Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

Just got back from hols and have received a speeding fine through the post from New Zealand Police

Fined for allegedly doing 130kms in a 100km zone by a speed camera

They must have got my details from the rental car company

Does anyone know what powers they have to recover the fine which is obviously in NZ dollars (and its not small)

Clearly if they got my details they would be able to get my credit card details as well...... wonder if they allowed to get those? if I dont pay up and just ignore

They dont really have any jurisdiction on me as I'm in the UK - but are they likley to just ask the lease company (Avis) for my credit card details if I just ignore it

Any comments
Rgds

ps - The offence was on the 1st day there and we toned down our speed once we realised how seriously the NZ's took their speeding offences!

ozzy

I doubt just ignoring it would be advisable. Depends what there course of action is for non-payment of these offences.

You don't want a criminal record out of it as that will affect your future travels.

Stefan

fatherpierre

They can't take anything from your CC without your authorisation and the car hire company are not allowed to disclose your card information.

I'd ignore it as they will just write it off if they don't hear from you.

Geddon

Got done in Switzerland a couple of years back while on buisness in hire car without knowing until I got a letter by the same means as yourself.
Just ignore it- they have no juristiction here and they can't charge your credit card without your authorisation.
Only pay up if you are planning on going back soon is my advice

ozzy

Hope your not planning a trip to NZ or Oz in the near future. Hate to see you arrested on arrival

fatherpierre

Australia's fine.

chiark

If you ever want to go back, just pay it. Also bear in mind that police authorities do share information; I don't know if this crime would get on a register, but if it were me I'd always have a nagging doubt in the back of my mind.

I'd probably pay it, feel a fool for doing so, but conversely not worry about it prejudicing travel plans in the future

pugoetru

they are just chancing their luck

just ignore it unless you are planning to go back

r32

Write back asking for a copy of any evidence, say you dont know who was driving at the time, keep the letters up for a while I'm sure that the time it takes to go back and forth they wont think its worth it............

chiark

Right, just had a word with a New Zealand colleague.

Basically, if you never go back to NZ, you're in the clear. However, if you go back then there is a very very good chance that you will be stopped at the point of entry to the country and an interesting discussion about outstanding fines, interest, handling fees and other penalties would be had.

Just out of interest, what sort of money are we talking about here? A few hundred dollars, or ... ?

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

Ok so its not a huge amount of money - $430 NZ dollars.. so thats about £175 ish

Having been there I dont think we'd go back....... place is just too boring, food is rubbish, wine is excellent and the views in the South Island are similar to North West Scotland..... overall very disappointed with the place after all the hipe its had over the last 10-20 yrs! - North Island is better.... much more to do (course opinions vary)

Didnt think they'd be sophisticated enough to link the fine in with the Passport at point of entry - i.e. in the UK I doubt they'd be that good so I doubt it for NZ - course I dont know though...........

In any case its been sent to the wife (who was the girlfriend) who has now changed her name - so that'll stump them?..........

I have also asked a NZ colleague recently about this and they said the same about not being able to charge the credit card - which is all I was particularly concerned about

Its funny really - if you get caught in the UK one of the things you can say is that it was Pedro in portugal and the Police in the Uk have no jurisdication, etc on that person - will see just how this works in Practice

I'm not paying as the alleged speed is far too much of a round number - it wasnt a rear facing camera as we saw no flashes and I usually notice the Truvelo ones (which is what they predominantly use there)

I am told that if I'd have been stopped for the offence I'd have probably been hit with a bigger fine and had to pay it on the spot - just glad we didnt

Will just have to wait and see - 28 days to reply and then they'll take legal proceedings to cover the money owed. Like to see how!

fatherpierre

Don't waste your cash.

If it'll ease your guilt any why not send me half the amount they are demanding and I'll pretend to be the NZ authorities?

No? Ok

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

I dont feel guilty for going over the speed limit by less than 20mph in a derestricted zone - i.e. no life forms in the nearby vicinity - i.e. most of the South Island - well definately the west side of the South Island!!

fatherpierre

I'm surprised we've not the holier than thou brigade on to tell you to pay the fine because you have sinned

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

Oh no.......... not the muppet posts....................

[Edited by Fangoria - 1/13/2004 2:04:01 PM]

chiark

They have no juristiction outside of their country, and aren't about to get you extradited for 175 quid!

The only worry I can see you having is if you ever set foot on New Zealand soil again.

Cheers,
Nick
(PS - don't visit any new zealand consulates as I believe these are classed as new zealand soil )

Butkus

Did they send you the fine by recorded mail? If not, then surely you could just deny having ever received it?

brickboy

Agree with Butkus -- the best excuse of all.

Teacher: "Where's your homework?"
Pupil: "What homework?" (best said with wide, innocent eyes )

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

No not recorded mail

but do the police in the UK send an NIP by recorded delivery - dont think they do and they say that not receiving is generally not an excuse - as they would!!!

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Don't bother paying it, I got a speeding fine through the post from Belgium 8 months after the offence which I knew I had commited but there ya go. I have no intention of paying this, I wil just have to avoid Belgium from now on

As for linking the name to a passport they can and will but if she has changed her name then there is no problem is there.

A mate here had a speeding fine whilst in germany he left without paying it, 8 years later when he flew into Munich he was arrested, held overnight and marched to the bank inorder to pay the fine.

[Edited by Wurzel - 1/13/2004 3:35:33 PM]

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

chiark

My NZ colleague knows of the same happening to a NZ citizen who spent 4 years in Singapore and returned to find himself arrested...

I wouldn't trust that they won't know about a change of name, but I wouldn't want to speculate on how they could know.

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I think for £170 I would pay it. If you are guilty why try and avoid it?

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

Cos its £170 better off in my pocket.....

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I understand that but maybe I would worry too much

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I do worry about those sort of things to an extent - but I am more annoyed about paying money over if I can get away with not paying

I also need to see if I kept the rental agreement - which could state that I have given authority to pay for fines and all other costs, etc which is pretty much what they put on UK contracts with the likes of Avis/National car rental

Anyway I like to be difficult and if I can get one up on the law I will - its not everyday that you can do this ......... and I dont feel in any way guilty about it - as I dont see it as a 'real' offence..... although I dont want to get into the semantics of offences......

pwebb

Steve - highly unlikely you will ever hear from them again but if you are worried,

assuming cash payment is accepted...
go to bank/bureau de change and buy the requisite amount of nz currency - make sure you get a receipt of the transaction

go to another bank and change it back into sterling (you lose on commission/exchange rate I know)
keep the receipt somewhere safe - if you ever hear about it again, mail them the receipt and say you sent the payment in full 'x' months ago and here is the proof- they will assume it has been lost/stolen.
if payment methods are restricted to other methods I would just return any/all correspondence from them (should be easy enough to spot it arriving without opening) to the sender marked 'unknown at this address' (you can almost do this legitimately in view of the fact that wifey's name has changed) - most likely they will give up - they are hardly likely to track you via interpol for 170 squid !

chap at work had wedding/honeymoon in nz recently too - he liked it but wouldn't go back either - ho hum

Paul

imlach

Wurzel wrote :
Do you think they'd do the same with fare evasion on the S-Bahn from Stuttgart to Boeblingen? Rumour had it that if you were caught with no ticket on the S-Bahn by the plain clothes inspectors, they could march you off to the cells for the night?

Liked your post in another thread about queues in Germany. I remember waiting in a queue (or what most UK people would see as a queue) at one of the Nordsee outlets in Stuttgart. Waiting patiently in-line, I was surprised to see this couple just skip the queue completely and order their food direct from the counter, totally oblivious to the people in the queue. No-one said anything, and given my German is not fab, I decided that a Jock trying to advise Germans on queue etiquette was not best form. Hence, I decided to use my 6'3" frame to enforce some order into things

rav4640

i got done in sweden in july, motor bike cop said they had an agreement with uk and could come after me for it + an extra £50 for doing so, but did not know if uk side would add there bit for helping them, i go to sweden a lot did,nt want the agro so i paid it in a post office over there, £120 for 7 ks over the limit, so i was told, sweeds loose there licience for a bit if caught 15ks over the limit