Speeding tickets. Why the angst?

[scumdog]

We can't. The Popo's have to eliminate these low-lifers from the force. I suppose we could ask them to. Reckon they'll listen?

Hey rastuscat, it's already Police policy not to operate speed traps at the end of passing lanes but it still happens. I've got the tickets (& acquittals) to prove it. Reckon any one'd listen if we asked your bosses to enforce this policy and punish offending Popos?

Hmm, how about naming and shaming all these low-lifers, I'd like to know who they are too.

Policy and law or not totally mutual -one is only a 'guide-line" eh!

So no, I doubt anybody will get 'punished' for not sticking with them.

[Zedder]

Would last quite a while if it was only bikes allowed. It's the trucks that do the most damage.

Would have to keep ducatilover off the roads otherwise his wheelies will destroy em!

But the trucks wouldn't exist.

[Jack Miller]

Well you'ld be a mug to credit them with a higher level of proficiency before they indicate proof of it.

Isn't the old motorcyclists mantra somehtig along the line of "Treat every other road user as an idiot out to kill you with their incompetence" or something similar???

Yes. And it vexes me further that the Police add to the problem!

[scumdog]

Yes. And it vexes me further that the Police add to the problem!

Only for you.

never had a problem myself.

[Jantar]

This thread was started as I wanted to hear some views about why the speed thing is so forward in our thinking.

It seems because so many of us do it, and expect to have a right to do so. Justification after justification.

Thanks all for the thoughts. Negative or not, it's enlightening, and not entirely out of line with my own thinking.

Donuts.

Not so much that we expect to have a right to do so, but more that it can sometimes be safe to do so.

[DrunkenMistake]

Well you'ld be a mug to credit them with a higher level of proficiency before they indicate proof of it.

Isn't the old motorcyclists mantra somehtig along the line of "Treat every other road user as an idiot out to kill you with their incompetence" or something similar???

Really?
I thought it was just my neighbor..

Only for you.

never had a problem myself.

I smell bacon, I smell pork,
Run little piggy, I have a fork!

Nah im just joking scummy.
But seriously.

[Jack Miller]

This thread was started as I wanted to hear some views about why the speed thing is so forward in our thinking.

It seems because so many of us do it, and expect to have a right to do so. Justification after justification.

Thanks all for the thoughts. Negative or not, it's enlightening, and not entirely out of line with my own thinking.

Donuts.

Closed mind eh Rastuscat? The responses gave PLENTY of good reasons different to your thinking but they're simply not getting through to you. I was tempted to take the time to summarise them for you but realise it'd be a waste of time. You're blind to any thinking different to yours. A Cantaburyian Rozza, what else should we have expected.

[Jantar]

Closed mind eh Rastuscat? The responses gave PLENTY of good reasons different to your thinking but they're simply not getting through to you. I was tempted to take the time to summarise them for you but realise it'd be a waste of time. You're blind to any thinking different to yours. A Cantaburyian Rozza, what else should we have expected.

Jack, read RastusCat's reply again. Most responses were not entirely out of line with his own thinking. IOW he generally agrees.

[scumdog]

Closed mind eh Rastuscat? The responses gave PLENTY of good reasons different to your thinking but they're simply not getting through to you. I was tempted to take the time to summarise them for you but realise it'd be a waste of time. You're blind to any thinking different to yours. A Cantaburyian Rozza, what else should we have expected.

Ah stop trolling - WE know you're really the Distrct Commander in Hamilton sir.

(Or stop jousting at windmills if you're not!)

People would really take you more seriously 'Jack' if you weren't so much of a myopic ranter.

[FJRider]

So even HP officers admit exceeding the speed limit isn't stupid, like the other stuff people do, which is.

I never said that ... speeding is very serious ...

AND expensive (well it can be)

[rastuscat]

Closed mind eh Rastuscat? The responses gave PLENTY of good reasons different to your thinking but they're simply not getting through to you.

Not at all Jacko. Here's some history.

Back when I started we were issued with a ticket book, a patrol bike and some fairly ridiculous riding jodhpurs. The leather jacket was cool. We had to learn the road craft, and were totally immersed in traffic legislation and traffic movement. One of my mates (also a bike cop) bought a CBR1000RRRRRRRRRR, and lost his life in Mairangi Bay going too fast for a corner.

We had things called Tru-Velo and Digitector, and did occasional speed ops. The car drivers did more speed than the bike riders, coz bikes didn't have radars. Still, each car driver had done his time on bikes, so knew the road craft.

Time went by, and the KR10 gave way to the HAWK, then to the Eagle (Silver and Gold versions), then the Stalkers. Bikes disappeared, and it came to be that when you started in traffic enforcement, you learned how to use the radar that was in every car and it became your default setting. A bike rider lived on seatbelt tickets, and dealt with anything else that came along. A car driver lives on speed, and deals with anything else that comes along, to a greater or lesser degree.

I encourage my guys to focus on the other things, as I think there is sufficient focus on speed without our help.

Having said that, speed enforcement overlaps with what we do. I don't want folk driving through my intersections at speed, as when my other focus folk make the critical error of failing to give way, the faster you go, the bigger the mess. Not everyone is as good as you as judging the speed of oncoming bikes, if they see them at all.

So speed isn't our focus, but it is still an issue. I have come to accept that no matter what any of us (engineers, educators, enforcers) does, crashes will happen. And if they happen at lower speeds, they will have less kinetic energy imparted.

I don't want to give up on trying to find better ways that I can actually use. Trouble is, I don't write national policing policy, I can change my focus, but changing the nations focus is bigger than Ben Hur.

I challenge the system at times on this, and it's fair to say that I'm not always popular at work for doing so.

So, kindly accept that I don't have the closed mind you accuse me of. I surprisingly agree with some of what you have said.

Awwww, all tearful, Jacko, I WUV YOU.

Harumph.

[Ocean1]

Might I suggest a third option.

Accept that when operating a vehicle we are interacting with the rest of the road users out there, and we have a responsibility to not adversely effect their safety. Similarly, we reasonably expect the rest of the road users not to adversely effect our safety.

Works for me.

Works for me also. But that's got fuck all to do with much of the traffic enforcement suite.

[scumdog]

A point I failed to mention - I don't 'target' speeders - they're just incidental to where I'm going/what I'm doing.

And today I flicked through about 15 tickets issued by other guys this afternoon.

ONE was for speed (125kph) and the others contained a real high percentage of 'compliance' tickets.

Revenue gatherers they are not.

So all the focus on speed must be 'somewhere else'.

[rastuscat]

And today I flicked through about 15 tickets issued by other guys this afternoon.

ONE was for speed (125kph) and the others contained a real high percentage of 'compliance' tickets.

I feel your pain.

Wait til your guys get SMART devices, the reporting is cool. You get to not shuffle the paper, and it's in the PIB by the end of shift.

[Scuba_Steve]

So all the focus on speed must be 'somewhere else'.

yea North Island