It is part of a growing regime of expensive sloganistic nonsense.
"Every k over is a killer."
If only they believed it.
They could ramp up revenue raising, catching everyone who is one km over the speed limit, wherever they can find them.
Secret speed cameras all over the place.
Gloating on television news about how much revenue they are raising and the new devices their manufacturing mates are coming up with to catch more motorists.
How many people believed all those artistic metal structures now standard over the freeways were for "visual amenity"?
Far from believing in the "Anywhere, Anytime" sloganeering, they set up secret cameras (with experienced officer hiding in the back of secret vehicle) at locations, supposedly chosen on the basis of traffic and accident data.
Data used to decide where they revenue raise is not open for scrutiny.
They are in cahoots with the Transport Department and the RACQ.
Police ignore requests for information about their operations.
They actively discourage questioning by reminding how much it will cost to call in fancy, highly paid experts to defend the way they operate speed cameras.
Of course they are going to back police all the way with lucrative contracts at risk if successful challenges become commonplace.
The Queensland LNP ripped off New Zealand's "offender levy" (not a tax) as further means of intimidation from challenging Police action in court.
The Government has three bites at the criminal: the fine, Police costs and 'offender levy.' It's about revenue, not rehabilitation of the poor or anti-social behaviour.
They claim the offender levy (not a tax) will raise a million a month but will not release how lucrative the levy (not a tax) has been.
If the claim that chosen speed camera sites have such a horrible accident history is stretching the facts, Police then claim there was a complaints about the area.
They always win.
A bizarre accident at a location some years previous can be enough to have the area nominated as a secret speed camera site. Conditions don't have to be the same.
An accident at peak hour = speed trap in quietest time on the busy road.
An officer told to conduct a secret speed camera operation is not required to keep photographic proof of where his van is set up.
He does not have to prove nearby speed reduction signs are in place and clearly visible.
He does not have to prove it is a safe location to be hiding, promoting "road safety.".
He does not have to identify where the last 'on road' speed limit legend was before his speed trap.
Drivers should keep their focus on the road. With the amount of clutter and poor condition of roadsides it is not enough for police to know that a driver unfamiliar with the area has noticed a sign on the footpath. On road markings should be legible.
When they feel like it, Police may decide to place a small, barely legible sign in front of the trap to advise people they have passed a speed camera.
As a road safety initiative, there should always be a clear and legible sign within 50 metres of the revenue raiser thanking drivers for their safe behaviour:
Speed Camera
Thanks for driving safely
This will encourage hundreds of drivers who were doing the right thing.
It will demonstrate that it is more than just sneaky revenue raising.
Example : Saturday 22 December - Police parked dangerously in the vicinity of the notorious Toowoomba/Esk roundabout. A disgracefully designed intersection.
Using speed guns to surprise motorists who should be concentrating on the road and then pulling drivers over to book them is an unnecessary distraction.
Promoting road safety by demanding drivers participate in dangerous parking on the side of a notorious trouble spot is wrong but Police have special priviliges.
When you see Police blocking a busy road in order to chat to a driver about their poor behaviour it was not a thought bubble. They are taught to provide a "corridor of safety."
Leaving the Police car out over the road will apparently prevent Officer and Motorist from being hit by a vehicle that does not notice the poorly parked covert/overt police car.
It's legal, but still wrong that Police can park "anywhere, anytime" to play "Gotcha", even if it is potentially dangerous, obstructing pedestrians or distracting passing traffic.
How could they use Speed Cameras?
A call should be put through to the owner of the vehicle as soon as possible to advise them of their dangerous behaviour.
Waiting 40 days to tell someone that their speeding one km over the limit will kill someone reinforces the idea that cameras are not about road safety.
The bad driver may well have killed someone in the time it takes to process the infringement notice.
The parent who owns the car would want to help their teenage child modify their behaviour as soon as possible.
Police have up to year to advise the owner their car was detected speeding.
And they boast that secret cameras promote road safety?
Police brag about bucket loads of cash they earn for the "road safety" slush fund.
They could employ cheap labor to ring the owner of the vehicle the same day.
A script:
This is ... from Queensland Police traffic unit.
Are you the owner of a blue holden 333 HIT?
Can I check your licence and contact details are correct?
I am calling to advise that your vehicle was identified by traffic police at Smith Street Brisbane this morning.
You do not have to tell me any information.
Is there anything you would like to tell us?
Dangerous behaviour that has contributed to the deaths is not being stopped by having an experienced officer hiding in a van. All he can do is watch helplessly as potential killers drive past, because every k over is a killer.He can't caution drivers for inattention, no seat belt, mobile phone use.
Those behaviours don't generate the revenue speed cameras can earn.
Speed Camera revenue is a more lucrative contributor to the 'Road Safety' slush fund.
If a revenue raising trap continues to generate obscene amounts for the government there is a problem. Bragging about it is disgraceful. It demonstrates that the Police are not fixing the problem.
Why are Police instructed to keep collecting the revenue rather than take action that will stop the poor behaviour.
I propose :
The highest echelons of Queensland Police be required to get out on the streets even once a week, watching traffic with two less experienced officers at the sites that generated the most revenue in the previous week.
They should watch and discuss the behaviour they see and decide to do something practical.
Police are not allowed to stop drivers demonstrating courteous behaviour and thank them or give them a coffee voucher. Complicated legislation would be required.
I have heard of one officer who was so grateful to find a driver who did not fail a breathalyser that he did acknowledge her behaviour gratefully.
Police should be expected to find five people doing the right thing each week, to thank them, reinforce that they are on about saving lives and ask their opinion of road safety issues.
The Minister for Police does not respond to concerns about the conduct of speed cameras. His office flicks it to officers in the region where the person asking questions and expressing opinions lives for a discussion. The officers know the script but have no knowledge of many of the questions.
to be continued ...
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Nonsense story in the Courier Mail - an exclusive for the Courier Mail ...
POLICE will launch a series of secret blitzes against everything from bikies to burglaries as they grapple with crime fuelled by tough times at home and abroad.
In an exclusive interview with The Courier-Mail, new Commissioner Ian Stewart said he was set to create monthly themes to stamp out illegal firearms, drug and crime groups as they hit the police radar.
Extra police will be pulled in to tackle each month's secret "theme".
"This would not be just one group, it would be the whole of the police service," Mr Stewart said, setting down his plan for his first year in the top job.
In November, police launched a covert traffic operation codenamed Q-Blitz, which caught more than 19,000 speeding motorists, 315 drunk and 72 drug drivers.
Mr Stewart said it proved Queensland needed more secret police operations.
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