Police, government, councils say a beach is an open road

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richgamer

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# 18851 26-Jan-2008 14:23

If you have been reading the papers and watching the news the police and government are saying a beach is an open road so it can have speed limits. If it wasnt an open road the speed limits could not be enforced.

If a beach is an open road then why are the police not arresting sunbathers and people having a picnic on the beach? State highway 1 is an open road and if you sat in the middle of the highway and had a picnic you would be arrested. So if the beach is an open road the people sitting on the beach should be arrested.

Someone has got it wrong. I think the police and councils have got it wrong by classifying the beach as an open road and put speed limits.

I guess we will only know when someone challenges their speeding ticket they get for speeding on the beach. I think they would have a good case by just saying if the beach is an open road why can people sit down and have a picnic on it.

rscole86

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# 106893 26-Jan-2008 14:35

I would disagree, I would say the government has got it wrong by not having a 'special' class of road.
Therefor the local councils and police have to classify it as an open road so that they can impose speed limits.

I do not know of anyone getting a speeding ticket, however I do know of people getting tickets for wreckless driving. The reason being excessive speed when there were people on the beach.

tonyhughes

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# 106900 26-Jan-2008 15:21

richgamer: Someone has got it wrong. I think the police and councils have got it wrong by classifying the beach as an open road and put speed limits.

I guess we will only know when someone challenges their speeding ticket they get for speeding on the beach. I think they would have a good case by just saying if the beach is an open road why can people sit down and have a picnic on it.

I think some people have lost their grip on reality.

Beaches have been legal roads for a LONG time. They are that way because so many of our beaches are accessways and recreation areas for vehicles, and there needs to be some ability to apply laws in intelligent situations.

To say people can challenge the laws because people have picnics on beaches is sheer lunacy.

I can't believe the conversation I have seen all over the place about this. People need to get a grip. The current laws are justified, and simply need appropriate enforcement.

Picnicing on a beach is NOT the same as picnicing in the middle of a road or on the Auckland Harbour Bridge in a traffic lane. Anyone who thinks it is, or that it should be a defence is quite simply suffering an id10-t error.

Fossie

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# 106906 26-Jan-2008 16:19

wreckless driving eh?
"You didn't make a wreck, you're under arrest.'

nate

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# 107053 27-Jan-2008 18:01

What I want to know is, what's the rules on having a fire on the beach?

Was overlooking Karioitahi last night, and a group had a fire going - a car headed over there (I assumed the cops/council) and the fire was put out quickly.

Anyone know if it's legal/illegal?

sbiddle

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# 107065 27-Jan-2008 19:47

nate: What I want to know is, what's the rules on having a fire on the beach?

Was overlooking Karioitahi last night, and a group had a fire going - a car headed over there (I assumed the cops/council) and the fire was put out quickly.

Anyone know if it's legal/illegal?

It depends on the current fire risk and whether a fire ban is imposed or not. In many parts of the New Zealand restricted fire seasons operate for 52 weeks of the year and permit is required for any open fire, that includes such things as bonfires and burning rubbish in your back yard.