Whoops
May 28th, 2004 at 2:21 pm by David FarrarWas driving to Waikanae yesterday and there was a policr car just south of QEII Park. They were within 200 metres of a speed change sign which is actually against their own regulations.
Being a friendly sort I did the customary warning to oncoming traffic by flashing my headlights. Many waves and smiles back. Then noticed one car was flashing their lights back also. How friendly I thought. Until I noticed it was a police car and they looked fairly unhappy at my good samaritan activities.
No tag for this post.
May 28th, 2004 at 2:42 pm
Very clever. What if the person you were flashing was the next Gavin Hawthorn – http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2922643a10,00.html? Real bright – not!
Vote:May 28th, 2004 at 2:52 pm
One day you may appreciate the difference between driving too fast for the conditions, and driving slightly faster than an arbitrary speed limit.
If you can not differentiate between drunken reckless driving and safe driving for the conditions, then you are probably a menace on the roads.
If I see someone driving at 167 km/hr I call the cops.
If I see someone driving safely, on a straight bit of road, with no pedesterians, fine weather, and a revenue gathering device down the road, sure as hell I’ll warn them.
Vote:May 28th, 2004 at 4:52 pm
Don’t see why they’re unhappy. Doesn’t your headlight flashing reduce speed? And isn’t that what they want?
Vote:May 28th, 2004 at 6:08 pm
I have no problem with what you say there Glenn. Trouble is that it is very temporary, measured in minutes, compared with the much longer-term effect of a large fine, probably measured in at least months. This is not the first time Mr Farrer has used this otherwise highly interesting, entertaining and sensible blog to advance his views on so-called driving to the conditions. I use every opportunity I can to try to introduce common sense and maturity into driving law compliance and enforcement. With what Mr Farrer promotes, the Police might just as well never go on the roads, because they would never get a conviction. It would be Rafferty’s rules on the road. I wonder how many people flashed Gavin Hawthorn during his murderous driving apprenticeship. And remember, Gavin Hawthorn is just the tip of the iceberg. Ever heard of “broken windows”? It concerns me more that Tony Ryall, National
Vote:May 29th, 2004 at 10:29 am
Policies you call mature and commonsense are just as easily characterised as childish and sissified and a further encroachment on indiidual decision making. I have noticed that light flashing is on the increase after several years of decline.
Vote:May 29th, 2004 at 1:23 pm
Axxyl – I am all for common sense and maturity with regard to driving law compliance and enforcement. We used to have it and this Government has got rid of it!
Officers no longer have any discretion. They get in trouble if they only give you a warning. They are not allowed to judge whether the time of day, condition of road, weather etc means a warning is all that is needed. They have become revenue gathering automatons. They hate it themselves.
I am not against having speed limits. But speed cameras used to focus on the areas which had accidents, and the top 15% of speeds for that road. It would recognise that one can safely go faster on the Foxton straits than the Rimutaka Hill Road.
Vote:May 29th, 2004 at 2:33 pm
Thanks for the comments. I remind myself that this is your blog, not mine, and I do look forward to your observations each day. I will continue my campaign for safe and legal driving, till the cows come home, but it’s not appropriate for me to persist here. Till next time…
Vote:May 29th, 2004 at 3:51 pm
Could people please stop referring to DPF as Mr Farrar – it is very disturbing for those of us who know him!
Vote:May 29th, 2004 at 5:15 pm
Sorry, gpt, wasn’t aware of the house rule.
Vote:June 11th, 2004 at 8:28 am
Axxyl
You are very definitely a bunion. Here and everywhere. you represent the nanny state view of government. Go away.
DPF.
with you on this one
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