6 January 2011

Summernats warning

| johnboy
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This in from ACT Policing:

The message from ACT Policing during this year’s Summernat’s event is clear; if you choose to break the law, expect to get caught. Superintendent Mark Colbran said the safety of all Canberrans is ACT Policing’s number one concern.

“Our primary responsibility is the safety of everyone in Canberra. If people choose to break the law then they should be prepared to wear the consequences”

Police intend to clamp down rigorously on any irresponsible and/or dangerous driving behaviour during the Summernats event. Under ACT legislation, police have the power to seize vehicles for burnouts, menacing driving or street racing on public roadways.

Police will be conducting random breath tests as well as using the RAPID number plate recognition system to identify unlicensed drivers, unregistered and/or unroadworthy vehicles. During last year’s event police checked more than 13,000 cars with 349 infringement notices issued to motorists for various offences.

Last year’s event was relatively incident free and ACT Policing are hoping for a similar result this year. Although the number of incidents was low, police will be on stand-by to provide assistance to Summernat’s security staff should it be required.

Superintendent Colbran said certain areas of the EPIC precinct will become alcohol free zones during the four day event and police will be monitoring these areas.

“The public should be aware that for the duration of the event, designated alcohol-free zones have been gazetted in significant parts of Mitchell, Downer, Lyneham, and Watson including Northbourne Avenue, Flemington Road and Aspinall Street,” Superintendent Colbran said.

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TheObserver said :

Shame that the alcohol free areas around Lonsdale and Mort St were not properly policed, judging by the piles of stubby bottles and bourbon and cola cans.

I don’t know, I saw the Police tipping out a large amount of alcohol around Lonsdale and Mort St.

Shame that the alcohol free areas around Lonsdale and Mort St were not properly policed, judging by the piles of stubby bottles and bourbon and cola cans.

troll-sniffer10:45 am 12 Jan 11

Mr Evil said :

I hate Floriade with a passion.

It’s the way those little old ladies leer and grab at you as you walk past. And, as if that’s not enough, they then yell out terribly insulting things like – “show us ya Gerberas”, “come and put some seed in me furrow” or “come here little boy, and I’ll let you touch me bulbs”. It’s just so horrid; and I know a lot of blokes who are afraid to go out in certain parts of Canberra while Floriade is on – just because of the sort of behaviour I’ve mentioned above.

And then there’s the noise of people “ooh-ing” and “ah-ing” all day long as they take in the blooms at Commonwealth Park – it’s gets so loud sometimes that I can hear it all the way down at Weston Creek.

If Floriade visitors thought of other people for a change, I’d be quite happy for this event to remain in Canberra, but as far as I’m concerned, they can rack off.

Trying to be funny = FAIL

Captain RAAF10:00 am 12 Jan 11

Any news on how the noise pollution recording went at Watson during Summernats?

I hate Floriade with a passion.

It’s the way those little old ladies leer and grab at you as you walk past. And, as if that’s not enough, they then yell out terribly insulting things like – “show us ya Gerberas”, “come and put some seed in me furrow” or “come here little boy, and I’ll let you touch me bulbs”. It’s just so horrid; and I know a lot of blokes who are afraid to go out in certain parts of Canberra while Floriade is on – just because of the sort of behaviour I’ve mentioned above.

And then there’s the noise of people “ooh-ing” and “ah-ing” all day long as they take in the blooms at Commonwealth Park – it’s gets so loud sometimes that I can hear it all the way down at Weston Creek.

If Floriade visitors thought of other people for a change, I’d be quite happy for this event to remain in Canberra, but as far as I’m concerned, they can rack off.

When did this become all about Summernats vs Floriade?

Floriade brings in heaps more people over a longer period.
and requires less police.

You may be inconvenienced by changes around Cwlth bridge – I’m not.

Whereas some Watson streets are actually closed to traffic during summernats. Shops cannot sell glass. And you can’t go to those shops anyway for fear of being yelled at.

Inconvenience is quite a personal thing sometimes.

@DJ that would be if they actually paid the rent at EPIC.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/03/2588530.htm

Doesn’t Summernats bring in more revenue than any other event in the ACT? Floriade could exceed Summernats for revenue but it affects more people with the changed road conditions over Commonwealth bridge… *puts on flame suit*

Either way the end result is that the ACT Government has more money to spend on the needs of tax payers like art on public roads etc?

Holden Caulfield1:44 pm 07 Jan 11

@Deref – Fair enough, although I suspect the many stall holders at both Floriade & the Multicultural Festival don’t share your thoughts on those being non-profit events; but I do understand the point you make about Summernats as a separate business.

I actually tend to agree with you that the Ntas probably should cover all internal/associated costs. Although, I suspect the Government’s theory is that all three events being discussed bring sufficient funds into the territory to benefit a broader market than is confined with in each event’s boundaries, hence, the willingness to apportion public funds to all three events.

@Sleaz274 – I’d rather they spent the dough on trees than on subsidies to business. With any luck, the arboretum will be glorious in 50 years time, and it’s refreshingly astounding to see any politician spending money on something that won’t pay off until after the next election.

neanderthalsis11:59 am 07 Jan 11

Rest assured Homeless, the police were out in force last night. Mrs Neanderthalsis and i were in Civic for dinner and witnessed a number occasions where the rozzers pulled over souped up rice burners along Bunda street.

Don’t worry Deref the mighty denizens of the Legislative Assembly in their infinite all knowing wisdom decided this year to allocate all your taxes, fees & fines to the Arboretum which is guaranteed to cost 100x more than summernats…and then you’ll be charged for parking and admission.

Enjoy the trees…smiley face

@Holden – I object to public money being spent to subsidise businesses. Summernats is a wholly commercial enterprise, run for profit, so the promoters should cover the costs of staging it – including the extra police presence needed because of the nature of some of its patrons it attracts. Businesses should rise or fall purely on their ability to create and sell products.

I don’t object to gubmint spending money on genuine community-based non-profit events such as Floriade or the Canberra/multicultural Festival.

You know, as I sit in our very quiet office almost entirely devoid of the usual non-human lifeforms, it’s kinda nice to hear the rumble of the bad-boys as they cruise down Northbourne.

It’s kind of like experiencing a bogong moth migration, except the Nat’s crowd are gone in a week and don’t clog up your doorways.

Well if the police bothered to look on Nortbourne Avenue last night they would have been issuing a nice pile of tickets.

Holden Caulfield9:24 am 07 Jan 11

@Deref, that’s probably a fair enough position to hold. But is it just the Summernats that you oppose public money being spent on, or all other events in Canberra?

I just wish the organisers were being charged full price for the extra police presence.

I don’t begrudge people their enjoyment of Summernats, but I’m damned if I know why I should subsidise it.

“if you choose to break the law, expect to get caught”. That’s a great soundbite but rarely true, even during Summernats.

I see idiot drivers breaking the law every day on the Parkway and am yet to see one caught, yet.

More power to the police though, they have a tough job!

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