It's not all about writing tickets

[Gremlin]

red mermaid, take off the blinkers for a minute. I count several cops amongst my friends, from various roles. I'm not speculating. For those that enjoy simply hating cops, even the general duties role is pretty thankless, with plenty of overtime to complete the endless paperwork, unpaid. Its the ones creating the policies they have to work to.

[phill-k]

Bullshit. Do you work for them too? You're certainly toeing the party line nicely.

What about when I don't get stopped for speeding (or anything else), rarely have been and the few times I did I had no problem with it.

What I do have a problem with is every day seeing cops simply ignoring stuff that really is dangerous.

Cars going through red lights under their noses, crossing the centre line , you name it. And cops who can't be bothered to do stuff that is not only their job (keeping people dsafe) but simple basic human decency.

Like an old lady with dementia, wandering down the middle of a busy road . Walking back to Whangamata, she says (from Auckland).

Flag down a cop - no not one on his way to anything , he admitted he was on his way back to the station - "old lady - in grave danger".

Not only not interested- flat outright "If you try do do anything yourself I'll arrest YOU" (not me, that was my 80 year old father in law he was talking to - another man who once worshipped the police and now despises them) .

We rang round the local rest homes, found where she had wandered from, they came and collected her. Meanwhile I steered traffic round her (she'd gotten tired and sat down in the middle of the road!). Cops didn't give a stuff.

Let's hear your excuse for that one . I'm waiting.

To answer your first question - no I am not a member of the Police, considered it for a career when I was younger, during the Springbok tour time, withdrew the application I had to join as realized my personality wouldn't allow me to do the Job effectively. - I don't have the ability to interact with complete morons and remain civil and respectful.

I do support the Police because I understand the Job and the constraints placed on them by our Government's decisions on budgetary expenditure against personal wealth. With the present level of staffing to "jobs" I'm not sure I could deal with the pressure these guys are under every day.

Firstly what was the outcome of your complaint to the Police Complaints authority over their inaction as regards the elderly lady, personally I would have assisted the lady off the motorway first, and yes I understand there is some risk in that. It is just so easy to tag the whole organization with an isolated incident such as this. I had a similar incident on the Northern motorway - car up against the centre barrier facing the wrong way, I stopped as it appeared to be a little old lady, crossed the lanes, spoke with her to find she was lost and had done a "U" turn, meanwhile my wife called*555 after a time of talking with her and when all the lanes were well clear I got her to do an other "u" turn and park next to our vehicle, mean time a patrol car lit up was coming up the motorway, fairly quick action I felt.

You statement about red light runners ect, seems to argue against a quota system then doesn't it. How many times do you see for instance red light runners, once a day more, multiply that by the numbers of cars on the road at any given time and you will get an idea of the numbers who do this very dangerous action, again how often do you see a police officer actually ignore this, every day once a month once in your driving history?

[Coldrider]

Two more for an organisation to be proud of......http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crim...s-deny-charges

[phill-k]

Yes correct, where I come from cops and goverment is corrupt as hell.. but we are not comparing police in different countries here, the discussion is about overzealaous road policing vs solving actual crime/problems...of course its human nature, its much easier to pull people over on harbour bridge than busting real criminals.
To me if there is a rapist roaming out there somewhere (like recently) every cop that has nothing to do should be looking for him instead of sitting in a bush with laser gun... road policing can wait! After all rapists are caught, and all old ladies saved etc.

Also i like how you nicely twist it around....if you get speeding ticket be angry with yourself and feel sorry for the cop? How does that work? ...maybe be angry for pulling over or something? (i see speed limit set by govt as arbitrary limit that has nothing to do with road condition,type of vehicle, driver skill...its just a number set, so they can collect money when you go over that number....)

In simple terms, be angry with yourself for getting the ticket, not the policeman that has had to in his career put up with the bullshit excuses and bad attitude they often endure to carry out the task they are charged with.

The speed limit is actually set to help prevent morons, who believe they are more capable than they are killing other motorists, unfortunately most people who operate vehicles, motorbikes ect, believe they are much more competent they they really are, hence to protect other users of the road we need regulation, for regulation to work there needs to be enforcement, enforcement requires they doing or giving something to you that you won't like. Easy ah.

Oh and not all Police Officers carry out traffic duties, although they do overlap. The bosses allocate numbers to each of the tasks they are charged with doing, and if the Traffic guys were to just give you a stern warning, shake your hand, ask you not to be a naughty boy again, and send you on your way, you would have your keyboard blazing hot laughing at how incompetent they are and that their policy of being nice doesn't work.

[miloking]

if the Traffic guys were to just give you a stern warning, shake your hand, ask you not to be a naughty boy again, and send you on your way, you would have your keyboard blazing hot laughing at how incompetent they are and that their policy of being nice doesn't work.

Realy try me If cops did that (within a reason of course) i would think that they are decent guys who are not here to punish little mistakes people make and are actualy concerned about my safety (thus the warning)... why would i think they are incompetent, knowing they they could give a ticket but choose not to??

[breakaway]

Was once involved with the police from the constable level right up to the senior constable, and several staff in between.

I was immediately treated like a criminal, no one was prepared to hear my side of the story. Took 6 months of bitching, moaning, and letter writing until case was finally withdrawn.

Another time, I got pulled and got given a lecture for going 113 km/h. Same cop said I should wear gear when riding. At the time, I was wearing Alpinestars jacket, Alpinestars gloves, Alpinestars boots, Alpinestars pants and my shark helmet.

Hard to find 'respect' for them when being bent over like that.

Fuck em. It's the cops' fault for making the public hate them. And some soft cock pussy video designed to invoke empathy isn't going to change my mind.

[miloking]

Another time, I got pulled and got given a lecture for going 113 km/h. .

Did he also tell you that "this is where all the crashes are happening sir" after you told him that everybody does that speed around here

[breakaway]

Nope, I took it on the chin and walked away having learnt that speeding is worse than rape and murdering babies.

[flyingcrocodile46]

when will you guys start listening and respecting public opinion about police, (and do something about it)
instead of living in this delusional world that everybody who doesnt agree with how police behaves must naturaly be "cop hater" and criminal....

fair question

[Squiggles]

Nope, I took it on the chin and walked away having learnt that speeding is worse than rape and murdering babies.

[flyingcrocodile46]

Nope, I took it on the chin and walked away having learnt that speeding is worse than rape and murdering babies.

LMFAO

You won't catch me with nuts on my chin

[peasea]

Actually there is, I have not read so much bullshit in all my life. The Frontline Police do not set there own agenda, this is set out for them by the Hierarchy of the Police under guidance from the Government - remember the people you & I elect, by and large they do a very good job under very trying circumstances. They are constrained by budgets just like everyone else in this country, if Key had perhaps taken the twenty or Thirty bucks hes going to give everyone in October and increased the Police numbers, along with some more Doctors and medical faculties - what did he say the other day the tax cuts are costing 4 billion dollars that would go a long way to seeing an improved service. It is a fact of life they prioritise just like every other government dept, don't blame the poor guys on the front line, its not a job I would do, and a lot on here wouldn't have the balls to be able to deal with the bullshit they get handed to them every day of the week.
The traffic police have a job to do, if we didn't have them imagine the shambles traffic on our roads, not to mention the danger, would be in.

The cops may not set their own agendas on paper but they sure as hell do in the real world. They probably are instructed to perform in a certain way in certain circumstances but it all goes out the window when they feel like being the 'man', which is more often than not. Ixion makes valid points and I've seen some right bullshit go down with cops, standing on either side of the fence. There was a copper in the family (he PERF'd) and I have drunk/partied with cops and listened to their stories as well as seen them get away with assaults and lie about it in the box. And don't give us that bullshit about "they do a job we wouldn't have the balls to do" etc, they choose the job, they know the deal, if they don't like getting abused, attacked, spat on and held in low esteem then they don't have to sign up. They sign up because they are arrogant power freaks who enjoy a bit of biffo and they know they have a bottomless pit of money to defend themselves if the shit hits the fan.

Respect? Yeah right.

[peasea]

red mermaid, take off the blinkers for a minute.

I don't fancy your chances there.

[Katman]

Like an old lady with dementia, wandering down the middle of a busy road . Walking back to Whangamata, she says (from Auckland).

Flag down a cop - no not one on his way to anything , he admitted he was on his way back to the station - "old lady - in grave danger".

Not only not interested- flat outright "If you try do do anything yourself I'll arrest YOU" (not me, that was my 80 year old father in law he was talking to - another man who once worshipped the police and now despises them) .

We rang round the local rest homes, found where she had wandered from, they came and collected her. Meanwhile I steered traffic round her (she'd gotten tired and sat down in the middle of the road!). Cops didn't give a stuff.

Let's hear your excuse for that one . I'm waiting.

Do you really believe half the shit you spout?

[SPman]

Another time, I got pulled and got given a lecture for going 113 km/h. Same cop said I should wear gear when riding. At the time, I was wearing Alpinestars jacket, Alpinestars gloves, Alpinestars boots, Alpinestars pants and my shark helmet.

Hard to find 'respect' for them when being bent over like that.

.

Wasn't a young prick from down Taumaranui way, was it? I had a similar lecture about " we don't want you to fall off at the next corner..blah blah blah" and acting as if I had never ridden a bike before, as he wrote out a ticket for 112! I was wearing 2 piece Spyke leathers, Sidi boots, Arai helmet, Spidi gloves, etc etc, on a GSXR1000 and had done 1200kms since the previous morning.......wasn't worth replying...just take the ticket and go!