Question for the members of the constabulary

[silentC]

Went to Merimbula for lunch today with the good wife. On the way, we passed an RBT set up on the side of the road just outside the 50 zone. It was about 12:00. My question is, who are they trying to bust? It's only 12:00, so surely nobody has had time to get yet, given that most ordinary people wouldn't even think about a drink until 11:00am. It's Tuedsay, so they're not pinging anyone who's still drunk from the night before. If they get any hits it must be extremely marginal. They do it often here, so what's it all about?

[China]

propaganda

[dzcook]

well if it was here would say they are catching the shift workers from the mines on their way home ie they finish 8 am and go to the pub for a few before going home to sleep
(one of the pubs open at 7 am here )
but at merimbula would say that they are trying to catch the holiday makers that are haveing a few regardless of the time of day and are still over the limit from the night before but on tuesday wouldnt think they would do much

anyway just my guess

[silentC]

would say that they are trying to catch the holiday makers that are haveing a few regardless of the time of day and are still over the limit from the night before
That's my point. If they were trying to catch the ones who are still from the night before, leaving it until lunchtime is going to give them a few hours to get it out of their system. They need to be out at 9:00.

If they want to catch the ones having a few in the middle of the day, some time after 1pm would make more sense. It's pretty hard to get a drink around here before 10am and I know it can be done in a couple of hours, but how many are that desperate for a drink and then to be somewhere else for lunch?

By the time we finished lunch and headed for home, they'd packed up and gone - about an hour... Don't know what time they got there though...

So I'd be interested to here from DanP or Dazzler or someone on what the tactic is. Assuming there is one... :)

[bennylaird]

Well it has to be done at some time and that gives the boys time to do other stuff like go fishing or have a few coldies then:D :D :D

[RETIRED]

Around our way it is the "blue rinse set" having a chardy with brunch.

24 I think the other day by 12-12.30.

[silentC]

blue rinse set
Hmm yes, we do have a sizeable blue rinse population here - but most of them probably can't afford brunch. Or so they would have you believe in their letters to the editor on the topics of rates and petrol prices.

It's also the October week of golf, but if they wanted to catch them driving back to the holiday unit , 5pm would be a better time. They've only finished 9 holes at 12...

[Iain]

Knowing a few wallopers I am amazed at the stories I hear about drunks, the clock is irrelevant.
Water Police have been known to catch p!ssheads sucking cans at 5.00am, not from the night before but just after they launched after having an early brekky.

[dazzler]

Went to Merimbula for lunch today with the good wife. On the way, we passed an RBT set up on the side of the road just outside the 50 zone. It was about 12:00. My question is, who are they trying to bust? It's only 12:00, so surely nobody has had time to get yet, given that most ordinary people wouldn't even think about a drink until 11:00am. It's Tuedsay, so they're not pinging anyone who's still drunk from the night before. If they get any hits it must be extremely marginal. They do it often here, so what's it all about?

Hi SilentC

Probably a number of reasons;

Get stats up - yes they have stats which is not a bad thing as it can be benchmarked.

Advertising / public image - everyone talks about seeing them

Bit like old tom the trout..........hes out there waiting to be hooked :D .

I once got the same bloke on the same road in the same car on three consecutive fridays and all three were 3 x limit.

It was always a balancing act between being random and visible or targetted and camouflaged. :)

cheers
dazzler

[Terry B]

It can take a while for the booze to get out of you system.
We had a lady earlier this year who downed a bottle of metho at about 6am. She ended up in intensive care with a blood alcohol of about 0.4
Plenty to kill most people. The next morning (ie 24hrs later) she decided she was going home because she needed to go to work. Her blood alcohol was still about 0.18 (over 3X the limit). She had to be held against her will with police assistance. She did not see the problem. I think it has probably happened before with this lady but she hasn't ended up in ICU.
If the middle of the day RBT nabbed her I wouldn't have much sympathy.

[Guy]

It is suprising the ammount of house wives who have freinds over mid morning and sit a drink a few bottles before lunch, then jump in the cars to go get the kids from school

[silentC]

Advertising / public image - everyone talks about seeing them
That bit works. I don't know how many times I've heard people talking about RBT at the club or wherever.

The wife has been tested more times in the last 3 1/2 years we have been here than she was in 18 years in Sydney and nearly all of them have been in the middle of the day.

I suppose I'm coming from the angle that they'd catch more if they did it at certain times than at others. I'm sure they know when the best times are for a catch. But as you say, "a balancing act between being random and visible or targetted and camouflaged."

[Bleedin Thumb]

Knowing a few wallopers I am amazed at the stories I hear about drunks, the clock is irrelevant.
Water Police have been known to catch p!ssheads sucking cans at 5.00am, not from the night before but just after they launched after having an early brekky.

Thats disgusting! I make a rule of not opening my first beer when fishing until 6.00 am.:D