Does the 4km/ph speed tolerance in a school zone apply outside school hours?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Does the 4km/ph speed tolerance in a school zone apply outside school hours?

littleheaven

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#195417 19-Apr-2016 17:51

As the subject line says, I am curious whether the lower 4km/ph speed tolerance applies 24/7 outside schools.

I just drove past speed camera van in a school zone. Glanced at my speedo, and I was hovering around 55 - had my foot down a bit going up a steep hill and didn't ease off in time to keep it to 50, so t's my own silly fault if I do get a ticket. However, it's the school holidays, so I'm not sure if it's enforced or reverts to the standard 9km/ph tolerance. Does anyone know?

I found a document at FYI.org which states, rather ambiguously:

Speed limits are enforced on a risk targeted basis, between 0730 and 1800 hours on any school day or any other time there is a school activity or event. This may include sports activities and drama nights.

As part of the ‘Speed Kills Kids’ programme, any driver who is detected within a school zone, at a speed of more than 4 km/h above the speed limit, must be issued with an offence notice.

The highlighting has been added by me. So which is it - enforced only 7:30-18:00 on school days, or permanently? Does anyone know? I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks, either way.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

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#1535881 19-Apr-2016 17:53

Considered the chance your speedo is reading a little fast and your fine?

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Jase2985

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#1535884 19-Apr-2016 18:01

55 is likely to be 52-53kph in actual speed if your car is standard with no modifications

littleheaven

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#1535889 19-Apr-2016 18:04

hio77:

Considered the chance your speedo is reading a little fast and your fine?

My speedo reads approx 4-5km fast (according to my GPS and those flashing signs that measure your speed when you drive past them) and when I checked it, it was sitting just under 60 so I was likely around 55 in real speed, sadly. That's normally the speed I sit at in order to keep people from tailgating me everywhere I go.

No biggie if I get a ticket - it's only $30, but I'd like to know if I would be able to challenge it based on school hours.

Edited to add: Oh, look! I made it to Uber Geek :o)

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hio77

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#1535894 19-Apr-2016 18:11

littleheaven:

hio77:

Considered the chance your speedo is reading a little fast and your fine?

My speedo reads approx 4-5km fast (according to my GPS and those flashing signs that measure your speed when you drive past them) and when I checked it, it was sitting just under 60 so I was likely around 55 in real speed, sadly. That's normally the speed I sit at in order to keep people from tailgating me everywhere I go.

No biggie if I get a ticket - it's only $30, but I'd like to know if I would be able to challenge it based on school hours.

Oh, i assumed you were talking speedo speed in your first post.

aside from obviously low signal areas, i trust gps rates a ton more than speedo. I have never been more than 1KM out by gps compared to the signs speedo on the otherhand....

gps also was very accurate to my only speeding ticket.. thankfully ops...

I too have been in the situation of going past a van sitting at a school out of hours, for me it was on a weekend! I freaked out going past it (i was returning home from a all night LAN event, going down a hill not really worrying about breaking down to exactly 50..) Never did have a ticket turn up for that.

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Jase2985

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#1535899 19-Apr-2016 18:16

given you will still speeding even if you were going 55 what are you going to challenge it on the basis of?

littleheaven

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#1535902 19-Apr-2016 18:21

hio77:

Oh, i assumed you were talking speedo speed in your first post

aside from obviously low signal areas, i trust gps rates a ton more than speedo. I have never been more than 1KM out by gps compared to the signs speedo on the otherhand....

gps also was very accurate to my only speeding ticket.. thankfully ops...

I too have been in the situation of going past a van sitting at a school out of hours, for me it was on a weekend! I freaked out going past it (i was returning home from a all night LAN event, going down a hill not really worrying about breaking down to exactly 50..) Never did have a ticket turn up for that.

Yes, sorry, I should have explained how I estimated my speed from the outset, but it seemed a bit long-winded :o)

I have to wonder why they'd park in a school zone outside hours, if there was no lower tolerance, so the fact he was there doesn't bode well. The van was literally right under the School Zone sign, with the camera pointing into the zone. It's a steep, windy road, so he was well-obscured for people accelerating up the hill and around the corner. The other saving grace could be the speed of the other drivers. I believe they only ticket the top 85% - is that correct? So I'm hoping some of the boy racers that hoon around the bottom of the college and up the hill to the mall have consigned me to the bottom 15%.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

littleheaven

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#1535905 19-Apr-2016 18:29

Jase2985:

given you will still speeding even if you were going 55 what are you going to challenge it on the basis of?

I could try to challenge it for being inside the normal 9km tolerance - though it might not be worth the effort for $30. The police website states:

If you are caught by a police officer or speed camera driving more than 10km/h over the limit, you can expect to be issued with an infringement notice.

Which infers that I can expect not to get an infringement notice within that tolerance. But as you rightly point out, I was speeding, so in all likelihood I will just pay the fine.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

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Jase2985

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#1535912 19-Apr-2016 18:39

Speed limits are enforced on a risk targeted basis, between 0730 and 1800 hours on any school day or any other time there is a school activity or event. This may include sports activities and drama nights.

As part of the ‘Speed Kills Kids’ programme, any driver who is detected within a school zone, at a speed of more than 4 km/h above the speed limit, must be issued with an offence notice.

floydbloke

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#1535913 19-Apr-2016 18:40

hio77:

Considered ... .... your fine?

I see what you did there.

Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?

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#1535914 19-Apr-2016 18:41

floydbloke:

hio77:

Considered ... .... your fine?

I see what you did there.

Ha. unintentional! i was tired from work!

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scuwp

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#1535946 19-Apr-2016 19:14

Oh great. This must be GZ speed limit discussion number ?????? ...I lost count.

If you are worried about getting a ticket, drive to the speed limit, the tolerance should be irrelevant. If you made a small mistake, own it, and get on with life. You can't challenge a ticket for being 'within tolerance'. The offence has been committed.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

vexxxboy

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#1535953 19-Apr-2016 19:34

i got a ticket going 53 past a school on Saturday 4.00pm, so yes you will get a ticket.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

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#1535954 19-Apr-2016 19:35

You're fine. Chances are your speedo reads about 5-6 clicks higher. Unless your view of the needle's clouded by parallax error against you, there ain't gonna be your fine.

Jase2985

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#1535956 19-Apr-2016 19:37

joker97:

You're fine. Chances are your speedo reads about 5-6 clicks higher. Unless your view of the needle's clouded by parallax error against you, there ain't gonna be your fine.

you didnt read all the posts did you

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#1535958 19-Apr-2016 19:39

Jase2985:

joker97:

You're fine. Chances are your speedo reads about 5-6 clicks higher. Unless your view of the needle's clouded by parallax error against you, there ain't gonna be your fine.

you didnt read all the posts did you

No why

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