Police Wrap - 17 July

Most service stations do after about 10.00pm now don’t they?

I think most that did have now stopped. I reckon the servo’s lost more in sales than they would from drive off’s because people don’t really like prepaying.

thecman said :

The most effective way to prevent drive off’s would be to institute a system of pre-payment for fuel – indeed this would virtually stop the problem immediately.

Most service stations do after about 10.00pm now don’t they?

“Why they do not use this technology at service stations is beyond me – they could scan every car entering and know who has stolen plates 0 i.e an indicator that they intend doing a runner.”

A small number of service stations do have this technology installed. Not sure if it would be a reasonable use of Police resources to have a RAPID equipped Police vehicle stationed at each of the 60 odd service stations in the ACT whenever they are open to prevent people stealing petrol. Also, it is important to remember that only a portion of petrol drive off’s involve stolen vehicles or number plates. Unfortunately the technology cannot yet read the driver’s mind to ascertain what they may intend to do when putting petrol in their car. The most effective way to prevent drive off’s would be to institute a system of pre-payment for fuel – indeed this would virtually stop the problem immediately.

Danman said :

Cranky – I understand that 3rd party insurance lapses 14 days after the registration does.

Yea, I think its just a deal that the private insurance companies have with the government, just to cover those people who pay on the last day of their rego, but it takes a week for the paperwork to get over to the insurance company.

At least that’s what I have been told. Its probably wrong!!

Interesting though Spidey that in NSW it all expires together.

Commercial registrations are the same – 14 days then 3rd party expire.

NSW expire on the day registration does.

cranky said :

Another question.

I would assume all registered vehicles would also have valid third party insurance – its part of the fee. Why is there a diference between the number of unregistered vehicles and those lacking third party insurance?

Commercial registrations?

Or NSW drivers?

Correct Danman.

Cranky – I understand that 3rd party insurance lapses 14 days after the registration does.
Happy to be corrected.

Hope that answers your question

Another question.

I would assume all registered vehicles would also have valid third party insurance – its part of the fee. Why is there a diference between the number of unregistered vehicles and those lacking third party insurance?

Linky

RBT’s are done at all times of the day/night. It’s quite surprising how many people are caught in the morning and around lunchtime. Most RBT’s are still conducted in the evening though I can assure you. You are less likely to see them given most people are at home or in bed.

And yes all Police cars have breathalysers in them and anyone driving suspiciously gets pulled over and tested accordingly.

RAPID uses technology called ANPRS – Automatic Numberplate Recognition System – it scans your numberplate and runs it through a database pronto and indicates the status of the car – registered/unregistered/stolen etc. Cant quote how lon git takes to process a plate – a second – a milli second ? but that’s why they have cops down the road – you will often see them on a stretch of road where there is nowhere to turn off – i.e. Lady Denman Drive – travelling west between peninsula and the triathlon car park (Where they pull you over)

Why they do not use this technology at service stations is beyond me – they could scan every car entering and know who has stolen plates 0 i.e an indicator that they intend doing a runner.

Yes, very witty Maelinar, well done.

People who Rearrange Acronyms Thematically.

It’s worth mentioning that every general duties police car carries breath testing equipment, so there are a lot of people who get caught DUI from routine traffic stops, particularly at night.

One drunk driver can kill, maim or injure one or multiple people who have family and friends that can be impacted by the event. Getting one idiot off the roads can be a good thing for many people. The mid week checking isn’t a waste of time, I wish they had tested my friend before he wiped himself out and injured a passenger years ago.

I’ve been tested in Manuka on Friday and Saturday nights so they are around at “peak” times . You can be well over limit the following day if its been a ‘big one’ the prior evening.

Yeah, and I think that RBTs to catch those people drunk at 9am with the kids in the car are great, but I also think that down the road from all the clubs in Canberra at 630pm on a Thursday or Friday would make a lot of people less casual about that extra beer.

They do it to catch those that are still loaded from the night before. Back when I had some involvement with police (for work, not as a wrongdoer) cops often said they caught heaps of people drivng to work after a night out still well over the limit.

You would be surprised as to who drinks and drives and at what days and times ???

Yeah.. those midweek, morning RBTs always confuse the heck out of me!

I sincerely believe that police deliberately plan to conduct their breath tests mid morning to avoid catching anyone

I also believe this, and think that it is because the ACT’s deal with the AFP calls for a certain number of RBTs per year, and since it takes a hell of a lot longer to process a DUI (take them in, re-test them, book them, etc) then to process a sober person (let them drive away), that it is in the AFP’s interest as a business to not catch them.

While I don’t think setting a number of drunks they need to detect is a good idea, I do think that every drunk they find should be worth 1000 sober drivers tested.

They had RAPID set up on a unmarked Commodore on Gungahlin Drive heading north next to Calvary Hospital a little while ago – the police were at the bottom of the hill with about 15 cars abandoned there…

Also seen in on William Slim, Gundaroo Drive, Sulwood Drive and Kuringa Drive.

I think i saw the RAPID system in use once on Springvale drive early one morning when the Police were interrupting the Public Service Grand Prix. There was a cop sitting in an unmarked car with a small camera like device aimed at the licence plate area of the cars that went by whilst the rest stayed down the hill waiting for word from him to tell who to pull over. Pretty sneaky.

“Inactive” licences are generally ones that have expired and not renewed by the motorist. They can also be the ones that have had their licence suspended/disqualified and the susp/disq period has expired, but the motorist has not gone and re-activated thier licence. (depending on the type of suspension or disqualification)

“Unlicenced” is for persons that have NEVER obtained a drivers licence, but can also mean expired licences also.

I have seen it in use. They had it set up next to a vehicle on a little tripod, pointed at the oncoming traffic (I think, although the back would be just as easy). They had it on Barry Drive, where by the time you saw it, there were no more opportunities to turn away, and then around the corner there was a pretty regular RBT set up, and I assume that if the RAPID system identified your car, you would be waved over for a “random breath test” and a chat about your rego.

I sincerely believe that police deliberately plan to conduct their breath tests mid morning to avoid catching anyone.

They should saturate the areas surrounding Manuka and Kingston on Friday and Saturday nights – I used to deliver pizza around there and it was not uncommon to see people drifting all over the roads, bouncing off the gutters or crawling along the kerb with lights off.

Wouldn’t you feel ripped off to be pinged for car theft while trying to steal a Hyundai Excel !! I bet these guys wished that they got done trying to steal an SS Commodore or some hotted up Beamer. Who steals and Excel ? Most people that do end up giving the bloody thing back !

Does anyone know anymore info on this RAPID system? How do they use it? Is it in police cars? or vans? How do we know if we have been RAPIDised?

You don’t catch that many drink drivers during the morning peak hour and other times during the day when I’ve seen RAPID in use.

Given that when RBT-ed previously (see coverage here and here, Canberra has routinely been one of the highest cities in the nation, I’d be wondering if the breathalysers weren’t faulty, or if drunk drivers have started playing smarter.

RAPID is a great system for getting the unregistered (and thus uninsured) cars off the roads. 4000 checks, for 45 unregistered cars – about 1% of all cars unregistered? Its a bit of a worry.

Those caught driving on multiple occasitions without a licence should get periodic detention. Just another fine or extension on loss of licence is not a deterrent to many of these people… I know of guys who have gone DUI 6, 7, 8 times, Maybe a few weeks in the lock up would change their opinion. Its my kid they could run over drunk…

31 persons found with licence issues (either suspended, inactive or unlicensed);

Exactly what is an inactive license?