Relaxing on the deck last night, an arrival came up the now common, "Stopped by a police car for a random check, felt like a criminal". There was the usual chorus of "Me too" and places and times noted. All were respectable citizens, with enviable driving records. All have recent, well-maintained cars. None of them travelled many kms a year.
Now that police are electronically scanning vehicles for registration, there are speed cameras everywhere and police can conduct random drug and alcohol checks, for what conceivable reason/s are police still stopping and inspecting cars without cause?
I am aware of the idiotic mantra that 'you shouldn't object if you are doing no wrong', but speaking as someone who has had one ticket in a lifetime of driving and that was where the speed limit on an out of way road to a fishing spot had been reduced to deter 'hooning' (which predictably it didn't, they went somewhere else), I cannot see any purpose or worth in police stopping drivers in the evening on a speculative quest to find something wrong or interesting.
What is it? Are they bored and use the 'bag' as excuse to pose and pry?
When did police get the unfettered right to stop the public without cause? Do the real police, speaking about the ones who actually get to investigate and collar criminals, realise how much of a public relations liability the local suburban patrols can be?
Here in SA its pretty mutch a revenue grab. Bit of a joke when the police commissioner says theres no such thing as Quotas for officers, in the next breath says we have Bench Marks, same thing. When your pulled up they will keep looking until they find something to book you for.
I really like the fact that in a micro second they can photo a car and know that the car is unregistered and the owner has @ $ 5000 warrants against him !!This is called kharma ! And I think its wonderful ! However if you have done nothing wrong ...ergo you will be ignored . Very simple ! Westy
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Westy. Some people I know are like slinkies. They look really funny when you push them downstairs !
A nice policeman was by the roadside near Ouyen stopping each car , breath test ,when my turn came to have a blow he would not let me have a turn , the sod waved me to keep going but i stayed there waiting for my turn to have a blow , . He called out to me to keep going , dam I did not get a blow .
Happy Christmas
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Retirement is when one makes the best of what one has got left.
Over my lifetime I have spent many hours on the road and probably clocked up several million km's and have never been pulled over, except when I broke the road rules once for crossing the double line and once for no seat belt. Oh yes and several times for RBT mainly on a road near home which is listed as a black spot because of the numerous deaths mainly caused by drunk driving.
I support the police who are doing a great job trying to prevent innocent drivers being killed by idiots that have no concern for the safety of others and are quite happy to kill themselves and take others with them by their complete disregard for the road rules.
Without Police enforcement it would be complete anarchy on our roads and it wouldn't be safe to drive to the local shops.
Cheers
David
It will be time for the police to stop random breath testing when they can operate these units and not find anyone driving over the limit. It will be time to stop using speed cameras when they no longer detect drivers driving over the speed limit because they don't. I can't sat I've been pulled over without some justification. If you think you can predict who is and is not an offender then I'm sure the police can find you some work.
Maybe I was not clear enough in my first post that I was not objecting to the booze van testing. What I do object to though are the police patrols in the 'burbs stopping people who are going about their ordinary business.
It is as though their performance is measured by the number of vehicles stopped. Or maybe they are just filling in time in burbs where they can cruise safely. When you consider the number of unsolved burglaries, they should have better things to do. I would like to see anywhere near the same zealousness applied to making the trains, railway platforms and their vicinity safe at night. Maybe a regular walk through of licensed establishments to deter public drunkenness and the violence that affects youth at social venues. Talking about social venues frequented by youth, if police want to make their presence felt, what about some more scrutiny of the well known establishments known to be operated by criminals since the years dot?
While the ordinary citizen is obliged and willing to cooperate with a certain level of intrusion to private lives to curb drink and drug driving, I do not agree that police have an unbridled/unrestricted right under the traffic regulations (and that includes the regulations relating to random alcohol testing) to stop and detain motorists at random to check identification, licences, registration and other matters, and to inspect cars (admittedly it is done from the outside looking over the vehicle and peering inside).
Traffic enforcement needs a measured response, otherwise yes, it is just revenue raising.
-- Edited by johnq on Wednesday 24th of December 2014 12:25:19 AM
The police in all states do a great job, I'm sick of whingers crying persecution when the officers are doing the job they are paid to do, without an effective force we would live in a constant state of anarchy.
The cops are in a no win situation, damned if they do and damned if they don't.
I've been driving for well over 50 years, have been stopped many times for random tests, and unlike others will even admit to copping a few speeding fines, all deserved, have always been treated with respect regardless of the situation.
To the whingers, give the matter a bit of thought, perhaps the logic of the situation will become evident.
I get so annoyed when I see some of the morons on our roads especially "P" platers who seem to think the rules are used only when you do your test I am glad to be pulled up as i know they are out there merry xmas to all our emergency people for your great work
Not too long ago I had a young intruder (20 years old?) in the backyard. I was 3 times his age, physically decrepit, yet I chased him down the street, in my slippers. and caught him. When I spoke to the pigs (30 years old?) later on that day, they said that he had run away from them after they stopped the car he was in. Apparently their lazy backsides were welded to the seats in their patrol car.
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"No friend ever served me, and no enemy ever wronged me, whom I have not repaid in full."
Police are public servants are are like all other people in the work force they are told what they have to do by the government what to do and in most cases do it well. In my working life I work close to them they are not lazy and often don't get meal breaks and do the dirty work we don't want to do . They have my full respect doing a job I would not care to take on .
One would think that by now the amount of time 'greynomads' have spent on this earth they would realise that cops are out there to raise revenue. I could write three pages outlining these instances I have witnessed over the years.
However for those who are not convinced, have a long hard look at events that calls on these people to do something other than issue a traffic fine and watch how they fail miserably. One of many examples is how quick they are to shoot someone dead when they are threatened with a knife. Surely a bullet to the legs is not a big ask when your opponent is less then 6 feet away.
This is not to say they are totally incompetent, but, sitting behind a tree with a radar gun does not cut it for me, nor pulling over a greynomad going about his/her business and being given 'criminal check'.
There are so many things that could be done, but these would result in a measurable lack of income.
Example: P platers caught using their phone, why is the phone not confiscated?
Repeat drink drivers, why is their driving license not permanently cancelled?
Why are we not crushing more cars for repeat hoons?
The list goes on.....
One would think that by now the amount of time 'greynomads' have spent on this earth they would realise that cops are out there to raise revenue. I could write three pages outlining these instances I have witnessed over the years. However for those who are not convinced, have a long hard look at events that calls on these people to do something other than issue a traffic fine and watch how they fail miserably. One of many examples is how quick they are to shoot someone dead when they are threatened with a knife. Surely a bullet to the legs is not a big ask when your opponent is less then 6 feet away. This is not to say they are totally incompetent, but, sitting behind a tree with a radar gun does not cut it for me, nor pulling over a greynomad going about his/her business and being given 'criminal check'. There are so many things that could be done, but these would result in a measurable lack of income. Example: P platers caught using their phone, why is the phone not confiscated? Repeat drink drivers, why is their driving license not permanently cancelled? Why are we not crushing more cars for repeat hoons? The list goes on.....
Merry Xmas, Larry
Remember The Laws are made by OUR ELECTED representatives.
The police are there to enforce the Laws that We Elected our representatives to make and get through parliament. The police do not make laws.
Is it only P platers who use Mobile phone while driving ?
If there were no people speeding through high accident prone areas. We would not need to have speed cameras, or police doing random speed checks.
Get your MP to change the law. The police don't run the court system. Magistrates and Judges work to the Laws your elected parliaments enacted about licences.
Again peoples property crushing cars, Thats up to you/us to change the laws.
The police,Fireys,Ambos, do a good job. Having to deal with a lot of the time The Scum of Society.
Dealing with scenes of Horror, that must sometimes leave them with bad dreams for ever (eight children dead comes to mind)
Drive Safely Everyone.
Merry Xmas.
And remember all these Policemen and Women are working over Crimmy picking up the pieces
The police in all states do a great job, I'm sick of whingers crying persecution when the officers are doing the job they are paid to do, without an effective force we would live in a constant state of anarchy.
The cops are in a no win situation, damned if they do and damned if they don't.
I've been driving for well over 50 years, have been stopped many times for random tests, and unlike others will even admit to copping a few speeding fines, all deserved, have always been treated with respect regardless of the situation.
To the whingers, give the matter a bit of thought, perhaps the logic of the situation will become evident.
Yeh it's Christmas so I'll agree with Santa on this one,, a good post IMHO, ESPECIALLY the last sentence.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
What a great post , We have people with different point of view and nobody is getting uptight about that , We don't have to win the debate so great to see .
However for those who are not convinced, have a long hard look at events that calls on these people to do something other than issue a traffic fine and watch how they fail miserably. One of many examples is how quick they are to shoot someone dead when they are threatened with a knife. Surely a bullet to the legs is not a big ask when your opponent is less then 6 feet away.
LIke to see how you would cope facing the same situation.
Shooting them in the leg sounds good in theory, but when they have a split second to react are they going to take a chance at hitting a small target like a leg, when if they miss they may well end up being stabbed and pay the ultimate price with their life.
-- Edited by Bill B on Wednesday 24th of December 2014 12:39:48 PM
However for those who are not convinced, have a long hard look at events that calls on these people to do something other than issue a traffic fine and watch how they fail miserably. One of many examples is how quick they are to shoot someone dead when they are threatened with a knife. Surely a bullet to the legs is not a big ask when your opponent is less then 6 feet away.
LIke to see how you would cope facing the same situation.
Shooting them in the leg sounds good in theory, but when they have a split second to react are they going to take a chance at hitting a small target like a leg, when if they miss they may well end up being stabbed and pay the ultimate price with their life.
-- Edited by Bill B on Wednesday 24th of December 2014 12:39:48 PM
Yes agree with Bill as well,,,,, they are the ones taking the risk FOR US,,, REPEAT FOR US.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
Relaxing on the deck last night, an arrival came up the now common, "Stopped by a police car for a random check, felt like a criminal". There was the usual chorus of "Me too" and places and times noted. All were respectable citizens, with enviable driving records. All have recent, well-maintained cars. None of them travelled many kms a year.
Now that police are electronically scanning vehicles for registration, there are speed cameras everywhere and police can conduct random drug and alcohol checks, for what conceivable reason/s are police still stopping and inspecting cars without cause?
I am aware of the idiotic mantra that 'you shouldn't object if you are doing no wrong', but speaking as someone who has had one ticket in a lifetime of driving and that was where the speed limit on an out of way road to a fishing spot had been reduced to deter 'hooning' (which predictably it didn't, they went somewhere else), I cannot see any purpose or worth in police stopping drivers in the evening on a speculative quest to find something wrong or interesting.
What is it? Are they bored and use the 'bag' as excuse to pose and pry?
When did police get the unfettered right to stop the public without cause? Do the real police, speaking about the ones who actually get to investigate and collar criminals, realise how much of a public relations liability the local suburban patrols can be?
I would imagine about 1830's when The Metropolitan Police came into force give or take a few years
Copied from Lawstuff Australia
When can I be interviewed by the police?
The police can approach you and ask you questions at any time. Always find out why the police want to talk to you.
The police cannot take you anywhere unless they arrest you or you agree to go.
Answering questions from the police
Generally, you only have to give the following personal details when asked by the police:
(a) your name,
(b) your address, and
(c) your date of birth.
A police officer may ask you for these personal details if they reasonably suspect you have committed, are committing or are about to commit an offence, or may be able to assist in the investigation of an offence. They may also ask to see evidence of your details (such as your drivers licence). If you refuse to give them these details without a reasonable excuse, or you lie about any of it, you are committing an offence and can be imprisoned for up to a year.
You have the right to ask the officer to identify themselves. The officer must give you their official details and, if they are not in uniform, show you evidence that they are a police officer.
Apart from these personal details, you generally do not have to answer police questions, sign a statement or take part in a video interview. If you dont want to say anything to the police, you can politely tell them I dont want to answer any questions until I have spoken to my parent/guardian/lawyer.
Sometimes it might be quicker and easier for you to answer questions when you have a simple explanation for a situation. If you do answer questions by the police, you MUST tell the truth, otherwise you could be charged with giving false information to the police. Also, anything you do say to the police will probably be used as evidence in court.
- See more at: http://www.lawstuff.org.au/wa_law/topics/criminal-law/police-interviews#sthash.MqDLsSOe.dpuf
- DNA evidence.. - Caught holding the smoking gun, evidence of handling and shooting the gun.knife etc. Forensic is damn good in today environment..
- Video Evidence.. You name it.
A proven case of " they did it " You betcha I think they should not be around to do anymore damage.. The Jill Meagher, the guy/rapist was on Bail for committing Rape his 2nd offense..
Julian Knight.. Hoodle Street Massacre.. 7 people dead..
The father who killed his own son in front of the sons friends... The courts had been warned he was Violent..
Do I have to name anymore..
Sorry I'm very opinionated on this topic and think it should be an eye for an eye... We don't need these people around as they are costing use over $150K Plus per year to keep them in jail..
juergen
-- Edited by SnowT on Wednesday 24th of December 2014 02:49:52 PM
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IF I say something Dumb.. Just Smack me..
I'm full of Knowledge.. I don't profess to know EVERYTHING, but I'm constantly Learning new thing's..
What a rotten world it would be without police, with the violent and criminal imposing their will and aggression upon everyone without any recourse, not to mention the other nutters in our society with multi agenda's.
All societies and walks of life have good and bad in them, whatever the occupation etc is.
I take my hat off to our boys and girls in blue, I would not have their job for quids and aren't we lucky they are prepared to do it and place their lives on the line.
If it means that from time to time I have some inconvenience or cop a ticket, so be it, they deserve our support IMHO.
PS: I have met a lot of "pigs" but they are not in uniform.....
Late Edit: I do not have any problems with Spot Checks either...
-- Edited by Igo on Wednesday 24th of December 2014 04:29:45 PM