Reply from Ms Roberts

[bully]

Dear Bully

Thank you for your email concerning Multanova speed cameras and the Road Traffic Amendment (Impounding and Confiscation of Vehicles) Act 2004. Please accept my apology for the delay in responding.

The Western Australia Police Service advises that evidence from crash investigation continues to justify the inclusion of speeding behaviour as a major focus of Western Australia’s road safety strategy. University studies have indicated that the risk of casualty resulting from crashes approximately doubles for every five kilometres per hour a driver increases their speed above the set speed limit. Accordingly, the Road Traffic Code 2000 makes it an offence to exceed the set speed limits by any amount.

With respect to the disclosure of speed camera locations, the Police service made the decision to have a blackout on media advertising during the Christmas/New Year period in order to create a heightened sense of road safety and awareness for motorists. It was believed that this blackout would add to the deterrent effect of speed cameras as it serves to raise awareness that speeding motorists can be caught anywhere at anytime. Revenue was not a factor in the decision and the Police Service takes into account a number of factors when determining speed camera locations. These factors include evaluation of fatal crashes, serious crashes, knowledge of frequent speeding, complaints received and operational requirements.

The Police Service advise that the media blackout over the Christmas/New Year period appears to have been successful in that fewer motorists were detected speeding during the media blackout period than during the remainder of December. Despite what appears to be an initial success, the WA Police Service is cognisant that other factors may have also impacted on the volume of speeding motorists including the Christmas Road Safety Campaign and double demerit points. They further advise that they are yet to determine future strategies for the advertising of speed camera locations.

Regarding the “Anti Hoon Laws”, you may not be aware that this legislation was introduced in response to the unacceptable number of deaths and injuries that have occurred on Western Australian roads as a result of dangerous and reckless driving. Approximately 60 of the 179 road deaths in 2003 were attributable to reckless and dangerous driving.

The legislation is directed at drivers who indulge in illegal street racing, time trials and burnouts, and is designed to modify irresponsible behaviour. As at 31 January 2005, 153 vehicles had been impounded. A large number of these drivers were exceeding the speed limit by up to 60 km per hour in built up areas, which typically have speed zones of 50 or 60km per hour.

There is a fundamental obligation on the part of a driver, when granted a licence, to drive safely at all times, within the limitations of the prevailing road conditions and with due consideration to other road users. The minority of irresponsible road users who abuse the privilege of holding a driver’s licence by driving dangerously have necessitated the introduction of this legislation.

I trust you will appreciate that the legislation has been introduced in an effort to save lives and injury by removing dangerous and thoughtless drivers from our roads.

Yours sincerely

HON MICHELLE ROBERTS MLA

MINISTER FOR POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

[damono]

my interpretation of that..

"blah blah blah hoons blah...etc"

[ChaserV]

my interpretation of that..

"blah blah blah hoons blah...etc"

ahh thats makes more sense...

[ric777]

yeah, well she is full of sh!t on most items. Below is posted a link which I posted a while back that gives the reasons why speed cameras were withdrawn from use in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Ontario.

http://www.abd.org.uk/pr/299.htm

Another article that was published on PoliceSpeedCameras.inf late last year is as below.

"After the Western Australian Police Department made speed camera locations available on the Internet and in local newspapers this year, it appears they are about to do an about face after a "baffling" 20% drop in speeding drivers. This significant drop in speeding drivers represented a half year $8,000,000.00 drop in revenue for the Road Safety Council and the state goverment according to a Channel 7 TV News report.

This proposed media and Internet blackout on speed camera locations flys in the face of years of propaganda claiming that speed camera lists are made available to help raise public awareness about road safety. Clearly this large drop in government revenue has caused the police and goverment to re-think their position.

This sudden 20% drop in speeding vehicles must surely have been accompanied by a large drop in the road toll in the Perth metropolitan area. After all, why else would we allow these devices on our roads but to save lives, right?

Well clearly this has not been the case according to road crash statistics put out weekly on the Western Australia Police Department website.

Clearly, the link between motorists driving 5 - 10 kms over the limit has little if anything to do with the road toll. The logic that has been used to justify speed cameras in the metropolitan area is flawed and this exercise has proved it beyond reasonable doubt."

The lowering of tolerance allowed in speeding charges was also motivated by a reduced revenue intake.

I sent the above link to Roberts several weeks ago and all she (or her staff) said was that they were looking at it.

Because they have implemented counter-measures due to the falling rate of revenue intake, proves that revenue is the motivating factor in this whole thing.

Sorry about the lengthy post.

[AlphA]

"153 vehicles had been impounded"

One would be my mates R33 Skyline, caught in Myaree "Perth" doing 124kmph in a 60 zone.

He was however on his way to the hospital with his brother in the other seat who had "almost" cut several fingers off.

Now see this gets me a little bit unhappy.. :Bang:

They did not let him off.. They did not care that his brother was in so much pain, it was at 12:15am at night " No traffic at all" and they did not seem to care at all!!

Just my 2c worth..

[fluent]

fark....

get your mates bro to sue for undue pain and suffering!!

[ric777]

"153 vehicles had been impounded"

One would be my mates R33 Skyline, caught in Myaree "Perth" doing 124kmph in a 60 zone.

He was however on his way to the hospital with his brother in the other seat who had "almost" cut several fingers off.

Now see this gets me a little bit unhappy.. :Bang:  

They did not let him off.. They did not care that his brother was in so much pain, it was at 12:15am at night " No traffic at all"  and they did not seem to care at all!!

Just my 2c worth..

well that's pretty f***ed. Those are the type of cops that should have that happen to them. I'd be making a court appearance on that one, even if it was only to make the cop look like a heartless pr!ck.

[HIPSI]

Regardless of what laws are brought in, if you speed and you get caught TOUGH!

My 2Cents

[ric777]

Regardless of what laws are brought in, if you speed and you get caught TOUGH!  

My 2Cents

as a whole, yes. But when they drop the tollerance down to around 3kph, then that's just money grabbing. Anyone can go over by that amount for any number of reasons. At least in other countries they are a bit reasonable. Have been to B.C. & Alberta Canada several times and they allow you up to 10kph over, after that, they hit you for the lot. Sh!t I saw a dude go the wrong way up a 1 way street in Rome and all the cop did was bite his own finger, as dings ofter do.

[skylineracer1]

as a whole, yes. But when they drop the tollerance down to around 3kph, then that's just money grabbing. Anyone can go over by that amount for any number of reasons. At least in other countries they are a bit reasonable. Have been to B.C. & Alberta Canada several times and they allow you up to 10kph over, after that, they hit you for the lot. Sh!t I saw a dude go the wrong way up a 1 way street in Rome and all the cop did was bite his own finger, as dings ofter do.

ye in portugal the speed limit on the free way is 120kmh but they have tolerance up to 160kmh but as you said after that you get fined for the lot, so we sit at 140 to 160kmh.

[Sneeza]

Funny how they only reply close to election time.

I sent a letter to just about every party regarding the anti-hoon laws and got the standard BS repsonse back - if any at all. I suggested driver training initiatives etc instead of these draconian laws and all I got was - "I'll look into your suggestions" pppffftt.

[Nizmo]

Love how you only get a reply because its election time

(sorry liz just read your reply - great minds think alike)

[raasclaat]

If its not about revenue, then why do they fine people?

why not just deduct points? load of krap!

[ReVN211]

i got the exact same reply as you Bully

[JXL]

that revenue issue she mentioned is full of shit cause last year when we had that police strike thing what did the cops do to get back at the government... not fine anyone for speed cam incidents in the period.

and what was their only.. ONLY reason for doing it? To starve the government of millions acquired in revenue from the cams so they can have it for their payrise.

Not once was the safety of people on the street mentioned and it was made blatant that the cops weren't fining people on the news. So everyone in Perth knew they could speed and not get fined.

If the safety of people on the street was so paramount the cops having to uphold the protect the community section in their jobs would not have done something so reckless that jeopardizes human life.

And why every year the cops go so much more overboard in speed cams, hoon laws etc but still the Death Toll rises so whatever they are doing isn't working.

tell that to michelle the bitch and see what she says.

[Boostzor]

Well u gotta admit the reply was pretty water tight. After all "studies have shown"

So whats the option? challenge the legitimacy of govt? i wonder if any1 factors in the "runner factor" it would be interesting to see if high speed chases have increased due to these laws being brought in and normal law abiding citizens buggin out instead of stopping due to fear of being caught.

God bless the Canadians why cant we follow their example instead of being "zero tolerance" morons like the US. Does the Govt really want its people to hate it? or they just want to make a few bucks? well i guess we are the minority so our opinion does not count.

[ric777]

Well u gotta admit the reply was pretty water tight. After all "studies have shown" ..............................

.

wonder what brain surgeon did the studies, obviously the Canadians didn't see those studies otherwise they may have kept the cameras operating

Got stopped in B.C. once for a safety belt check (Canadians are so pigheaded about putting seat belts on) . Found the cops to be extremely polite and they thanked us for having our belts on. Some of our cops would have probably got pissed off because they didn't get to write out an infringement notice.

[Boostzor]

Werd to that!! what is it they say?

"99% of statistics are false, forfty percent of all people know that"

The way i see it cops should be helpful and polite to the normal law abiding citizens, if they have to give u a parking ticket they dont have to throw a pointless yellow along with it, that just serves to piss people off. Most people i know will not ask a cop for directions, thats half the reason they are there, only law breakers are supposed to fear cops, not everybody.

Then again they should still be able to crack a few skulls when need be a bit of thought about where the energy is applied would be a good idea.

Disrespect begets disrespect !!!

[ossie_21]

"153 vehicles had been impounded"

One would be my mates R33 Skyline, caught in Myaree "Perth" doing 124kmph in a 60 zone.

He was however on his way to the hospital with his brother in the other seat who had "almost" cut several fingers off.

Now see this gets me a little bit unhappy.. :Bang:  

They did not let him off.. They did not care that his brother was in so much pain, it was at 12:15am at night " No traffic at all"  and they did not seem to care at all!!

Just my 2c worth..

Dude, that sucks for your mate & his bro. Hope you don't mind me asking, but what was he doing that made him nearly cut his fingers off at 12am????? Anyway, the cops will always be pricks like that, technically they should of put him (mate's brother) into their car & taken him themselves, if it was really bad. Probably didn't do that though did they????

I can't stand that Robert's bitch, if she told me the sky was blue I would go outside & check.

[JXL]

what a dilemma with the election looming i hate this roberts bitch with such a passion but i know the son of colin barnett and he hates barnett even more.

so i vote either way i'm gonna get a ****wit in parliament.