Third party insurance (again)
Today’s headline story ‘Motorcyclist caught at 226kmh’ calls out a message loud and clear. Just like the driver who was four times over the limit of blood alcohol when he crashed his car in Seddon, the fact that no-one was hurt makes this sort of behaviour acceptable to our over-tolerant society.
There is little doubt this young man will get his licence and carry on as if nothing had happened and the public will soon forget and forgive him. But what if New Zealand had compulsory thirdparty insurance?
Well, for a start it would be another weapon for the police when they stopped him in
Waikari. Then, when he eventually gets his motorbike licence he would have apply to an insurance company for third party cover and declare his speeding conviction. Insurance companies, in the UK at least, have much longer memories than the public.
Like the drunken driver in Seddon his third-party premium would rightly be very high indeed. But it would eventually come down if he rides his motorbike responsibly. The choice would be his.
So do we urge our new government to introduce compulsory third party insurance like Australia, UK and US? Or do we forgive and hope that next time this idiot decides to ride on a state highway at over 200kmh that noone is in his way?
Evan Robinson
Redwoodtown