NIP in New Zealand
Discussion
Hi,
I've just clocked my first NIP since moving to New Zealand, for a poxy 62kph in a 50 zone. Fortunately, demerit points do not apply to speed camera offences, but I am loathe to pay the $80 for a 2kph excess of the tolerance.
Do the NZ P'Headers know of any get out clauses which may apply?
I know, it's only <£30, but it's the principle isn't it? Admittedly it was a built up area, but dual carriageway, 12ft barrier on one side, and 30ft grass divider in between carriageways doesn't seem to count for much anymore. I imagine they're onto a nice little earner with that location.
Anyway, that's enough ranting for now...
Keep it shiny side up.
pg.
I've just clocked my first NIP since moving to New Zealand, for a poxy 62kph in a 50 zone. Fortunately, demerit points do not apply to speed camera offences, but I am loathe to pay the $80 for a 2kph excess of the tolerance.
Do the NZ P'Headers know of any get out clauses which may apply?
I know, it's only <£30, but it's the principle isn't it? Admittedly it was a built up area, but dual carriageway, 12ft barrier on one side, and 30ft grass divider in between carriageways doesn't seem to count for much anymore. I imagine they're onto a nice little earner with that location.
Anyway, that's enough ranting for now...
Keep it shiny side up.
pg.
heckler said:
I've just clocked my first NIP since moving to New Zealand, for a poxy 62kph in a 50 zone. Fortunately, demerit points do not apply to speed camera offences, but I am loathe to pay the $80 for a 2kph excess of the tolerance.
Do the NZ P'Headers know of any get out clauses which may apply?
I know, it's only <£30, but it's the principle isn't it? Admittedly it was a built up area, but dual carriageway, 12ft barrier on one side, and 30ft grass divider in between carriageways doesn't seem to count for much anymore. I imagine they're onto a nice little earner with that location.
Anyway, that's enough ranting for now...
Keep it shiny side up.
Do you have to sign the form? Hehe.
just pay up, its no big deal....its the 3-6 points per offence in the UK that pissed me off whereas here most of the time you don't get points and then you can have a 100....plus most times you can get off a ban because theres no public transport.Someone i know got let off with a 600$ fine when caught towing a trailer with his A8 at 146kph!No points either!
Hi paws,
Thanks for the reply.
I'll just pay up ... you're right. It's a ball ache when you're 2kmh over the threshold, that's all! Just glad they haven't got me out in the sticks yet (crosses everything!!) ... those straight roads across the plains are just too tempting (and frustrating to try and stay within 150% of the limit, as illustrated by your mate in his A8!!). The twisties in the mountains are the best though ... plenty of fun to be had within the limits up there.
Whereabouts are you based then? and how long have you been here? (if you don't mind me asking).
pg.
Thanks for the reply.
I'll just pay up ... you're right. It's a ball ache when you're 2kmh over the threshold, that's all! Just glad they haven't got me out in the sticks yet (crosses everything!!) ... those straight roads across the plains are just too tempting (and frustrating to try and stay within 150% of the limit, as illustrated by your mate in his A8!!). The twisties in the mountains are the best though ... plenty of fun to be had within the limits up there.
Whereabouts are you based then? and how long have you been here? (if you don't mind me asking).
pg.
Remarkables Queenstown is where we are although we also have a farm the other side of the mountains in West Otago/Central Otago border.We've been here on and off for ages but made the full move over here 18 months ago as Blighty became too much of a grind.What about you, where?Really miss the car culture of the UK and Europe but everything else i was glad to see the back of.
pawsmcgraw said:
Remarkables Queenstown is where we are although we also have a farm the other side of the mountains in West Otago/Central Otago border..
You cannot believe how jealous I am. You live in just the most beautiful area imaginable - I visited a couple of years back.
The Mrs and I decided that if we were to leave the UK it would be for NZ. South Island. Not far from Queenstown.
heckler said:
Hi,
I've just clocked my first NIP since moving to New Zealand, for a poxy 62kph in a 50 zone. Fortunately, demerit points do not apply to speed camera offences, but I am loathe to pay the $80 for a 2kph excess of the tolerance. ...
Well, to salve your conscience when paying, think of it as 12KPH over the limit, rather than 2KPH over the 'threshold'.
If you can't then, when would you say that a penalty for speeding becomes 'right'? At 3, or 4, or 5, or 10, or 20, or 50, or 100 KPH over the 'threshold'?
It's a bit like the "Yes, Prime Minister" dilemma ... when do you launch a nuclear strike? When they invade Germany, France, Dover, Piccadilly Circus?
So you were a 'poxy' 24% over the limit. Admittedly all limits are somewhat arbitrary, but if someone was 24% over the blood alcohol limit, would that be OK? A line has to be drawn somewhere and you pushed the envelope too much (to mix metaphors).
Streaky
PS - a serious response, not a 'troll' BTW - S
>> Edited by streaky on Wednesday 12th November 11:58
Hi Streaky,
As you say, limits are arbitrary. I'd expect to receive some sort of fine or punishment if I'd been driving in an unsafe or irresponsible manner. As it happens, I wasn't, and could safely stop within the distance ahead that I could see was clear. There were no pedestrians (nothing else on the road in fact), sun shining, road dry etc.
Agreed, there has to be a line, but I would rather that line was drawn by an officer with the experience and awareness to judge whether my actions were irresponsible (in which case, any reasonable plod probably wouldn't have pulled me) than a camera which doesn't discriminate between safe and unsafe.
And no, I don't think that being 24% over the blood alcohol limit is ok, far from it. Driver safety is all about being in control of your vehicle after all ... I'm sure driving after a drink would have greater implications for the likelihood of an RTA than driving in full control at 39mph in a 31mph limit. (Note: I'm not able to comment on how much 24% over the blood alcohol limit equates to, as I don't know enough about the rules and regs ... I certainly wouldn't drive in the situation where I thought I was over the alcohol limit though).
At the end of the day, I was over the speed limit ... and will be paying the fine. I probably knew I was doing it as well. .... Doesn't make the limit right though.
pg.
As you say, limits are arbitrary. I'd expect to receive some sort of fine or punishment if I'd been driving in an unsafe or irresponsible manner. As it happens, I wasn't, and could safely stop within the distance ahead that I could see was clear. There were no pedestrians (nothing else on the road in fact), sun shining, road dry etc.
Agreed, there has to be a line, but I would rather that line was drawn by an officer with the experience and awareness to judge whether my actions were irresponsible (in which case, any reasonable plod probably wouldn't have pulled me) than a camera which doesn't discriminate between safe and unsafe.
And no, I don't think that being 24% over the blood alcohol limit is ok, far from it. Driver safety is all about being in control of your vehicle after all ... I'm sure driving after a drink would have greater implications for the likelihood of an RTA than driving in full control at 39mph in a 31mph limit. (Note: I'm not able to comment on how much 24% over the blood alcohol limit equates to, as I don't know enough about the rules and regs ... I certainly wouldn't drive in the situation where I thought I was over the alcohol limit though).
At the end of the day, I was over the speed limit ... and will be paying the fine. I probably knew I was doing it as well. .... Doesn't make the limit right though.
pg.
Sorry paws .. didn't reply to your question.
I'm in ChCh. Have been here for about 2 months now on a working holiday visa and am really enjoying it so far. It's a great country, and the scenery is fantastic.
We were going to head over your way this long weekend actually (Friday is some sort of holiday .. maybe just in Canterbury??), but the forecast doesn't look too promising. Might save it for another weekend.
pg.
I'm in ChCh. Have been here for about 2 months now on a working holiday visa and am really enjoying it so far. It's a great country, and the scenery is fantastic.
We were going to head over your way this long weekend actually (Friday is some sort of holiday .. maybe just in Canterbury??), but the forecast doesn't look too promising. Might save it for another weekend.
pg.
Hey Heckler, I am a south island NZ chicky, I moved to Auckland a few years back to kick off the careers I currently got. I got a $180.00 fine last xmas going along that long straight between Twizel and Tekapo for doing only 20km over the limit. Funny thing was we were admiring Mt Cook right bang infront of us and forgot about the speed and bingo Mr Plod come over the brow and clocked me. So I deserved it. It just pays to be polite or they will give you the max fine. I told them some things that I will not mention here, hence the fine. So just take it on ya chin and sleep on it.
A friend of mine got done a while back and thought black and blue he was not speeding, so he asked for a calibration report for the infra-red gun thingy and as it turned out it was reading out by quite a bit. So if you can be bothered, got a good case, got no shame and plently of balls I guess you can try anything you like.
Ps I take my thrills and spills out on the race track, its more fun that way
A friend of mine got done a while back and thought black and blue he was not speeding, so he asked for a calibration report for the infra-red gun thingy and as it turned out it was reading out by quite a bit. So if you can be bothered, got a good case, got no shame and plently of balls I guess you can try anything you like.
Ps I take my thrills and spills out on the race track, its more fun that way
theres not enought race tracks here in NZ and the ones that are here are pretty poor.Its more fun having a rally derived 4x4 and hit the gravel highways.Theres more gravel roads in south island than there are tarmac(3000kms in southland alone!) and i've yet to see a speed trap or a camera on one.I drive 60 kms from our farm south quite often,its all gravel,all twisty and i normally don't see another vehicle.......hit plenty of stock mind
i wonder why i've got no paint left on the underside of my 4x4 
After rain storms like here in southern alps get its really challenging just driving normal speeds.I've come round corners to find the road has vanished and theres a river in its place.Biggest problem is if you do get stuck or break down(or crash into ermintrude)theres naff all phone coverage and if its night you normally can't see a light anywhere.Been there done that
i wonder why i've got no paint left on the underside of my 4x4 After rain storms like here in southern alps get its really challenging just driving normal speeds.I've come round corners to find the road has vanished and theres a river in its place.Biggest problem is if you do get stuck or break down(or crash into ermintrude)theres naff all phone coverage and if its night you normally can't see a light anywhere.Been there done that
Ooh your mean, poor sheep!!! Yip those company cars we had down there were perfect for those 180 handbrake turn arounds Being originally from Timaru we spent loads of time exporing around back of Tekapo where the army testing zones are, great scenery and very grubby cars to wash before heading back to work.
Being originally from Timaru we spent loads of time exporing around back of Tekapo where the army testing zones are, great scenery and very grubby cars to wash before heading back to work. heckler said:
Hi,
I am loathe to pay the $80 for a 2kph excess of the tolerance.
Think yourself lucky! I was 1kph over the ban me limit and I lost my licence for 1 month.
1 kph slower and I would have yielded a fine.
Bloody germans!!!!
If it wasn't for their autobahns!!!! (and beer)
Deester
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff