Had an unplanned date with the constabulatory today :|

[Rhino]

Reasonably straight forward. I was sitting in the middle lane on the freeway and my exit was approaching - about 1km away. Cars in the left lane next to me and behind. A couple of cars in front of me all travelling at the same speed and none in the right.

Left the car in 5th, indicated, moved into the right lane to overtake the two cars in front of me. Probably going 20 or 30 over, pulled into the middle lane where I now had no obstacles, promptly braked (not eased off) to about 5 over the limit and continued for about 500m, then moved into the empty left lane to take my exit.

Silver unmarked commo follows me and puts his disco lights on. We pull over.
I kill the engine, get out with my wallet and move to the safe side of the car.

"You've gotta slow down mate"

"Yeah sorry about that. Trying to make my exit - people don't let you merge these days." Just stood there while he did his thing.

He was a nice enough fella - had biker boots on so I think he was a bike coppa just running an errand or something. Didn't stop him checking the car out though.

Asked me to pop the bonnet and start the car. "Opted for an intercooler did you"?

"It's a factory Astra Turbo - not many around."

Told me three times that the Astra only comes with 14" or 15" wheels. I corrected him politely each time, about the range of Astras and their respective wheel sizes..

He tested my window tint with his card. It passed, he didn't say anything about it - but it is 15 grade. Confused. Legal is 35.

Checked the ride height and informed me that it was too low, told me the legal limit, and that it was sufficient to defect me. I said "Gee, you'd think the suspension centre would let you know if it was going to be illegal".

"Nah mate, it's all money to them"

Nice (it was the sway bar that put me under)

I didn't have my licence on me but he didn't phone it through or anything.

He checked all the tyres, "Rears are getting close." Gave the car a couple of revs, went back to his car, filled out his 'contact' sheet. I motioned to him through his windscreen if I could turn the car off and he said "Nah mate you're right we're all done, you can take off."

A nice experience when it could have been quite a hassle. Lasted maybe 5 minutes.

Goes to show if you shut up, speak when you're spoken to and don't be a smartarse, things (and the police) can be ok.

[blackSRi]

Yeah they've said the same thing to me about my 16's - I showed them (twice) in the manual in the glovebox and the placard.

Thursdays are "zero-tolerance" on the road days - so my mate in Morely detectives says (8 times out of 8 I've been stopped on a Thurs).

Followed a bike cop yesterday (from Morley to Burswood via Grand Prom, Railway and Farmer Freeway) - he was riding in the right lane all along (no keep left for him), and at 5 - 10km/hr over (15km over on Farmer) and followed a P plater in a lowered Honda with bald tyres for over 2km down Grand Prom - he didn't keep left either and was over the limit 5km+, and no action. He looked my car over at the lights near the Gull on Great Eastern, (rears are getting a little worn), did naught.

[btm]

I got followed all the way home from Cronulla last night by a marked cop car... He didn't end up pulling me over or anything, just sat behind me all the way to my driveway then drove off.... weird :confused:

[Red AH SRI T]

u should have pulled over, let him go buy and then spend all nite following him and see how he like it

[PaulyJ]

I got followed all the way home from Cronulla last night by a marked cop car... He didn't end up pulling me over or anything, just sat behind me all the way to my driveway then drove off.... weird :confused:

i think he was trying tp work out what that flash badge was at the back of yout car... :rolleyes:

[blackSRi]

I got followed all the way home from Cronulla last night by a marked cop car... He didn't end up pulling me over or anything, just sat behind me all the way to my driveway then drove off.... weird :confused:

I had that happen a couple of years ago - a marked cop car followed me about 4 blocks to my driveway - they sat there while I waited for my electric gate to open, then they got the spottie on me until I drove thru - yes, wierd!

[btm]

its happened to me twice now - the first time was a few months ago...

[blackSRi]

Maybe you or your vehicle are "person or vehicle of note or significance"?

[Mrs T]

Oh what have you been up to bryne???

[btm]

Maybe you or your vehicle are "person or vehicle of note or significance"?
significance.... well i'm not a drug dealer or anything, and i don't have any criminal records.... i wonder why i'm on their radar....

[blueraven]

yep same here, treat them with respect, no smart comments and smile and just generally dont be an f-wit...

and unless you really did something stupid, most i have met will treat you just the same, and even let you off from time to time...

[blackSRi]

yep same here, treat them with respect, no smart comments and smile and just generally dont be an f-wit...

and unless you really did something stupid, most i have met will treat you just the same, and even let you off from time to time...

Except the last orange patrol car cop who yelled at me and called me names...he was worked up about "crazy drivers who should do Perth a favour and hand in their licenses....etc" I think he was on a crusade.

And I think he was pissed that he had been following a new black v8 SS ute for blocks and that guy hadn't broken 40km/hr. So when I turned in to the street in Belmont, heading to my friend's place, he thought - I'll collect another car for the contact sheet - I mean I waited for a major gap to turn into a side street (I was watching him follow the ute way down the road), hadn't even gone above 35km/hr when he passed me coming the other way - he did ping me and the ute with K band - on my Beltronic.

He didn't ticket me - just called me a smart-arse when I asked him calmly and quietly why he was stopping me. nice... I mean I wasn't speeding, waitied for a break in the traffic etc... confusing! maybe i have a smart-arse face (ie "puzzled" look)...?

[oneightoo]

significance.... well i'm not a drug dealer or anything, and i don't have any criminal records.... i wonder why i'm on their radar....
maybe your on their gaydar.. WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP

[InsaneAsylum]

maybe your on their gaydar.. WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP

redefines the term "reemed by the cops"

[blackSRi]

Stalked by the cops eyy... BTM? Maybe one of them wants to buy your car or ask you out but they are afraid to?

Actually a mate of mine at work told me about other stalker cops...
Apparently some cops were hanging out near his next-door neighbor, just down the road, so they could catch the guy speeding (people had reported him for speeding off every morning). They caught him too (that's why it came up in conversation).... or maybe they are checking your rego matches your address? (an offence not to update your address etc)

[woody]

significance.... well i'm not a drug dealer or anything, and i don't have any criminal records.... i wonder why i'm on their radar....

maybe you're driving style.. i know i get pulled up when i'm sliding round a corner whilst chatting to someone in the back and having a beer!! :P

[btm]

maybe you're driving style.. i know i get pulled up when i'm sliding round a corner whilst chatting to someone in the back and having a beer!! :P
yeah.... i have that problem often also... except i'm usually doing donuts in reverse while talking on the phone and yelling profanities through a megaphone at passing strangers...

[oneightoo]

yeah.... i have that problem often also... except i'm usually doing donuts in reverse while talking on the phone and yelling profanities through a megaphone at passing strangers...
YOU TOO!!!

wow small world haha

[R3N]

cops don't notice me enough... probably cos i'm a prime example of a law-abiding operator of vehicles.

cops have been known to bait potential law breakers though, not sure if they're allowed to do that.

btm, i heard they clocked you at 100 going down your driveway

[btm]

btm, i heard they clocked you at 100 going down your driveway
and that was in reverse :p

[R3N]

well... we've always heard so much about cops who are plain wankers but its nice to know there are some that are understanding.

i'm gonna go get me some lunch and wave to the first cop i see :)

[blackSRi]

...and they'll stop and charge you for harrassing a cop....

[Nem]

"Yeah sorry about that. Trying to make my exit - people don't let you merge these days."
In your situation it may have just been an excuse but I found that Perth is one of the best cities to drive in for courteous drivers though its been a couple of years since I've been down that way.

[blackSRi]

I find Perth isn't courteous at all compared with other driving in Australia.
Victoria is by far the best I have driven, Sydney is just busy and roads are packed - but at least the left lane will usually let you merge and drives near the limit.
Q'land is good (just Brisbane is heavy traffic and Gold Coast full of hoons).
In Perth too many people don't keep left cos the LH lane is usually 10km/hr or more under, and on suburban roads and highways they are packed with trucks and many buses and people executing left-hand turns (eg Canning Hwy).
Here, on the fwy they will often speed up to stop you from merging into a free space (in front) - just try any freeway on-ramp (Farmer is the worst - try any on-ramps heading east, Kwinana Fwy, try merging in going North).
my 2cs...

[sriturbochicky]

significance.... well i'm not a drug dealer or anything, and i don't have any criminal records.... i wonder why i'm on their radar....

It's all to do with ya licence/driver history.... when they do a rego check ya driver history is displayed too.... :( a real bugga when ya drivin a mates car & they've lost their licence!!

[oneightoo]

It's all to do with ya licence/driver history.... when they do a rego check ya driver history is displayed too.... :( a real bugga when ya drivin a mates car & they've lost their licence!!
not always, half the time you'll find the copper is just plain bored and pulls any car over, thats what my mate used to do..

[sriturbochicky]

yes, yes - boredom is just one part of it....

To be noted as a person/vehicle of interest ya driver history is noted along with any other criminal history you might have.

In my case it was the driver history noted against the rego.