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August 10, 2005 2:47pm by David Farrar

The changing story

Dave at Big News has a wonderful post on the changing story of the motorcade. A must read.

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Comment6

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Labour

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tim barclay

The Judges findings on this will be very interesting indeed, but I suspect there will be nothing about the PM in his ruling.
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August 10, 2005 5:56pm
Russell Brown

I know I’m up against it here, especially in this forum, but the story hasn’t changed nearly as much as Dave suggests. The decision on whether to try for the 4.50 flight: Clark and her press secretary. The decision on whether it was possible in the local conditions: local police. That’s what the court has heard.

And I’ve been astonished that no media organisation has asked even the most basic question about officer (and thus defendant) Simon Vincent’s vivid “smiling and enjoying the ride” evidence. Constable Vincent made his detailed (and rather helpful to his own case) observations of the PM’s mood and work habits via the rear-view mirror of his police car, in front of the PM’s car, travelling at (by his own admission) 130-180kmh. Assuming someone’s paying some heed to the two-second rule, that’s a distance between the cars of, say, 100m. So he’s not just a policeman, he’s bloody superman.

In retrospect, should Clark have called off the dash? Obviously. But if witness accounts of conduct of the motorcade are accurate (and they conflict with evidence from the officers in some respects), then the police officers in charge were risking the lives not only of members of the public but also of the Prime Minister – pretty much the opposite of their job. And Clark doesn’t seem the sort to knowingly risk her own life.

I agree with Tim: the judge’s comments will be very interesting, but he won’t bag Clark.

Cheers,
RB
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August 11, 2005 6:15am
Gooner

RB said:

“Constable Vincent made his detailed (and rather helpful to his own case) observations of the PM’s mood and work habits via the rear-view mirror of his police car, in front of the PM’s car, travelling at (by his own admission) 130-180kmh. Assuming someone’s paying some heed to the two-second rule, that’s a distance between the cars of, say, 100m. So he’s not just a policeman, he’s bloody superman.”

You’re not up against it with me on this point Russell. It sounded absurd to me too. Judges aren’t silly. That ‘evidence’ has to be open to criticism.
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August 11, 2005 10:19am
David Farrar

The PMs convoy does not heed the two second rule generally. In fact they design it so no car can get between the PM’s car and the other cars. I’ve been in the police car and they stay very close to the main car. Mind you at 170 km/hr I doubt many other cars are in danger of keeping up 🙂

I’ve never held the view that Clark has ultimate responsibility. I just object to the fact that she has not once lifted a finger to support the drivers who were working for her. And that she keeps claiming she had no idea about the speed which is patently impossible.

WHat should have happened is the Officers were reprimanded (not charged), the guidelines changed for future, and all involved apologise. Then end of story.
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August 11, 2005 10:39am
anon

Russell, One of the allegations made was that the vehicles were following too close, ie less than the 2-second rule…

A highway patrol officer passed by the motorcade testified that “The speed was such that it didn’t worry me… my only concern was they were probably travelling too close for the speed of the vehicles.”

He estimated there was no more than five metres between them.

from the timaru Herald
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/timaruherald/0,2106,3373795a6010,00.html

But I think the media are only running this trial as “news” for a giggle. Does anyone really care anymore

About the only good thing to come out of the case, is that DPS and the police now actually have some rules and procedures for this type of event, It seems it had all been very ad-hoc before.
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August 11, 2005 10:44am
Craig Ranapia

Well, what really pisses me off is the idea that “New Zealand’s first citizen” is above the law because s/he can’t possibly be late for an appointment. Just try running that defence when you put your foot to the floor because you don’t want to be late to work and watch the sympathy flow. It would get zero sympathy from a cop on traffic duty, and even less from a court.

Apropos of nothing, perhaps anyone who wants to treat the speed issue as irrelevant might like to disclose how many funerals they’ve been to for the victims of speed related car accidents.

Never mind. When a Ministerial driver kills someone, perhaps we’ll all give a shit then.
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August 11, 2005 11:11am

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