Tuesday 1 April 2014

APRIL Ist - Gun Laws Extended to Motorists. - APRIL 1st.

 

Breaking news – firearms laws to form basis of improved driver licensing regime

By Gary Elmes

Confident that the new laws regarding airguns and military style firearms will lead to a significant reduction in crime, the police have announced that the lessons learned from our updated firearms laws are to be applied to driver licensing.

“People need to accept that driving a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right,” explained Inspector John Red, manager of the newly formed Office of Driver and Vehicle Control, when announcing the new initiative.

The most fundamental change is the introduction of a “fit and proper person” test for driver licences. All applicants for a driver licence will need to satisfy a police officer that they are fit and proper before being issued a licence. Police will also have the ability to revoke a driver’s licence at any time if, in their opinion, he or she ceases to be a fit and proper person to drive a vehicle. Applicants will not be considered fit and proper if, for example, they are believed to abuse drugs, have gang affiliations, be involved in matrimonial discord, or show signs of mental ill health. To prevent such people from gaining illicit access to motor vehicles, those who cohabit with them will also not be eligible for driver licences.

“This is fundamental to the new strategy for reducing vehicle-related fatalities,” Explained Inspector Red. “The existing approach, of police having to go to court to prove that someone should lose their licence, is too cumbersome and error-prone. Giving police the discretion to take someone off the road when we believe that they present a danger to others is key to us bringing the road tool down.”

Categorisation of motor vehicles will also be tightened. A new class of vehicle will be introduced – the Motor-Sport Style Automobile. Drivers will require an additional endorsement on their licence before being allowed to possess and drive such vehicles. The police will have considerable discretion as to when to issue such an endorsement, and will have the power to impose special conditions on the use of such vehicles. Inspector Red indicated that they will only be issued to people who have demonstrated a clear need to drive sporting vehicles.

“Each case will be individually assessed on its merits, of course,” said Red. “But endorsements will only be granted to genuine racing drivers, and we will be imposing conditions that these especially dangerous cars are only used on properly managed racing tracks.”

A car will be classed as a Motor-Sport Style Automobile if it has an automatic gearbox and one or more of the following features:

  • A carburettor air-scoop,
  • An adjustable aerofoil,
  • A painted speed-stripe,
  • A fuel tank capable of, or which appears capable of, holding more than seven litres of fuel.

The fuel tank limitation is considered particularly important by police. “We are involved in many car chases that carry on for far longer than they should because of the excessive amounts of fuel that can be stored in modern sports cars,” explains Inspector Red. “Seven litres is more than enough for a car to travel from one petrol station to the next, so legitimate car users have no real need for larger tanks.”

Responding to concerns of ambiguity as to what paint patterns would be regarded as speed stripes, Inspector Red explained that the term would be carefully defined in separate regulations. “We fully expect car manufacturers to push the boundaries in terms of what is and what isn’t a speed stripe. Defining the term in regulations will allow the police to respond quickly, with updated regulations, to new developments in car exterior decoration. We do recognise the importance of having clear and simple rules about what kind of exterior embellishments are regarded as speed stripes,” he continued, “and we’re confident that the regulation defining this will not extend beyond seven pages.“





                                         SPEED STRIPES ON VEHICLES
 
Asked about how the public was likely to respond to these changes, Inspector Red responded: “I’m sure that many petrol-head speed freaks will oppose the new laws, selfishly putting their perceived right to drive whatever cars they want ahead of public safety. But we’re confident that responsible drivers will support the initiative.”

A final comment from Inspector Red: “Most people will accept that the police can be trusted to use these new powers responsibly. We will be targeting the irresponsible hoons and taking them off the road. Ordinary, law abiding drivers have nothing to fear.”

The new laws are scheduled to come into effect on 1st April next year.
 
This story first appeared in 'Bullshooter' - the magazine of Pistol New Zealand.






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