Road policing activities

[scumdog]

If you get a ticket for 111 km/hr, and you were speeding you just lost the bet.

You should just pay the fine.

If you think that tickets for that kind of speed are just daft, then:
DENY you were speeding on the spot
VIEW the radar and record the readings
EXPLAIN you deny the offence and will be going to court over it
REMAIN polite
IF the cop gets rude FILM him on your mobile or better, secretly record his speech (its easy to fail the attitude test and get your cop abusive)

THEN when the ticket arrives:
DEMAND Disclosure .. of the radar and its calibration
copies of manufacturers specs
copies of cops training record
HISTORY of tickets issued that day, in case the cop got the first guy on his shift at 112, and has just been issuiong the same ticket all day
If you have egged the cop up and he abused you on tape, then complain..

Now you have already won.. the police have spent $$$ chasing your ticket, and he's not been on the road either, so its two birds with one stone.

And don't believe its not about $$$... the police have financial targets to meet, and don't like spending time and money chasing $75 tickets.

PLUS the cops might get it wrong - not have valid quals for the radar, not have calibrated it etc etc.

If you are still keen, take it to court.
Even if you lose we all win.
You may have to pay court fees, but the cop is paid to be there. So the system loses more money. And the cop may be unable to make it, or may cock up his evidence.

Tickets for small offences only exist because you choose to pay them. Get bigger balls, be prepared to pay a few $ extra in court fees if you lose, but you can be sure that the system will not cope with dozens of court cases, and will give up.

I read on another thread that there were 40,000 tickets issued in Central Districts alone last year. If even 25% of those said "see you in court" the police would now be under instructions to prosecute only serious cases.

So really stop bleating, and start defending yourself.

Mwahahaha!
Funniest post on this thread yet, good one, almost sounds for real.

[Lou Girardin]

Do you think the tolerance should be rasied on the open road to 20k? or that some areas should have an increase in the limit?

In my day, (Jeez, I'm old) that was exactly what it was. Very few MOT cops wrote tickets for less than 16 over, normally it was 20 over. We all disregarded the official 8 km/h tolerance for radar tickets.
And yes, if suburban roads can have variable limits, rural roads could as well. Many parts of the South Island and even the North could have a 110 or 120 limit.
But, I'd like to see much tougher driver testing first, both of new drivers AND existing ones.

[davereid]

Mwahahaha!
Funniest post on this thread yet, good one, almost sounds for real.

Yeah your right some of its not for real - I didn't mean the bit about paying the fine if you were speeding, sorry about putting that in there.

Interestingly when cops used discretion and used to let you off the odd ticket I used to admit I'd been speeding and hope for a bit of leniency.

Now I know I'm going to get a ticket anyway, I politely deny the offence. Of my last two tickets (since I started this policy) I've had two letters from the police saying they are not going to continue with the prosecution. I know one was because the cop who issued the ticket left the force a couple of days after the ticket. I don't know why the other one went away.

I also had a pal do the same. He ended up in court, and won. The radar calibration docs were in a shambles, and the cop had never been trained on the radar.

[scumdog]

Yeah your right some of its not for real - I didn't mean the bit about paying the fine if you were speeding, sorry about putting that in there.

Interestingly when cops used discretion and used to let you off the odd ticket I used to admit I'd been speeding and hope for a bit of leniency.

Still let people off with a warning - but I guess people don't get so hot under the collar about THAT!
Or want to report it on KB.

Nearly ten years and not a single defended speeding ticket - why?
Cos I do my job properly.
Sure, had the odd 'roadside-ranter' that jumps up and down and some are " I know all about this - I'll get off" kinda thing - but in their heart they know they're screwed and are just venting.
Even given a couple of lawyers (one high profile) tickets and not a murmer.
Ya must have a different type on the radar up your way.

[Squeak the Rat]

Ya must have a different type on the radar up your way.

Or different performance targets........

[davereid]

Still let people off with a warning - but I guess people don't get so hot under the collar about THAT!
... Nearly ten years and not a single defended speeding ticket - why?
Cos I do my job properly....Ya must have a different type on the radar up your way.

I think thats the point scumdog... I think we all know that there are times when the speed limit is far to low for the conditions. A warning is entirely appropriate in those circumstances, and congrats to you for having the common sense to police that way.

Sadly up here, you just don't get warnings, you just get hammered.

Its common to see a laser equipped cop standing at the end of passing lanes zapping people who have sped up to pass. I can't see how this enhances road safety, all it does is mean only one person gets past the camper van. The other 20 get to pass later when there are no passing lanes.

Its behavior that changes everyones attitude - if the police are going to go to the letter of the law and show no common sense, then the public have to be just as bloody minded !

[tl_tub]

...I also had a pal do the same. He ended up in court, and won. The radar calibration docs were in a shambles, and the cop had never been trained on the radar...

At a guess you would be referring to the log book (daily check), not the actual calibration.

[davereid]

The police never disclosed any test other than the tuning fork test.