Does the punishment match the crime?

[Tubbsy]

I have just been to pay a $750 fine. It stung a lot. But probably what stings more, is I don't think the magnitude of the fine is justified.

I was a good chunk over on my road user charges, and less than a month over on my rego. So yes, I deserved to get pinged, but I really don't think in this case, as a first "offense", that the punishment matched the crime.
I did nothing dangerous, no speeding, car is warranted and safe, all I got slammed for, was being overly forgetful (hand on heart).

It feels like it's just revenue gouging now. I kinda feel like $750 is in the same league as serious offenses, which being forgetful really isn't.

Putting aside the fact that 'the law says so and it must be obeyed', what do you guys reckon?

Those of you who have had a fine or fines, what's the amount and the transgression been?

Even the cop who ticketed me said I should write in and request it waived because it would be a big fine. Incidentally, they never bothered to reply to me.

Left a bad taste in my mouth about the police, especially as they never even bothered to come out when my car was broken into.

[Renegade]

you should have posted this up before you paid the fine, i know a guy who side stepped the fine, LTNZ or whoever the $ goes too bring your kms up to date and let you pay the outstanding kms off over a period of time.

next time.

[Riding LockedDown]

Yeah I got done $800 for no L plate and going over 70km/h. Which I was guilty of and I had no problem paying a fine for. But $800...

It was my first offence, and I was only going 92 and it was on the motorway... I wasnt driving recklessly or anything but still got done. I told the officer I was just a student, and that I had to take the motorway as it is the only way to get to university.

So when he came back with a $800 fine I said man this is steep, im just a student... and he said "well u gotta learn", I hadnt given him any lip or anything, really left me thinking 'fuck what a wanker'. I know the majority of cops are good blokes, but the way my offence was handled, was I believe to be very poor... souring my view on police.

Police you are here to serve and protect, not try and ruin me and take all my money so I cant finish university, nz will make shitloads out of taxes from the money I'll earn in the future anyway. which is fine...

but yeah, I was prepared to pay a fine, like $400 max, but I got $800... Made me really angry...

[grusomhat]

Ouch! That's massive. They are quite tough with RUC from what I hear but good history should definitely come into play when issuing fines like that. I'm sure there's other greater offensives that don't incur such harsh penalties.

You won't be forgetting again though will you?

[Slyer]

I almost got a $1200+ fine for riding without L plate (was partially broken off), going over 70kph, riding after 10pm at night and also a minor speeding offense...
He let me off.

[tigertim20]

yeah its pretty crap, they need to re-evaluate how they deal with that stuff aye, they have reduced some of the fines and upped the demerits for some offences just recently, which I think is a good start. $800 for being forgetfull is terrible. Youd think he would have said, Ill give you 7 days to get it sorted or else big fine. does seem a bit rough.

[Jantar]

You do have to remember that RUC and Rego are nothing to do with road safety, they are there for revenue collecting. Evading revenue in New Zealand is a crime that is far more serious than any road traffic offences, so the fine is also much higher.

[Blackshear]

Only had a $300, 81 in 50 zone.
Though, legally, he could've done me for over 70k's, and a 2-day lapsed rego.
So I was pretty fucking thankful.

[MarkH]

I was a good chunk over on my road user charges

Sounds like tax evasion. Always remember that the government likes your money and requires you to pay it to them - any attempt to hang on to your own money will result in much fury and striking you down! Income tax/GST/Road tax/Fines/ACC levies/etc - you will pay a fuck load to the government in your lifetime, $750 is a very small drop in the bucket compared to the total paid by you in your lifetime to the Govt.

In the next budget they will be unveiling their new simplified tax form which only has these 2 things:
1. How much did you earn?
2. Send it to us!

[CookMySock]

Get used to it. I've had the whole lot happen to me, and now I care nothing for the pigs feelings. Fuck the lot of them. Get hard, get angry, and get even.

Consider also, when you need THEIR help urgently, you can sing for that too.

NZ Police can get bent.

Steve

[pritch]

Police you are here to serve and protect,

Ummm I think that's New York but you still wouldn't want to take that too literally. Especially if you were the wrong colour?

[MarkH]

yeah its pretty crap, they need to re-evaluate how they deal with that stuff aye, they have reduced some of the fines and upped the demerits for some offences just recently

I am not so thrilled with more demerits. After the cops have a few minor niggles with unimportant stuff you do you could end up with no license for 3 months. This can often be an over the top penalty for very minor offences.
You can get a ticket for 61kph in a 50 zone, sometimes the 50 zone could easily be a 70 zone quite safely - get a few of these minor revenue gathering tickets and you could be without a license for 3 months, that's pretty harsh for such minor indiscretions.

[Tank]

Get used to it. I've had the whole lot happen to me, and now I care nothing for the pigs feelings. Fuck the lot of them. Get hard, get angry, and get even.

Consider also, when you need THEIR help urgently, you can sing for that too.

NZ Police can get bent.

Steve

A lot of love going on there DB - I've said it before - and I'll say it again:

Treating people in a professional nice manner will get you a hell of a lot further than being rude and ignorant.

I really cannot think of a single friend who has had any issues like that - but then they are all good, reasonable and rational people who dont insult cops.

Perhaps you need to look at yourself before not 'feeling' for others simply because of their career choice? Then perhaps you wont have the same problems when they are dealing with you.

[FROSTY:Me]

Id say the punishment fits the crime. That is to say the (hopefully) real punishment. Youv'e been inconvenienced and reminded in a pretty solid way to get stuff up to date.
You will now have the inconvenience of having to wright into them with a letter of explaination and proof you've got the rego and RUC up to date.
If you've done it pretty darn smartly id say 95% chance you'll get let off with a warning.

[Spyke]

Tank stop stalking DB on these kind of posts

btw I'm saying this cause it's sad to do that.

not a personal attack on you or anything though lol.