Caught speeding in New Zealand!

Lemonhugger

Hello all

Some of you may recall my earlier post asking for advice on good car hire deals in New Zealand. Well, despite earlier warnings from the respondants in that post, I got caught speeding on my way in to Auckland!

Now I know all the arguments for and against the issue of speeding, and I'm completely for speeding deterrents that will trap some of the idiots we do have on the road. However, in my defence, I was driving on a clear road, in good visibility and in ideal road conditions and I got done for doing 113kph (71mph). The speed limit is 100kph over there.

Have any MSE'ers been in a similar situation to this, and did you pay your fine, did you ignore paying the fine, or as one resident Kiwi suggested, try and beg for clemency by writing a "bleeding hearts" letter?

Any recollections of your experiences would be gratefully read and advice considered.

cundall

In the wrong section....

Not much to say sorry.... New Zealand is very very Strict. If you go out of the city on the back roads... Late a night they block the road in both directions and carry out a drive drive test on ever car.

I personally would pay as if you did the crime you should pay fine! Also you may have to inform people over here too (IE you may get points as we have a strong link with NZ)

_Andy_

Just pay the fine. You were driving over the speed limit. End of story. Pay the fine.

IvanOpinion

_Andy_ wrote: »

Just pay the fine. You were driving over the speed limit. End of story. Pay the fine.

But enclose a long letter telling them that their rugby and cricket teams are useless ... they will welcome you back with open cells arms

ivan

headpin

If it was a hire car then surely the NZ Authority's will just collect the fine from the hire company if you do not pay yourself?

The hire company will then charge your credit card (I assume you had to leave details with them as with any hire car rental?) and on top they'll whack you with a nice juicy admin charge.

Bottom line is that if you are in a hire car the cheapest option is just to pay up.

dzug

headpin wrote: »

If it was a hire car then surely the NZ Authority's will just collect the fine from the hire company if you do not pay yourself?

The hire company will then charge your credit card (I assume you had to leave details with them as with any hire car rental?) and on top they'll whack you with a nice juicy admin charge.

Not necessarily - it depends whether in New Zealand the car driver or the car owner is liable for moving traffic offences.

In the UK for example for a speeding offence the car hire company can discharge its liability by giving the authorities the name and address of the person who hired the car. They do not have to pay the fine. (They may well charge the hirer an admin fee for providing his details to the authorities though....) For a parking offence it's different - the owner is liable, they pay the fine and collect it and the admin fee from the hirer's card

mystic_trev

I've driven in NZ many times and never been stopped by the Police for speeding or anything else! However, a few years ago, whilst traveling with friends, one of the drivers got stopped twice for speeding and also received another fine for parking the car the wrong way round :rotfl: He never paid any of the fines and didn't hear anything more!

Nobjocki

Don't bother paying the fine.
Just stall them with a letter asking for proof / threaten to appeal it in court etc.They won't want the hassle.
We all know that speeding tickets are not about reducing accidents but a way of making money for the police.
13 kph over the limit on a quiet stretch of road ? They're having a laugh.
Some Welsh police force tried a similar thing on with me - 8mph over the 70mph limit on a deserted stretch of motorway at 2am.I dragged it out for so long they eventually gave up.They couldn't be bothered to get their fat backsides out of the canteen.

Watwoman

The question is - how likely are you to go back? If you're not going back it's probably worth the risk. On your head be it though. Have you ever driven in Santa Monica though - I hear it's fantastic over there.

alanrowell

Nobjocki wrote: »

Don't bother paying the fine.
Just stall them with a letter asking for proof / threaten to appeal it in court etc.They won't want the hassle.

They'll just charge the hire company instead - who'll charge your CC for the fine plus an admin fee

mystic_trev

alanrowell wrote: »

They'll just charge the hire company instead - who'll charge your CC for the fine plus an admin fee

No, not if you've been stopped and issued a ticket.