Blokart inventor, Papamoa's Paul Beckett, suspects the policeman who pulled over Blokarters for speeding was just annoyed at being overtaken.
The Auckland team was training at the weekend along Muriwai Beach, Auckland, travelling at 64km/h when police pulled them over for speeding in a 30km/h zone.
Leon Muellers receives a reprimand from police for speeding in his Blokart. Photo by Russel Harray, the current world heavyweight champion.
'It was a bit of a faux pas. It's all a bit of fun and games,” says Paul.
'He was probably more offended for being overtaken.
'I think they only got a reprimand, rather than anything serious.”
Ross Vickers from the Auckland Blokart Club says the officer was a great sport.
'He was a lovely guy, he's actually going to give Blokarting a go now.”
Ross says the officer just asked the team to go further north along the beach.
'We have trained there for years and years, but I guess because it was a long weekend there were more issues with people around.”
Paul knows of only one other incident of police pulling over a Blokart driver for speeding.
'One guy was pulled over in Manawatu, but he was on the road.
'That was during the America's Cup. He only got a warning.”
The Auckland Blokart team was training for the Master Games to be held at the Ohakea Air Force Base this weekend.
Paul says there will be over 70 competitors from the around the country.
Winner at the world championships in Belgium last year, Paul, and Bay of Plenty teammate Theo Vondervoort, who placed second in the super heavy division, will be the duo to beat.
'Well I would like to think I am. I won the world champs in Belgium last year.
'Hopefully nobody is out to beat me.”
Paul trains at the Blokart Heaven in Papamoa where he has no speed restrictions and is safe from any police speed radar.
He first began designing Blokarts in 1999 and says over 10,000 Blokarts have now been sold around the world.
3 comments
Pathetic
Posted on 02-02-2011 12:58 | By SpeakUp
Again a good example for essential police scrutiny. What a masterful demonstration of sensible policing! Well done! I love when my tax dollars are spend in meaningful ways.
Beaches are roads
Posted on 02-02-2011 13:37 | By nightbeat
Do Paul Beckett and his merry bunch not realise that most of New Zealand's beaches are classified as roads, with the same laws and speed restrictions that apply other public thoroughfares? He should be grateful that the police don't check on wof, drivers licensing, and registration. I've been blitzed by speeding Blokarts on the Mount beach and feel that if Beckett and co want the freedom to invade public space they should respect the expectations of the law.
Re: Nightbeat
Posted on 02-02-2011 14:18 | By Blokart in NZ
Yes we realise that most beaches are classified as roads.... do you realise that we have wheels? do you realise that we have the right to use these spaces too? (confirmed by the officer who spoke to us on Monday) Do you realise that we have been liaising with the right authorities on this topic for years and have expressed permission to use Muriwai and other beaches even though we have the right to anyway? It is not a question of Invading the public space.... we are allowed to use these places just as much as anyone else. I am yet to hear of any pedestrian being hit by a blokart, nor any blokarter who doesnt respect the expectations of the law. I'd be greatful if they did check our WoF, Drivers license, and rego.... oh hang on we are un-motorised and thus dont require these. (again confirmed by the officer) I was one of those who got pulled up, and we were doing exactly what we had been requested to do by both the police and the council. The police officer simply requested that we move along the beach further as it was a public holiday. Do you normally walk in the middle of the road and wave your half baked ideas around? Are you an anti-cyclist as well? I would like to highlight that the officer was very professional, very polite and did a great job. I think this is some of the best policing I have seen lately. It was great to see the police on Muriwai ensuring everyone was safe and doing the right thing.
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