NZ Police - why do they do it?

**Metalor** · 15th August 2009, 19:06

I have to say that the cop who gave you the ticket was just being a prick. Don't listen to the dickheads saying "you were breaking the law, deal with it."

When it comes down to it, you weren't doing anything dangerous to yourself or anyone else, but you'll do to help fill his quota.

The WOF issue is bullshit too. 2 weeks? Come one, give a guy a break. You'll get off that one though if you write a letter with a copy of your WOF and say you had it booked in.

I got pulled over on wednesday for doing 80 in a 50k zone. My fault, I was definitely in the wrong, took it on the chin. Warrant was out by 5 days and the copper was good enough to let that one slide.

Just depends on who you get on the day!

**Drew** · 15th August 2009, 19:07

Originally Posted by Matt_TG

If I were a cop I'd sit there and wait too. It's clear that some people think speed limits are only suggestions. Why spend petrol chasing offenders?

Revenue or not, it's the copper's job, and there's no shortage of people willing to help him out. He didn't set the speed limit and doesn't really give a rat's whether you think it should be safe at 84 ks, you're offending, and as a bonus had no warrant.

Ya reaps what ya sows.

The police are actually not allowed to sit within 200 meters of a posted speed limit sign to ping people, I think you'll find.

**scumdog** · 15th August 2009, 19:08

Originally Posted by Metalor

The WOF issue is bullshit too. 2 weeks? Come one, give a guy a break. You'll get off that one though if you write a letter with a copy of your WOF and say you had it booked in.!

Should have got compliance anyway.

Unless he talked himself out of it

**scumdog** · 15th August 2009, 19:09

Originally Posted by Drew

The police are actually not allowed to sit within 200 meters of a posted speed limit sign to ping people, I think you'll find.

Realllyyyyy?????

**Elysium** · 15th August 2009, 19:10

Come on Smoky, cheer/man up.

**Drew** · 15th August 2009, 19:12

Originally Posted by scumdog

Realllyyyyy?????

So I was told by a nameless non-sworn. Your tone implies otherwise, (if tone can be read of course).

**SMOKEU** · 15th August 2009, 19:18

Originally Posted by Ixion

The really amusing thing is the ones who have litre bikes, capable of 250kph+ , and spout on about "speed kills". Right, like they spent the money to buy a bike that can double the speed limt and some more, because?

You're right, people shouldn't be saying "don't speed" if they ride anything faster than a GN250. There is no point buying a fast bike if you're not going to exceed any speed limits.

**Biggles08** · 15th August 2009, 19:27

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

You're right, people shouldn't be saying "don't speed" if they ride anything faster than a GN250. There is no point buying a fast bike if you're not going to exceed any speed limits.

And that is why Clubmans class / Track days should be frequented wayyyyyy more often! Checkout Redline Trackdays this summer for your 'speed' buzz boys and girls! Too many fuckwit cops and dickhead drivers on the public roads...and the way things are going with stupid regulations its only going to get worse!

**mapsanji** · 15th August 2009, 19:43

Got pulled over by a cop today, just a routine check I nearly shat myself, first time in 2 yrs....

well lucky me he couldn't find anything wrong

**marty** · 15th August 2009, 19:45

Originally Posted by smoky

Got a ticket yesterday; that makes 9 in 20 years

slow learner huh?

**Biggles08** · 15th August 2009, 19:54

Originally Posted by scumdog

Same reason I bought an M16, cos I wanted one

Ain't littered with dead people around here - yet.....

Do you shoot your M16 at all scumdog? I think a valid comparisom would be you bought a M16 so once in a while you could squeeze off a couple of rounds as it has been designed for (no need to kill people to use the rifle) like most bikers with litre bikes like to "speed" once in a while as they also have been designed for (note the quotation marks as a sign that this of course is a subjective word to use rather than exceeding the set speed limit).

I will say however, if anyone with a litre bike or even a wee 600 like mine really want to ride it as it has been designed there is no place like the track for this!

**smoky** · 15th August 2009, 19:56

Originally Posted by Blackbird

have had a few speeding tickets and deserved them. On the flip side, I've had just a flash of headlights from the law when I thought I'd be walking home due to almost unbelievable discretion on the cop's part too. Got away with far more than I deserve so can hardly complain if I do get pulled - Karma at work! I suspect that this applies to you too Smoky

I did say in my original post;

Originally Posted by smoky

My question is; due to the fact I have exceeded the speed limit at times and not been caught, should I just accept this kind of wanky behavior and not let it annoy me ?

despite what some people on here have jumped to the conclusion of; I am not crying about it, I did the crime, I'll pay

But the question I'm asking; is this kind of over eager pedantic enforcement of the road rules somewhat in contrast to other areas of law enforcment, try getting someone to turn up when you've been burgled
It would be good to see more police check points picking up drunk drivers
And yes - No WOF - fair enough
You have to wonder if they're under resourced because their priorities are a bit off
Has quota and KPI's made our roads any safer
If it has - has the price been pissing off everyone and loosing the support and respect of a lot of the general public?

**SMOKEU** · 15th August 2009, 20:01

It's all revenue gathering. When my car got broken into I called the cops and they didn't even send one officer to have a look at it to try and lift some finger prints, they weren't even busy because it was a Tuesday night when fuck all is happening. Yet if some old fart calls the cops to say that they saw a GTST get a bit loose around a corner then the cops get there A$AP.

**AD345** · 15th August 2009, 20:11

Random thoughts on the thread:

1. It's not "speeding". It's exceeding the posted speed limit. "Speeding" is an apalling piece of emotive rubbish coined by god-knows-who but probably the same dork that came up with "speed kills". 1 km/hr is a speed.

2. God the "trackdays" line is tired. The vast majority of people did not buy their bikes to go round and round the same 2 - 5 km of tarseal looking at Armco's for scenery. I'm hard pressed to think of a more tedious way to spend time on a motorcycle.

3. Posted speed limits are arbitrary, politicised and the law. It has essentially become a moral crusade and will stay a source of irritation and fustration between the citizenry and the state for the foreseeable future

4. Cops do their jobs with within the same distribution curve of zeal and efficiency as the rest of the populace. Trying to enforce unpopular laws is always going to be difficult in the extreme. Put areas of "discretion" in the mix with those laws and it becomes several orders of magnitude worse. Tax inspectors enforce more unpopular laws with less room for discretion and probably take less heat.
Hard cheese for the cops - no one forced them into the job. Equally though - tough shit for us when things don't go the way we want with "discretion"

5. I'd rant about it too, venting is good for the soul.