4 June 2010

Police Wrap - 4 June 2010

| johnboy
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1. RAPID Results:

Eight unregistered cars, two unlicensed drivers and three suspended drivers were among those detected by ACT Policing’s RAPID automated number plate recognition system during a two-hour operation in Belconnen this morning.

ACTP Traffic Operations conducted the RAPID (Recognition and Analysis of Plates IDentified) operation in cooperation with the ACT Roads and Traffic Authority from around 6.45am today.

The RTA identified 6 defective vehicles, two of which had tyres in such poor and unroadworthy condition that the vehicles were required to be towed away.

Traffic Operations issued 24 Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs) in total during the operation and issued two summons notices; one for driving whilst disqualified and another for driving whilst suspended. One driver was detected speeding at 128km/h in an 80km/h zone. Four drivers were issued with TINs for failing to pay their compulsory third party insurance.

Two motorcyclists were issued with TINs for riding in the dedicated cycle lane on the Gungahlin Drive.

The head of the ACTP RAPID team, Sergeant Andrew Warry, said that a complacent attitude clearly had developed among regular peak hour drivers that they and their vehicles may not be subjected to the same police scrutiny as those driving at other times.

“While we acknowledge that some drivers travelling into Canberra this morning on the Gungahlin Drive may have experienced some delays, this was a minor inconvenience compared to the significant hazard posed to them by others around them who drive without a licence or without CTP insurance, or drive a car on completely bald tyres,” Sgt Warry said.

“Canberra motorists need to know that enforcement activities may be conducted by police on our major arterial roads at any time of the night and day, and the RAPID team will soon be expanding its presence significantly across the ACT. If you break the law on our roads, you will be caught.”

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craig said :

It never ceases to amaze me how they still ask people to produce their (drivers) licenses after they (the A.C.T. Police and the A.C.T.Magistrates Court) have allowed an unlicensed and intoxicated car thief who caused a high speed accident, to get off SCOTT FREE . This case set a new precedent – drivers licenses are now obsolete due to the court case of ( 87/18687 Regent vs Zangl ) which was held in the A.C.T Magistrates Court.
This shows that the police can change the rules whenever they want, and have them accepted in the courts without question.

What have you been smoking? I’ve read your post about 5 times and still don’t know what you’re on about.

To those complaining about being made to take 40 minutes instead of 20-30 to get from Mitchell to Belconnen Way on the GDE – suck it up. No different to when it rains and the number of cars on the roads goes up.

My favorite moment – watching them walk out onto the road and pull over the P-plate schmuck in the hotted up car, who minutes prior drove up the left hand lane to poke his nose in in front of me at the form one lane point at the Barton Highway overpass (despite the obvious line up that was right back to the Mitchell lights). Schadenfreude at it’s best.

It never ceases to amaze me how they still ask people to produce their (drivers) licenses after they (the A.C.T. Police and the A.C.T.Magistrates Court) have allowed an unlicensed and intoxicated car thief who caused a high speed accident, to get off SCOTT FREE . This case set a new precedent – drivers licenses are now obsolete due to the court case of ( 87/18687 Regent vs Zangl ) which was held in the A.C.T Magistrates Court.
This shows that the police can change the rules whenever they want, and have them accepted in the courts without question.

Quite right MWF.

Dougal said :

Grumpyoldman said :

I think the economic and social disruption, kids missing school connections, people missing Drs appointments, job interviews planes and trains outweighs the small return by way of infringements detected. There must be better ways of detecting these offenders without the disruption these blanket raids cost.

Do you propose posting a police officer at every home in Canberra that houses an unregistered vehicle or an unlicensed driver, just in case they decide to drive?

It’s a bit hard to catch an unlicensed driver/unregistered vehicle unless they are actually ON THE ROAD.

How many times a year do you actually get delayed by a ‘blanket raid’ on a Canberra street? How about just sucking it up, or arranging to get to the airport with time to spare in case of an unforeseen delay? Heaven forbid some poor schmuck might be involved in a car accident and disrupt your schedule.

And if that accident were caused by an unlicensed driver we would hear you cry “Where were the police? Why aren’t they out there stopping these people?!”

Exactly. These offenders need to know that they will be caught during peak times as well.

Some people really need to suck it up.

Here people are calling out about the massive disruption to the economy and yet on a different thread people are calling for 100% breath testing. Can’t win either way – do your job don’t do your job – cop flak about it.

Grumpyoldman said :

I think the economic and social disruption, kids missing school connections, people missing Drs appointments, job interviews planes and trains outweighs the small return by way of infringements detected. There must be better ways of detecting these offenders without the disruption these blanket raids cost.

Do you propose posting a police officer at every home in Canberra that houses an unregistered vehicle or an unlicensed driver, just in case they decide to drive?

It’s a bit hard to catch an unlicensed driver/unregistered vehicle unless they are actually ON THE ROAD.

How many times a year do you actually get delayed by a ‘blanket raid’ on a Canberra street? How about just sucking it up, or arranging to get to the airport with time to spare in case of an unforeseen delay? Heaven forbid some poor schmuck might be involved in a car accident and disrupt your schedule.

And if that accident were caused by an unlicensed driver we would hear you cry “Where were the police? Why aren’t they out there stopping these people?!”

Grumpyoldman4:00 pm 06 Jun 10

I think the economic and social disruption, kids missing school connections, people missing Drs appointments, job interviews planes and trains outweighs the small return by way of infringements detected. There must be better ways of detecting these offenders without the disruption these blanket raids cost.

I always laugh when motorists whinge about police enforcing road laws. How hard is it to drive safely, stick roughly to the speed limit, indicate, stay within uncrossed lines, etc?

Traffic fines are yet another of society’s many taxes on stupidity. Suits me fine.

Ahhhh, and then finally some comm, it is on sense prevails …… And yes it is a sad figure on just one road

Growling Ferret said :

Hardly a worthwhile return for the 40 minutes it took from the Barton Highway to Belconnen Way. F**kers.

You don’t think that removing eight cars and at least five drivers who were breaking the law by being on the road is a good return?

I think it is a shocking figure for a two hour stint on just one of Canberra’s roads.

Thoroughly Smashed10:14 am 05 Jun 10

MWF said :

Fewer dickheads, not “less”, dickheads.

Ahh, but that’s before they’ve been roughly homogenised with a giant piece of angry industrial machinery.

It wasn’t the police fault for the delay. It’s the motorists who think they have to travel at 40km/h past the Commodore with the radar gun before the inspection. The traffic started to speed up after that, even past the actual inspection point.

Although it was worth the wait, seeing a female motorcyclist driving down the push bike lane, and then getting pulled over. Made me laugh.

Fewer dickheads, not “less”, dickheads.

Beats the RBTs the NSW cops do down at the snow.

They really piss me off. Takes over an hour to get pass.

Thoroughly Smashed5:01 pm 04 Jun 10

bobzed57 said :

Ah! But does the economic analysis also cost the value of having less d*ckheads on the road in their sh*t boxes?

I’m more than happy for Mr Plod to get these people off the road.

Certainly it could. Accidents, injuries and deaths (among other things) have a nominal dollar value too, so you’d need to work out how many of each kind of incident you’ve prevented, which is not a straightforward task.

I am also happy for there to be less dickheads on the roads, but a reduction in the collateral damage would reduce a lot of stress.

Ah! But does the economic analysis also cost the value of having less d*ckheads on the road in their sh*t boxes?

I’m more than happy for Mr Plod to get these people off the road.

Thoroughly Smashed4:19 pm 04 Jun 10

If ACT Policing ask the NSW RTA nicely they’ll be given an economic analysis manual that will allow them to calculate just how much money they’re nominally costing “the economy” every time they do this. That would be nice.

Growling Ferret4:03 pm 04 Jun 10

Hardly a worthwhile return for the 40 minutes it took from the Barton Highway to Belconnen Way. F**kers.

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