Justice Strikes

[SwissVan]

 

This whole story and the lack of justice for cyclists (Topic posted about the cyclist killed in Pretoria) coincides with a story I read in a local newspaper today - the story is basically the extreme opposite of what problems you are having in SA with regards to Justice.

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A chap in Zurich who uses his street bike to cycle to work was cycling home after a work "apero" (drinks at work) and was stopped by a policeman for not stopping at a pedestrian crossing (from what I understand there were no pedestrians at the time). The policemen were unhappy that he did not stop properly and after speaking to him made him take a breathalyzer test - he registered a positive test of 0.56 (the limit is 0.5 parts per 1000). The matter was referred to the justice system (A Judge) and a few months later he received a fine for CHF 548 Swiss Francs ( +/- R 3400.00) in the post for riding a bicycle in a drunken manner...

 

Apparently he only had 1 Caipirinha, which is about right as 0.5 is equal to +/- 1 beer or glass of wine.

Now although he did break the law and ride his bike while under the influence, 548 Francs seems very harsh for having only 1 drink.

A bit extreme I think?

 

Not sure how they came up with the fine of CHF 548 either?Why not round it off??

 

For those that can read German here is a copy of the article:-

 

?Polizei stoppt angetrunkenen Velofahrer ? 548 Fr Busse

Kein Pardon f?r anges?uselte Velofahrer: Weil ein Banker mit 0,56 Promille erwischt wurde, muss er mehrere hundert Franken bezahlen.

Nach einem Gesch?fts-ap?ro machte sich Ronny S. mit dem Velo auf den Heimweg. Vor einem Fussg?ngerstreifen beim Central forderte ihn ein Polizist zum Anhalten auf. ?Da keine Passanten auf dem Streifen waren, fuhr ich weiter?, schildert der 34-J?hrige die Situation. Ein Fehler, der ihn teuer zu stehen kommt. Denn pl?tzlich bremste ein Streifenwagen neben ihm.

Ronny S. stoppte. ?Ich entschuldigte mich h?flich und erkl?rte ihnen, dass mir nicht sofort klar gewesen sei, dass ich eine Vollbremsung h?tte machen m?ssen.? Doch mit den Ordnungsh?tern war nicht mehr gut Kirschen essen: ?Sie schimpften ?ber die schlimmen Velofahrer und forderten mich auf, ins R?hrchen zu blasen?, sagt Ronny S. Einen Caipirinha habe er getrunken. Das Alkoholmessger?t zeigte 0,56 Promille an.

Alles Betteln half nichts: Der Polizeirapport ging direkt ans Stadtrichteramt. Zwei Monate sp?ter flatterte Ronny S. eine Verf?gung ins Haus: 548 Franken Busse, unter anderem wegen ?Lenkens des Fahrrades Alpina in angetrunkenem Zustand?. Ronny S. ist ausser sich: ?Ein Skandal, das ist doch v?llig unverh?ltnism?ssig.?

Erich Maag, Sprecher der Stadtpolizei: ?Sobald Alkohol im Spiel ist, wird der Fall an den Richter weitergeleitet ? und das wird halt teuer.??

 

 

[Cois]

Wish they would do this in SA.  Saw a man this morning (when I was cycling to work) he was wasted.  Drunk in other words.  Now the question is if some id10t hits him with his BMW or whatever car, who is to blame?

[Bateleur1]

That is what I said before, the law applies to ALL.  Even drunk pedestrians are taken to book there.  That is the difference.

[widget]

Yes, in a society that respects the law this is quite common.

It reminds me of when I was on a trip in the USA, one day I was caught driving at 15 mph in the "PARKING LOT OF A BIG MALL" where the speed limit was 10 mph - (and yes the police enforce the mall speed limit by speed trapping devices in these areas) - obviously not wanting to pay a fine I told him I was a tourist and pleaded ignorance.

The policeman said very politely -

 

Please get out of the car and follow me.

 

So I did.

 

He then proceeded to walk me up and down, round and round the parking lot, telling me how dangerous my driving was, asking did I see this stop sign, did I see this speed limit sign ,did I see this caution sign etc - I said yes, yes ,sorry, sorry.!!

 

Anyway to cut a long story short, I recieved a 90 minute lecture on road rules and driving etiquette, and then he let me off with a stern warning.

 

Thats community policing in a law abiding society.!! 

 

[TheLegend]

well, why should he stop at a pedestrian crossing if no pedestrians there?

but if a cop stands there and tells him to do that he had to stop. the cop is the law! if ronny hadn't drunk anything he would have been fine.

in germany you may have a higher alcohol level when steering your bike then steering a car. and when u r very drunk, walk over red pedestrian lights you can loose your drivers license. funny, eh?

 

[AndreZA]

In the good old SA my sister was fined for jay walking in JHB CBD.

[TheLegend]

 

In the good old SA my sister was fined for jay walking in JHB CBD.

 

 

would never have thought that'd happen there....

 

[SwissVan]

well' date=' why should he stop at a pedestrian crossing if no pedestrians there?
but if a cop stands there and tells him to do that he had to stop. the cop is the law! if ronny hadn't drunk anything he would have been fine.
in germany you may have a higher alcohol level when steering your bike then steering a car. and when u r very drunk, walk over red pedestrian lights you can loose your drivers license. funny, eh?
[/quote']

 

 

Yep very funny - but that?s what it takes perhaps to be a law abiding country?

Was talking to another expat this morning about Ronny and his Swiss fine.. He told me of an incident he had at the local recycling depot a few years ago, a bit off the cycling theme but while we are talking about law enforcement?..

The recycling depot is very well organized and is designed to handle high volumes of traffic quickly and efficiently, for example the access road in front of the depot is a one way (for cars?), in other words you drive (or walk in ) from the North side, put you?re junk in the applicable recycling bins and proceed to exit on the South side.. Now this friend of mines apartment was very close to the Northern entrance, so he just walked there from his front door via the correct (North) side, once finished he being a lazy pom took the shortest route back home (back out the north side) instead of going out the south side and then going around the block back home. Whilst attempting this highly risky manoeuvre (walking, not driving) he was stopped by one of the depots staff who tried to explain to him that he cannot walk in that direction but must go out the other way. My mate explained and pointed to where his house was and then proceeded to go out the ?wrong way?.

Half n hour later there was a knock on the door and 2 gentlemen from the local ?Gemeinde? (Sort of Town council members) had to come to ensure that he understood the laws regarding one way traffic and to iterate that the local Gemeinde would in future appreciate his co-operation by following the rules as clearly sign posted.

 

[TheLegend]

Well, the Swiss apparently have a bigger stick up their ass then the germans! any official person, from the Gemeinde, police or whatever doing thing like this should see his job as superfluous. if u have time to do stuff like that they could sit a hamster on your desk. at least it wouldn't annoy the people!

[SwissVan]

Yep it does get painfull "LIVING WITH A STICK UP YOUR ARSE" he he

 

But it does have some positive benifets - that is that people are too scared to break the law because they know they will get bust, as a result far less problems when everyone behaves within the law.

 

"VE VANT TO HEAR ONLY 1 CLICK! JA!!"

[TheLegend]

 

Yep it does get painfull "LIVING WITH A STICK UP YOUR ARSE" he he

 

But it does have some positive benifets - that is that people are too scared to break the law because they know they will get bust' date=' as a result far less problems when everyone behaves within the law.

 

"VE VANT TO HEAR ONLY 1 CLICK! JA!!"

[/quote']

 

i agree with that but there's also situation where it's just too depresing what the enforcement of law does. experienced so many annyoing encounters with the law abiders in germany i could have exploded...

 

[SwissVan]

Well this is part of the problem and solution, everyone becomes a policeman...

 

Here we go with another strange but true story....

 

Brother in law went to see a business partner at home, when he got there no one was home, so as he had pre arranged the meeting he waited, while he waited outside in his car he had a small pair of binoculars in the cubby hole which he took out and used to have a look at his speedboat moored on the lake below (he says he was checking if the birds were still poo'ing on it). A few days later he gets a visit from the police wanting to know what he was looking at....

Turns out some bored and lonely housewife in the area was spying on him and thought he was acting suspicously, so she reported his car reg to the cops, and hence the visit a few days later.

Admitidly they did laugh about it with him once he explained ...

 

[SwissVan]

Ok thats enough Swiss Bashing - at least its nice and safe to cycle here and if you ever get lost there's always someone to help you on your way...

[TheLegend]

WEll, i think that is a good example for attentive neighbours.

 

thinks that bother me is i.e. 8 policeman standing at the begining of the bridge. on each side of the bridge goes a bicycle path. so they stop you if you ride in the wrong side of the bridge and fine u 15 ?.

ridiculous

or

no bicycle path, so u decided to roll on the wide pavement with your bike at 10 km/h. no pedestrian to be seen. police comes and fines you ? 5.

 

 

 

[TheLegend]

 

Ok thats enough Swiss Bashing - at least its nice and safe to cycle here and if you ever get lost there's always someone to help you on your way...