NZ Drivers

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by Taffy

Don't forget the ones who drive at 70km/h in a 100 zone, then when they hit a 50 limit, continue to do 70km/h. What's that all about?

Yeah, whilst driving camper vans!! Flippin idiots

[kokopeli]

Originally Posted by Dawn

Yeah, whilst driving camper vans!! Flippin idiots

I hope that's not a dig at all camper van drivers.......

[MotherBear]

Govt signals crackdown on reckless driving
Friday, 21 December 2007

LATEST: The Government is bolstering the driver licence demerit system in a crackdown on repeat offenders aimed at slashing the road toll.

The proposed changes, announced today by Transport Minister Annette King and Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven, include tougher demerit penalties for speeding drivers and new demerits for seatbelt and intersection offences.

But in an acknowledgement that demerits and licence suspensions are more effective than other penalties, the fines for offences such as speeding will be cut.

The proposals also include a toughening up of the learner licence regime for young drivers - doubling the period they must spend on a learner licence and giving police the power to impound learner drivers' cars for multiple license breaches.

Ms King today said the aim of the changes, which the Government will seek to implement next year, was to slash the road toll to less than 300 a year by 2010.

Last year's road toll, the lowest in decades, was 387, but this year's toll already stands at 407.

"The emphasis is on changing behaviour, which is why we are increasing demerits and decreasing fines."

A driver's licence is suspended for three months if a driver accumulates more than 100 demerits within a two-year period.

Ms King said many young drivers were accumulating large fines, which they could not pay, and the fines did not deter them from driving recklessly.

"The message from the consultation programme was that demerit points are a far more effective deterrent than fines.

"These measures will make it tougher for young drivers who repeatedly break the rules while on their graduated licences."

Other changes include:

* introducing a penalty of 75 demerit points for running a red light, 50 points for a stop sign and 25 points for a give way sign;

* introducing a penalty of 25 demerit points for failing to wear a seatbelt;

* giving police the ability to issue a "licence compliance order" to learner drivers who breach their conditions, under which they can impound a car for 28 days for a second breach;

* extending the minimum period under 25-year-olds must spend on a learner licence from six months to a year;

* introducing a tougher test for learners to move on to their restricted licence.

* increasing demerit points from 25 to 35 for learner licence breaches;

* introducing demerit points for radar detectors and other detection and interference devices;

* keeping demerit points active until two years after an offence;

* increasing demerit points for noisy vehicles offences.

Ms King said some of the proposals, which had already been agreed to by Cabinet, would need legislative changes while others would merely need rule and regulation changes.

Drafting of the provisions would begin next year.

Two pieces of legislation that may change the driver regime are already before Parliament - one that would tighten the regime for drugged drivers and another that would raise the driving age from 15 to 16.

The Automobile Association today welcomed most of the changes.

Spokesman Mike Noon today told NZPA the changes were "significant" especially for young drivers.

"We think reducing the fines, but upping the ante in terms of demerits is more realistic and a good move."

He said the current system of penalties was fine for most people, but it did not adequately deal with recidivist offenders.

The new system would do that, he said.

- NZPA

From here

[KiwiHopeful]

Ms King said many young drivers were accumulating large fines, which they could not pay, and the fines did not deter them from driving recklessly.

Okay ... so let me get this straight ... They won't pay their fines (can't? if they can afford to drive, they can afford to pay the fines) but we are to believe that they'll honor their suspension and not drive.

Wow.

Does anyone have Ms. King's phone number? I have a bridge she might be interested in buying.

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by kokopeli

I hope that's not a dig at all camper van drivers.......

No Koko - just one - Gary! He got a speeding fine when we hired our camper!! Idiot!!

[kokopeli]

How can you possibly speed in a campervan without making every other occupant feel seasick? I bet he was going downhill......

[selchie]

We were driving up the Coromandel on the Thames/Coromandel Town side. It's very narrow and curvy, with precious few turnouts. A propane (liquid gas, whatever) truck/lorry roared up on my tail, so I stopped sight seeing, and drove as fast as I felt safe (~70 KPH), and he kept tailgating me. FINALLY I was able to let him past (hard to pull over with something like that looming in one's rearview mirror). In no time flat he pulled far away from me, mostly by driving in the middle of the road. I kept waiting for him to crash and go boom. I realize he knew that road better than I, but still he was driving recklessly with such an explosive cargo.

On another road, I nearly got hit by a fuel truck that was halfway in my lane. If I hadn't been driving at a safe speed, I doubt I would have had time to avoid him. AND he had a line of cars tailgating, wanting to go even faster!

[kokopeli]

I think a lot of drivers here regard the permitted speed limit as a minimum speed you are supposed to drive at. This seems expecially true for the advisory speed limits on yellow triangle signs before bends. The Road Code says these represent the safe and comfortable speed for the corner, but I'm sure that most drivers see them as some sort of challenge or dare to go faster!

Kiwi driving protocol says that if you do chose to drive slower than other vehicles, you should keep as far left as possible or even pull up to let the following vehicle pass. Whenever a speedster starts tailgating me, I pull over because it makes me feel safer. Most people wave or give two beeps on their horn to say thanks. Speeding up only ever encourages them to chase you......

[MotherBear]

Not just in NZ.

Canadian street-racing law nabs 85yo
Reuters | Monday, 07 January 2008

A new law meant to help crack down on young Canadian street racers in their souped up cars has nabbed an octogenarian in his Oldsmobile.

The 85-year-old man is one of 2,300 drivers across Ontario to be charged under new legislation, designed to combat "street racing, stunts and contests", since it came into effect three months ago ? and he's the oldest.

The man was pulled over after allegedly driving 161 kilometres per hour this week on a main highway north of Toronto, where the speed limit is 100 km/h, Ontario Provincial Police said.

"It really doesn't matter the age of the person or whether they're trying to race another car," OPP Sgt Cam Woolley said on Friday. "The consequences of the crashes and the laws of physics are always in effect."

Under the street racing legislation, a person is charged if they are driving 50 km/h more than the posted speed limit.

"Street racing was probably a bad title for it, extreme driving probably would have been better," Woolley noted.

Under the legislation, the 85-year-old could face a minimum $C2000 ($NZ2588) fine. His license has been suspended and his car impounded for a week.

Woolley said that, in the case of the 85-year-old, a police officer driving in a marked car saw the Oldsmobile and tried to get the driver's attention, honking her horn and waving.

"He flew past her," said Woolley, adding he was going about 140 km/h at the time ? and then speeded up.

When he finally stopped, the man told the officer he was going to the bank and planned to go shopping, Woolley said.

"When she informed him that his car was being impounded for a week, he said: 'God damn, you're not taking my car, are ya?'" Woolley said, adding the man later apologized for swearing, and the officer drove him to the bank.

Until this week, two 75-year-old men were the oldest to be charged under the law. The youngest is a 16-year-old woman. Most are men in their 20s.

From here .

[Dawn]

I found that really frustrating in the camper Koko. You're right. You're trundling along up a winding mountain-side at the speed you feel comfortable at in your huge rocking box on wheels and massive double lorries carrying tons of tree trunks are driving right up your arse as if theire revving engines can speed you up. Perhaps the roads here are wider in anticipation of this having to pull over to let wannabee Schumacher's in overalls pass.

Wat makes me really really mad thought is that everytime they drive like that they put other people in danger, anyone exceeding a speed limit puts other people in danger. Do you notice how it always seems to be other people that get hurt and not the actual stupid, selfish driver? Makes my blood boil!!!