The police and the law...

[dickhead 0]

Myself and many friends have also had similar driving charges. There is something that nobody has mentioned; the cops will lie.

This is just the truth, be prepared to not only defend what happened, but also what the cop involved will say to get a water-tight case against you.

I got a S.L.O.T by whacking second gear away from the lights and was genuinely guilty, but the summary of facts included things like "revved engine at lights, car sliding in and out of lane, nearly lost control" etc which was all made up.

My (daddys) lawyer transferred the case to nelson after pleading not guilty, and because of lack of evidence and technical problems (there is always a couple, its a pretty complicated system) as well as the trouble it would have been for the cops/courts to process the charge, it got lost in the system and simply never eventuated and has since been thrown out.

You will never reason yourself out of the situation through mitigating circumstances without a Fn good lawyer.

Your best option is to get a lawyer to make the process as hard as possible to get the case to court, they frquently throw out cases once they have become too much effort to prosecute, especially for such a minor offense.

[cliffdunedin 8]

The first part about being targeted is true due to the type of car i drive (loud, low, rims) but not due to previous instances or complaints,

One thing i have noticed when driving in Chch is the police definitely target certain types of cars...last month i took my Subby wagon up to pick up some bits and pieces i bought off tardme and in 2 days and probably 3 hours total of driving was stopped 7 times (once by a cop who stopped me a few hours before) my Legacy even though its dropped on 17's, with the back windows tinted out, with a legal exhaust is fully certed and would hardly be what i would consider a boyracer car...was glad when i left, that's for sure...in the Bmw or the truck i have never been randomly stopped in Chch.

[CamB 48]

It appears to be a CHCH thing - there's evidence that CHCH has 3+x the fines (compared to Auckland) for the various "street racing" rules being broken, despite being 1/3 the size, ie 10x more per capita.

It would be interesting to understand if this is driven by the populace (ie more boyracers per capita) or by the police.

Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00029.htm (note following quote isn't exactly in context so don't get too excited)

Then when we break down the total number of fines handed out by police in the last twelve months between March 2008 and 2009 tdhe results are quite staggering. For the offence of operating a motor vehicle causing sustained loss of traction while there were only 89 such offences recorded in Greater Auckland; there were a massive 342 offences recored in Canterbury.

[hybrid 1043]

It use to be really bad in auckland too.. however The fact its not 'cool' to go up and down q'street any more (far less boy racers) and its hard to actually get onto has meant auckland city modified car scene has taken a massive dive, in turn the police have toned down in dishing out tickets.

Not saying that it doesnt exist in pockets around auckland.. but its far less visual and usually away from general populous.

Is tauranga still crammed with all of aucklands old modified cars ?

[mark247 39]

It use to be really bad in auckland too.. however The fact its not 'cool' to go up and down q'street any more (far less boy racers) and its hard to actually get onto has meant auckland city modified car scene has taken a massive dive, in turn the police have toned down in dishing out tickets.

Not saying that it doesnt exist in pockets around auckland.. but its far less visual and usually away from general populous.

Is tauranga still crammed with all of aucklands old modified cars ?

Tauranga died out a few years ago, especially after they closed Sulfur Point. Hamilton seemed to still have a heap of boyracers cruising around but that has died down a heap too.

[Wom 0]

It use to be really bad in auckland too.. however The fact its not 'cool' to go up and down q'street any more (far less boy racers) and its hard to actually get onto has meant auckland city modified car scene has taken a massive dive, in turn the police have toned down in dishing out tickets.

Not saying that it doesnt exist in pockets around auckland.. but its far less visual and usually away from general populous.

Is tauranga still crammed with all of aucklands old modified cars ?

sounds much like Wellington too

everyone goes to Palmy lol

[Apex 693]

OK I can now sympathise with a few of you. I just got done for sustained loss of traction in wait for it... my 1.3 Corolla. Seems the mighty 2E blew the cops mind when I reversed out of car park and smoked up one wheel for like half a second in an attempt not to stall it from a roll back. I didn't even know that was illegal. The guy thought I was a hoon in my run about daily.

This rule is bulshit. A burnout I can understand but a bit of a wheel spin when clearly trying to get going in a busy road is bullshit.

I have lost my licence seven times and have a driving record as long as my arm so I won’t even bother fighting it.

Promise not to judge you poor young ones again.

[joshnz 2]

Ouch, when did this happen?

You should know a good lawyer by now

[Apex 693]

Yes. Yes I do. But he will cost more than the fine. Its an utter bullshit rule, the cop didn't even want to listen or reason and honestly thought I did it on purpose for kicks or to show off. its crappy 70hp fwd Corolla FFS, drawing attention to myself in it is not my intentions.

[Creaver 55]

When do you go to court? After the targa I hope?

[byza213 1]

ouch! i cant stand the police if its not them trying to be qualified mechanics its something else like this, bored guys

[kingkarl 136]

I've got court in a few weeks.

Anyone know if these "boy racer charges" are just traffic violations or does it go on your criminal record.

[Apex 693]

When do you go to court? After the targa I hope?

Yea. Next week. Waist of my time. I swear if I did the same in my Renault with four times the power it wouldn't have wheel spun, I dont know what it is with the old buz box Corolla's, they just want top wheel spin or bog down, bogging down means stalling and stalling means flooding the carb normally so you can end up stuck in the middle of the road.

So frustrated and disappointed.

Can really sympathize with a few on here now, I just thought you were all being hoons but this has been an eye opener as to how vague this power to prosecute is.

One second of wheel spin FFS, I have done bigger skids in my undies.

[Wom 0]

yea I did the same when I nearly mucked up a hill start with quite a bit of traffic behind me, ended up getting a bit of wheel spin going for a second or 2

just lucky there wasn't any cops around, but I can really appreciate how easy it is to do, especially in the wet and especially when there's a bit of oil etc on the road

[j.ingledew 0]

I think you may have some difficulities with the stereo type you are going to be put into so it would probably be best for you if you have a pretty clean record and get a good lawyer, I know that in Auckland you get targeted heavily for what kind of car you drive. One of my first cars was a non-turbo, FWD Subaru Legacy wagon that was lowered on 17"s and I was pulled over literally everyday on my way to high school and questioned about everything from noisey exhaust (it was the factory pee shooter) to illegal tint on my windsheild (factory UV cut on the top, every car has it) and out of all of that and it never went further than a roadside conversation because I was respectful, had a clean record and maintained my cool, even when I was too shouted at and lectured. The only advice I can give is make as good an impression as you can on the judge and get a good lawyer. Good luck, I hope you really are innocent otherwise I will look like a mug for supporting you haha.

[Palazzo 477]

I would fight it myself in court. That's clearly not the intent of the law, you can turn up looking respectable (presumably), explain that you're a normal hard working citizen who was intent on not impeding the flow of traffic and that the charge doesn't fit the crime. Look into the wording a little more, any reasonable judge should see through that. Your "offence" is a world away from the "offence" that the law is targeting.

[westy 614]

I would fight it myself in court. That's clearly not the intent of the law, you can turn up looking respectable (presumably), explain that you're a normal hard working citizen who was intent on not impeding the flow of traffic and that the charge doesn't fit the crime. Look into the wording a little more, any reasonable judge should see through that. Your "offence" is a world away from the "offence" that the law is targeting.

I agree.

Also, unless people start challenging these things, they're just going to continue on with their bullshit rules.

Make it clear that you intend to challenge it and they might drop it?

[cliffdunedin 8]

I've got court in a few weeks.

Anyone know if these "boy racer charges" are just traffic violations or does it go on your criminal record.

Anything you appear in court for (or fail too) will appear on your criminal record if found guilty.

[Shorty 1]

I feel for ya too! This happened to my mum once. You know those painted round-a-bouts, well she was driving in the rain in her E46 318 automatic stationwagon. Her rear wheel must have just touched the round about, and she did a full 360 on top of the round about. Recollected her nerves and pulled over - as a cop had turned his lights on to pull her over.

He walks up to the window realizes that she is in shock, asks if shes ok and lets her go.

Needless to say she was never driving that car again. Had to sell it.

[nath 134]

That sucks ass Graham. I think it is a fair point that in court you should make obvious what your intentions or lack thereof were, and that you also understand the usefulness of the legislation when appropriately acted on.

Cant imagine the trouble I would be in the other day; first day of rain, auto 318i E30 just off the Newton Rd NW Motorway overbridge about to head up the hill to the top of Khyber pass. Lights turned green, I was hill starting and the car just sat there and wheelspun. Absolute minimum throttle applied.

[polley 916]

This one time I tryed to do a hill start I hit 3rd gear and I was still going backwards.

[Docile 64]

hate that hill on newton.. i actually did a wheel spin on the hilux on a light shower afternoon.

[my_e36 43]

Cant imagine the trouble I would be in the other day; first day of rain, auto 318i E30 just off the Newton Rd NW Motorway overbridge about to head up the hill to the top of Khyber pass. Lights turned green, I was hill starting and the car just sat there and wheelspun. Absolute minimum throttle applied.

Your wheels are probably on the metal plates where sections of the bridge joint together. There are absolutely no traction on them wet or dry.

[stlpmp 0]

sori guys but i do my skids on purpose lol how bout not doin them unles ur in a completly safe enviroment eg not the street in front of a pig n maybe u wudnt get in all the crap u get as ive done a quiet a few kilometers of black lines n never got done for one meter on the other hand f ur acidently wheelspinng ata green lite just take ur foot off the gas i doubt ud get done unles the cop was bit jeleous in his holden probly

also if u cant control it dude no offense but wat the hek r u doin drivn it ay

Edited March 11, 2011 by stlpmp

[antil33t 90]

I see you're going to last here long.