Letters to the Editor - Illawarra Mercury

[2rismo]

Just sent the below to the editor of the Mockery and they called to confirm this arvo. Just in case you're interested.

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I'd like to thank both the Wollongong and Lake Illawarra L.A.C. for their efforts in recent weeks to kerb antisocial behaviour in the Illawarra. I'm sure that a lot of unsavory behaviour was avoided due to the very public policing effort on show and for this, Wollongong thanks you.

I would however, like to question the amount of attention delivered to Car enthusiasts that congregate at and around City Beach, Wollongong. The Australia Day long weekend brings two things to our regions roads: Car enthusiasts and double demerit points. While it would be foolish to disagree with RBT's being carried out on a national holiday where celebrating is commonplace, my observations of the police's actions on the 26th move me to question the 'randomness' of the operation set up at the south end of City Beach.

In the time I was present, I saw only one vehicle 'randomly' selected for a breath test that was neither a P-plater or driven by someone who appeared to be a car enthusiast. This obvious targeting of younger drivers and those driving modified and/or imported vehicles was as blatant as it was discriminatory. Perhaps the idea is to keep the hundreds of visitors to our community each weekend away, I don't know. If that is the case, perhaps the money spent marketing the Illawarra as a tourist destination could be better spent.

Adrian Hodgson

Farmborough Heights

[two40]

Well done Adrian

/pat on the back

..oops, that's not your back

[cereal]

WOW....you actually managed to sound half intelligent!!!! j/k

Nice one bruv.....

[hawks]

nice work adrian, but i bet you will cop some flack from the oldies that read the merc.

nice work with the big words too

[B-Man]

Adrian, you ar spot on mate. Me & Bigvis drove past a RBT station, when they saw all the Lines coming they quickly changed from being an RBT station to a defect station.... They pulled over about 5 Lines - How random is that ???

[2rismo]

thanks cereal

I totally expect to cop flak from the old karnts that read the merc which is why i had to try not to come off as an idiot hoon. Unless they have any semblance of a clue, they'll appear ignorant and ill-informed. (Big enough Mark?)

To let everyone know, a mate was doen for DEFECT - OTHER (Airbox not enclosed) and is fighting it. See the thing is, it's not written down anywhere and he's claiming he's an expert to the court as he is a qualified mechanic that works at an rta inspection station :P

i'll let everyone know the result.

[Bleach1]

I used to travel to wollongong most weekends from sydney to see friends and so on because i lived there for a few years. Most sunday arvos we would head down to south beach to check out the cars and so on. The one thing i always noticed was depending what car i was in would depend on what car was pulled over for an RBT and a subsequent defect check. For 3 years i had a Silvia with modifications on it and almost 100% of the time i would get pulled over, yet if i went in a friend done up commodore which was possibly more illegal than my silvia we would almost never be pulled up. Even now since the last public holiday and in my Skyline i still notice the same thing.

I dont understand the huge police prescence in that area. It is quite slow and people take it easy to show off around there yet i have never seen as many patrol cars and defect stations. I think its just easy money for the police department.

[benm]

I agree with you all.

In my lowered, mag wheel'd, loud exhaust 1990 Pulsar I got RBT'd once in 2 years.

In my Skyline I have been RBT'd about 3 times in 4.5mths and followed/tailgated twice by highway patrol cars and once by a regular cop car.

I have my AirBox sitting in my room but it needs to be modified before it can be installed. I ordered this the day after hearing about everyone being defected in W'gong so as I would not be defected either.

I'm also thinking about ordering the manual/cdrom that explains in detail every rule of the road and modifications (about $24 once off on CDROM).

Their is only 1 way to beat the cops and thats to know your shit AND have it in writing. (In a legal format)

I seen this tactic used when down at the summernats. The guys with the normal mods got defected, the guys with the normal mods but knew their shit got let off.

Be smart about things and you'll be right.

[hawks]

hey adrian, did your letter ever get published?

[carlo]

yeah did you hear anything back?

[Merli]

Well said Adrian.

We don't get the Illawarra Mercury here, so I'd appreciate if you scanned or typed out any responses you get from the Editor or readers.

[2rismo]

I'm keeping my eyes andears peeled for responses. It was printed in Saturday's Mercury and I'm SURE it will spark off the old farks that usually get their back up about these things...

I'll scan the letter at some point and any responses and post them here.

Adrian