Paekakariki hill 19-6-09

[sinned]

Failing to keep left is a legit charge. You are supposed to keep to the left of the centerline, unless overtaking. A few have been nabbed for that down this way ...

There is a sweeping open corner on the Napier Taupo road where a camera is often placed for the issuing of tickets.
The rule on crossing the center line on corners is different in some other countries where it is allow and even encourage when the road is open and clear of oncoming traffic.

The Paikak road is a good one to stay on your own side and keep the speed down. It is a dangerous road to ride on a motorcycle as traffic 4WD often cut corners.

[Sketchy Snr]

Video is used heaps in the Kapiti area, red light runners , failure to stop wankers , school zone speeders , railway barrier dodgers etc. WEllington has several intersections with red light runner cameras and they are legally enforcable if the vehicle can be identified.
Keeping left is a std law and the only head on fatal crashes i can think of up any hill have been caused by one of the vehicles , either car or bike crossing that centre line. I know a few cops in the district and they are fed up with having to make house calls to inform next of kin. The other guys i feel for is the poor volantary fireman from Paekakariki having to hose bits of body from the ashphalt.

I have also cut corners and im sure i will next time up the hill but really if the cops use a new tool to try and bring the error to our attention i am not surprised. Whats annoying is we dont know what the new tool is until it gets our wallets out.

Paul.

Thanks Paul i hear what your saying, but when you can see ahead of you i think threre is no reason why you carnt cross the white line. Another main part of Paekakariki hill has no centre line so you have to choose your line through that part. I hope this isn't the beginnings of double yellow lines all the way over the hill.

[Number 5]

Well, To clear a few things up, the bike in question is a Harley ( dont go round corners), I ride Peakakariki not as a race track, but for a fun bit of twisty road and when straighting out a corner do with good vision ahead and find it hard to believe there is not a rider out there that has not done this in a safe manner, so i question those who say suck it up and pay. For me the big question is about the use of video. The law says they can set up stationary speed cameras, but a cop tucked away in a tight twisty bit out of his car well thats news to me.
The video evidence is accessable by appointment only, the fine for not reveiling who the rider is $10.000.

If you request information, especially as an official information request relating to the incident they have either give you it within 20 days, or give good reason why not.
If you plead not guilty and request a court hearing, they have to give you it for defence evidence (make the application verbally to the JP at the prelimenary hearing, and DO NOT take any notice of the letter from the police stating that you do not have attend).

As for laser gun deployment, the police policy and operation guidelines state it must be employed on a stretch of road that is staight for at least 250mtrs.

[Sketchy Snr]

If you request information, especially as an official information request relating to the incident they have either give you it within 20 days, or give good reason why not.
If you plead not guilty and request a court hearing, they have to give you it for defence evidence (make the application verbally to the JP at the prelimenary hearing, and DO NOT take any notice of the letter from the police stating that you do not have attend).

As for laser gun deployment, the police policy and operation guidelines state it must be employed on a stretch of road that is staight for at least 250mtrs.

Thanks chap, not sure about how the rules work on videoing. Would be nice if it came under the same catagory because there is no way there was 250mtrs

[Number 5]

I am picking you were over the centre line if the charge is failing to keep left.

Meh, write in and argue, see if you get off or not.

My advice, pay the ticket and learn a lesson, at least you got a ticket for it mate, you could have been dead.

While I agree with all those berating people who cross the center line, as I have had near misses from both cars and bikes on the wrong side of the road, keeping to the letter of the road code unless there is a continuous yellow line you can cross the white line if you have clear vision for at least 100 mtrs, as such you should not be charged with failing to keep left (details for this charge previously stated), instead the charge could be careles or dangerous use of a motor vehicle likely to cause an accident.

As to just 'pay the ticket' why should you if you haven't done anything illegal, paying the ticket (admitting guilt) has further implications as to driving history that has an effect on your insurance premiums and even job applications

[Number 5]

Thanks chap, not sure about how the rules work on videoing. Would be nice if it came under the same catagory because there is no way there was 250mtrs

I will try and find out for you.
Appearing at court is not expensive, the fine plus court costs, usually between $50 to $130 if found guilty, but it gives you the opportunity to state your story of the events, and for the police to state exactly what you did wrong, and question them as to exactly what offence you have committed, and not just the one liner on the infringement notice, something they find hard to do sometimes believe me.

[Patrick]

On balance, I agree. Each of us has 'our' bit of road. We need to stay in it. SPMan has the right idea...we get better at what we practice, and lazy driving will set you up for disaster.
That said, I'm not so sure that every head-on meets your parameters...(you're a cop, so I'm honour-bound to argue with you)

Depends on which bit one claims as "their bit of the road..."

As for the parameters, someone is always on the wrong side, and that someone always thinks the way is clear... yet there are head ons. Go figure.....

I have to agree with plod on this one.

Cough.... splutter.... choke......

....but when you can see ahead of you i think threre is no reason why you carnt cross the white line....

And the law argument is.... unless overtaking and as long as there is nothing wrong with your side of the road, why not stay on your side of the road... for the reasons posted earlier, and again as above in this post... again....?

Thanks chap, not sure about how the rules work on videoing. Would be nice if it came under the same catagory because there is no way there was 250mtrs

Coz it aint a speed matter. It's a poor driving behaviour.

While I agree with all those berating people who cross the center line, as I have had near misses from both cars and bikes on the wrong side of the road, keeping to the letter of the road code unless there is a continuous yellow line you can cross the white line if you have clear vision for at least 100 mtrs, as such you should not be charged with failing to keep left (details for this charge previously stated), instead the charge could be careles or dangerous use of a motor vehicle likely to cause an accident.

As to just 'pay the ticket' why should you if you haven't done anything illegal, paying the ticket (admitting guilt) has further implications as to driving history that has an effect on your insurance premiums and even job applications

Failing to keep left "IS" illegal.... always has been. It is not new.

....and for the police to state exactly what you did wrong, and question them as to exactly what offence you have committed, and not just the one liner on the infringement notice, something they find hard to do sometimes believe me.

Ummm... "Failing to keep left" is the usual charge. Kind of explains it quite well, I thought....... and not hard to do at all.... ???

[Fatjim]

Mate, its cheaper in NZ to be guilty than innocent.

Pay da man, move on.

[Number 5]

Depends on which bit one claims as "their bit of the road..."

As for the parameters, someone is always on the wrong side, and that someone always thinks the way is clear... yet there are head ons. Go figure.....



Cough.... splutter.... choke......



And the law argument is.... unless overtaking and as long as there is nothing wrong with your side of the road, why not stay on your side of the road... for the reasons posted earlier, and again as above in this post... again....?



Coz it aint a speed matter. It's a poor driving behaviour.



Failing to keep left "IS" illegal.... always has been. It is not new.



Ummm... "Failing to keep left" is the usual charge. Kind of explains it quite well, I thought....... and not hard to do at all.... ???

All I can say to that is - let the JP decide, a lot of money has been made defending these charges, and agree failing to keep left is the usual charge - where there has been an incident, and to repeat a lot of money made defending where their has been no incident.

[MSTRS:Me]

Depends on which bit one claims as "their bit of the road..."

As for the parameters, someone is always on the wrong side, and that someone always thinks the way is clear... yet there are head ons. Go figure.....

All right, Mr Pedantic -the bit of road where the centre line is on one's right. Guesswork required where there is no centreline.
What about all those headons that occur through inattention, driver nodding off, taking a corner too fast and drifting wide, tourists getting confused...

All I can say to that is - let the JP decide, a lot of money has been made defending these charges, and agree failing to keep left is the usual charge - where there has been an incident, and to repeat a lot of money made defending where their has been no incident.

So you are fine with doing a wheelie through a crowded shopping precinct as long as nothing goes wrong? Or Russian roulette...

[roogazza]

So, I haven't read all of the thread, but where are the cameras being put exactly and how eg, in a van , on a tripod, or can you see someone standing there filming ?
Hopefully I'm up too early in the morning for these guys. G.

[u4ea]

Unless it was over double yellow lines then it sounds like they've got nothing better to do .

Mind you , if they did the same to 4 wheel drive owners they'd make a fortune on this road.

Funny thing is, bikes do not feature too highly in the numbers. Trucks definitely. Cars usually...

Wrong side of road is the issue with head ons. On every occasion, the wrongdoer thought they had clear road...... This smacks not of revenue gathering, but of people who can't/won't stay on their side of the road. Simple, really.....

Your choice.

And when are you gunna take details of those cyclists who ride 4 abreast or take the whole road(such as Akataras) and you have no farking choice but to cross the centre line to safely pass as it is impossible to stay to the left due to their arrogant and ignoraqnt road use behaviour..those fuckers dont pay rego(for their bycycles) for road use nor do they have an identifying plate for anyone to complain or have their identity known if filmed.....I dont know how many near misses Ive had had because of them.

[carbonhed]

So, I haven't read all of the thread, but where are the cameras being put exactly and how eg, in a van , on a tripod, or can you see someone standing there filming ?
Hopefully I'm up too early in the morning for these guys. G.

If you're heading south it was about a quarter of the way to Battle Hill from the summit in the really twisty bit with the nice asphalt surface... It was a camera on a tripod with a cop sitting behind it taking numbers and I think his car was up a driveway.

HTH.

Are you going over early on a bike? What's the conditions like?

[crazyhorse]

Has anyone else been issued with a video recording ticket from the 19th, i am being done for Failing to keep left. I'm picking i was cutting a corner. Is this legit ???

Yes it will be legit - a couple of years ago, or maybe even last year, I know of quite a few people being targeted out State Highway 50 - Just south of Hastings. If you cut the corner, then you got a ticket - the camera was placed up on a hill on private land, and it made alot of people mad!

We all cut corners at times, esp when its safe to do so - but the road rules are clear, so yes you can be done for it.

Good news is, if they're targeting your area, then they're leaving mine alone LOL

[carbonhed]

We all cut corners at times, esp when its safe to do so

You must take the time to post a photo of the certificate confirming you "planetary spokesperson".... yer folks must be bursting with pride.

How often do you cut corners when it's not safe to do so?

I don't cut corners and neither do the people I ride with.