Big Brother Gives Us a Speeding Ticket

We didn't find out we'd been the lucky recipients of a speeding ticket until it came time for us to return our rental car. The conversation between us and the friendly girl in the rental car agency went something like this:

"It looks like you got a speeding ticket."
"No we didn't."
(Reading from a computer screen) "It says here you did."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"Well, how much is it for?"
"It depends on how fast you were going."
"Okay. How would I know how fast I was going if I don't know where I got the ticket?"

As it turns out, the brand new Motorway up in the Auckland area (which, coincidentally, is where we also likely cost the New Zealand government several dollars in 1-800 call fees to pay a NZ$2 toll), has cameras that can photograph and, apparently, record the speed of your car. Kiwis that are caught speeding by this system get a ticket and a bill for a fine in the mail few days after the infraction.

Now we finally understand why everybody was driving so slowly on one of the only sections of New Zealand's highway system where you can actually go really fast. Obviously, these people live in fear of the secret traffic police!

You might think, from our reaction, that Laura and I have read 1984 just a few too many times. But it is worth noting that very few communities in the USA would tolerate this form of policing and the invasion of privacy that it would necessarily entail.

And when we found out about this ticket, I'll admit that I briefly thought to myself, "Hehe, too bad, suckers!! I'm on a plane in another hour and half. I'm outta here!"

But I want to be able to come back to New Zealand some day. And then we also realized that the rental agency, which would otherwise get stuck with the bill, has our credit card information. Oh well.

We still don't know how fast we were going, where our alleged infraction actually occurred, or what the fine will be. So I guess we'll just wait for Big Brother to tell us what we owe.

Anyway, here is our advice to you if you're planning a trip to New Zealand. Don't speed in Auckland or the surrounding area. They'll get you.