scofflaw hoon ignores police instructions

[pow3rslave]

i read about this last week, but i don't think it ever got posted up.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vic...-1225781371065

A FEISTY pensioner who led police on a go-slow pursuit on country roads said she had refused to stop because she feared she would miss a doctor's appointment.

Nadja Savin, 73, of Warrnambool, this week pleaded guilty to failing to stop when directed by police.

The Warrnambool Magistrates' Court heard Ms Savin was driving about 40km/h along the Princes Highway in Dennington, near Warrnambool, on May 22 with her hazard lights on and a stream of angry motorists trailing behind her.

The speed limit in the areais 80km/h.

A police officer tried twice to pull Ms Savin over but she refused to yield, forcing the officer to turn on the emergency lights and give pursuit for several kilometres.

But Ms Savin claims she was simply driving cautiously and using her hazard lights to warn other motorists to keep a safe distance.

"It's the law of the land in Australia to have three car lengths between cars, so when they (other motorists) got close I put the hazard lights on to get them to keep their distance," Ms Savin said.

"They kept beeping me but I wouldn't budge.

"I was going 40km/h because at first it was through a school zone, when it became 70km/h or 80km/h I kept going at 40km/h or below because you never know where children may be."

At one stage during the pursuit an officer persuaded Ms Savin to pull over to the side of the road, but the frail pensioner refused to wind down the window. Instead, she pointed to Port Fairy, her intended destination, and kept driving.

Ms Savin said she couldn't afford to stay and chat with the officer, as she was running late for a podiatry appointment.

"I was heading for an appointment with my podiatrist and I intended to keep it, my toe was very, very sore," she said.

"I knew if I was late I would miss it . . . I wasn't being difficult. I pointed to Port Fairy and told them I'd speak to them when I arrived."

Ms Savin then reversed her car past the police vehicle and continued on her way to her appointment.

"I made my appointment in the end, but when I came out they had put a clamp on my wheel and they were not very happy," she said.

A charge of failing to stop when directed by police was proved in Warrnambool Magistrates' court and dismissed, but her licence was suspended until she passes a VicRoads exam.

no idea why they'd dismiss a charge of failing to stop, since she clearly ignored police instructions to do so.
also i'm sure i remember reading about driving +20kmh under the limit counted as an offence.

[TVR-190]

typical senior hoon

[old mate]

hmm, do you reckon there would be the same outcome if a p plater did the exact same thing? its all interesting though.

[Astranomical]

Lol, so she was doing half the speed limit, yet she was worried about missing her appt? Surely the solution to both making it to her appointment and not getting the attention of the cops (and other road users) would be to speed up? Some people....

[BONSVR]

This woman sounds like an idiot.

You don't want to be late but your happy to travel 40kph

[Keepleft]

She was protesting something, probably her perceived hypocrisy of speed management.

The hazards thing is legal under ARR 221(b) - the vehicle is a slow-moving vehicle and is obstructing, or is likely to obstruct, the path of other vehicles or pedestrians. Failing to stop on lawful instruction however, is not.

[Trayner]

typical senior hoon

lol I agree haha

[feistl]

"It's the law of the land in Australia to have three car lengths between cars"

Pretty sure its a 2 second gap.

3 Car lengths at 40kph is massive... but at 110kph its no where near enough

[Maxxiz]

Wow thats funny. Another case of stubborn old people. How nice of her to inform the police officer the law of car lengths lol. Also, think its a 3 sec gap.

[Goon]

Dam i just watched most shocking videos on cable the seniors ep!! and this just news story just brought me back to that show... it has some really bad senior drivers!!

I wonder how many go's it'll take her to pass the exam....

[ashbox]

she wont pass (hopefully)

[mz81vs]

Just goes to show there are idiot drivers of all ages. Its not just the p-platers that should be getting a bad rep. But because p-platers do cop it i'm glad a month ago i moved onto my open licence.

[aidannn]

"It's the law of the land in Australia to have three car lengths between cars"

Pretty sure its a 2 second gap.

its meant to be a 3 second gap now

[SV62NV]

i hate people that do like 60kmh in a 80 zone

Or even worse like this lady, 40kmh in an 80 zone

[Jesterarts]

WTF... some old granny who can't drive for her file, ignores police and causes a major traffic hazard by going 40kmph under the limit gets off free while I get done for going 4kmph over the limit.

I don't get it?

[greenfoam]

That's because there's a human condition to respect your elders everyone knows it even the Police, if they need room, give them room. You'll be old one day too

[old mate]

That's because there's a human condition to respect your elders everyone knows it even the Police, if they need room, give them room. You'll be old one day too

yeah thats true. but if i get old, i really hope i dont turn into one of these hazards and have enough sense left to leave the car at home.

[Jesterarts]

Yeah, though I never understood the 'human condition' of 'respect your elders'.

I'm not going to respect someone just for existing a long time.

And giving up my seat to an old granny is not quite in the same league as having to dodge an old granny cruising along 40kmph under the limit.

If you can't drive, then you shouldn't be on the roads, no if's, but's, maybe's or exceptions.

And with people like this making it up as they go on the roads I'm more likely to end up dead than old.

[pow3rslave]

You'll be old one day too

i basically already am. i really want a rocking chair on my porch to yell at those damn neighbourhood kids. always skateboarding on the sidewalk. GET OUT OF MY BUSHES!

[V8 Calais]

I had an old guy doing 60k's in an 80k zone in the left lane, i was stuck behind him but kept my distance, moved over and overtook him and he blew his horn and carried on???

I wasn't impressed it at all.... they are the ppl who screw things up for us... I wasn't doing anything wrong, just cause i have a modified car.

I honestly think they need to re-test ALL people once they get to a certain age....My friends car copped a front end corner hit from a 91 year old lady who went the wrong way up a 1 way street in the city just a few months ago...

They are endangering their own lives but also other peoples lives...

Thats just my thoughts anyway.

[D-Man]

"I kept going at 40km/h or below because you never know where children may be."
yeah i guess those kids do play on highways and very busy roads, hahaha

and this one had me pissing myself almost

"I wasn't being difficult. I pointed to Port Fairy and told them I'd speak to them when I arrived."

if i did that i'd have about 2 cars onto me and they would probably get out the spike strip and bust the wheels if they had them!!!

that's stupid! that woman should not pass the vic roads test.

stubborn old woman!

[mz81vs]

If its dangerous driving, its dangerous driving. The age of the driver has no relevance. I'm all for respecting the elderly but if you can't keep a reasonable speed then you really shouldn't be driving.

[azkwazere]

40kmh in an 80 zone and people couldnt just overtake her?

Fail.

aZk.

[Grennan]

What if they had to cross double lines on a single lane hwy? I know I wouldn't be doing that if she had a cop following her with the blues and twos.

[minux]

What if they had to cross double lines on a single lane hwy? I know I wouldn't be doing that if she had a cop following her with the blues and twos.

Fairly sur eits single lane with loads of traffic islands/single solid white lines etc.