Should I raise an official Police Complaint?

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by EDManual

Like someone before said, if they shoot at you are you not gonna shoot back if you could?

no one said that at all

Originally Posted by tweeked

What next, shoot at us to see if we shoot back?

tweeked wondered if they were going to bait us into shooting back - he did not question whether we would shoot back in self defense or not


there has already been comments lost in translation - maybe the cops did wrong, maybe they did not, maybe what they did was misinterrupted by you

there are many times i am frustrated on the road, but i am not going to rant here, because as yeti suggested - there are 3 sides to every story; both parties have 1 each plus the factual one that is normally somewhere in between

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by jcxr

Fail. If your speedo is broken you are driving an unroadworthy car.

true, but if it broke during the current drive or on the drive to the wreckers to find a new one, i guess you should be able to use the police vehicles as a guide if possible

[GS608]

Originally Posted by zion

Funny thing is, a cop actually told me that. and i've done it a couple of times and they look ****** but they can't do anything about it. like i said they still stuck to the whole lead by example thing so as long as your following them then they can't do a thing.

seriously, the reason for it is that if you where driving and broke your speedo cable you should be able to follow a police car and not be breaking the law, that's the exact words he used and he was a senior sarg. that and if they are speeding (without lights)they are breaking the same law that you are and if you fight the fine they get busted (tell tale instruments) so they will leave you alone.

They don't have radars out the back anyway, but nothing stopping them radioing another car to come up behind you and get you for speeding.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by JC

Actually, he was - it is illegal to increase your speed when being overtaken.

***EDIT*** Just realised the road in question is a multi lane road. Speeding up while being overtaken is not allowed on single lane roads:

145 Driver being overtaken not to increase speed

If a driver is overtaking another driver on a two-way road by crossing a dividing line, or crossing to the right of the centre of the road, the other driver must not increase the speed at which the driver is driving until the first driver:
(a) has passed the other driver, and
(b) has returned to the marked lane or line of traffic where the other driver is driving, and
(c) is a sufficient distance in front of the other driver to avoid a collision.

This is an interesting one this one, the other day I was out on a country highway going through a small country town with a speed limit of 60.. So the limit was 100 then 80 then 60 then back to 100.. As I always do I backed off to go through the town back to 60 then when the 100 sign passed I put the foot down, at the same time the guy behind me in a V8 Adventura (Holden Wagon) thought he would overtake me.. by the time I notice him up my side im back nearly doing 90. In this case it seems I would be in the wrong?

Anyways I did back off to let him safely get passed once I seen him but I wasn't a happy little vegimite because after that he couldnt even hold 100...

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by zion

Funny thing is, a cop actually told me that. and i've done it a couple of times and they look ****** but they can't do anything about it. like i said they still stuck to the whole lead by example thing so as long as your following them then they can't do a thing.

seriously, the reason for it is that if you where driving and broke your speedo cable you should be able to follow a police car and not be breaking the law, that's the exact words he used and he was a senior sarg. that and if they are speeding (without lights)they are breaking the same law that you are and if you fight the fine they get busted (tell tale instruments) so they will leave you alone.

I never see any police cars in QLD doing the speed limit, even when they dont have their lights on they usually travel at 15 - 20 kms over the limit, just like they all use their mobile phones when driving, no doubt their personal ones too!

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by tweeked

I cant handle this thought process. Police should never bait people. What next, shoot at us to see if we shoot back?

Their job is to observe and enforce the law, not to try to get people to break it.

Undercover police routinely try to get people to break the law - a lot of crime is solved that way. I've been baited several times by cops in unmarked cars. Personally, if you're going to scream off like a raving idiot at the first random person who revs their car at the lights, I'm happy it's against an unmarked.

To the OP, did seem he went a little overboard and while annoying, at least you kept your cool and didn't give him a reason to nick you. Wouldn't go to the extent of lodging a complaint.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by zion

Other then that if you see a cop car speeding (without lights flashing) or doing something illegal while driving just copy him, they are supposed to lead by example so if he speeds match his speed (but don't pass him) as long as your behind him he can't do a thing.

Brilliant advice.

You do realise that there are instances where cops will cut the lights and sirens while approaching a scene as to not warn possible offenders of their imminent arrival?

[paule11]

Originally Posted by dave289

Probably not worth wasting your time over such a tool. There are to many for us to waste our life over, just accept there are tools out there and move on. Out of curiuosity how old did he look. You have made a complaint and he will probably get a talking too as he is giving those officers a bad name by doing such a thing and I'm sure most of them would not appreictaite what he is doing. As before ,move on buddy ,tools are not worth wasting your time on.

+1 deliberately trying to frustrate people into overtaking . He should have had his cruise control set to the speed limit

[Josh_XC]

Man at lot of people winge these days about nothing.

[Dave3911]

Originally Posted by tweeked

If I sped up and slowed down in line with another vehicle they would say I was racing the other car and my car would be impounded

Err... no it wouldnt.

Originally Posted by zion

The reason they do it is because our favorite ex-prime minister John Howard got rid of the anti entrapment laws that made it illegal for the police to use any action which could force you to break the law, which means that now they can do whatever they want to to get you to perform a finable offence.

Who forced anyone to do anything? All this officer did was drive at or below the speed limit next to the OP. The op has control over their own right foot..... The OP did the correct thing (as he should have even if it wasn't a police officer) and exercised self control. If the OP decided to think with a peice of his anatomy other than the one on his shoulders, then he may have ended up with a ticket. Hardly entrapment.

Originally Posted by zion

Other then that if you see a cop car speeding (without lights flashing) or doing something illegal while driving just copy him, they are supposed to lead by example so if he speeds match his speed (but don't pass him) as long as your behind him he can't do a thing.

Worst advice ever. Police (at least in Victoria) have the power under Road Safety Road Rules 2009 Rule 305 to not apply any provision of the road rules if, in the circumstances, it is reasonable the provision shouldn't apply. They can also negate the need, under this same rule, to display a red/blue flashing light and/or sound an alarm if again, under the circumstances it is reasonable for them not to or it is reasonable for the vehicle they are using to not be fitted with them.

Also any vehicle they drive can be considered a "Police" vehicle as long as they are driving it in the course of their duties. So yes guys, they can do it in their private vehicles too......

Originally Posted by EDManual

As if doing 10 over is dangerous anyway! on this freeway, its DUSGUSTING the lows that the Vic Police go to to make money for the government.

Yep -I'm appalled.... a Police car seen to be doing the speed limit... in fact just a little under.... what is the world coming to.....

Just out of interest, what exactly do you epect this officer to be disciplined for doing?

[Jim Goose]

Another cop bashing thread.... havent seen one of these in ages!

Originally Posted by DASH GT

I never see any police cars in QLD doing the speed limit, even when they dont have their lights on they usually travel at 15 - 20 kms over the limit, just like they all use their mobile phones when driving, no doubt their personal ones too!

How many times does it need to be explained that a police officer is allowed to use their mobile phones in the course of their duties????

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by Dave3911

Err... no it wouldnt.


Who forced anyone to do anything? All this officer did was drive at or below the speed limit next to the OP. The op has control over their own right foot..... The OP did the correct thing (as he should have even if it wasn't a police officer) and exercised self control. If the OP decided to think with a peice of his anatomy other than the one on his shoulders, then he may have ended up with a ticket. Hardly entrapment.


Worst advice ever. Police (at least in Victoria) have the power under Road Safety Road Rules 2009 Rule 305 to not apply any provision of the road rules if, in the circumstances, it is reasonable the provision shouldn't apply. They can also negate the need, under this same rule, to display a red/blue flashing light and/or sound an alarm if again, under the circumstances it is reasonable for them not to or it is reasonable for the vehicle they are using to not be fitted with them.

Also any vehicle they drive can be considered a "Police" vehicle as long as they are driving it in the course of their duties. So yes guys, they can do it in their private vehicles too......



Yep -I'm appalled.... a Police car seen to be doing the speed limit... in fact just a little under.... what is the world coming to.....

Just out of interest, what exactly do you epect this officer to be disciplined for doing?

Stop using logic, there is no place for it here, have you not learnt?

Police are allowed to exceed the speed limit within reason in the conduct of their duties. That way they can move through traffic to check speed, driving or condition of cars further up the road without alerting the target vehicle to their presence using lights and siren.

Think about it people, how much would it annoy you all if the cop wanted to check out a dodgy looking car, put their lights and siren on, caught up to the car, found there was nothing wrong and turned everything off again. Then the next time they see another car that gets their interest they do it all over again. There would be a lot of lights on/lights off if they were just doing rego checks.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Another cop bashing thread.... havent seen one of these in ages!

There must be a lot of people here that have done all the education in the police academy and qualified to do all aspects of a cops job, because there are so many experts here on what police can and can't do.

Fair enough that the police should be responsible to act legally and ethically in the conduct of their duties. Fair enough too that they should be open to public scrutiny but am I the only one that thinks this is becoming a hobby of many here. I wonder how those same people would feel if the conduct of their own employment was so open to public scrutiny and opinion.

[ThaFlash]

how do you know he was a cop are you sure he was a cop, perhaps was a mechanic taking the car for a test drive, perhaps he was a security guard on the way to work or even taxi driver.

uniforms all look the same sometimes.





you are better off filing a complaint to shell or mobil about the petrol prices

[MAV50L]

You might as well put an official complaint in.
Now you have rung the station and had a sook about nothing , you will be targeted and done for sneezing while on the freeway.
Do you own a cardigan by any chance?

[tweeked]

I cant believe that people think this is proper police behavior.

Lets all just assume that the OP is spot on with what happened. Now place yourself in the position of driving along and try to legally get past someone who is travelling under the limit, only to have them play games with you, deliberately frustrate you. That person IS CREATING A ROAD HAZARD. But the "not another police bashing brigade" say great police work!!!

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Another cop bashing thread.... havent seen one of these in ages!




How many times does it need to be explained that a police officer is allowed to use their mobile phones in the course of their duties????

Oh really.. I never knew that

Yet they suggest it's such a risk to the rest of us. No doubt plenty of them use them to make personal calls that aren't work related, but because they have a badge they are allowed to.

[Jim Goose]

Funny how when people come here to complain about the poor driver behavour it seems to be drowned out with echos of.. get over it!!!

Yet when Police are doing their job and someone tells you to get over it they take great offence to it?

Everyday a very large amount of drivers perform the most insane and suicidale driving actions that you can think of... yet seemingly this is ok by a lot of peoples standards.

People speeding like mad through red lights, driving while talking on a phone, not using indicators, cutting people off, pushing in when merging, tailgating, not stopping at stop signs, all actions I see DAY IN AN DAY OUT EVERY TIME i go for a drive anywhere.

On any given day I will see ONE cop car on the road...... and we have a population of 150 000 people and tens of thousands of cars driving around our now little rat race.

Funny how our own behavour is so above approach but when we see the slightest little thing wrong about a copper we all get up in arms about it...

So what the cop wasnt speeding and tried to see if someone would bite (though we dont know the real motive as we only know ONE side of the story).

Many years ago I drove a very distinctive XB falcon and the amount of idiots who tried to race me EVERYDAY was beyond a joke.

The OP was smart enough not to break the law... so whats the issue?

[tweeked]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Funny how when people come here to complain about the poor driver behavour it seems to be drowned out with echos of.. get over it!!!

Yet when Police are doing their job and someone tells you to get over it they take great offence to it?

Everyday a very large amount of drivers perform the most insane and suicidale driving actions that you can think of... yet seemingly this is ok but a lot of peoples standards.

People speeding like mad through red lights, driving while talking on a phone, not using indicators, cutting people off, pushing in when merging, tailgating, not stopping at stop signs, all actions I see DAY IN AN DAY OUT EVERY TIME i go for a drive anywhere.

On any given day I will see ONE cop car on the road...... and we have a population of 150 000 people and tens of thousands of cars driving around our now little rat race.

Funny how our own behavour is so above approach but when we see the slightest little thing wrong about a copper we all get up in arms about it...

So what the cop wasnt speeding and tried to see if someone would bite (though we dont know the real motive as we only know ONE side of the story).

Many years ago I drove a very distinctive XB falcon and the amount of idiots who tried to race me EVERYDAY was beyond a joke.

The OP was smart enough not to break the law... so whats the issue?

Well Jim You have just outlined what police should be targetting, yet hasseling someone cruising on the limit is what was outlined, can you not see the difference, or do you just not care?

[Jim Goose]

While you can argue the for and against points till blue in the face, that fact remains that it isnt entrapment.

Police set up RBTs and pull you over to see if you have been drink driving?
One could argue its entrapment!
You havent done anything wrong but your being pulled over anyway.

Many years ago (MANY!) a guy at school lost his licence the first week he had his P. He was at the lights and thought the car next to him revved their engine at the lights. He thought they wanted a race. Turns out they were plain clothes officers.
He planted his foot and went well past the speed limit......

Entrapment you say? hardly.... he made the wrong choice.

As I said the OP didnt fall for it and was the bigger man...

Police also try and sell/ buy drugs also.... to catch people...

[Streets]

lol at this thread. Some people must have some pretty clapped out arteries by this stage if they're letting things like this get their BP up.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by geckoGT

There must be a lot of people here that have done all the education in the police academy and qualified to do all aspects of a cops job, because there are so many experts here on what police can and can't do.

Fair enough that the police should be responsible to act legally and ethically in the conduct of their duties. Fair enough too that they should be open to public scrutiny but am I the only one that thinks this is becoming a hobby of many here. I wonder how those same people would feel if the conduct of their own employment was so open to public scrutiny and opinion.

Thats what happens when your the law though. If you want to set the law and want to charge other people for breaking it it would be expected that as a police officer you would have a duty of car to uphold the law within reason. I understand that they need to speed and use mobile phones while they drive.

What I don't understand is how some of these muppets can carry on the way they do, trying to provoke people into doing the wrong thing. Last time I checked in QLD atleast it was against the law to be in the right hand lane if you weren't over taking, in this case above the driver was unable to overtake as the police car was basically lineballing him, im suprised the copper didnt book him for being a nuisance in the middle lane or something rediculous.

[ThaFlash]

well, if he was a cop, he sure does have a sense of humour!

[Dave3911]

Originally Posted by tweeked

I cant believe that people think this is proper police behavior.

Lets all just assume that the OP is spot on with what happened. Now place yourself in the position of driving along and try to legally get past someone who is travelling under the limit, only to have them play games with you, deliberately frustrate you. That person IS CREATING A ROAD HAZARD. But the "not another police bashing brigade" say great police work!!!

Did you even read the OP?

He was on a multi-lane fwy, in this case the Princes fwy, inbound to Geelong, either two to three lanes depending where he was, i'm guessing three lanes as the OP indicates the copper was in the middle lane....

At no point does he say the police car pulled in front of him and sped up/slowed down. In fact he says the car remained in its lane and varied speed a little (+/- 5km/hr). How on earth is that a road Hazard and how on earth does that deliberately frustrate anyone? If something like that frustrates you that much, maybe consider handing in your license and staying at home wrapped in bubble wrap....

Driving on the freeway is not a race - it should be common practice for you to travel with traffic (as everyone should be doing similar speeds).... I fail to see the problem with driving along a freeway next to a police car, or any car for that matter, in such a way as desribed.

The OP is making a mountain out of a mole hill - plain and simple. This copper didnt bait, incite or force the OP to do anything.

[MAGPIE]

Go on complain...

Be sure to let us know how you get on.


Why is it that you cant make the decision on your own, you were there, AFF wasn't !

[Dave3911]

Originally Posted by tweeked

Well Jim You have just outlined what police should be targetting, yet hasseling someone cruising on the limit is what was outlined, can you not see the difference, or do you just not care?

How was the OP hassled at all? Maintain your lane. Maintain your speed. Move on with life - who cares what/who/how fast the person next to you is driving? He was on a multi-lane freeway afterall....

[tweeked]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

While you can argue the for and against points till blue in the face, that fact remains that it isnt entrapment.

Police set up RBTs and pull you over to see if you have been drink driving?
One could argue its entrapment!
You havent done anything wrong but your being pulled over anyway.

...

How many times have you seen police offering free beers 1 kilometre before an RBT set up?

[tweeked]

Originally Posted by Dave3911

How was the OP hassled at all? Maintain your lane. Maintain your speed. Move on with life - who cares what/who/how fast the person next to you is driving? He was on a multi-lane freeway afterall....

Hassled enough to post on here.

Trying to keep left unless overtaking, but you cant because the tool next to you is trying to make you do something stupid

[zdcol71]

Someone should raise an official police complaint over this thread.
Boy....get over it!!

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by tweeked

Hassled enough to post on here.

Trying to keep left unless overtaking, but you cant because the tool next to you is trying to make you do something stupid

Then whats the problem.
If it takes you 58kms to get past him - so ne it.
If you desperately want that lane turn exit on, slow down and file in behind.

Hardly see how he was being hassled in any way shape or form.
If your that fragile or paranoid about people/cars around you - get off the road and start walking.

Some people here really need to start growing up and realising there is a big giant world outside of your front fence.
Mummy isnt going to be there to hold your hand forever.