Cameras miss shot at bikers

Speeding motorcyclists have been dodging tickets because fixed speed cameras can’t catch them in the act.

The Automobile Association is calling for a change to speed camera technology in New Zealand as frustrations grow that many speeding motorcyclists continue to be given free rein.

Motorcycles in New Zealand, like many other countries, are not fitted with forward-facing licence plates, meaning they are unable to be identified by fixed speed cameras if they are travelling towards them.

AA senior policy analyst Mark Stockdale said the situation was a ‘‘specific anomaly’’ and called for a change in operations to ensure all speeding drivers were held to account.

‘‘The way the speed cameras are configured means that there is a group of road users who can’t be detected by speed cameras, and that group is motorcyclists.

‘‘If they’re not being caught for speeding, that means a certain group of riders will think they can get away with speeding or driving at an inappropriate speed, and that is concerning for road safety.’’

Fixed speed cameras take photos in just one direction, meaning some vehicles are snapped only from behind and some only from in front.

The loophole for motorcyclists was unfair to other road users, and it was time speed cameras were set up to photograph all vehicles from behind, Stockdale said.

‘‘If more [motorcyclists] were caught, that would likely moderate their behaviour.’’

Motorcycles were the only vehicle class in which the road toll was increasing. That suggested changes were needed, Stockdale said.

A good portion of accidents were because of speeding or driving at inappropriate speeds.

But police operations and road policing manager Inspector Peter McKennie said police employed a number of methods to catch speeding drivers other than fixed speed cameras. They included radars mounted on police cars, handheld lasers and pace checks conducted by police vehicles.

Motorcyclist deaths had increased in recent years, from 44 in 2012 to 50 in 2016, and police remained committed to promoting safe driving, he said.

‘‘Our focus is not about ticketing but about ensuring safe speeds at all times on our roads, reducing injury and death as a result of too many serious crashes.

‘‘As with any road user, it is up to motorcyclists to take responsibility for their own safety and ride in a manner that minimises risk.’’

Fixed speed cameras caught 638,093 speeding drivers in 2015, compared with just 287,105 issued by police officers.

Ulysses Club president Mike Dew said the anomaly was not encouraging motorcyclists to speed.

‘‘I think most [offending] motorcyclists, generally, aren’t speeding because they know they haven’t got a number plate on the front. I don’t think that’s got anything to do with it.

‘‘There are some people out there who, if they want to speed, they’ll speed. It’s just a mindset some drivers have.’’

Last year’s Ministry of Transport public attitudes to road safety survey showed 63 per cent of New Zealanders thought there was a high or very high chance of getting a speeding ticket if they were travelling at 115kmh past a police vehicle. In 2015, that number was just over 40 per cent.

A spokeswoman said the ministry was not considering making forward-facing licence plates compulsory for motorcycles, but encouraged motorcyclists to drive to the conditions and adhere to speed limits.

New Zealand Transport Association spokesman Andy Knackstedt said motorcycles did not have forward-facing licence plates because they could cause injury to anyone struck by the motorcycle.

Fitting number plates on the front of motorcycles would also be difficult because of their design, he said.

‘‘Our focus is not about ticketing but about ensuring safe speeds at all times on our roads . . .’’ Inspector Peter McKennie Police operations and road policing manager