Ask Ponch

[curious]

You can find that part of policy in three manuals.

1. Operational Procedures Manual.

2. The complete chronicals of Hugh HEFNER.

3. A day in the life of Jasmine SINCLAIR

[AMoffat]

Whi is this Jasmine chick?

[aniken]

Who is this Jasmine chick?

[Buf-Phoon]

Who is this Jasmine chick?

ANIKEN

Nuff said ........... note to self , Pick up video on way home.

[Guest P'cisT]

I have a question, but not really sure if you guys can answer it, since it's more of a parking one.

When parking, in say a 2-hour zone, after the time is up, can you go for a drive around the block and come back to park in the same spot (or somewhere close)?

[plonky]

Why not.....if you parked there for two hours and then drove away and returned to the parking spot, wouldn't you be entitled to?

I would think you would.

[curious]

A witness would always help. The ticket person should realise the chalk mark is missing and you would be OK.

Heres one for ya. My sister is a Barister and tld me a funny story.

A gentleman bought a Winebago is the US (of course). He set the cruise control and then stood up and went to the back. Of course the vehicle crashed.

He then filed a suite on the company stating that it did not stipulate in the manual what exactly was cruise control.

YES he won a new campervan and a rediculous amount of money.

Serenity now

[plonky]

Happy Festivus!!

[Cro]

Driving down the hume, home from my cousins housewarming party on Saturday night, come across a VY marked cop car half way home.

Sit on the speed limit, drive as I normally would when I'm in a non-spirited mood.

Going for about 10 mins, no issues, cop follows me in every lane and I'm driving even more cautiously (indicating for 30metres instead of the usual 15, before changing lanes, both hands on wheel, looking at the speedo more than the road, but still managing to stay in the lane markings, etc...)

At the end of my trip on the main road I'm in the right lane, cop is in the far left lane (3 lane road), my right hand turn lane starts and I get into it.

Now this is the funny bit, the cop totally swerves from the far left lane, into the right hand turn lane, screeching tyres, no blinkers, etc...

I go around the corner when the lights go green, cop car lights start to flash, I pull over. 5 damn minutes later, the female driver and male passenger get out (leaving one male in the back seat). Female walks up to me, says hello to me and my wife, tells me about an RBT whilst the male uses his flash light to check out my back seat then my wife (WTF?).

I take the RBT, good night drive carefully, you too, cya later.

Was the swerve really worth it?

Did the male officer have to look through my car with his torch?

Do police target overly cautious drivers?

Or was it just because they were in a Crummydore VY Executive and I was in a Ford XR6 Turbo?

My other question is, I was 500metres from my home when they pulled me over. If I kept driving along, and turned into my driveway, would of they still had the authority to give me a RBT or fine me for something I could of done without a warrant for stepping onto my property?

I wouldn't ever do this, I'm just curious cause one of my mates cousins boyfriends sister (you get the idea) told me they got away from a ticket like that and I don't believe it.

[Velvet Glove]

The RBT is perfectly legit. If they indicated for you to stop 500m from home and you kept driving and pulled into your driveway they are more than entitled to issue you with a TIN (Traffic Infringement Notice) for failing to stop when directed. They dont need a warrant to do that, its called immediate pursuit and they are entitled to go onto your property and arrest you if necessary.

POlice are also entitled to look through the car with a torch and, if they have grounds to suspect you're involved in an offence, stop, search and detain the vehicle until a search is completed.

Looking through with a torch is pretty innocuous (I know it could be annoying for you though) but you'd be surprised how many things that Police will see in plain view (bongs, stolen gear, guns, knives etc) inside cars on routine traffic stops.

In short they were entitled to do what they did. Funnily enough overly cautious drivers can be a sign of a DUI driver. I dunno if the swerve was worth it but RBT means you can pull over anyone, anytime on a public street.

The other night I followed a speeding guy and finally caught up with him in his driveway, tested him and he blew over. No dramas with that at all as I was behind him and in 'immediate pursuit' all the time.

Hope that answers the question (that's ACT law but pretty much the same elsewhere)