6 March 2009

Police Wrap - 6 March

| johnboy
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1. Yet another traffic blitz announced:

    ACT Policing will be out in force over the next 10 days, conducting a progressive traffic campaign across Canberra suburbs aimed at identifying those motorists who continue to ignore police warnings.

    Whilst the major focus of the campaign will be drink-driving, Acting Superintendent Traffic Operations Daryl Neit says police will be targeting all traffic offences, and is putting motorists on notice to obey the road rules or face possible fines and the loss of demerit points.

    “Traditionally motorists heed our warnings over the Christmas/New Year period and then again over the Easter holiday period. Whilst this is good, we don’t want complacency to set in during the months in between,” A/Supt Neit said.

    “The commencement of this campaign coincides with the Canberra long weekend, traditionally a time when more motorists are on our roads. Police will be out to make sure everyone’s weekend is enjoyable and free from tragedy,” he said.

    ACT Policing is aiming for a road toll of nine or less for 2009, and A/Supt Neit says for this to be achieved, people need to drive to the road rules and acknowledge that there is no excuse for drink-driving.

    “We know that drink-driving kills, we know that it’s not socially acceptable, yet it amazes me that some Canberra drivers still seem to think it is OK. We need to catch these people before they meet with more dire consequences, or worse, injure or kill someone else,” he said.

    Amongst other traffic offences, police will also be targeting motorist who drive while using a mobile phone, and drivers and passengers who fail to wear a seatbelt, after some disappointing results during a recent two day blitz.

    During the blitz, conducted in the last week of February, a total of 39 motorists were identified as using a mobile phone while driving, while a further 41 drivers and passengers were detected travelling without a seatbelt.

    “Drivers who use their phone while driving are up to nine times more likely to crash and often engage in unsafe driving practices, such as tailgating and ignoring road signs, without even being aware they are doing so, such is the high level of their distraction,” A/Supt Neit said.

    “There seems to be a compulsion by drivers to answer their mobile phone when it rings, regardless of the road safety risk this presents to themselves and everyone around. No phone call is worth risking your life. Take that extra minute or so to find a safe place to pull over before using your phone or just turn it off before you leave; it will take a message,” he said.

2. Still looking for Kathryn Grosvenor’s killers:

    Operation Mersey is the ACT Policing investigation into the murder of Kathryn Anne Grosvenor in 2002.

    Ms Grosvenor’s body was found in Lake Burley Griffin, near Attunga Point, on March 9, 2002 after she went missing six days earlier.

    Ms Grosvenor, then aged 23, was last seen by her cousin on the evening of March 3 in the house they shared in Nicholls. There were two further unconfirmed sightings of her in the Gold Creek area the night she went missing, the second sighting at the George Harcourt Inn, Nicholls where she was thought to have purchased cigarettes between 9.05pm and 9.15pm.

    Despite a lengthy murder investigation led by police from the Territory Investigations Group, and the identification of a number of ‘persons of interest’, no one has been charged with her murder.

    Police are still seeking the items of clothing worn by Ms Grosvenor the night she went missing, including a distinctive pair of electric blue platform boots.

    Kathryn Grosvenor would have celebrated her 30th birthday last month (February 13), whilst Monday will mark seven years since the discovery of her body (March 9).

    A $250,000 reward is still in place for information leading to the apprehension and subsequent conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Kathryn Grosvenor.

    In addition, an appropriate indemnity from prosecution will be considered for any accomplice, not being the person who actually committed the crime, who first gives the information. The grant of any such indemnity is at the discretion of the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions.

If you can help police contact them via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.act.crimstoppers.com.au

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All over the AFP site, they provide copy about LOSS OF POINTS except when they write of actions ATTRACTING DOUBLE DEMERIT POINTS.

It appears the police don’t have a clue what the demerit point framework is. Perhaps FaHCSIA can help them with a flowchart.

1) Follow the link,

2) read,

3) apologise

I have quoted in full, and provided context. You have read other information elsewhere, good for you.

Do not accuse of misquoting unless you wish to be ridiculed when misquoting has not occured.

But … I have the Canberra Times article in front of me and the Supt is quoted as saying “… receive demerit points.”

Johnboy, you must have had a bad day to retaliate with a “retard” jibe when I was, with tongue in cheek i thought, was trying to put a useless piece of info out there. There was no abuse on my part, but you have done well enough for both of us with your reply.

I think the RIOT is on the way way-down when the moderator throws abuse like that.

Xbikee said :

Flagrant misquote, Johnboy, as well as misinformation. The police blitz made the little corner of Page 10 of C/C where ACT-Act/Supt Neit said: “….putting drivers on notice that they would be fined and RECEIVE demerit points.”

Just a point of correction for a social-reconstruct in that offending drivers do not LOSE demerit points, but rather they receive them – up to their particular limit (12 for most of us). That is when you get the chance to be a cyclist [and still break traffic rules] or a user of the Bus Fleet.

Feel free to type in

NSW Demerit Point System

on line (for want of a better example).

Are you retarded? It’s a quote in full with a link to the original document!!!

Congratulations on the most stupid piece of abuse ever flung at me.

gun street girl10:15 am 09 Mar 09

cranky said :

Whilst no fan of the NSW Gov or local member Whan, it would be dificult to improve Pooh’s Corner as a road engineering project, short of a median barrier – and wouldn’t that cause some problems for large trucks.

The Clyde road used to be a heck of a lot worse, years ago, before they widened it in areas. It’s still not an easy drive, and certainly not one for inexperienced or hasty drivers.

The King’s Highway is fine… it seems that any road that’s not a 4-lane monster divided by a fence is “poor”. If people have trouble driving on the King’s, it’s time they surrendured their licences and took the bus.

As for Canberra media, I remember the day of the fires in 2003. The local radio was the only source of info as it was happening. I ended up typing what was being reported on radio onto two forums I was a member of then, and people were reading it and relaying it back to people where they were, who had been desperately trying to find out what was happening in Canberra and getting nowhere. The major media were shut down for the weekend. It was the weirdest situation.

Todays CT has the NRMA’s Alan Evans railing against the lack of expenditure/poor quality of the King’s Highway.

Whilst no fan of the NSW Gov or local member Whan, it would be dificult to improve Pooh’s Corner as a road engineering project, short of a median barrier – and wouldn’t that cause some problems for large trucks.

This accident can probably, and very unfortunately, be laid at the feet of low traction, low visibility, and less than optimum driving skills.

To the family – I am sorry.

Flagrant misquote, Johnboy, as well as misinformation. The police blitz made the little corner of Page 10 of C/C where ACT-Act/Supt Neit said: “….putting drivers on notice that they would be fined and RECEIVE demerit points.”

Just a point of correction for a social-reconstruct in that offending drivers do not LOSE demerit points, but rather they receive them – up to their particular limit (12 for most of us). That is when you get the chance to be a cyclist [and still break traffic rules] or a user of the Bus Fleet.

Feel free to type in NSW Demerit Point System on line (for want of a better example).

Rain and fog are a bad combination, though. It could easily happen anywhere I would think. My car performs atrociously in the wet. I really do drive like an old granny when it’s raining!

How sad.

: (

That could have been me and my daughter. Neither of them would have been expecting to die today.

Competition is the key word.

Since Prime and Capital gave up having local tv news WIN don’t have to try at all, as they are the only one.

ABC radio’s idea of local content is getting listeners to ring up and chat about their nature strips.

And the Canberra Times got bought out by Rural Press and turned into some sort of cheap down home paper, and is slooowly improving again. Very slowly.

Media in Canberra runs on an absolute shoestring.

I don’t think WIN work on a Sunday either.
They are so minimal they often send the camera person out without a journo, just to get vision for a voiceover.

Tele has a story
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25155964-5001021,00.html

ABC – cut to ribbons by Johhny Howard, then further cut with Kevin’s 3% efficiency dividend.

There is probably about one staff member in the ACT newsroom on a Sunday.

ant said :

A traffic blitz. Yawn. They’ll do drink driving and speeding. Yep. As always. Oh but look, now we have 2 more evil road misdemenous. Seat belts and mobiles.

So you whinge about the traffic blitz, then about the quality of Canberra drivers. So you don’t want them targeting traffic offences?

Just because they say they are targeting phones, speed etc, doesn’t mean that’s ALL they’re catching people for.

Inappropriate2:02 pm 06 Mar 09

Beserk Keyboard Warrior said :

Anyone know where Attunga Point is? I couldn’t find it on Google maps.

http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&ll=-35.297943,149.11413&spn=0.001644,0.002414&t=h&z=19

Beserk Keyboard Warrior11:51 am 06 Mar 09

Anyone know where Attunga Point is? I couldn’t find it on Google maps.

A traffic blitz. Yawn. They’ll do drink driving and speeding. Yep. As always. Oh but look, now we have 2 more evil road misdemenous. Seat belts and mobiles.

I like the cop’s comment at the end, he is clearly something of a techernerlogical expert. He has discovered voicemail.

Too bad about the appalling behaviour of drivers in this region (Canberrans and NSWers). Tailgating, aggressive driving, queuing over intersections to name a few. When will they ever announce a Big Fat Traffic Blitz on those? Never.

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