Are cops trying to get everyone to hate them?

[matchan]

That really sucks Nelso, I agree with the others, time to get the pen & paper out. It sounds like the penalty is the same for a trailer as it is for a car or bike?

and phark, did you really have to leave it?

Matt

[mick_dundee]

$500 fine, far canal, that's just seriously and stupidly fucked up.. you could have ridden the bike to the track unregistered and roadworthy and had less hassle..

[Saki]

HAHAHA HOLY SHIT that was funny mick!

[triway]

What was the actual offence listed on the notice?

How big is the trailer? If it's a small one you could say you borrowed it from someone in Vic where it doesn't need rego!

[seiko1]

Police aren't in the business of right and wrong.
They're in the business of legal and illegal!
Fucken polly waffles are out of control
How come you Sydwillians think it''s the only place in the Country?
Laws in "this" State, always "this state"..........how about the laws in the Whole Fucking Country Lads???
We're all in the same Totalitarian predicament you know
I hope they are reading this the fuckwits, I will be drinking beer and laughing my arse off when the time finally
and inevitably comes that "The People" decide enough is enough and burn the fuckers at the stake

[Nelso]

Are cops trying to get everyone to hate them?

Yes, and we do a fucken fantastic job of it!

So are you justifying this sort of action? What would you have done in this situation?

The problem Jason, is that there have been a few encounters of late with highway patrol where this sort of attitude is prevalent. I was defected for not having the mudflaps on the back of my 4wd as they had ripped off when off-road. Fair enough they needed to be replaced but does the car need to be defected? Obviously a car is far more dangerous without mudflaps than one with poorly maintained brakes, wheel-bearings or shocks that are 150,000km old.

Then there was the time on the way to the snow when my alternator died and my lights were getting dimmer as the power was drained from the battery. 100m from my accommodation I was pulled over and charged with driving without prescribed lighting. The lights were still on, but he said they weren't dark enough. I was following a friend who's lights were fine and my lights were good enough to see between his car and mine.

All three of these events have happened in the past six months. Years ago most officers would give you a friendly warning if they assumed you were a law abiding citizen for insignificant discrepancies, but these days so many (every one of them has been young in my case) highway patrol talk to you like you are raping their sister and charge you for the pettiest thing they can find wrong. Honestly, the impression I get is that they have a quota to achieve and any chance to issue a fine they take it. There can be no other logical explanation.

For the record the rego was paid over the net as soon as I got home making the trailer safe again. I will be calling the SDRO in the morning to see what my options are. If they advise to send a letter to them as it's a chance of being reconsidered I will do that. As for this deteriorating impression I have for the law enforcers; unfortunately they are not doing much to convince me that their actions are honorable and as such have left me disillusioned with their ability to use intelligence when determining what is antisocial or irresponsible behaviour and what is not.

[Nelso]

What was the actual offence listed on the notice?

Use unregistered trailer on road.

[aardvark]

So are you justifying this sort of action? What would you have done in this situation?

You're not going to want to hear this, but since you asked.... Yep. I would have written the ticket aswell. Have written many a ticket for cars/trailers being one day out of rego.

At the end of the day I consider a couple of things:
1) I make sure my vehicles are registered, so should everyone else;
2) If I got caught with an unregistered vehicle I'd expect to receive a fine;
3) It's a job and I get paid to do my job;
4) I'm not doing my job on the off chance I might meet some lovely people and make friends;
5) Where do you draw the line? You think it's unfair to get a fine for being three days out, so when should a ticket be given out? After a week? A month? 3 months? If you said a month, then the person who got nicked for being a month out would complain that it's unfair and it should be three months and so on.

[Gosling1]

I think Nelso is referring to the ability of police to 'use their discretion' in situations like this. You have used yours in the past, and probably will again in the future.......I have had plenty of experience with coppers 'using their discretion'.

Giving any motorist a $500 fine in the week before Xmas is just bullshit of the highest order......for a trailer being 3 days out of rego.

How does that punishment 'fit the crime' ??

[gpxpunk]

i understand the fine, but it is not justified for 3 days out of rego. I always thought you had a week to get it done if it lapsed.

but can justify with you nelso, these piggy's are getting way out of control, with scare tactics and heavy fines. I have to say i have every respect for them and what they do, i wanted to be one years ago{thank god i didnt}. but yeah $506 is over the top. I was issued with a defect notice and a few fines coz my head light was out, even though i had a spare in te glove box and for a faulty brake light{2 others worked} simple wire had come lose. I have noticed people with no brake lights, no head lights just parkers, even people with blown parkers aswell, and wtf. how the fark do they get away with that shit. Funniest thing it was a unmarked highway patrol, and everyday he seen me he would tailgate me and try and make me speed.


Im with everyone. We need to make the farkers pay.....

[laidback]

... Funniest thing it was a unmarked highway patrol, and everyday he seen me he would tailgate me and try and make me speed.


Im with everyone. We need to make the farkers pay.....

Probably had his arm hanging out the window too...wish I had a camera every time I saw a cop do this...

[Wattie]

or the motorcycle police in short sleeve shirts...

[gpxpunk]

yeah i know what there like down in wagga, lol they love to hide.

[gpxpunk]

or the motorcycle police in short sleeve shirts...

ahh he let me off so he is ok.

[clay]

So are you justifying this sort of action? What would you have done in this situation?

You're not going to want to hear this, but since you asked.... Yep. I would have written the ticket aswell. Have written many a ticket for cars/trailers being one day out of rego.

At the end of the day I consider a couple of things:
1) I make sure my vehicles are registered, so should everyone else;
2) If I got caught with an unregistered vehicle I'd expect to receive a fine;
3) It's a job and I get paid to do my job;
4) I'm not doing my job on the off chance I might meet some lovely people and make friends;
5) Where do you draw the line? You think it's unfair to get a fine for being three days out, so when should a ticket be given out? After a week? A month? 3 months? If you said a month, then the person who got nicked for being a month out would complain that it's unfair and it should be three months and so on.

Vehicle, trailer, a little bit different.

If you got caught with your trailer a couple days out of rego, you wouldn't expect the copper to use his discretion, you'd expect to be fined? What do they do, brain wash you at the academy?

We all get paid to do a job, most employers would rather someone who uses their intuition and intelligence. Has the ability to analyze situations and determine the most appropriate way to handle said situation. Not just a bunch of drones off the production line reading lines out of a book.

None of us are working on the off chance we might meet some lovely people and make friends. However, we don't all assume that every person we meet during work are complete assholes and deserving of a hiding.

You decide where you draw the line, it's called discretion. Something you should be better at than most people, but you aren't. Based on the persons demeanor, body language, statements. The severity of the offence, how and where it is committed, etc. In this instance a month is a bit much, even a week. Given the time of year, the fact its a trailer, no inspection required. A trailer isn't something a person uses everyday. You don't see the rego sticker staring at you each time you get behind the wheel like you do in the car. I think 3 days could've been handled with a stern warning.