Bikers collide with Police car in Buller Gorge (1 December)

[spudchucka]

In this case the biker cops on here have not done this. They appear to be in support of their collegue.

By my count I've made four posts in this thread, (this is the fifth).

I have not openly supported either the bikers involved, the cop involved or the police as an organisation.

You looneys get so fired up and start beating your cyber chests whenever there is a story in which a cop may have screwed up you all get tunnel vision and are blind to the fact that the known facts are minimal at this stage.

You know how it goes Skyrider, sort how in murder cases where the bodies are never discovered but there's a local scum bag that might fit the profile quite nicely the police can be accused of having tunnel vision, deciding he's the guilty party and then building a case to support their assumption that he did it????

On the face of the little I know about it it does appear to me that the main likely causative factor will be a miss-judgement or poor decision making on the part of the cop. However the bikes could also have been doing warp factor nine and not in the cops field of view when he began the U-turn.

I do find it interesting that two bikes collected him. Were they riding two abreast? Seems a little odd to me considering it was a fairly narrow and winding section of road, (its a gorge isn't it?).

Most bikers I've ever ridden with ride single file through gorge type roads, they tend to want to enjoy the corners and use the whole width of available lane to flick the bike around the twisties. Which is something they can't do that well two abreast.

If they were riding single file and not doing warp factor nine then at least the second rider should have had a better chance of avoiding collision, having just seen his mates fate?

Speculation, granted but having been to my fair share of crashes these are the questions that run through my mind, not how high can we hang this poorly trained, quota lusting, revenue gathering highway patrolling piece of crap.

I know the extent that the serious crash teams go to and have seen the reports that they produce. They will investigate the crash completely and totally honestly. The factors involved will be known, in time.

If its totally the cops fault then go ahead and bay for his blood but at the moment you're just engaging in a virtual vigilante, get the posse together, ride out and hang the bastard from a tree crusade.

We're all pissed off whenever bikers get hurt regardless of the circumstances but it wouldn't hurt people to just shut their mouths and wait for the facts.

[Kendog]

You looneys get so fired up and start beating your cyber chests whenever there is a story in which a cop may have screwed up you all get tunnel vision and are blind to the fact that the known facts are minimal at this stage.

Totally agree with your entire post and you have described the KB world to a t.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

If they were riding single file and not doing warp factor nine then at least the second rider should have had a better chance of avoiding collision, having just seen his mates fate?

If riding single file and at the same speed (what ever that may be) the first bike hits... there is no reason why the second wouldn't hit as well... on a tightish corner, the second rider is in the same situation as the first... "Oh fuck, whats a cop car parked on a corner like that for...that my mate has already hit"

The possibility is now the second bike also has to content with the wreck of the first bike as well... the the road block there long enough with no warnings up the road and a third or fourth vehicle could have been involved.

To me sounds like a bad judgement call on the spot the cop tried to do a 3 point turn. But I am not going to judging anyone of anything like a few here... I don't know all the facts of the case.

[idb]

My thoughts;
The cops, as enforcers of the law, should be held to a higher standard than the rest of us.
You should never travel so fast that you can't stop in the visible clear road ahead of you.
You risk perpetrating an injustice, or at least making an arse of yourself, if you take a position before being in possession of all of the facts.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

My thoughts;
The cops, as enforcers of the law, should be held to a higher standard than the rest of us.
You should never travel so fast that you can't stop in the visible clear road ahead of you.
You risk perpetrating an injustice, or at least making an arse of yourself, if you take a position before being in possession of all of the facts.

That too...

[scumdog]

Thats precious, coming from the font of impartiality that is Scumdog.

Before you get onto the 'KB cop-bashing wagon' just think about my comment.

I made it in reference to people jumping to half-assed assumptions of 'guilt' before being in possession of all the relevant facts.

Would YOU want to face a jury that is armed with only half-assed info to make a judgement on your fate??


(Sorry about the 'asses' Mr H.)

[Usarka]

Would YOU want to face a jury that is armed with only half-assed info to make a judgement on your fate??

Their full of half-arsed people anyway. you've got to be pretty stupid to not get off jury service......

[spudchucka]

Their full of half-arsed people anyway. you've got to be pretty stupid to not get off jury service......

At least as stupid as the fools who end up going up in front of the jury, which is indicative of the "tried by a jury of your peers" mantra.

[idb]

Their full of half-arsed people anyway. you've got to be pretty stupid to not get off jury service......

I consider it my duty for the privilege if living in a free and democratic society.

[Squiggles]

We're all pissed off whenever bikers get hurt regardless of the circumstances but it wouldn't hurt people to just shut their mouths and wait for the facts.

Everyone covers their asses so for the full story we'll just have to wait for the crash report like you've said

It's a tragedy that an accident even occured at all, that said, i hope those involved are well and make a speedy recovery.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Their full of half-arsed people anyway. you've got to be pretty stupid to not get off jury service......

I didn't mind doing jury... I more peed off that I didn't get on a murder case, but just a fraud case... oh well next time...

[Katman]

Whereas 4 dead bikers and two relatively unharmed camper-van occupants are a little easier to get statements from.

Fuck me, I get flamed for my comments in Biker Down threads and you get away a flippant comment like that???

[MD]

I probably should stay off here. I visited the rider in Wgtn yesterday. What can I say besides I was in tears. It was hard to recognise him. Thanks again to the kind words everybody.

Bike mishaps always trigger soul searching about how we ride. That's a natural reaction.

I want to say thanks to my sweet Wife who forever supports my love of bikes and would never ask me to give up something I enjoy so much. The injured riders Wives have displayed the same attitude. As you can guess some of my friends and family are on the "it is time to grow up and quit those damn dangerous bikes" wagon.

I have no love for the Cops that have given me tickets over the years, but I always accept it's their job and I asked for it.

If it was me in question on Saturday, if he had come after me, then so be it, I would have pulled over at first sight of red & blues and politely as always taken the ticket on the chin. It was not a major licence losing event.

Lets remember this Cop did not wake up that morning and think, Today to be different I'm going to go out and inflict pain and suffering on some motorists and stuff up their lives. His intention like other days would have been to patrol the roads as usual.

However, whenever I hear of cops going to extremes and taking risks on behalf of their employer to issue a simple 'exceeding the posted limit ticket' my blood boils. I believe the blame lies with the employer and the Govt that seem to be driving, forcing I suspect, the mentality down to the rank and file cops - must issue tickets, must issue tickets..must issue tickets...
How many more incidences like this before the pressure is taken off the Police? Drunk Mum doing 146km in a 50 zone with 3 unrestrained kids- now that was a case where extreme action to intervene was warranted and paid off.

Let the officers have the discretion to make the choice not to pursue every minor ticket.
I doubt we will hear any decision from the PCA until they get to speak with the Rider in a coma, which could be some time.

[Marmoot]

Your cynicism would appear to prevent you from viewing this objectively.

I challenge you to try.

Sorry I'm kind of lost there. "Try" what?

P.S.
FYI i wasn't even being cynical

[MSTRS:Me]

If its totally the cops fault then go ahead and bay for his blood but at the moment you're just engaging in a virtual vigilante, get the posse together, ride out and hang the bastard from a tree crusade.

We're all pissed off whenever bikers get hurt regardless of the circumstances but it wouldn't hurt people to just shut their mouths and wait for the facts.

I agree with 'waiting for facts'...but by the time those facts have been filtered through the system and are released to us plebs, 100 more shocking things have occurred and taken our attention.
The facts are in this thread already... One bike travelling a little over the limit, followed at a distance by two others travelling at 95ish. Cop travelling in the opposite direction pings the speeder, decides to give chase and immediately performs a 3 point turn in an area of very limited visibility. He straddles both lanes and the 2 other bikes enter the curve and have nowhere to go. BANG and BANG!!!
It's that simple.
If the cop involved is back on duty as stated in here earlier, then shame shame shame.
When any cop is involved in a serious matter, isn't it standard practice for that cop to be put on full pay suspension until the 'facts' are sorted??