have cops ready to pick up drivers when they get further down the road.

[James Deuce]

My bro & dad are truck drivers and I know that they use it all the time, often have cops ready to pick up drivers when they get further down the road.

Fascists. Who did and appointed them judge, jury, and executioner?

[scumdog]

Fascists. Who did and appointed them judge, jury, and executioner?

You can execute them?
About time.

, pass me the noose Ed!!

[Fatjim]

Whinge whing whing whinge whinge.

[scumdog]

Whinge whing whing whinge whinge.

Ah, I know that noise!

Ya need a couple of drops of oil in the gubbins somewhere, say near the grobinfibulator, that'll do it..

[James Deuce]

You can execute them?
About time.

, pass me the noose Ed!!

I don't mind if you do all three as you, after all, have style.

[pzkpfw]

I don't mind if you do all three as you, after all, have style.

Usually it's the facists who have all the style.

It is, after all, why the neutron bomb was invented.

Kills the soldiers, but does not harm their uniforms.