Your say: Biker wants compo from police

MARION VAN DIJK/Nelson Mail

MAYHEM: Police are investigating after two motorcyclists were hospitalised following a collision with a patrol car when it turned to pursue a speeding vehicle.

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Stuff readers have their say on a police officer's actions that resulted in two motorcyclists being hospitalised after a patrol car turned to pursue a speeding vehicle.

RE: Good road for a three point turn?

Feedback (latest posts at top):

One of the commenters below makes much of the road code stating you must be able to stop within half of the clear distance ahead, it is stated and can be seen clearly in the news photo that the accident occured just around a corner where the policeman was making a three-point turn, on a windy stretch of highway, the roadcode also states:  You are normally allowed to make U-turns, as long as the road is clear in both directions and it is safe to do so. Make sure you have enough room to complete the turn and don't create a hazard for oncoming vehicles. That highway is marked at 100 kph, is it to be expected that at every corner people slow down below the recommended speed marked for that corner "just in case" someone is there on the wrong side of the road, doing something stupid, I think not, this is a clear case of "speeder, get him" by the cop, and he spun the car around to give chase without thinking or following the road code himself.
R Hill

I can't believe that anyone would think the police were not  to blame in this. All these comments about the road code -  well sorry but where in the road code does it talk about coming around a blind corner, finding any car in the middle  of the road and being able to safely stop? It's obvious  the cop ony had one thing in mind and that was to catch  whoever was speeding and doing so safely or with consideration to any other road user was NOT even given a thought.  The police are responsible and these motorcyclists should compensated and they should be charging the officer concerned just like they are lining up to do with the tourists and the other accident. I think it's  outrageous that they have one set of rules for the general public and one for officers and I bet the tourists are charged well before the officer is. 
M Graham

The road code states that you have to be able to stop in half of the clear distance ahead. The bikers weren't able to do this so were at least twice the speed that they should have been travelling. The police officer may have made a poor judgement call but the bikers were breaking the roadcode. The outcome of the investigation will be that the bikers both receive fines. People need to stop automatically disagreeing with police actions. Doing so shows a lot more arrogance then a police office turning around to chase down a speeding motorist. How would you feel if that speeding motorist ended up crashing into someone you know because of their excessive speed. I suppose the police would be wrong again for not pursuing them.
BJ Martin

This is ridiculous, the officer has done nothing wrong, are you suggesting that he simply lets a speeding bike continue on his merry way? This would mean that by some of your opinions, when driving a long a narrow road, you can go as fast as you like without the risk of being caught by an oncoming patrol car! The police officer would of weighed up the risk of leaving a speeding biker continue, and turning his vehicle to stop him. The likelihood of two bikers coming around a corner and crashing in to him is minimal, when compared to the likelihood of a speeding motorcyclist causing harm to himself, and or others. Think of it this way, if there was a crash on the exact point, and a patrol car comes across the site, stops his car, and two bikes come flying into the back him, is it the officers fault? I'm not a police lover, and I do ride occasionally, and I don't always keep within the legal boundaries when driving or riding, but if I was to crash into a police car in the majority of circumstances, I would not try to claim compensation. The police have it hard enough as it is, if I were an officer I would be far too nervous to forfill my duties at the best of my ability, for fear of being publicly hanged. He should not be fired, the bikers should receive a cent of compensation, and surely the bike will be insured!
Phil Pankhurst

I cannot believe a police officer would give attitude to two people he had just caused serious injuries to. Both bikes were written off because some bright spark decides to do a three point turn in the middle of a gorge on what was apparently a blind corner  - and he tries to put the blame on the obviously injured bikers? I'm not saying the cops are always at fault because they're not, but when you make a mistake (I know it was dumb but I doubt it was on purpose) you need to admit it and try to fix the problem, otherwise the police are just going to lose more public respect not because of what occurred, but their reaction to it.
Diane Smale

This is not surprising of the Tasman West Coast highway patrol: total arrogance and won't accept any blame, they just want to collect money at any cost. Don't expect an apology from the cops they will be working flat out trying to wriggle their way out.
Steve D

I have seen a couple of near misses where police have carried out a u-turn on a main highway to pursue a 'speeding' motorist.  I wonder how many more near misses need to happen before the inevitable happens and someone innocent is killed.
Anthony Ham

I would think this cop is very lucky not to be facing a 'careless use causing injury' or worse '... causing death' charge. You'd hope the police insurance (and not taxpayers) cover the replacement costs of these bikes, helmets, riding gear, injuries, rehab, loss of earnings... appears to be no fault of the rider, it's going to be expensive.
Rob

I think the Tasman police are probably the most obnoxious and arrogant in the country. Their insane policy of "Ticket at all costs" without regard for the consequences has once again been found wanting. Three years ago my elderly father had just been released from Blenheim hospital after major surgery for lymph cancer. My mother had gone down to the hospital to pick him up and as they were driving home my father commented that the seatbelt was cutting into his operation scars, causing him great discomfort and pain, and that the speed was also causing him some distress. Mum pulled over to allow dad to take off the seatbelt, reclined his seat and my mother drove at 30KM per hour on the shoulder for the last couple of k's.  You guessed it, a ticket for no seatbelt, a ticket for dangerous driving? (30 in a 50,), and a ticket for her for allowing an unrestrained passenger to travel in a car. No explanation of his condition was accepted. $650 later two elderly pensioners are left confused and angry at the dispassionate police. It is my hope that this person is dealt with in exactly the same manner as my parents and they throw the book at him regardless of his past. It is how they deal with everybody else.
PaulNJ

The impression I get from the article is that the riders have exited a blind corner, to find a police car in the midst of a three point turn blocking the road.  This is speculation on my part, however if this case then the officer's reply of "speeding" is justified.  The road code states you have to be able to stop in the distance you can see, especially important when on a bike.  Performing a three point turn where the officer did was stupid, but so is not driving to the conditions.  If a tree had fallen across the road would the rider be claiming compensation from DOC? I look forward to hearing the full story.
Daniel Wood

Where do the police get their all consuming arrogance from? Making a three point turn in the Buller Gorge is about the most dangerous tactic they could perform. They have the technology to identify, stop and apprehend miscreants on the road if only they used their heads and not some blind desire to be blood-lust hunter with only one goal to get their quarry. Any experienced motorcyclist will ride to the conditions, and if they have been in the Buller Gorge previously they will know that the conditions are not great at the best of times. Only the stupidity of a police officer turning at right angles to the road and completely blocking it is asking for trouble - from bikers or anyone. I guess it was fortunate that there were no foreign tourists in campervans lurching around the corner at the time as well!
Bob Chambers

The police officer has gotta go. It's just not good enough, and a first response of "His response to me was that we were speeding." is typical of a cover your arse, we're never wrong or at fault attitude from the Police. They should be fully covering his loss of earnings, rehabilitation and the cost of his motorcycle, as well as the second person.
Tyler McKnight

I generally support the police but would like to see an apology to these guys and financial support happening fast. Regardless of there speed which wasn't in question the cause of this accident was driver stupidity, the best form of defense is not attack, not when you are there to uphold the law, come clean and do the right thing. To the guys concerned, there is a big family of pleasure motorcycle riders out there now and Im sure if someone opened up an account a lot would be happy to put a few dollars in to help towards a brighter future. I hope you both heal quickly and get to have a happy Christmas.
Margaret Milne

Revenue gathering ahead of safety yet again. The cop should be fired, end of story.
Gary McPeake

I question the police pursuit policy. My family and I where traveling south of Christchurch when an oncoming police car did a u-turn in front of us forcing us off the road onto to gravel curb to stop a car that was traveling at no more than 105km. I know this as we had been following the car for a number of kms. When we rang the 555* number giving the license number of the police car-we where told that we needed to go to a police station and fill in a formal complaint. As we had just started our holiday and given the response, we decided not to.
Herbert

The police car sideways in the Buller Gorge with a couple of bikes under it and somehow the bikes have caused it. When will the cops learn that an $80 fine is somehow not worth the risks they take to collect.
Graham Shaw

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