Red light experience - venting

[firefighter]

Good on ya for ticketing him, sounds like a right f-wit- you shouldv'e thrown the book at him for being a twat.

And to those hating the couriers.....Iv'e never been one but I imagine that they drive the way they do because they probably have to-not condoning it but hell look at the traffic they fight htrough with timings to meet....and the typical rude N.Z drivers who think your an asshole because you want to change lanes, I reakon theyr'e aggressive driving reflects on the attitude and lack of general road manners.

I say again not condoning it just my opinion of why!!!

[Ixion]

[quote=jafar;1689841]

I trust you pointed out to him that running an orange light is also an offence. And the penalty's the same. QUOTE]

Orange light means slow & prepare to stop. If you are too close to do that then you can go through !!
How do you get that 'running' an orange is an offence & carries the same penalty ?

Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999 (SR 1999/99) (as at 01 August 2008)

3.2(4)(a) Driver enters controlled area when yellow signal displayed 1,000 - 150 -
3.2(4)(b) Pedestrian enters roadway when yellow signal displayed unless special signal displayed 10 - - -
3.2(5)(a) Driver of vehicle enters controlled area when red signal displayed 1,000 - 150 -
3.2(5)(a) Cyclist enters controlled area beyond cycle limit line when red signal displayed 1,000 - 150 -
3.2(5)(b) Pedestrian enters roadway when red signal displayed unless special signal displayed 10 - - -
3.3(1)(a) Driver proceeds in direction indicated by green arrow without due regard for safety 1,000 - 150 -
3.3(1)(b) Pedestrian enters roadway when green arrow signal displayed unless special signal displayed 10 - - -
3.3(2)(a) Driver enters controlled area when yellow arrow signal displayed 1,000 - 150 -
3.3(2)(b) Pedestrian enters roadway when yellow arrow signal displayed unless special signal displayed 10 - - -
3.3(3)(a) Driver enters controlled area when red arrow signal displayed 1,000 - 150 -

However, you have a valid defence to a charge of running a yellow (= orange : the lawmakers are colour handicapped) light if it would have been unsafe for you to stop (or try to stop). That defence is not available to a charge of running a red.

EDIT:

Also (the actual Road Rule)

and

4.5 Approaching and entering intersections

(1) A driver must not increase speed when approaching an intersection if any other vehicle is approaching or crossing.

So , you must STOP at an orange light unless it would be unsafe (not inconvenient, or difficult) to do so. And it illegal to speed up approaching a traffic light (any intersection, actually) . Not eveyone knows this.

EDITY EDIT: And the light phases are almost always so timed, that a vehicle proceeding legally and prudently will normally be able to safely stop on an ornage light, and certainly well before the light goes red. Nine times out of ten in my observation, drivers proceeding through an orange light could have safely (easily even) have stopped.That is the purpose of the orange light. To allow you to stop before it goes red. Not "oh, I better put my foot down before it goes red".

[rastuscat]

[QUOTE=nadroj;1689872]

Find the Road User Rule 2004, about Section 7.4 or 7.5

It deals with seatbelts and exemptions. Taxi drivers have an exemption while plying for hire.

QUOTE]

Is there still a speed limit on this exemption and what other groups does it cover eg postmen / couriers?

No speed clause for the taxi drivers exemption or a medical exemption, supported by a letter granting that examption from a Dr or specialist.

50 km/h limit on EVERY other exemption e.g. delivery drivers, mechanics

[jafar]

[QUOTE=Ixion;1689876]

However, you have a valid defence to a charge of running a yellow (= orange : the lawmakers are colour handicapped) light if it would have been unsafe for you to stop (or try to stop). That defence is not available to a charge of running a red.

Thats what I said

[jafar]

[QUOTE=rastuscat;1689879]

No speed clause for the taxi drivers exemption or a medical exemption, supported by a letter granting that examption from a Dr or specialist.

50 km/h limit on EVERY other exemption e.g. delivery drivers, mechanics

Pity some of your collegues up here can't read then. While in a truck (local delivery) one of them charged me with no seat belt. I informed the officer of the regulation & he told me no such exemption exists ! I had to write a letter in, the reply I got from the letter was that I still had to pay the fine or go to court! I told them I would see them in court, I'm still waiting for the summons.

[CookMySock]

I bet there is a KiwiTaxiDriver forum somewhere that the driver is slating me on. Then everyone climbs on with stories of how they have been done wrong by the revenue collectors.

Yeah other people have shit days too, and they get their rant in their forum. He's just doing what he thinks might get him off it, and thats pretty standard. We all get it off our chest and move on.

We often (like, every day) hear the whinges, just don't often get a compliment for catching the offenders in the first place.

Well, thanks from me. I can do without that type of behaviour. The only think I ask from coppers, is a fair deal if I just make a mistake - we all make little non-dangerous oopses from time to time - don't hang us from the rafters for it if you don't mind.. I recently got done for four hundy for RUC over (3tonne sticker) - I paid it up within the hour, but nooo they want their pound of flesh And if a member of the public really gets victimised by some arsehole, please make it at least look like you care, even if your hands are completely tied from upstairs.

My 15 y/o learner son just got a $170 speeding ticket on his learner bike - thanks for that also.. much appreciated! It was a nasty lesson for him, and a damn good one.

Keep up the good work!

How come taxi drivers can get away with not wearing a seat belt.

Many commercial vehicles are allowed seatbelt-off at under 30 km/hr in the course of their work. They should re-belt over 50-70km/hr for their own safety whether the law requires it or otherwise.

Steve

[rastuscat]

The delivery clause says deliveries involving frequent stops. This was meant to include such things as delivering newspapers, where it would be absurd to put a seatbelt on and off at each house. The nlegislators didn't define frequent stops.

Unfortunately drivers have morphed that to include vast distances, expecting the same exemption to apply. Per example, a delivery in New Brighton followed by a delivery in Hornby, 15 km away, I'd hardly regard that as a frequent stop, but lots of people here do. Imagine the protests when we write those ones up.

Q good idea if you get charged is to get a copy of the legislation, and satisfy yourself about what the law ACTUALLY says, don't just settle for what you recall from your own memory. If you have broken the law that is actually written, you'll save your time by avoiding defending a forgone conclusion.

Just random thoughts.

[sinfull]

So, what to you reckon the ratio is?

Like, the ratio of People who whinge about getting tickets - vs - [COLOR="navy"]people who think it's a good job, the ticket was deserved for what the person did?[/COLOR]

Sadly, the ratio is quite high.We often (like, every day) hear the whinges, just don't often get a compliment for catching the offenders in the first place.

Perhaps a poll might be in order to guage what KBers think !
Never have i bagged a traffic cop or tried to talk my way out of a ticket ! (is it standard procedure to ask offenders why they were speeding, seems i've been asked most every time) Ya get sick of calling yaself an idiot !
Will say i can't wait to see more cops on bikes (to the point where the patrol car drivers should have a stint too) to make them more aware !

I aint no saint and right time right place i do ride over the limit !
One of the more expensive tickets i recently had was coming off the motorway at paremata through the roundabout (clear it was at the time) and was slowing down when the cop saw me through the other side ! Well he never swung to chase me or threw his lights on, so i thought i had got away with it (doing 80 in what had become a 50 just prior to the r/about).
Wasn't till i got on the porirua motor way that a pursuit vehical was waiting on the grass centre, again he waited till i past him before doing the hell donut in the grass and threw his lights on !
Ok so boys will be boys and cops will be boys too but this rabbit weren't gonna run lol so there i was, fair cop 80 in a 50 . But what got me was the comment the first officer made (when he caught up) that i must have accellerated extreemly hard to get up to 80 after exiting the roundabout !
I mean that man needed some time on a bike !!

I will say that i have been guilty in the past for claiming an orange but only as the law says, where it could be dangerous to stop ! (light goes orange, quick glimpse in rear view, dog breath tailgater up my jacksie, i'll go through !)
Same when i was driving the rigs, depends on the conditions, if its wet and slippery a 40 odd tonne gross unit would likely lock up and slide through, so have run oranges on occation in them, slowing down not speeding up !


Indicating is another of my quirks (never had a ticket for it) seems to be a habit of mine, where i'll only let ppl know what i'm up to if they need to know ! (where i might cause confusion if i don't, or right of way insues) Very rarely will i indicate on an empty road !
The new roundabout indication rule, haha i recon that sucks ! Particularly straight through a 4 way r/bout, ggrrr i aint going right so why indicate such (unless there is someone to my left) then switch to say im going straight by indicating left ! 90% of drivers at such roundabouts, stop, then wonder what the rules are for a few seconds, then look for indicators, pffffft i'm a hundy mtrs up the road by then even if they should have r/o/way otherwise the flow stops cause that 90% don't know the rules !
Those who know the r/o/way rules get my courtesy as, though i may be aggressive, i'm not an arsehole !
Hell i help old ladies accross the road ! (the younger ones i help all the way home)

[rastuscat]

I'm smiling at some of the responses. Thanks for the massive response. Makes me wonder how everyone finds time while presumably at work to flash onto KB

I have been told the "Someone was so close behind me I couldn't stop for the orange" so often, mainly by people with nobody behind them at all. It appears to just be a pre-prepared response.

One trend I have noticed is the remarkable trend of people who don't speed don't get speeding tickets. Likewise for seatbelts, people wearing them tend not to get tickets. And lots of other things, don't do it, don't get the ticket.

Anyone else noticed that?

[MSTRS:Me]

I aint no saint and right time right place i do ride over the limit !

Ditto. But the right time is sometimes a retrospective thing!!

[sinfull]

I'm smiling at some of the responses. Thanks for the massive response. Makes me wonder how everyone finds time while presumably at work to flash onto KB Today ends in Y dont work on Y days !

Likewise for seatbelts, people wearing them tend not to get tickets. And lots of other things, don't do it, don't get the ticket.

Anyone else noticed that?

Yeah ! If i had been wearing my seatbelt on the 4th of july, i would prolly still have a licence (not to mention the demerit points)

Roll on summer !

You guys do a good job (hard one but someones got to) In my 30 odd yrs with a licence i've only met one or two arrogant pratts !

Well done, keep up the good work !

[McJim]

One trend I have noticed is the remarkable trend of people who don't speed don't get speeding tickets. Likewise for seatbelts, people wearing them tend not to get tickets. And lots of other things, don't do it, don't get the ticket.

Anyone else noticed that?

erm....I think in my case it's probably just been luck.....so far...

[MSTRS:Me]

*stuff about being good*

Anyone else noticed that?

Mostly, yes. But there have been instances of imported cops pinging people for stuff that is legal here, but not where the cop comes from. And harassing people for no cause other than the cop has the opinion that they don't belong in the car they're driving. My son in our family wagon is one. Oh, I know that there are good reasons for this practice, but it grates on the innocent.

[Mikkel]

Good on ya mate! I don't know if the update that'll introduce demerit points for running the reds has been instated yet... but it's about bloody time. 75 demerits for running the reds sounds good to me.

I see it every day on my way across town - and it's getting worse and worse too.

I have been told the "Someone was so close behind me I couldn't stop for the orange" so often, mainly by people with nobody behind them at all. It appears to just be a pre-prepared response.

Well, I have often considered if I could get a new rear bumper by being very "cautious" approaching the lights.

[McJim]

Do you actually disagree with my post or are you just wetting your panties because it's me that said it?

I think he's irritated because it was said AND because you said it again...and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again....and again............