Tickets for 4km/h over the speed limit this Queens Birthday weekend

[firefighter]

Interesting. Call it what you like, no excess speed = no speeding ticket. It also means less chance of a crash happening,

Ca'nt say I agree. I spent so much time watching my speedo whilst out today I was paying about half the amount of time watching the road as what I usually would. Not being dramatic here, I really did find it frustrating at times, and a bit dangerous.
I know you should be able to judge your speed, but when your coasting or climbing a hill, it can be difficult, and unfortunately the NZ police decide that at the bottom of hills and gentle slopes is the place to target for people speeding, so my eyes are on the speedo, not nearly spending as much time scanning as i'm used to. And yes, i'm a professional driver too. Heaven help anyone that pulls in front of me at the last second, because i'll probably hit them, all for the sake of 6km/h.

Also, the crashes that are happening as a result of speed causing a loss of control, as far as i'm aware are'nt at 108km/h. They're at 120+. (again as far as i'm aware, I realise I may be well wrong here).

[rustic101]

You're shitting me...... You really think that Ambos, shouldn't rush to help heart attack victims, Fireys shouldn't rush to put out fires and Police shouldn't rush to whatever crime is happening? This is a pisstake, surely.....?????????

Cops do get tickets. I even got two in one morning. Go figure.

No this is a fact not a 'piss take'

I never said anywhere in my post that any emergency service should or shouldn't do anything!! Please read or interpret more carefully.

What I said is the application of the Law, should be applied equally. In your case, if you are holding Constabulary powers and received two infringements in one morning I'd have some serious questions about your judgement, or luck.

There is absolutely no reason for any emergency service regardless of the incident need to exceed the limit. Lights and sirens are to move traffic, not grant Carte Blanche access to press the peddle down as far as it will go. It has been proven time and time again Emergency Vehicles speeding cause more death, carnage and injuries in both rural and urban areas.

This knee jerk reaction to "O, its a life threatening incident" is absolutely bull shit, an an excuse to allow speeding.

I have had two heart attacks each requiring an Ambulance for each. The days of Heart Attack survival rates of 10% have gone, not because Ambulances speed but the equipment on board is able to sustain life better negating the requirement to met the 'golden hour'. I am eternally grateful they were there however had they crashed on the way to me I would have been fucked. That is a fact.

Patrick, I challenge you to list specifically what constitutes a valid reason for any unit, ambulance or appliance to speed and I will counter your argument. If its 'people will die', well shit happens people die every day that's a fact! However please entertain me.

[PrincessBandit]

Just as an aside, considering how many riders reckon they're so in tune with their bikes (the sound of them, the feel of them etc.) I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't really be thaaaaaat hard to cap the speed. Many long standing riders must have a pretty good feel for speed on their steed and the wrist adjustment required to keep the pace.

Although I can understand the protest over this seemingly nit-picky activity, I don't really believe that it should be that difficult to comply with (just for one weekend).

[GOONR]

I reckon that a certain plod in Hazard County will be loving this and will have put in for overtime this weekend.

[Muppet]

I reckon that a certain plod in Hazard County will be loving this and will have put in for overtime this weekend.

I'd doubt it, no one likes the job that much and police don't get paid overtime either.

[schrodingers cat]

Lots of them would have prevented by someone going slower and having more reaction and braking time.

Correct. The low skill level and lack of attention of most of our drivers means we need to ensure they do have sufficient time to compensate for their lack of ability etc etc and ensure there is less energy to dissapate should they come to a sudden stop.


I wish the NZ Police would cease the endless hammering on about fatalities.

The key indicator that needs attention is a reduction in ACCIDENTS.

Ideally H & S thinking requires a reduction in near misses but as they aren't reported then that is redundant. It fucks me off when during the holidays the way the media go on and on when a Bongo van full of peole get killed and the road toll 'soars'. Notwithstanding the personal tragedy - its one accident.

[Luckylegs]

...I spent so much time watching my speedo whilst out today I was paying about half the amount of time watching the road as what I usually would.

...And yes, i'm a professional driver too. Heaven help anyone that pulls in front of me at the last second...

Heaven help us all if your the quality of a 'professional' driver on our roads. For Christs sake it may not be much fun but its not that hard.

[Scuba_Steve]

Hmmmmmmm. So, go faster and have less crashes. Is that what you mean?

Thing is, I've spent 22 years in the job and have attended hundreds if not thousands of crashes. Lots of them would have prevented by someone going slower and having more reaction and braking time.

I'm not influenced by the propoganda, my views are formed from personal experience.

No I'm saying driving/riding to the conditions & watching the road as against an insignificant needle on an insignificant dial will result in less crashes.

[Genestho]

Correct. The low skill level and lack of attention of most of our drivers means we need to ensure they do have sufficient time to compensate for their lack of ability etc etc and ensure there is less energy to dissapate should they come to a sudden stop.


I wish the NZ Police would cease the endless hammering on about fatalities.

The key indicator that needs attention is a reduction in ACCIDENTS.

Ideally H & S thinking requires a reduction in near misses but as they aren't reported then that is redundant. It fucks me off when during the holidays the way the media go on and on when a Bongo van full of peole get killed and the road toll 'soars'. Notwithstanding the personal tragedy - its one accident.

The word accident should be replaced with crash, the word accident implys that there was nothing that could've been done to prevent it.

Sorry that the media inconveniance you with mention of multiple fatalities, I don't suppose it would be to create awareness of just how serious and unnessecary that 'Bongo' crash was, that it took multiple lives...would it?? Every death on the road contributes to the road toll stats, and social costs.

[FJRider]

The word accident should be replaced with crash, the word accident implys that there was nothing that could've been done to prevent it.

I thought an "accident" was something that you did, that was NOT intentional ....

[Berries]

A crash may not be intentional, but based on the moments leading up to it it is rarely unexpected or without cause. They went away from the word accident some time ago because crashes are rarely accidental, they often have a number of factors that mean in the end it was inevitable. And the word itself implies that it was something beyond the control of the driver/rider when, more often than not, it is the driver/rider who caused it through their actions.

[schrodingers cat]

Sorry that the media inconveniance you with mention of multiple fatalities, I don't suppose it would be to create awareness of just how serious and unnessecary that 'Bongo' crash was, that it took multiple lives...would it?? Every death on the road contributes to the road toll stats, and social costs.

Don't paint me heartless. My desire is that we would get quality journalism - not spin.
If it were a one off occurance I would agree with you totally. But sensationalism and hyperbole are the stock in trade of most mainstream hacks

[Katman]

I, too, think the word accident is a crock of shit.

Most 'accidents' are not accidents at all. They're the inevitable result of poor planning and execution.

[Genestho]

I thought an "accident" was something that you did, that was NOT intentional ....

From Wiki: An accident is a specific, unidentifiable, unexpected, unusual and unintended external action which occurs in a particular time and place, with no apparent and deliberate cause but with marked effects. It implies a generally negative probabilistic outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its occurrence.

Experts in the field of injury prevention avoid use of the term 'accident' to describe events that cause injury in an attempt to highlight the predictable and preventable nature of most injuries. Such incidents are viewed from the perspective of epidemiology (Epidemiology is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations, and serves as the foundation and logic of interventions made in the interest of public health and preventive medicine) - predictable and preventable.

In looking over data, reading hundreds of reports - some may not be intentional, but it doesn't mean they can't be prevented in most cases.

An NGO analyst and researcher mentioned to me last year over the phone, crashes in NZ were preventable 90% of the time, usually due to more than one contributing factor.

[FJRider]

Most 'accidents' are not accidents at all. They're the inevitable result of poor planning and execution.

... I read stupidity .... May not have "meant for it to happen" but the end result of the (their) actions ... only one outcome could result ...