Bike cop blocking my pass

[mattian]

did he pull you over? write you a ticket for anything?. He made you paranoid so you obeyed the speed limit? I am trying to work out exactly what the problem is.

[Fatjim]

Send a complaint to the IPCA and ask that the cop receive a ticket for failing to keep left by using a passing lane when he wasn't passing, and in doing so failed to allow faster traffic to pass. I'd be interested to see the response.

Thats sounding awfully DB'ish. Make sure you wear your Hello Kitty T-shirt while you do it.

[Max Preload]

did he pull you over? write you a ticket for anything?. He made you paranoid so you obeyed the speed limit? I am trying to work out exactly what the problem is.

The cop pulled into the passing lane and drove at the same speed as the vehicles he'd previously been following at 20km/h and you think that's not a problem? Where does the OP say he was either speeding or needed to speed to overtake? I call what the cop did, if he did it with the intention of simply getting in the OP's way, bullying pure & simple because as I've already pointed out no matter how many objective laws you're obeying if they get the pip with you they can always find something to cost you time & money. If the cop did it unintentionally, he's not much of a driver being so oblivious to the presence of other road users.

[quack]

Its just a retarded cop who thinks he owns the road, like all damn cops.

[Varkp]

Just and update.

Phoned the IPCA yesterday. Guy asked all the detials, and then said he would like my details, Name, number, Diver license details, vehicle details. I then kindly informed him, nope sorry as there is no proof that i would not be targeted for victimisation by said cop.

Can see myself getting pulled over every morning for anything from waering the wrong underwear to unclipped toe nails ...

[peasea]

The passing lane was absolutely clear, no cars, no other bikes, 1 dead possum.

i have the bikes reg if anybody is interested ...

Seems the cop has a bit of an attitude problem, seen him in the area before, and have noticed he pulls people over for the fun of it.

Once by mistake (on hindsight now) gave him a friendly greet and he just stared at me.

Maybe he should get a transfer to Chch to go have a go at the boy racers ...

Yeah, send him out on his own and tell him to pull out his baton and yell 'Geronimo' when he finds three hundred drunk boy racers. Oh no, hang on, that's been done, as you were....

[vifferman]

The cop pulled into the passing lane and drove at the same speed as the vehicles he'd previously been following at 20km/h and you think that's not a problem?

I'm sure the Rode Code says to keep as close to the left as practicable. If he was in the right lane, not turning, and not traveling at the speed limit, he wasn't abiding by the laws he was supposed to be upholding.

[Renegade]

Yeah, it does. Obviously not to you. Only applicable to heavy traffic. Not bunches of traffic that clears up.
As stated earlier by someone else. It's exactly why they block passing lanes on holiday weekends.

exactly correct, plus mr copper got the power to open and shut any road he needs to, especially in the guise of road safety

[Despatch]

A bike shouldn't need a passing lane to get through traffic. There is a biker cop in Wellington who is a bit of a wanker about other bikers.

[Freshh2o]

A good cop said to me once... "You have to feel sorry for cops. the only friends they have are other cops. And who wants a cop for a friend?"

Don't wave at cops unless you know them personally. They inevitably assume you are winding them up...

[3umph]

awayatc the cops around Kaikoura are using all sorts of unmarked cars.I even saw one in a holden twin cab ute.Just as well the ride is so good that you don't have to speed to have fun.

The trucking squad up that way... based in blenhiem have them...

[Hoon]

It's got nothing to do with the law, it's the cop being wary of the traffic flow.

Like has been stated above, in heavy traffic situtations, passing lanes only make it worse with the merging slowing the whole thing down.
I'd hazard a guess that the lane was empty because everyone knew that they'd arrive at their destination quicker by not overtaking.

Last thing they need is someone giving everyone else the idea that overtaking is a good thing (in that situation).

Yep agree. There is a reason why everyone was staying in the left lane and leaving the right lane empty. All it takes is one person to bust out and start a stampede up the right lane which just ends up causing more frustration from people pushing in.

Good work on the cops part for seeing this unfold and putting a stop to it.
Remember it's not all about you! Neither is it a bike thing as I'm sure the cop would've done the same thing if you were in a car. Managing the flow of traffic is their job. However if you believe that all "traffic flow management" decisions only apply to cars and you should be exempt because you ride a motorcycle then normally I'd agree but in this case where you are doing something likely to encourage other drivers to do something they shouldn't then you need to be roped in.

[Ixion]

Yep agree. There is a reason why everyone was staying in the left lane and leaving the right lane empty. All it takes is one person to bust out and start a stampede up the right lane which just ends up causing more frustration from people pushing in.

Good work on the cops part for seeing this unfold and putting a stop to it.
Remember it's not all about you! Neither is it a bike thing as I'm sure the cop would've done the same thing if you were in a car. Managing the flow of traffic is their job. However if you believe that all "traffic flow management" decisions only apply to cars and you should be exempt because you ride a motorcycle then normally I'd agree but in this case where you are doing something likely to encourage other drivers to do something they shouldn't then you need to be roped in.

Indeed? I thought it was enforcing the law. If managing the flow of traffic is their job theiy're do a bloody crap job of it.

I am still struggling with (a) how two lanes can be slower than one lane ; and (b) if so, why are we taxpayers paying to build lanes which it is argued should not be used.

[swbarnett]

... in this case where you are doing something likely to encourage other drivers to do something they shouldn't then you need to be roped in.

I am not my brother's keeper! (or sister's for that matter).

We shift blame far too much IMO. Blame the the idiots doing something stupid, not those doing something perfectly reasonable that is "likely to encourage other drivers to do something they shouldn't".

[Hoon]

Yep, if I were the cop I would've let the bike go past (since it has minimal effect on traffic flow) and then block any car that tried to follow. However I can understand why the cop would choose to block the bike i.e. treat all road users as being equal and letting everyone know that the right lane is NOT quicker.

I am still struggling with (a) how two lanes can be slower than one lane ; and (b) if so, why are we taxpayers paying to build lanes which it is argued should not be used.

I didn't even know about it until I had the misfortune to experience it first hand. In heavy traffic two lanes aren't necessarily slower, they just aren't any faster! Only applies when traffic is at a crawl to heavy - usually public holiday peak time. Basically two lanes become ineffective as you have to merge back into one lane at the end. If there isn't enough space and vehicles have to slow to merge back into one lane then this causes a jam. Once the jam backs up to the beginning of the passing lane then there is no benefit with splitting into two lanes and then merging back into the same spots later on. So everyone accepts a "gentlemans agreement" to stay in one lane thereby eliminating all the unpleasant pushing 'n shoving.