Failure to make way for red/blue flashing lights

[SpankMe]

Got a letter from the NZ Police today saying that I "Failed to Make Way for Red/Blue Flashing Lights." and asking for a explanation.

I remember the day. Was blatting along the North Western on my Honda GB, when I looked down in my mirrors and saw two cop cars, lights flashing, behind me. I promptly pulled over but I guess they were behind me for awhile judging by the letter. I always make sure I'm out of the way of emergency vehicles and get pissed when I see others that don't.

With the wind noise in my helmet, I couldn't hear them at all. Also the mirrors on the GB are bar-ends on low slung handle bars, so I have to look down to see them. So what's the chance they'll accept that I just didn't hear them behind me?

[MSTRS:Me]

Lights only, no sirens? And if no-one else was ducking out of the way (normal, right?) how were you to know? Or...MW has 2+ lanes, right? Were they all full?
Sounds like attempted revenue gathering to me.

[Maha]

Just write in Spank and say that you thought they were giving you a rear escort.

[Duke girl]

They may say something about having bar end mirrors which obviously aren't that good if you have to look down into them before seeing if there is anything behind you. Even thou you are going to send them your reason why you didnt pull over for them while they had their lights flashing, just wondering if they are still going to book you regardless of what you put in your letter to them explaining your reason for not doing so?.

[Lonebull]

Got a letter from the NZ Police today saying that I "Failed to Make Way for Red/Blue Flashing Lights." and asking for a explanation.

I remember the day. Was blatting along the North Western on my Honda GB, when I looked down in my mirrors and saw two cop cars, lights flashing, behind me. I promptly pulled over but I guess they were behind me for awhile judging by the letter. I always make sure I'm out of the way of emergency vehicles and get pissed when I see others that don't.

With the wind noise in my helmet, I couldn't hear them at all. Also the mirrors on the GB are bar-ends on low slung handle bars, so I have to look down to see them. So what's the chance they'll accept that I just didn't hear them behind me?

If they didn't have sirens on then just tell the truth, apologise and say it won't happen again. If they had sirens on then you want to consider a hearing aid.

Maybe you could say that you had been meaning to write and thank them for the escort but next time please don't bother because your incognito at the moment and that if your fans knew where you were they may cause traffic congestion rivalling a rush hour snarl-up...


Or how about telling them that the new stealth patrol cars are working fine...


Just a thought

Good Luck Dude

[nodrog:Me]

just tell them you thought they were after you, and you were doing a runner.

[AllanB]

Write in and you'll be fine. Just tell them you were concentrating on the traffic in front of you, could not hear any siren (if they were on) due to wind buffeting etc and obviously had not checked your mirrors for a short period.
Point out to them that as soon as you checked your mirrors and saw the lights you pulled over.

If you have a clean record also write that "you'll note that I have a fine/ticket free record and pride myself on being a courteous and responsible rider/driver...bla bla" Obviously if you have 98 demerit points you should not use this line.


Now if had been Carver, chances are he would have been on his rear wheel and flipping the cops the bird............

[R6_kid:Me]

I had a cop follow me for 2km before I knew he was there, and he was pulling me over too. I was listening to music on the way home from work, this with the wind noise, and the sun in my eyes, meant that i could not see, nor hear the car behind me.

[MIXONE]

Tell them you couldn't hear them over the sound of your straight through pipe and what's behind you is notta important.

[Scouse]

Say Nothing Don't incriminate your self

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

You were you wearing ear plugs? that is why you didn't here the siren (if it was going). The irony is with out them you would go deaf with the wind noise and buffering... but are pretty much deaf with them.

You only check what is behind you every so often as you are more concerned what is ahead of you, with cops doing u-turns on blind corners, cars going the wrong way on motorway... hello have you seen the news...

is the NW a motorway or just another road...??? If a road add in all the other dangers of biking; boy racers, other bikers crossing the center line, sheep, camper vans on the wrong side, seagulls and magpies shitting on and drive bombing, or birds in general with a helmet strike you had one two days a go and are still a little nervous about it...

more importantly you were looking for a place you considered safe to pull/move over not what the cop thought may have been safe (its your life not theirs)... what couldn't they pass you???

You did move over when you saw them in the reflective compound device.

[puddytat]

Fuck , this country is gettin' real anal....

[MsKABC]

you are more concerned what is ahead of you, with cops doing u-turns on blind corners, cars going the wrong way on motorway... hello have you seen the news...

Not to mention the AOS.... sorry, that was in bad taste

Well if they're ticketing you, I hope they also ticket the numerous bozos I've seen doing it over the years. I was on the motorway once with colleagues and we could see an ambulance coming up behind us quite a way back so we pulled right over. The car following us tried to pass us! And didn't see the ambo coming until it was right on top of him, despite us turning on our orange flashing light and pointing behind him. Moron.

Good luck getting out of your ticket though

[Patrick]

Say Nothing Don't incriminate your self

The rest were fairly good posts... then this one...

There are good reasons for not hearing them... especially since the sirens might not have been on.... and when spotted, got out of the way immediately. A reasonable excuse. NO further action.

No response = ticket.

[Swoop]

Tell 'em that it is a motorway and there are two other lanes they could have used...