Road Policing - a Shake-up Needed

A competitor for NZ's most stupid and inane column ever raises (accidentally) a point that need discussion

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115118124/passing-lane-dilemma-driver-battles-ticket-for-exceeding-the-limit-when-slow-lane-cars-sped-up

That point is NZ road policing and it's aim.

The main question is whether policing NZ roads is about picking up the most minor incidents and fining whomever is claimed to be responsible or is it about recognising mistakes, analysing whether those mistakes are simply humans being human or a driving fault that can be corrected and actually doing something to correct that fault.

Of course there is the third course, which is about inconveniencing as many as possible by acting as dictatorial stormtroopers with a desperate need to intimidate as many as possible i.e. exactly what NZ traffic policing is now.

There is a need for traffic police to be able to punish the few who deliberately put others in danger but the main thrust of current road policing has nothing (despite police lies) about road safety and everything to do with controlling the motorists.

Too often is enforcement aimed at poor bastards like the gentleman above who, perfectly safely, broke an arbitrary speed limit for a short time, in this case for proven safety reasons.

The policeman who stopped him and wrote the ticket will not have considered the fact that no danger was created by the gentleman's action, indeed that policeman is trained not to do so. He's trained to punish every minor transgression and mistake with a monetary penalty.

We need a serious shake-up of this part of NZ life.

Most minor traffic incidents are just that and if they need any action at all from authorities that action needs to be a gentle reminder of where the motorist went wrong and suggestions of how not to make the same mistake.

Things like traveling for a very short time above the speed limit, whether accidentally (this happens often) or deliberately for safety reasons, driving too slow without consideration for others, failing to actually stop at a stop sign when roads are obviously clear, minor failing to give way (often just a misjudgement that the experience will overcome) and failing to keep left when not dangerous to others can be prevented or admonished by a word or gesture.

Minor traffic accidents, where no injury occurs do not, most of the time, require police presence. Under current law one must report such accidents to enable police to write tickets remotely, usually a the behest of the at-fault party from my experience.

This again is simply road-tax gathering.

I include in this speed cameras and other such remote devices unless these devices are being used only to detect the idiots among us who do actually diminish road safety by their actions. Where this use is not applicable they should be removed.
 
I'm guessing at least 90% of traffic fines don't need to happen. They happen now because police are trained and required, mainly by busybody local politicians and those who hate to see people relax and enjoy themselves, to find a fault and issue a fine, at every opportunity.

Once these petty fines (and yes, they are all fines) for minor mistakes cease policemen may find themselves far more acceptable to the general public.

They may even find that when they have genuine reason to consult the public people may readily and happily assist.

For a relatively short time more police may be necessary on the roads but as they will have virtually no ability to penalise drivers, cadets or even lay road safety officers could do the job.

After the initial period I suspect NZ will have far more policemen doing real policemen jobs.

This action, of course, will affect the coffers that rely on these road taxes but probably a lot less than a certain politician using NZ Airforce aeroplanes to get to it's Pacific Island holidays.

Disclaimer: I am a professional driver (pro for approx 20 years) who has seldom been ticketed but regularly sees, swears at and avoids the type of minor indiscretion mentioned.