Ask Phoebe: Public playing parking wardens won't work

Infringements are issued by warranted enforcement officers based primarily on the warranted officer witnessing the offence.

It's not enough to take a snapshot of the offender and send it in

Q. I notice, from the TV show Truck Cam, that successful prosecutions have been taken using evidence from this source. Does it follow that parking infringement notices would be issued on receipt of a complaint accompanied with photographic evidence?
If so this could save the parking wardens an enormous amount of travel as parking on the footpath is endemic in the greater Auckland area. Bob Jensen, Auckland.

Good question, but the answer is no. Under New Zealand law, pictures sent in by the public aren't acceptable.

Infringements are issued by warranted enforcement officers based primarily on the warranted officer witnessing the offence.

For the primary evidence to change to that of footage, the camera unit must be:

• Housed in a tamper-proof case.

• Calibrated by NZ Police and audited.

• Footage date and time stamped within the unit taking the footage.

• Footage storage to be secure and authorised access only.

• Footage transfer must be by a secure/encrypted source if not a direct feed.

If council officers were to look at using evidence provided by members of public to prosecute, the member of public must be a witness in court and cross-examined by defence. All of that previously mentioned will come into question at that point. Bus lane footage still uses officers witnessing the offence as primary evidence.

Q. Now that we are all under Auckland City, who is responsible for street lighting? The smaller councils had people dedicated to checking lights. Seldom were street lights out for long.
For the past nine-plus months, I have travelled early morning over the motorway on Northcote Rd and noticed that only about one light in four is working. Over winter, with wet and dark mornings, this has created very dark areas of road. Surely this is a safety hazard not only for motorists, but also pedestrians. This area, however, is not an isolated case. Lesley Tucker, North Shore.

If street lights are not functioning or are flickering, you should ring Auckland Transport on (09) 355 3553. They are the people in charge of street lighting.

• It appears I may have been inaccurate in my assessment of the White Swan/Griffen Park/Kimber Hall intersection. Geoff Matthews drives through this road every working day, and says the distance between the end of Griffen Park Rd and Kimber Hall Rd is more than a metre or two, probably about 10m. If, after stopping at the Griffen Park Rd stop sign, he sees a car travelling up White Swan Rd, he gives way to it. But, if that same car has indicated it is turning right into Kimber Hall Rd, he drives out on to White Swan Rd and this turning car must give way to him because he is now on a main road and either travelling directly down the road or even turning left into Kimber Hall Rd. Thanks, Mr Matthews.