A schoolboy learned the road rules the hard way this week after being warned by police for hitting speeds of 75km/h - on his pushbike.
Debra Francis was shocked when 16-year-old son Duncan returned to their Palmerston North home and said he been stopped by an officer.
"He was quite
indignant. He'd been pulled over by a cop who asked if he realised he could give him a ticket."
Duncan was stopped on steep Summerhill Drive as he rode his Avanti Lightning three-speed mountain bike from a friend's home at about 3.30pm.
"He came off a side road about halfway up the hill, not even from the top," said Francis. "The cop said Duncan had been going 75km/h in a 70km/h zone. Duncan's response was, 'I don't think so, maybe I was going 50km/h', but the cop was quite adamant."
The officer let Duncan go with a warning, which Francis said was "bizarre".
"I'd like to know where he got the number 75 from? There was no mention of a radar.
"Duncan said he was at a give way sign and pulled out onto the hill in front of the cop. He thought he had plenty of time. Maybe the cop was peed off about that?
"We couldn't believe it. Duncan is your typical skinny 16-year-old. He doesn't have the muscle to be able to go at that speed. The guy at the local bike shop bikes up and down every day and said Duncan would have to be at the top of his game to do it."
In a bid to see how their son could have reached such a speed, Francis' husband Peter Harding took Duncan back to the scene of the alleged crime.
"He took him to the very top and said, let's see just how fast you can go. Duncan was going as hard as he could but couldn't get past 53km/h."
Francis thought the officer's perception of speed was "questionable" and was concerned how many people he might have ticketed for that offence.
"Most people wouldn't think you can get ticketed if you are on a bike. And most people on bikes know damn well that they can't compete with a motor vehicle. But apparently my 16-year-old son can.
"I'm expecting a call from the New Zealand Olympic team to induct Duncan into the cycling team any minute."
Palmerston North senior sergeant Brett Calkin defended the officer who spotted Duncan.
"I'm sure the officer's primary concern is the safety of the cyclist," he told the Manawatu Standard.
"When you get a 15-year-old coming down the hill like that, if he has a blowout, you are looking at serious injury or death."
A schoolboy learned the road rules the hard way this week after being warned by police for hitting speeds of 75km/h - on his pushbike.
Debra Francis was shocked when 16-year-old son Duncan returned to their Palmerston North home and said he been stopped by an officer.
"He was quite
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