Ask The Copper

[Hairy Eater]

why in Qld do speed coppers set up the sign "speed camera " sideways so it cant be read by approaching traffic..... can only be read from the opposite side of the road.... surely this cant be legal...

[hakhawk]

cops in qld suck for that, they do it so u cant see the sign til you go past it, but its still there as they have to display it. im pretty sure they could get in shit for it, but would prolly make your life worse at the same time.

[davey g-force]

What's the law on motorbikes lane-splitting? I.e. riding between two cars? This is being discussed on another thread but people have different views.
BTW, I'm in NSW...

[helly]

What's the law on motorbikes lane-splitting? I.e. riding between two cars? This is being discussed on another thread but people have different views.
BTW, I'm in NSW...

Its an offence for any vehicle to pass another vehicle in the same lane. And can possibly be dealt with as a 'Manner Dangerous' offence in some circumstances (which is a criminal charge).

[helly]

cops in qld suck for that, they do it so u cant see the sign til you go past it, but its still there as they have to display it. im pretty sure they could get in shit for it, but would prolly make your life worse at the same time.

The position of the sign relates to whether the camera is detecting receding/approaching or both directions of traffic flow.

Its common practice/procedure for the sign to be on the furthest side of the detection vehicle when detecting receding traffic. When detecting both ways its sometimes on the opposite side of the road. However it depends upon your states guidelines of operation.

The sign is not there to warn you to slow down, its there so you realise you just got done when the flash goes off...

[Nobody Actually]

Heres a question, appologies if its already been asked. Whats the whole deal about different rear lights, like the Altezza style? How often are people defected for them? My understanding is that apparently they dont match the ADR and so they are not legal.

I belive it's because of the lack of red reflectors in the tail lights that makes certain ones illegal. can anyone confirm this?

[helly]

I belive it's because of the lack of red reflectors in the tail lights that makes certain ones illegal. can anyone confirm this?

Spot on... You can have a clear rear brake light lense as long as there is a red reflector somewhere on the brake light assembly, it doens't have to be on the actual light itself, but it has to be there. Some of the Altessa style rears have no red at all and just use either a red globe or a red led, leaving the whole thing clear (no good).

[davey g-force]

Its an offence for any vehicle to pass another vehicle in the same lane. And can possibly be dealt with as a 'Manner Dangerous' offence in some circumstances (which is a criminal charge).

Thanks Helly, I thought as much. Does that also apply when the traffic is stopped i.e. at lights? It doesn't bother me too much at red lights - just makes me a bit nervous that they'll damage my car when they get too close. As for doing it in moving traffic, well they deserve everything that comes to them...

[Dan355]

I would say this has been asked before but im slack, anyway. Can a police officer issue a defect notice without testing/measuring the defect in question? For example i recently got defected here in sa for my exhaust being too loud without even being tested for the db. How can you get defected for something that hasnt been proven? Hence no evidence that it is actually defectable. Cheers

[semi]

yes you can. POlice only need to suspect (reasonably) that a car is unroadworthy and get the guys who know what they are doing ie mechanics, vehicle inspectors to check it

[shaggerz]

Heres a question for Queenslanders.

I am installing a 2" boost gauge and I want to put it on the dash in a little cup just left of the steering wheel. Will I have any problems with police giving me a hard time or insisting I will need to move or remove it? I spoke to an officer at the local cop shop and he didnt think it would be a problem but confessed he didn't really know much about the subject.

Advice??

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by SlapNuts: I belive it's because of the lack of red reflectors in the tail lights that makes certain ones illegal. can anyone confirm this?

Spot on... You can have a clear rear brake light lense as long as there is a red reflector somewhere on the brake light assembly, it doens't have to be on the actual light itself, but it has to be there. Some of the Altessa style rears have no red at all and just use either a red globe or a red led, leaving the whole thing clear (no good).

Some of the newer replacement taillights conform to both ADR and the National Vehicle Standards. Those that do, bear 'E markings' on the lens surface, OR are specifically stamped 'ADR xx' where 'xx' = for each function.

"E marking" is the letter 'E' or 'e' with a number in a circle representing the country (two digit code) that did the original photometric and function testing of the product. Once approved,- the mark gives the product 'world hologation approval' rights under UN/ECE administration, so it can be used as original equipment or in the aftermarket.

Example; E1 is Germany, E11 is GB as so on.

The unit shall also bear 'function marking' codes, example 'F00' means the assembly contains a rear fog light compartment, 'AR' represents reverse light.

Avoid lamp units not bearing any code whatsoever, purchase only compliant units.

NB - It should be mentioned that a rear fog light function compartment (rem coded 'F00' or as 'ADR52') must NOT be used as 'an extra brake light' as doing so will contravene the photometric parameters of ADR49-00 'brake lights'. I say this because some replacement lamp units have a dedicated rear fog lamp compartment.

The result is two varying levels of brake light brightness.

Replacement primary service bulbs should also be E marked, these then comply with ADR 51 and NVS.

[helly]

Thanks Helly, I thought as much. Does that also apply when the traffic is stopped i.e. at lights? It doesn't bother me too much at red lights - just makes me a bit nervous that they'll damage my car when they get too close. As for doing it in moving traffic, well they deserve everything that comes to them...

Yeah it applies when the other traffic is stopped also...

[helly]

I would say this has been asked before but im slack, anyway. Can a police officer issue a defect notice without testing/measuring the defect in question? For example i recently got defected here in sa for my exhaust being too loud without even being tested for the db. How can you get defected for something that hasnt been proven? Hence no evidence that it is actually defectable. Cheers

In NSW police only have to believe that you have fitted 'less restrictive' noise reduction equipment. There is also a specific offence (ie ticket) for this exact situation on top of the defect. So any car with a larger exhaust than standard is in the running, it may very well be within the allowable dB limits but if its louder than stock it is actually an offence...

It may be the same case for you at home. In a lot of cases police will measure the tolerance, however in just as many scenarios an actual measurement is not required. An example would be brakes, we aren't going to measure how much pad you have left or how much fluid is in the your system, we just look and make a determination, it would have to be 'obviously' bad though I would think...

[helly]

Heres a question for Queenslanders.

I am installing a 2" boost gauge and I want to put it on the dash in a little cup just left of the steering wheel. Will I have any problems with police giving me a hard time or insisting I will need to move or remove it? I spoke to an officer at the local cop shop and he didnt think it would be a problem but confessed he didn't really know much about the subject.

Advice??

Go to the Qld Transport Web site, someone posted a link to this, possibly in this thread, which has the details of allowable light vehicle modifications (for QLD)

Down here its heavily debated that you can't place anything on your dash, ie SAT NAV, Gauges, Fuzzy Dice... But if that were an absolute how do Holden and Ford get away with there performance gauges in the centre of the dash, and how do we get away with our radar and light controls...

If it 'really' obstructs your vision then you are going to have to think about it, is it really necessary and is it going to stop you from seeing that pedestrian just to the right???

[bradcad]

In NSW police only have to believe that you have fitted 'less restrictive' noise reduction equipment. There is also a specific offence (ie ticket) for this exact situation on top of the defect. So any car with a larger exhaust than standard is in the running, it may very well be within the allowable dB limits but if its louder than stock it is actually an offence...

It may be the same case for you at home. In a lot of cases police will measure the tolerance, however in just as many scenarios an actual measurement is not required. An example would be brakes, we aren't going to measure how much pad you have left or how much fluid is in the your system, we just look and make a determination, it would have to be 'obviously' bad though I would think...

just two more ways for the powers that be to bugger you anyway they like

"So any car with a larger exhaust than standard is in the running, it may very well be within the allowable dB limits but if its louder than stock it is actually an offence"

sums it up well

Next, I'm not surprised but I believe measurements should be taken. Believe it or not, just like there are a minority of asshole people, there is a minority of asshole police. So, I know that the pads on the rear brake will require replacing soon, to they eye they look buggered, however they are within serviceable limits.

If I was defected now, all I should need to do is show kawasaki's factory specified minimum thickness, but without a measurement to back up a ticket, how am I supposed to prove I was not endangering anyone with my legal rear brake?

[helly]

If I was defected now, all I should need to do is show kawasaki's factory specified minimum thickness, but without a measurement to back up a ticket, how am I supposed to prove I was not endangering anyone with my legal rear brake?

Bradcad, a Defect Notice in itself carries no penalty.

If you were talking about a ticket, its a different kettle of fish all together. The ticket most commonly used for Defect issues is 'Vehicle Not Comply With Standard'. In this case police are required to prove how the vehicle does not comply with the standard, being either ADR's or the relevant state's Vehicle Specification Information Sheets or VSI's, so measurements, if it is a measurement issue would definately be required...

A Defect Notice is not a court related issue, police/RTA/Your Mechanic (when you go for your rego check) are not required to PROVE anything. So you would not be required to show that you weren't endangering anyone, you just have to get the issue looked at and either fixed or cleared...

In the case of the Less Restrictive Exhaust, this is a both a Defect Notice Issue and a Specific Ticket. They do not have to co-exist, so you can be issued the Ticket and the Defect, or say just the Defect, which at the end of the day requires the mod to be replaced.

I rarely hand out Tickets for Defect's, I usually only write of the Defect Notice, unless its a severe safety issue, like seatbelts or brakes.

Hope that clarifies a point that seems to be misunderstood...
Defects Notices 'Don't Carry a Penalty'
Infringement Notices 'Do!'

Cheers

[Dan355]

Thanks Helly. As for defects not carrying a penalty i would have to be technical and say i would have to disagree. Only on the account that you would have to pay to get the "defect" fixed and cleared. So it does have a penalty in some sence. We have to pay $74.50 to get any vis defects cleared. It would be interesting to know what other states pay to get theirs cleared. Also whats the the rego check? We dont have that here in sa. sounds scary.

[Boonz]

its only where they check that your engine number and VIN number match the rego sticker and vehicle records and stuff no biggie and its $51.50 for the second time thru on the same defect haha....

[Crimmo]

What actually happens if you are caught driving a high powered car on your P's?

For example, I've driven my Dad's Nissan 350Z a couple of times which comes in at about 154kw to the tonne. In Victoria the limit is 130kw. So if I got pulled over, what do I cop?

[Sabbath']

What actually happens if you are caught driving a high powered car on your P's?

For example, I've driven my Dad's Nissan 350Z a couple of times which comes in at about 154kw to the tonne. In Victoria the limit is 130kw. So if I got pulled over, what do I cop?

Its just a fine i believe?

$135 mark

[hispeedvp]

i have a question, re: a bonnet scoop. the scoop in question is only slall about 30cm long and 15cm wide with a 3cm opening, is it legal to mount it facing forwards?

[bradcad]

Thanks for clearing that up a bit

[Puggle]

I know there are many questions here Helly and crew, thanks for taking the time for us. I for one feel much more easygoing about police thanks to you all.

You mentioned earlier that it is illegal for motorbikes to lane split. Why then does every driver here continue to get shafted by some of the motorcycle riders out there? We all see it (at least once a day myself-in the city) and often in full view and even past queued police vehicles!

More importantly, in heavy traffic how is it even possible for you to catch up to a lane splitting rider and book him? In long enough queues you've got no chance... I always assumed that I would, despite hypothetically being a serving police officer; simply not bother enforcing this part of the law due to the difficulty involved. Does Goulbourn teach otherwise?

[253@7k]

i have a question, re: a bonnet scoop. the scoop in question is only slall about 30cm long and 15cm wide with a 3cm opening, is it legal to mount it facing forwards?

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From DPI WA.

http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/1913.asp