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| # 42 Lazy Running Part two |
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A few months ago I got stopped again for driving at 90 kph
The officer said he did not intend to give me a ticket, but my actions were slowing down the vehicles behind me and because he was behind them, they were afraid to pass.
He stopped me to have a chat about it.
Fair enough I thought.
I asked the officer if it was against the law to drive a 4wd at the legal truck speed limit.
No, however impeding the flow of traffic was.
But I queried, ?If I was right over to the left hand side of the road as I should be and had created a 500 metre gap between me and the ?Boy Racer? who was tailgating the truck in front of him, how was I impeding the flow of traffic? ?
?You weren?t? he replied.
By this stage I was of course sitting there ?Gob Smacked?
?So, why did you stop me again??
?To talk to you about impeding the flow of traffic? he muttered poker faced.
It appeared that my actions of slowing down the flow of traffic, so that the deeds of the irresponsible ?Crazy Man? tailgating and trying to pass the truck ahead did not become just another news item, counted for nothing and he felt that this warranted a discussion.
So I heard him out and I did not bother prolonging this roadside chat, no matter how entertaining that would have been and we went on our way.
As you can imagine, I drove the rest of the way into the city with a huge smile on my face and thinking up a number of good questions.
So I contacted the ?Head Poo-Bar? and put them to him. I have copied his answers directly to this page and then added my own thoughts, but I?ll let you draw your own conclusions.
1. Is the huge amount of money that the NZ Government spends on an anti
speed campaigns wasted when the Police are actively encouraging some
motorists to increase speed? No - Police are well aware of the fact that
the closer all vehicles can get to an homogenous speed, within reasonably
safe bounds, the smoother the traffic flows and the less impact there is on
congested roads - consistent speeds fits more vehicles on a road. It is a
safety issue. (What? Are you saying people moving fast and close together is good for road safety)
2. Is the NZ Police C.H.P?s team aware of the current advertising advising
motorists to slow down (in particular the TV adds depicting the cars
falling from the same heights as inner city buildings)? Yes - they are
also aware that traffic travelling at lower speeds than the traffic flow
tends to built up traffic queues behind the front vehicle and this can
cause frustration in the following drivers leading to acts of impatience.
(Yes, but trucks can only go 90kph, so you will always have vehicles approaching from behind)
3. Is it against the law to drive 10% slower than the posted speed
limit? No, However if you are impeding other traffic you may be liable for
an offence such as inconsiderate driving or impeding traffic!
(This is where I came in)
4. Is it against the law for car divers to drive at the truck speed
limit? No (That?s good)
5. Is the NZ Police Department aware of the current fuel crisis and the
need for conservation of imported, expensive, and scarce fuel stocks? Yes
6. Is the NZ Police aware of the overall slowdown in speed by most NZ
drivers since the price of fuel doubled? No - the overall slow down in
speed started in early to mid 2004. (But that is when fuel started rising and isn?t that what the anti-speed campaign we have been having since then supposed to do and a good thing)
7. Is the NZ Police aware that there is a 2% direct increase in fuel
consumption for every 2 kph above 90 kph? Police are aware that this is
possible with some vehicles. It depends on individual models, style of
driving and so on and so on. The model you refer to is a generalisation.
(But weren?t we talking about the NZ public in general. Where can I get one of these ?other? vehicles, because I?ve yet to find one?)
8. Does the NZ Police Department feel that the truck speed limit of
90kph is to slow and that it leads to accidents, caused by impatient
motorists trying to pass? This can be the case if a slower driver impedes
the flow of traffic and does not facilitate the flow of traffic by moving
to the left when possible and allowing other vehicles to overtake.
(But I was)
9. Does the NZ Police Department feel it is wiser to stop a defensive
driving motorist travelling at 90 kph, than an impatient motorist trying to
pass a truck travelling at their 90 kph speed limit? What's the difference
between a truck travelling at 90 km/h and obstructing traffic and a car
driving at 90 km/h and obstructing traffic?
(Ahhh, should I have to tell you and you didn?t answer the question)
10.What problems do defensive/fuel efficient motorists travelling at the
truck speed limit cause, that have higher police vigilance than motorists
who are trying to pass at in-opportune moments on two lane roads? See
above (I?m still trying to understand that one)
11. Is the NZ Police department aware that defensive driving and fuel
efficient driving, is one and the same thing? They are not necessarily the
same thing. The question is a generalisation and a loaded one at that.
(What???)
12. Is there any truth in the story that truck drivers are being ticketed
for crossing the white line at the Kaikoura Tunnels despite being unable to
line up for the tunnel entrance without first crossing the white centre
line? This is in the Tasman police district, not Canterbury. Research
would be necessary. (Don?t the same laws apply)
24. How long has it been illegal to cross the centre line? I suspect, in
some circumstances, since the McLean Motor vehicle act around 1905. It has
always been a requirement of New Zealand Law that drivers keep as far to
the left as practicable. (So how do you overtake a vehicle travelling at 90kph, when there are so few passing lanes?)
Boy, talk about ?Catch 22?, and now you no why we all do what we do, it?s funny.
But then that is, just an ?old trucker?s point of view?
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