Victoria - the place to be... fined and financially pillaged

[Ronin 09]

So, I'm pulling out from the sidestreet that my gym is on, reaching for the seatbelt. Come out onto the main road, gas it and change into second (no wheelspin or any tyre noise). The BOV goes off, and i notice an unmarked had pulled someone over on the main road. The seatbelt tensioner is locked, so I have no belt on. The cop pulls me over.

Tax Man: "why weren't you wearing a seatbelt?"

"i just pulled out from the sidestreet, sorry was putting it on"

Tax Man: "well thats not good enough. have you got a blow off valve on your car?"

"yes"

Tax Man: "they are illegal"

"mine is a plumb back, and is factory"

Tax Man: "it doesn't matter. have you modified your engine?"

"no the engine internals are not modified. i have an exhaust on the car"

Tax Man: "start it and rev it for me"

-i start it and gas it to 4K, slowly easing off the throttle, no BOV noise

Tax Man: "oh, well it's not going to make noise until you are driving"

"ok nice one."

-he proceeds to walk around the car 4 times. visually i have defectable - too loud exhaust, a-pillar gauges, boost controller, no 3rd brake light, windows too dark, BOV.

Tax Man: "Are your headlights tinted?"

"No they come from the factory like that. See behind the plastic? Its black, it makes the clear plastic look black too"

Tax Man: "I don't think they are roadworthy"

"I think they are"

Tax Man: "Well I'm going to give you an infringement notice, 3pts and $135 for no seatbelt"

"fine"

Tax Man: "You're lucky, if one of my collegues pulled you over they would have given you a defect notice for your BOV. Get it sorted out OK?"

"fine".

No seatbelt? Fine, thats my own damn fault and while i'm pissed, i still accept it. But tinted headlights? C'mon!

He was going to fine me regardless - either defect or seatbelt. I think he believes that he did worse by me by fining me - 3 points sucks. But if he actually popped the bonnet - hello defect. Lucky or not lucky?

Victoria - the place to be... fined.

[doxximus]

lucky

as in my case my bonnet was opened and in plain view was an exposed oil air filter (whatever the k&n is) and bleed valve....unless they are leagal

he even looked in the cabin and said "whats that" i looked and replied "its a dog hair........i have dogs" he said "lucky because you dont want your seatbealt to be breaking" but i got off easy, either way i was going to get booked, the money is not a problem thats fine, but 3 points on p plates on the 1st day of the 1st month of 2004 reallt sucks

[Horus]

you got off light but its still fkn bullshit....at least you didnt get canaried

[R31Nismoid]

Very lucky there marcus!

but 3 points for a god-damned SEAT BELT?

what has the state of VIC come to i wonder

[swordfish]

i have had 3 canary's in 2 months and total of $495 in fines. i hate this state.

[Guest INASNT]

Once hey got u for not wearing seatbelt they will always get u for something elese coz its an import.

When he asked you to rev the engine u could have said no because they cant ask you to do shit like that on the side of the road. Even if he said pop the bonnet open u dont have to as they need a search warrent (what i was told) to check even inside your car if you dont give them consent.

Anyway you are lucky that he just pulled over someone before you otherwise he would have prob defected you for sum bs since he would have got his quota for the day.

[Horus]

Once hey got u for not wearing seatbelt they will always get u for something elese coz its an import.

When he asked you to rev the engine u could have said no because they cant ask you to do shit like that on the side of the road. Even if he said pop the bonnet open u dont have to as they need a search warrent (what i was told) to check even inside your car if you dont give them consent.  

Anyway you are lucky that he just pulled over someone before you otherwise he would have prob defected you for sum bs since he would have got his quota for the day.

thats incorrect dman.

I just asked our lawyer about this sorta shit, and the cops now have extended powers to search a vehicle based on reasonable suspicion. Their extended powers were applied to help the catch drug dealers and hoons like us, and basically there is nothing you can do about it.....a cop pulls you over in vic and you are at his mercy

[Guest INASNT]

Thats ***ed up, more power to these *** wits is a joke.

What reasonable suspicion do they need to have?

[KamikazeR33]

its actually a new law regarding knives

they can "search" ur car for "knives"

yeah what bs

[predator]

Considering i think 1/3 of fatal accidents the driver does not have a seatbelt (contributing to the police state, and justication for booking people for speeding/revenue), i think its fair to enforce.

I mean you were kind of lucky, he could have defected you as well and another $125, and the running around involved.

Anyhow, another reason not to vote for Bracks election time!

What reasonable suspicion do they need to have?

Its one of those rules which they can make it up as they see fit, and its really just up to the imagination of the cop "I heard there was a suspicious car in the area, there have been complaints about this car before". Really its basically a "pull over anybody for no reason" card, and its fully legal.

It was one of those ones snuck in about 2 years ago, and of course without a whimper from anybody.

[ex-static]

I think you were lucky mate..

But it does suck.. Vic police love to give fines.. especially now since the speed cameras are out of action for a while.. they need to get revenue from somewhere.

[Jamezilla]

No Seatbelt and Using Mobile Phone - both $135 and 3-points.

These 'tougher penalties' came into play mid-2003.

[pushead]

I think you were lucky mate..

But it does suck.. Vic police love to give fines.. especially now since the speed cameras are out of action for a while.. they need to get revenue from somewhere.

Totally agree. I think they will calm down when the camera's roll again in March.

[torque]

My question is simple dudes......Why do you need a BOV?

Its obvious the cops were gonna fine you regardless....

[ex-static]

.. coz bo'v sound phat man.. didnt you know that? ..

/me walks off singing... subwooooofer, chicks .. chicks.. subwoooofer ..

[Guest INASNT]

It was one of those ones snuck in about 2 years ago, and of course without a whimper from anybody.

I wonder what other bs laws vic government has brought in for situations like we are in at the moment with vic governments biggest revenue raiser being offline.

As for no one making a whimper about it, its because no one knows the new laws they bring in, its not like advertise it.

[NickR33]

It's the mobile cameras that I am worried about...just got done two mins from my house doing 95 in a 70 zone...I don't usually drive around that quick but me and a mate were fixing my car because it had developed a major miss... one quick poke of the throttle in second and goodbye licence for a month...$265...and 4 demerit points...STOOPID ME!

At least the car was running well again... if it had of missed at all I wouldn't have a licence suspension...oh well...catching the tram to work should be fun:(

At least if a cop pulls you over you have some room to argue... with the cameras its all there in full colour:(

[Guest INASNT]

where did u get done?

[(B1) MR_fanny]

yeah mate u got off pretty light. wat pisses me off is cops that say stupid things like that shiit about your headlights and arguing that theyre right..wtf?? next theyll probably say your foldin mirrors are defective too. at least know your imports before being gun-ho about handing out fines.....then again maybe its good thing that they dont know that much:D:D

[NickR33]

I got caught on North Rd in South Caulfield just down from Ormond station...

I saw him too... but it was too late... it was a gold magna with the dashboard camera...very hard to spot:(