Not good, I thought

[Peter R]

I pulled up beside a Highway Patrol vehicle at a set of lights...The passenger officer had ihs elbow poking out the window. "Get your elbow in or you will get booked", I bravely said. "Not me, mate" was the reply.

I said "How come, because it is not against the law or because you are the law?"

"Who's gunna book me...YOU".

Now this is not a real complaint, I mean there are greater problems than coppers hanging an elbow out of a vehicle window, isn't there...but, again thinking of the need for people to obey the road rules, wouldn't it be better for the police to set an example.

I might just mention it to the local Letters to the Editor and see if it gets a response.

Peter R

[Grunt]

I was following a cop the other week who was talking on his mobile phone. I know that these guys are human but they should make an effort to set an example.

[Peter R]

I was following a cop the other week who was talking on his mobile phone. I know that these guys are human but they should make an effort to set an example.

I believe that the cops and ambos have an exemptio to talk as they drive. And it is important especially if they are on the trail of a crim. Cops not ambos.

Peter R

[journeyman Mick]

Years ago a mate of mine who worked for the council was made a parking officer temporarily while someone was on holidays. He spotted a copper parking in a bus zone and going into Woolies in the main street of Cairns. He looked through the window and saw he was buying lunch at the cafeteria so he proceeded to right a ticket. There was a large crowd outside as there were several bus stops there back then. A lot of the people started clapping and cheering when they saw what he was up to . The copper came out (with hot chips and half a roast chook) and went absolutely apes**t, this was back in the old Bjelke-Peterson days when the cops were a law unto themselves and were incredibly rude to pretty much everyone . He tore the ticket up and threw it on the ground and tore off, laying rubber. My mate was hauled before one of the bosses and told to never, ever write a ticket to the cops again. :mad:

If you really want to follow it up go down to the local station and complain, don't know if it's worth the aggravation. A while back our Peter Beattie said that they were going to prosecute people who threw ciggy butts into the roadside grass (this was during the fire season) I spotted someone doing this, pulled over and extinguished the fire that had already started and went to the local station with the rego number of the offender. I was pretty bloody p****d off anyway as I'd hardly had any sleep the last few nights as I'd been fighting fires lit by idiots such as these. the coppers didn't want to know about it, told me to talk to the fire department. I told them the premier had said on TV the night before they were going to take action against these actions and that people should dob them in. Stood there and argued for half an hour until i told them I'd contact the premier's department with a complaint about them. :eek: Admittedly they were probably thrown into the deep end with this one, there may not even have been a law on the books for them to use.

Mick

[Grunt]

I believe that the cops and ambos have an exemptio to talk as they drive. And it is important especially if they are on the trail of a crim. Cops not ambos.

Peter R

The cop was talking on his mobile not the 2 way. I followed him for 10kms. I don't think he was chasing crims.

[DanP]

I agree with most of what has been said.

Grunt, Police (and emergency services) have an exemption to talk on any hand held communications device, including mobile phones. The legislation was designed for the police radio but does not exclude mobile phones. Take it as the coppers using a loophole for once.

Peter, the copper should not have said what he did and just put his arm back in. However, was his arm hanging out or did he just have his elbow up on the sill? My old boss used to hate that. Used to tell us if he caught us doing it he would book us.

Mick, it wouldn't be the first time a politician has decided to put on a blitz for the coppers without telling them. Won't be the last. Problem is that it is very hard to prove the identity of the person responsible if the owner of the car has any brains. 90% of these thing go nowhere so most don't even get looked at. However, if it was at a time like you suggest with the fires etc, I think I would make the effort just to get the message across.

Dan

[Iain]

On a slightly different slant I was driving in Gippsland January 2004 when I found a fire on the side of the road, a bit too big to put out myself so I called 000 and reported it, drive on about 1km and find another one much the same, call 000 again and tell them where it is, I continue on my way as theres not much I can do and find yet another so I call 000 again.
I gave my name and number each time and about 1 hour later I am driving back when I am intercepted by a DNRE vehicle and given the 3rd degree as to why I started the bloody fires.
Pack of bastards, if I wanted to start a fire I certainly wouldn't have made myself that obvious, you do the right thing and these pricks want to stitch you up just because they have no idea who did it and want to look good in someones eyes.
Who said the lynch mobs were dead.
In the end I just told them to get stuffed and drove off, never heard any more.

[silentC]

When I see someone hanging their arm out the window, it reminds me of a friend who was travelling back from her honeymoon with her new husband. He had his arm out the window as they drove up the Princes Hwy from Vic and just before the NSW border, someone travelling south took the corner a bit wide and clipped the side of their car, taking his arm off above the elbow. She got to watch her hubby die from loss of blood while they waited for the ambulance.

It has crossed my mind to tell that story to people that I see doing it but I wouldn't imagine most people would give a rats anyway.

[Daddles]

Ahh, it talkes all kinds to f*** up a police force.

Donkey's years ago, I was surveying in the bush north of Squidley. Coming back along the freeway one day, middle of summer, about a thousand degrees in the water bag, me offsider points to a bit of smoke and says - 'there's a fire'. Perceptive fellow that lad, coz there woz. Just a little one. Part way up a hill. We piled out of the van, grabbed a shovel each and trotted up the hill to it. At this point, it was about the size of your average desk - bit of flame, bit of smoke. Just as we'd started shovelling dirt onto the fire, a policecar pulls up and this young Highway Patrol bod leaps out of the driver's seat and rushes up the hill.
"It's okay. I've reported it to the fire brigade. They'll be here soon"
Good stuff, I thought.
Then he says - "You can leave it alone now."
We pointed out that the fire was small, that we'd nearly put it out, that with the heat and grass this was a good thing but we'd really like to work on the 'nearly' bit until the fire brigade got there.

And this is where it turned surreal.

He ordered us away from the fire. Me offsider tossed another shovel full of dirt onto the fire and the copper went nuts. So we took our shovels back to the van and drove off as ordered, leaving him to watch the fire.

When we drove back the next week, quite a few acres of scrub had been burnt out.

[journeyman Mick]

Daddles,
at least in Qld, as a volunteer firefighter (and officer) I can order the police off my fireground, comandeer vehicles, stop the railway, close the highway, order a firebreak down to bare earth or do pretty much whatever I deem neccesary to put the damn thing out!

Mick

[AlexS]

A while back our Peter Beattie said that they were going to prosecute people who threw ciggy butts into the roadside grass (this was during the fire season) I spotted someone doing this, pulled over and extinguished the fire that had already started and went to the local station with the rego number of the offender. I was pretty bloody p****d off anyway as I'd hardly had any sleep the last few nights as I'd been fighting fires lit by idiots such as these. the coppers didn't want to know about it, told me to talk to the fire department. I told them the premier had said on TV the night before they were going to take action against these actions and that people should dob them in. Stood there and argued for half an hour until i told them I'd contact the premier's department with a complaint about them. :eek: Admittedly they were probably thrown into the deep end with this one, there may not even have been a law on the books for them to use.

Mick

In NSW the old EPA (now Dept. of environment & Cons. had a number you could ring to report people throwing butts out the window. Personally, when I was riding the pushbike, if they did it at the lights, it was easier to pick up the butt & stub it out on their duco

[Sir Stinkalot]

I often take down the number plate of tossers who throw ciggarette buts out the window and report them via the EPA in Victoria. I make sure that I note that it was lit as it attracts a larger fine, fairly hefty from memory. I just cant stand to see that especially when there are ashtrays in cars for that very reason. It makes me feel really good when I think about their reaction when getting the fine. I have gone as far as to have a note pad and pencil in the car to record the numbers ...... I spend alot of time stuck in traffic

[Sir Stinkalot]

EPA Vic

Offence On the spot In court
Placing advertising material on vehicles $205 $1023
Having an unsecured load $205 $1023
Depositing burning litter $205 $4090
Depositing household or business rubbish in a litter bin $205 $4090
General littering on or into land or water $205 $4090
Depositing a small item of litter $102 $4090
Throwing litter from vehicles $205 $4090
Aggravated littering --- $6135

Nothing to do with an arm out the window but a real pet hate of mine.

[fxst]

EPA Vic

Offence On the spot In court
Placing advertising material on vehicles $205 $1023
Having an unsecured load $205 $1023
Depositing burning litter $205 $4090
Depositing household or business rubbish in a litter bin $205 $4090
General littering on or into land or water $205 $4090
Depositing a small item of litter $102 $4090
Throwing litter from vehicles $205 $4090
Aggravated littering --- $6135

Nothing to do with an arm out the window but a real pet hate of mine.

wow stinky vic has a real collection agency going ...whats the fine for polluting the air via a rotten fart???
they missed that one at least
Pete

[ozwinner]

They send the cork police around while your asleep.....
Ya dont stay asleep for long though....................:eek:

Al