Respect the Cops? WHY!

[scumdog]

MOST (but not all) crashes are not accidents.

They are crashes caused by fuck-witted, incompetent distracted drivers who would be out of their depth in a side-show dodgem cart but think their PS driving 'experience' gives them an 'edge'.

And I bet a lot of them thought they were 'pretty good drivers' too.

[Patrick]

Now, you see , this is the crooked spin that undermines public respect for the police.

The implication that traffic enforcement is justifed by the possibility of "saving" 400 lives a year is false, and deliberately deceptive.

EDIT: To put that 400 into perspective. 515 died by suicide (2003). 126 drowned (2002). Smoking is estimated to cause 400 deaths per year.

Read my last sentence of my earlier post... you seem to fall into that category....

Warnings don't work... fines make "MOST" think about it...not all, most.

If there is no traffic enforcement at all, how many lives will be lost then????? Traffic enforcement doesn't save lives, you say???????????

The suicide figures, some drownings and smoking are self inflicted. Still important and problems that need addressing. Traffic crashes usually involve an innocent party.

To put that 400 into persepective... that is only over each of the last very few years, down from 700 to 800 per year in the not too distant past. Traffic enforcement doesn't save lives, you still say?????

[RT527]

Traffic enforcement doesn't save lives, you say???????????

HAHA No But Ambos and us Firey`s Save lives, I still think the speed enforcement isn't the answer....it helps yes , but the ones who crash are the ones who pass on corners , loose control in road works...(yeah I know Cause they were speeding ) Pass in the face of oncoming traffic, pull out in front of someone, inattention, Not driving to the conditions...weather etc, Drunk driving,.......So why the focus solely on Speeding/drunk driving?....
Seems to me that the education thing is a too hard basket, Acc have tried to solve this with their add campaigns....but I don't know if they've got it right Yet....

[Edbear]

HAHA No But Ambos and us Firey`s Save lives, I still think the speed enforcement isn't the answer....it helps yes , but the ones who crash are the ones who pass on corners , loose control in road works...(yeah I know Cause they were speeding ) Pass in the face of oncoming traffic, pull out in front of someone, inattention, Not driving to the conditions...weather etc, Drunk driving,.......So why the focus solely on Speeding/drunk driving?....
Seems to me that the education thing is a too hard basket, Acc have tried to solve this with their add campaigns....but I don't know if they've got it right Yet....

What I'd like to see, is people pulled over for driving too slow and weaving around, holding up increasingly frustrated following traffic - either because they are simply incompetent to be behind the wheel, or they are busy with other things, like texting/talking on their cellphones, sightseeing, engaged in animated conversation with their passengers, changing the station on their stereo, reading the latest women's mag they've just bought, (yes I've witnessed this!), reading a map, etc. etc.! Unfortunately, as the KB cops will probably attest, it's hard to actually spot these drivers. Easier to spot the speeding driver.

But surely, there is something they can do about drivers travelling at 60km/h on the open road?

[RT527]

Yup...New there was something I missed...Couldn't agree more

[Skyryder]

When they are doing this (NZ Herald):

Number of traffic tickets issued soars

2:30PM Sunday March 11, 2007



A policeman checks the speed of motorists. Photo / Paul Taylor

The National Party has again voiced its suspicions that the police are working to a traffic ticket quota under a government-encouraged revenue gathering scheme.
The claim follows the release of statistics showing since Labour came to power the number of tickets issued for exceeding the speed limit by between six and 10 kilometres an hour has jumped from 311 in the year 2000 to more than 34,000 in 2006.
National Party Police spokesman Chester Borrows says if the police really want to stick to the quota they should give officers more recognition for catching drivers travelling more than 10 kilometres an hour over the limit.
Mr Borrows says that way serious road behaviour would be targeted, and not "the little old ladies who are going to the supermarket".

The only problem with this is that it was the National Party who developed the Highway Road Unit into the buisiness trafficking model that it is today.

If memory serves me right I think it was Clem Simich when he was Minister of Police. Just more hypocrosy from the Nats.

Skyryder

[Swoop]

MOST (but not all) crashes are not accidents.
...
And I bet a lot of them thought they were 'pretty good drivers' too.

Well said Scummy, bling your way!

[spudchucka]

Now, you see , this is the crooked spin that undermines public respect for the police.

The obvious intention here is to imply that police focus on speeding is justified because if everyone obeyed the law then 400 lives would be saved. Which is patent nonsense. The biker killed the other day , when a tree branch fell on him? What level of enforcement would have saved him? Who do the police intend to charge over that "crime"? A large percentage of that 400 are simply accidents, plain and simple.

As to the "if there were 400 murders a year ?": Well, if you are comparing with the 400 road deaths , then you mjust compare not with murder but with all forms of non natural death. (That brnch killed a biker so it is a road fatality. But it could just as easily have been a branch fall in someone's garden and kill a householder) . That would include drownings, industrial accidents, manslaughter , medical misadventure - way way more than 400 (drowning alone is 126 per year. Yet we never hear how despicable and wicked boaties are) .

The odds are enormous that whatever kills you will NOT be motorvehicle related . And motorvehicle fatalities form a small percentage even of non disease deaths.

The implication that traffic enforcement is justifed by the possibility of "saving" 400 lives a year is false, and deliberately deceptive.

EDIT: To put that 400 into perspective. 515 died by suicide (2003). 126 drowned (2002). Smoking is estimated to cause 400 deaths per year.

Sorry Ixion, I respect your opinions most of the time but there is so much crap in that post that I actually can't be stuffed offering a response.

[spudchucka]

I thought that you probably would but you know what the great unwashed will say, "f$#ken cops sticking up for each other again".

[scumdog]

I thought that you probably would but you know what the great unwashed will say, "f$#ken cops sticking up for each other again".

Never mind spud, one day I'll lose it and chant the KB credo of "I'l ride as fast as I want, when I want to, and to hell with other road-users"

And I'll start to get tickets instead of giving 'em

And bin every five minutes

And meet rogue unfair bastard cops everytime I'm on the road



(That'll be just after I get my mobility scooter)

[Edbear]

Yup...New there was something I missed...Couldn't agree more

Yeah! I drive a small truck every day and the elevated driving position gives me a good view of what people are doing in their vehicles!

[spudchucka]

Never mind spud, one day I'll lose it and chant the KB credo of "I'l ride as fast as I want, when I want to, and to hell with other road-users"

And I'll start to get tickets instead of giving 'em

And bin every five minutes

And meet rogue unfair bastard cops everytime I'm on the road



(That'll be just after I get my mobility scooter)

And pick your nose while chanting FTP???

[Viking Steven Poulson]

Well all I can say is fuck the police the arseholes but guess what IU will still be keeping my Beemer within the speed limit Bros for they are out to get us

[Squeak the Rat]

MOST (but not all) crashes are not accidents.

They are crashes caused by fuck-witted, incompetent distracted drivers who would be out of their depth in a side-show dodgem cart but think their PS driving 'experience' gives them an 'edge'.

So the answer is training & licencing, not enforcement. Glad we agree.....

[Swoop]

Never mind spud, one day I'll lose it and chant the KB credo of "I'l ride as fast as I want, when I want to, and to hell with other road-users"

And I'll start to get tickets instead of giving 'em

And bin every five minutes

And meet rogue unfair bastard cops everytime I'm on the road
(That'll be just after I get my mobility scooter)

Please give us some advanced warning of when this will happen... I'm going to stay OFF OF the footpath when that occurs...