Metro taking advantage?

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Bobbin

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At the corner of The Straight and Sunset Ave in Fourways the cops were pulling over drivers who failed to stop at the stop street this morning.

I was turning left into The Straight when I got pulled over. I thought it was just a routine check but when the cop had my license in his hands he asked if I realised it was a stop and that I failed to do so. I honestly couldn't remember as I was driving casually but my girlfriend/passenger claims I did stop just not very long.

Now where these guys were they can hardly see around the corner where I was coming from. Secondly one side of this stop leads to a dead end, the other into a rarely used shop entrance. It is a very very low risk area so even if I didn't stop I hardly think they are justified to fine anybody there.

So I questioned the cop and got the contact of someone at the station to raise this issue as it pisses me off somewhat. I wasn't unfriendly as I assumed the cop was just doing his job. He gave me a reduced fine of R250. But what I'm really wondering is that this is just exploitation to get money and not by any means to uphold law or worry about safety.

I'm going to phone the station tomorrow but I'm not sure of procedure. Any advice? I'm firstly going to question who authorises it to find out the logic behind stopping at this location and secondly if the fine can be challenged.
 
Justice Project South Africa is a non-profit company, duly registered in terms of the Companies Act, 2008 and is primarily involved in the prevention and addressing of corruption and power abuse in law enforcement as well as in the education of the public in a wide range road safety issues. We receive no funding whatsoever from government or private industry for our road safety initiatives and all funding that we generate ourselves is used to further our aims and objectives.
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https://www.jp-sa.org/default.asp

Or you can talk to these guys .....
 
They've been doing so for years in Bedfordview at the Life hospital across from Bedford Centre. The stop street in question would make more sense as a yield (which is how most people tend to use it). The drivers' view of the pigs is blocked by a wall. They're then pulled over, and fined. The fact that they pretty much hide everywhere is just down to fleecing. They're trying to squeeze as much money out of people as possible. If their aim is prevention, etc, they need to be clearly visible at all times. And that goes for cameras, too, the mere sight of which deters speeders.
 
I'm actually very glad to hear they are doing something about something that matters, like pulling people over for not stopping, as opposed to their bull**** speed camera scheme which means nothing.
 
SauRoNZA said:
I'm actually very glad to hear they are doing something about something that matters, like pulling people over for not stopping, as opposed to their bull**** speed camera scheme which means nothing.
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It is very unnecessary what they are doing I'm afraid. Both ethically and reasonably.

If we are to argue semantics about "breaking a law" that I wasn't even aware I had done, and even may not have, then I really don't know what this is coming to. I am definitely going to take this up - not that I expect to get anywhere but it is principle.

That the officer gave me a discount when I started challenging it is so that I might just pay up and not do anything about it, surely. It is exploitation and also misuse of resources.

There are a million more dangerous stop streets they can camp at. There is no prevention here and no unsafe behavior. It is a busy 4-way for only the 2 lanes unaffected by each other both turning and I always instinctively stop to ensure there isn't that one car who is going straight. That maybe I didn't stop long enough for this cop to observe I believe is not good enough!
 
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satanboy said:
STOP means STOP.
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I understand what a stop is, I passed both learners and license first time legitimately which is more than many in SA can say. :) But I hold that even if I were doing 2kph before observing and pulling off, the person who challenges that extent or takes it to that extreme should be smacked squarely in the face. There is a courtesy to be had not only for oneself but also people behind not to be dawdling at a stop.
 
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Bobbin said:
I understand what a stop is, I passed both learners and license first time legitimately which is more than many in SA can say. :) But I hold that even if I were doing 2kph before observing and pulling off, the person who challenges that extent or takes it to that extreme should be smacked squarely in the face.
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oooh... apply ice to burn wound.
 
If there was a four way stop on a perfectly flat stretch of land with perfect visibility and no other cars, would you stop?

I guess there are more pressing police matters to attend to in this country, but technically, if you did, you did break the law.
 
Mystic Twilight said:
If there was a four way stop on a perfectly flat stretch of land with perfect visibility and no other cars, would you stop?

I guess there are more pressing police matters to attend to in this country, but technically, if you did, you did break the law.
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That is the problem is you technically cannot challenge it which is where the exploitation I believe comes in.
 
AntiGanda said:
Was the cop alone?

Just wondering how on earth he would prove it.
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He had one other partner who had another car stopped. It appeared as though they were let go without paperwork after they were jumping around arguing - though I can't be 100% sure. And just about everybody going passed while I was pulled over apparently drove in the same manner as me. My girlfriend kept saying "look! Why don't they pull them over?" etc... I was honestly so pissed off I was shaking heavily, hence my forgetfulness, but held my cool with the cop.
 
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Bobbin said:
But I hold that even if I were doing 2kph before observing and pulling off, the person who challenges that extent or takes it to that extreme should be smacked squarely in the face. There is a courtesy to be had not only for oneself but also people behind not to be dawdling at a stop.
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It is even more courteous not to cause somebody serious injuries because you failed to stop at a stop street. If it was meant to be a yield sign it would have been one.
 
Bobbin said:
That is the problem is you technically cannot challenge it which is where the exploitation I believe comes in.
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Not to start a philosophical debate, law and justice are not necessarily the same otherwise there would be a lot of prosecutions for e-tolls. Just be aware of the context in which you will be arguing about the fine.
 
Crowley said:
It is even more courteous not to cause somebody serious injuries because you failed to stop at a stop street. If it was meant to be a yield sign it would have been one.
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So you're saying I should just shut up and pay and allow what I perceive to have been exploitation to carry on unabated? Well if that is the common opinion... I am open to being wrong.
 
so OP fails to come to a complete stop (really weird that the OP can't remember if he did or didn't), and Metro are taking advantage of law breaking citizens?
 
crackersa said:
so OP fails to come to a complete stop (really weird that the OP can't remember if he did or didn't), and Metro are taking advantage of law breaking citizens?
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I am the OP. Talk to me please :) Have any questions, feel free to ask k?

Now about the forgetfulness, not weird in the least. I don't have a photographic memory of the manner in which I stopped and was totally surprised by the reason for the fine. Apparently I did stop according to my girlfriend. From now on I'm going to do the handbrake 5 point check that's for sure. No matter who hoots at me :) Maybe get a dashcam to prove it in future.
 
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