Bikers collide with Police car in Buller Gorge (1 December)

[James Deuce]

I think our experiences have been quite similar.

[Hitcher]

He's an arsehole; they should lock him up after he fronts up with the cash.

(Along with every other fuckin' dirtbag pig who has used their position to evade punishment for wrongdoing. How many drink driving charges have been side-stepped in recent years?)

Hand on a second, how does this sentence handed down today align with your claim that this former officer "used the position to evade punishment for wrongdoing"?

[RantyDave]

The reparations are Outrageous, no ordinarty motorist would have received such an order.

This is quite obviously true and, I think, makes it obvious that it's the taxpayer that's picking this one up. Presumably his insurance situation was made clear in court - i.e. the rozzers are going to pay - and in handing out a non-trivial (but still not anywhere near large enough) order for reparations the judge may have ensured that the words "don't do what this cunt did" are added to Police driver training from now on. Ultimately he (the judge) may have saved the life of the next rider to come round a blind corner and find himself radar'd instead of buried in the side of a Holden - and for this we should thank him.

I also wonder if the legal distinction between reparations and a fine is one of the more pertinent points here. Not being a lawyer, or in possession of any NZ police employment contracts I couldn't tell you in what way though.

Dave

[caseye]

Well put RantyDave, I'd like to think that the words " don't do what this c..t did do" go in the manual for Police drivers in the future too. Not sure that it's the taxpayer or the Police picking up the reparations tab, something tells me it'll be the ex copper and I don't have a problem with this under the circumstances.
Yes this is the sort of punishment(compensation= paid to the victims, not reparation= goes to courts insurance co's etc but bugger all to the victims) that should be dished out to ordinary motorists who make a hash of things after the event, an accidnet is an accident but when someone lies to extricate themselves then Jump and jump bloody hard.

[spudchucka]

i.e. the rozzers are going to pay

Nope!.....

[reofix]

crap decision... now anyone who cocks up out on the road (hands up if you never have) can look forward to bankruptcy... this decision does NOT give me the warm fuzzies

[Naki Rat]

crap decision... now anyone who cocks up out on the road (hands up if you never have) can look forward to bankruptcy... this decision does NOT give me the warm fuzzies

If our ACC system (imperfect as it is) wasn't keeping the malicious litigation industry from our door bancruptcy for such misdemeanors would be the norm, as it is in North America much to the glee of the insurance industry there.

[marty]

oh to be an asian dude running from the cops and kill a 7 year old girl out for the day with her dad - and only cost $10k in reparation......

[scumdog]

oh to be an asian dude running from the cops and kill a 7 year old girl out for the day with her dad - and only cost $10k in reparation......

Yeah but he wasn't a cop eh!

And getting off 'lightly'.

[scumdog]

Hand on a second, how does this sentence handed down today align with your claim that this former officer "used the position to evade punishment for wrongdoing"?

Aw shuddup, logic has no place in this land of illogical ranters and toss-pots.

[RantyDave]

oh to be an asian dude running from the cops and kill a 7 year old girl out for the day with her dad - and only cost $10k in reparation......

Yeah, I was thinking about that today, too. He came steaming into a petrol station, got on the brakes too late and smeared a little girl against the wall. If someone offered me $10k under those circumstances I'd kill them with my bare hands yet somehow the little fucker got off. WTF?

Dave

[Squid69]

He got hammered. That's deeply unfair.

For a similar accident with injuries that have long term implications the dude who hurt me had to pay $600. Albeit 17 years ago.

There's definitely a message in the punishment but it is hugely disproportionate with what a "Joe Public" would have been handed in the same circumstances.

cops my dear friend, are not joe public...

[Winston001]

And would it be tax deductable?

Fines by their nature are penalties for a breach of the law. Since you cannot carry on an unlawful business activity, it follows that fines are not tax deductible.

Reparation however? Don't know, possibly its arguable.

However in this case the officer is not self-employed so the reparation cannot be a business expense. Thus no deduction.

As this happened while he was employed by the police, I think it reasonable to assume they will pay the reparation. An order of this magnitude is unusual which suggests the judge believed it would be paid - otherwise he wouldn't have bothered.

Normally this is dealt with by insurance companies and such orders aren't required, but where one party isn't insured ie. the police, then it can happen. Otherwise you'd see such large reparation orders made daily.

[Winston001]

The lawyer is as much to blame here as anyone. I feel that mostly they are just out to line their own pockets and get their client off regardless. Admittedly it's their job to get their clients off, but I do often wonder at their morals, and off course the client could plead guilty, but that wouldn't be the lawyers advice. Sorry Winston.

Ah such cynicism from one so kindly in nature, it grieves me so....

I'll explain another time - what you express is a common misunderstanding. What I can say is that people's perspectives change dramatically when they are confronted by a prosecution which they believe to be wrong.

[cold comfort]

It's near 30 years of riding bikes and driving cars that makes me think like this. I haven't caused an accident yet, and despite being put in ICU, theatre and the spinal unit, not one person responsible ever manned up in court.

Even when I've been hit from behind it's been my "fault" for stopping too quickly.

People have cried, apologised, promised to help make things better, but after a couple of days reflection, it's always ended up my fault.

You are being extremely naive thinking that people will own anything that they do on the road. It's never their fault.

Accidents where I've been involved with helping the injured party and have witnessed the accident have ended up with me in court having my witness statement ripped to shreds. It is the rare event when people fully own the responsibility of causing injury or death for another person.

Sadly this has been my experience also- bouts of amnesia and threats of violence when reparation is suggested! The last guy who ran into me i shopped despite his apparent remorse.Turns out he had NO insurance and NO drivers licence!