Coppers aplenty... (Waikato)

**slofox** · 9th January 2009, 10:47

Must be some kind of blitz going on, on the Waikato secondary highways...

Went out for the usual pre-productive pootle this morning - down 39 to Pirongia, across to Te Awamutu, through to Cambridge and back via Kaipaki, Ohaupo etc...

Saw three coppers with "victims" pulled over, disco lights ablinkin' and the ticket book awriting...one at Ngahinapouri, one between Te Awamutu and Cambridge and the third just out of Cambridge.
Unusual to see so many on these roads, certainly at that early hour anyway...just as well I was being "good"....

Had to laugh when coming upon the first one - some dude in a car had been tailgating me all the way to Ngahinapouri...once we passed the copper he faded well into the background...hehehe.

**madbikeboy** · 9th January 2009, 11:03

I did that loop (well, pretty much aside from the circles around Hamilton trying to get out) yesterday. Counted at least 12 cops in marked cars, 3-4 in mufti's, and a green speed camera van (complete with old guy beating off to PlayGirl magazine I'm sure).

I was talking with some locals about it, apparently Waikato is working to reduce the road toll this summer.

I was in the cage, so I just pootled at the normal slow car speed...

**ManDownUnder** · 9th January 2009, 11:10

Seen plenty out my way too (NW of Auckland) and working the NW motorway.

I understand the drive to reduce the road toll is nationwide... speeding being a main focus...

**fliplid** · 9th January 2009, 11:12

So are we talking reducing the road toll by reducing speeding, with the $$$ being a side issue?

**madbikeboy** · 9th January 2009, 11:48

Well, I can't say I disagree with an increased presence, but I'd like to see bad driving (tailgating, poor overtaking, dangerous driving) targeted as well.

**Ixion** · 9th January 2009, 12:01

It sounds counter-intuitive but I think that a 'crack down' on speeding actually makes one less likely to get a ticket for serious speed. Providing one has a radar detector of course. The real danger , with a detector, is from the cop who ignores the 110-120 vehicles and then pings you with instant on at a serious speed. You don't get any warning cos he's not pinging anybody but the real fast vehicles. But if there is a crack down the instant on boys will have their units on practically all the time checking the speeds on the 'might be speeding a little bit' folk. Which gives a much better chance of the detector picking up that there's a cop around. So, stick to 108 except when the road beckons , mount protection, and all should be well.

**vifferman** · 9th January 2009, 12:06

Speaking of detectors, in Marin County, I followed this guy riding a BMW who had a helmet with a large aluminum bracket bolted to the left side of it, with some radar detector fastened onto the bracket.

(Sorry - I would've taken a photo had I been able to.)

**Big Dave** · 9th January 2009, 12:10

Or you could get bikes that are pleasant to ride at around the speed limit.

There are plenty of them.

**Ixion** · 9th January 2009, 12:45

I got some. But y'can't ride at the speed limit ALL the time. it's a slippery slope, start doing that sort of thing and before y'know it , it's beige Corolla time, 'n being *sensible* and other senile stuff like that. Y're getting old, that's the trouble.

**wbks** · 9th January 2009, 12:52

You guys didn't see the chopper flying over auckland for a couple hours each day and the AOS callout this week in auckland did you?

**Big Dave** · 9th January 2009, 13:15

Originally Posted by Ixion

I got some. But y'can't ride at the speed limit ALL the time. it's a slippery slope, start doing that sort of thing and before y'know it , it's beige Corolla time, 'n being *sensible* and other senile stuff like that. Y're getting old, that's the trouble.

Having the right equipment has long been one of the keys to winning the game.

A fully faired litre sprotsbike is a pain in the wrist at 108kph.

A Bonneville (or a dozen similar bikes) is a joy. It's about the plastic.

**vifferman** · 9th January 2009, 13:37

Originally Posted by Big Dave

A Bonneville (or a dozen similar bikes) is a joy. It's about the plastic.

Wot - you mean a large hit to the Mastercard or Visa?

**Big Dave** · 9th January 2009, 13:41

Originally Posted by vifferman

Wot - you mean a large hit to the Mastercard or Visa?

Wait till rates come down - bludge demos in the meantime.

**vifferman** · 9th January 2009, 13:53

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Wait till rates come down - bludge demos in the meantime.

I'm sorely tempted, but can't be arsed with the reaction from the vifferbabe.
She's got the Travel Bug in a bad way, and anything that looks like remotely threatening accumulation of travel bucks is attacked ferociously...

Wonder if I can resurrect the idea of a motorcycling vacation? I've had the offer from several foreign friends to tour their neck of the woods on their spare bikes...
Hmmmm.....