Cops and the 4 kmh over posted speed limits

[FIAT 131R 223]

I wonder what the cops will dream up to say about the horrible death toll over the weekend and the abject failure of their decision to fine people who travel 4km over posted speed limits. There are so many things that contribute to accidents and doing 4km over the speed limit is likely to be at the bottom of any list. No doubt their spin doctors have their little minds whirring and pens running hot.

Fatigue, poor driving regardless of speed they drive at, weather conditions and not driving to those conditions, poor concentration, etc etc all make a big difference yet the cops target the one that gets them revenue. Now why is that.

[tawa 150]

And when you think about it, if they're spending all weekend pulling Hickory and Dickory for doing +4, there's less eyes watching out for Dock doing +20 through some nice twisties.

[polley 916]

I got a little beepy thing on the bike that let's me know when rozza are around. They've been hiding at the end of passing lanes all weekend, nabbing people trying to pass that a**hole doing 85kph the whole time then speeds up to 100kph soon as there is a passing lane.

[FIAT 131R 223]

I got a little beepy thing on the bike that let's me know when rozza are around. They've been hiding at the end of passing lanes all weekend, nabbing people trying to pass that a**hole doing 85kph the whole time then speeds up to 100kph soon as there is a passing lane.

The cops actually increase the danger by hiding at the end of passing lanes as people will try and pass those drivers doing 85 kmh in other areas.

[FIAT 131R 223]

And when you think about it, if they're spending all weekend pulling Hickory and Dickory for doing +4, there's less eyes watching out for Dock doing +20 through some nice twisties.

I do around 50,000 km a year and the numbers of people doing 120 is a very low percentage of the traffic volume. The other reasons I gave at the top of this thread are the reasons people crash. They would achieve more by having caravans on the side of the road giving free cups of tea and a scone as that would remove fatigue and improve concentration.

[M5V8 337]

doing about 400km over the last 48hours what I noticed was with my cruise control set at 100kph, verified as accurate with GPS I was passing almost every car as they were all between varing 80 - 95kph.

with some of the massive brake checks I saw for no reason on a straight bit of road clearly the were all driving with their eyes squarly set on the dashboard.

[e30ftw 410]

Yeah ain't that annoying when they bring this stupid threshold down, everybody is driving 90kmh and riding their brakes at every bend.

Can imagine the frustration that adds to some people to pull some risky maneuvers and get past.

[Herbmiester 923]

Mate who had a 550i just got a ticket for 56kph in Johnsonville, the cop said you were in a school zone, my mate said it's 9 o'clock on a Saturday night, who's at school?

[coop 261]

Most drivers ride the brakes or backs off for bends, and varies their speed of around 85-100km regardless of a retarded tolerance.

It is amusing in a way, after 7 deaths over the weekend the police are rather quiet regarding how this low speed tolerance will work wonders for the road toll. But it happens every long weekend.

It was the second long weekend they brought it in (Easter 2011 or 2012?) that the toll for that weekend was 0 I think... But the weather was so crap no one went out of their house. The first weekend was Waitangi Day the same year, and it didn't reduce the road toll at all.

And this whole thing highlights how piss poor journalism is in this country. Good luck getting any of them to grill the cops over this revenue raising BS. Just tow the line that they spin and fool the brainwashed brain dead public.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Got a ticket doing 106 last week just north of Kaikora. I don't care about the $$ but could really do without the points on my licence

[allan 295]

What about the other end of the speed scale i.e followed a person doing 30 in a 50k area although some flashing lights saw that solved.

[Michael. 2313]

Crossing the center line is what it's all about.

I see lazy drivers doing it quite often, through blind corners too.

Just terrifying.

There needs to be massive penalties in place for such, evidence like in car cameras for insurance purposes should stand as a way to prosecute these pricks - given the vehicle following has such fitted.

Cops are too few and far between to do anything about it.

[gjm 3258]

Cops sitting hidden up a slip road aren't watching traffic, or drivers that don't drive. They're typically watching a 200yd stretch of straight road.

I woke someone up who nearly drove into me yesterday. Black VW Passat, driver with a shirt and tie, had been weaving fairly well between Meremere and Hampton Downs - two wheels over the line to the left, or the centre line. As I passed him he started to drift towards us but a hand held on the horn saw his head snap up, and him nearly drive off the left side of the road. I saw in my mirror that he'd stopped. Policeman? There'd been one on the southbound HD slip road. Camera van? Would have made absolutely no difference whatsoever.

[polley 916]

Sounds like the driver was falling asleep.

[Driftit 2078]

Shot out for lunch today from Albany to Ponsonby.

Pulled up behind a van that was doing 85kph in the center land past Wairau. Something wasn't right though. It was tailgating the car in front so bad I told my friend who was driving to back off and change lanes. That's when I realised the van was being towed. We quickly passed this rolling death trap. The tow rope of which had been broken and rejoined in the middle was about 2.5 meters long. Staring at this sh*t in amazement I was shown the middle finger from the driver. The van then decided it wanted to change lanes and started changing before the car was ready. Shifty as.

It gets worse. Just ahead I see another POS van tailgating a crap old Ford Falcon. Thought sh*t no way. Yep. Being towed with an even shorter cheap rope that had been looped many times to give it enough strength.

They happily struggled over the harbor bridge.

Called *555 to report them but many had beaten me to it. I did mention the plates on the cars looked suspicious as they did not suite the years and on the two cars were only held on by one bolt each.

This sh*t exists on our roads.

Edited December 14, 2015 by driftit

[E36_Turbo 84]

The road rules for holiday seasons are ridiculous, as mentioned by you guys, the emphasis is in the wrong area. I am lead to think / believe that they are revenue gaining...not actually focusing on the source of the problem. Really need to make defensive driving courses compulsory, and "teach" new / and seasoned drivers about basic physics of motor vehicles etc. i could only imagine how %% many accidents are not caused soley by speed...but stupid people making stupid decisions? Can lower speed tolerance and force the general public to obey this and that....but none of this will "REMOVE THE IDIOT OUT OF THE IDIOT DRIVER"...haha.

[tawa 150]

I do around 50,000 km a year and the numbers of people doing 120 is a very low percentage of the traffic volume. The other reasons I gave at the top of this thread are the reasons people crash. They would achieve more by having caravans on the side of the road giving free cups of tea and a scone as that would remove fatigue and improve concentration.

Preaching to the choir there, I ride a lot and often do around 120; I almost think it's safer going that little bit quicker as it keeps the attention up, and all the passing means you don't get stuck in innatentive lemming mode.

So while the bigger part of me thinks its a crock of sh*t, the silver lining is I'm possibly less likely to cop a ticket during such events.

[qube 3570]

the best thing to do is be on high alert for idiot drivers and avoid them like the plague. keep a distance which you think is ridiculous - it may just save your life.

there is not a HUGE difference in arrival time/journey time if you are going 95kmh for a few kms or doing 110kmh. better to be safe than risk being a part of some idiots mistake

[FIAT 131R 223]

the best thing to do is be on high alert for idiot drivers and avoid them like the plague. keep a distance which you think is ridiculous - it may just save your life.

there is not a HUGE difference in arrival time/journey time if you are going 95kmh for a few kms or doing 110kmh. better to be safe than risk being a part of some idiots mistake

Problem is there a lot of drivers driving much slower than the speed limit because of stupid fear of a ticket. A trip to from say Wellington to Auckland can have an hour added to the trip and a whole pile of frustration from travelling in a long line of traffic doing an inconsistent speed. It adds to the danger level not reduces it. It also increases fatigue a major cause of inattention and accidents. Fuel use increases under inconsistent speeds. Even the cops should be able to figure this out but because of the additional revenue they extract they call it road safety. There is nothing positive about the 4kmh speed tolerance and it sure as hell doesn't save lives.

[Kepes 231]

There is nothing positive about the 4kmh speed tolerance and it sure as hell doesn't save lives.

Yup, and obviously the majority of the driving population are against the law so how do they get away with bringing it in every summer and public holiday???

[hybrid 1043]

But how do you make a successful media campaign about stupid people for stupid people?

[m325i 709]

^Local reality TV?

[westy 614]

Set the bar low and take a relaxed attitude- to competence and compliance but be intolerant on the one that one whipping boy speed - because it...

provides a partial income off-set to the cost of enforcement. It's a cost benefit ratio world out there!

[gjm 3258]

provides a partial income off-set to the cost of enforcement. It's a cost benefit ratio world out there!

I thought all money realised from speeding fines went to central government? I suppose they might spend it on law enforcement, but more likely on junkets for MPs, new flags...

[Allanw 1071]

Someone has a head-on collision doing 140 on the wrong side of the road...