7 October 2011

RAPID strikes

7 October 2011 | By johnboy

An unlicensed 19-year-old Narrabundah learner driver, with her small child in the rear of the car and her unlicensed male partner in the front passenger’s seat, was among the drivers caught by ACT Policing’s RAPID Team yesterday (Thursday, October 6).

A total of 22 unregistered vehicles were also detected by RAPID yesterday, during mobile operations conducted in Belconnen and the city areas in the lead-up to the forthcoming long weekend.

There were also nine vehicles detected yesterday without CTP (Compulsory Third Party) insurance, and two unlicensed drivers (including the 19-year-old female learner).

RAPID scanned more than 7000 vehicles yesterday, and 40 Traffic Infringement Notices were issued for a range of offences including failing to stop at a red light in Civic and using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving.

Police were disappointed at the high number of unregistered vehicles detected and reminded motorists that should their vehicle be detected as unregistered, it may result in their registration plates being seized on the spot, and the car therefore required to be towed away.

Earlier this week, members of the RAPID Team arrested a 44-year-old Kaleen man after he was detected driving on Ellenborough Street. The man had been driving in contravention of an immediate licence suspension notice issued previously. He was later bailed from the ACT Watch House.

ACT Policing Traffic Operations will be patrolling key arterial roads in and out of Canberra this long weekend.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]

Join the conversation

All Comments

All Comments
Website Comments
Facebook Comments

LatestOldest

KeenGolfer1:30 pm 10 Oct 11

buzz819 said :

Don’t all ACT Police have in car computers?

http://region.com.au/never-to-see-the-office-again-afp-get-in-car-computers/13099

No, caged vehicles don’t, some unmarked cars don’t. How much (or how little) they get used is another story which I’m not going to go into here.

buzz81911:42 am 10 Oct 11

KeenGolfer said :

Henry82 said :

KeenGolfer said :

Only the RAPID cars have the ability to scan on the go.

I’d expect more police cars to gradually get rapid anyway. I would assume at most RBTs they’d have one rapid car at the entrance to the RBT to check for flagged vehicles etc.

Actually some of the other traffic vehicles have the system, but no general duties vehicles. No rego labels would be ok when all police vehicles have the system but that is a long way off IMO in the ACT. In WA where rego labels were abolished police have instant access to vehicle rego status via their hand held and in vehicle TADIS system. The ACT doesn’t have a comparative system at this time.

Don’t all ACT Police have in car computers?

http://region.com.au/never-to-see-the-office-again-afp-get-in-car-computers/13099

KeenGolfer9:55 am 10 Oct 11

Henry82 said :

KeenGolfer said :

Only the RAPID cars have the ability to scan on the go.

I’d expect more police cars to gradually get rapid anyway. I would assume at most RBTs they’d have one rapid car at the entrance to the RBT to check for flagged vehicles etc.

Actually some of the other traffic vehicles have the system, but no general duties vehicles. No rego labels would be ok when all police vehicles have the system but that is a long way off IMO in the ACT. In WA where rego labels were abolished police have instant access to vehicle rego status via their hand held and in vehicle TADIS system. The ACT doesn’t have a comparative system at this time.

Henry827:08 pm 09 Oct 11

KeenGolfer said :

Only the RAPID cars have the ability to scan on the go.

I’d expect more police cars to gradually get rapid anyway. I would assume at most RBTs they’d have one rapid car at the entrance to the RBT to check for flagged vehicles etc.

KeenGolfer11:55 am 09 Oct 11

Henry82 said :

krats said :

And the numbers of unregistered cars will only increase if the ACT goes ahead with abolising vehicle restoration labels.

why, doesnt it make sense having everything linked to your numberplate? You can easily check rego online (just with the numberplate, nothing else). If you’re clumsy get a permanent marker and write the expiry date on the glass

Guaranteed the number of unregistered vehicles in use will increase if rego labels are abolished. The sort of people who drive unreg vehicles will think they can get away with it as there’s no label on the windscreen for easy checking. Many police will visually scan every vehicle they pass while driving for out of date rego labels and pull over the vehicle if the label isn’t current. Only the RAPID cars have the ability to scan on the go.

It means you as a motorist can expect more delays at RBTs, traffic stops etc whilst police check registration status on the radio (could take 5 minutes if busy) against a 2 second glance at the label.

It also means if you drive an old clunker you’ll be more likely to be pulled over so the police can check the reg status, rather than being able to do it on the go visually when there is a rego label.

obamabinladen10:57 am 09 Oct 11

@ gooterz

Where’d you pull your information that learner drivers have the highest accident rate? I just finished a traffic offenders program and one of the speakers was from the NRMA and his information was L platers have the lowest accident rate however P platers have the highest accident rate.

Tooks8:46 am 09 Oct 11

dungfungus said :

buzz819 said :

dungfungus said :

Why do mobile police patrols with a “cool” acronym and bristling with technology have to be the only way to detect unregistered vehicles in the ACT? Surely the RTA can do a print-out at any time of all the details; vehicle, rego number, name and address of registered owner etc. and then the patrol cars can make a home visit. While one officer is removing the plates off the car and issuing defect notices the other one can be checking out the property to see what stolen property is around and how the crop is growing. The RTA should make it a condition that plates have to be handed in immediately the rego expires and enforce non-compliance with heavy fines.
Physical police presence in the ‘hood is reassuring for those of us that are law abiding and sobering for those who aren’t.
Why is it that these days, nothing can be achieved unless the latest gee-whiz technology is being used followed by heaps of media spin?

So what you are saying is you want the Police to go over to every house where there was a car registered there and that is not out of rego? Are you mad? They would have to go to every single house in Canberra.

How are Police supposed to enter the property to check for stolen goods? The RTA give them a warrant at the same time?

My post was referring to UNREGISTERED vehicles, dimwit. Seeing that you appear to know everything, please advise me how unregistered vehicles were detected before RAPID?

You are suggesting police enter someone’s property without a warrant to take the plates of unregistered cars? Or have I misunderstood?

It is not illegal to own an unregistered car, as long as you are not driving it.

qbngeek7:48 am 09 Oct 11

dungfungus said :

buzz819 said :

dungfungus said :

Why do mobile police patrols with a “cool” acronym and bristling with technology have to be the only way to detect unregistered vehicles in the ACT? Surely the RTA can do a print-out at any time of all the details; vehicle, rego number, name and address of registered owner etc. and then the patrol cars can make a home visit. While one officer is removing the plates off the car and issuing defect notices the other one can be checking out the property to see what stolen property is around and how the crop is growing. The RTA should make it a condition that plates have to be handed in immediately the rego expires and enforce non-compliance with heavy fines.
Physical police presence in the ‘hood is reassuring for those of us that are law abiding and sobering for those who aren’t.
Why is it that these days, nothing can be achieved unless the latest gee-whiz technology is being used followed by heaps of media spin?

So what you are saying is you want the Police to go over to every house where there was a car registered there and that is not out of rego? Are you mad? They would have to go to every single house in Canberra.

How are Police supposed to enter the property to check for stolen goods? The RTA give them a warrant at the same time?

My post was referring to UNREGISTERED vehicles, dimwit. Seeing that you appear to know everything, please advise me how unregistered vehicles were detected before RAPID?

What your plan doesn’t take into account are the cars undergoing full or partial restoration which will often still have plates while the work is done, that way they can be registered for single day permits in order to be driven to a mechanic or from a mechanic to a paintshop.

For many who restore older cars this is the best way to do it because tow trucks in Canberra charge so high its not funny.

The Traineediplomat4:28 am 09 Oct 11

Tooks said :

Wrong. A learner’s permit is just that – a permit. It is not a licence.

Wrong back. You get a learner’s licence not a “permit”, but semantics is an evil mistress. Check out rego.act.gov.au. Onto an unwarranted theory, perhaps she had no licence and when pulled over said “oh I’m a learner” or “just doing some log book practice” or something. Or even has held a learner’s licence before but never progressed to “Ps”

Very Busy10:03 pm 08 Oct 11

Tooks said :

Wrong. A learner’s permit is just that – a permit. It is not a licence.

Um, No, Wrong. It is a Learner Licence. There is no such thing as a learner’s permit in the ACT.

what_the12:03 pm 08 Oct 11

dungfungus said :

buzz819 said :

dungfungus said :

Why do mobile police patrols with a “cool” acronym and bristling with technology have to be the only way to detect unregistered vehicles in the ACT? Surely the RTA can do a print-out at any time of all the details; vehicle, rego number, name and address of registered owner etc. and then the patrol cars can make a home visit. While one officer is removing the plates off the car and issuing defect notices the other one can be checking out the property to see what stolen property is around and how the crop is growing. The RTA should make it a condition that plates have to be handed in immediately the rego expires and enforce non-compliance with heavy fines.
Physical police presence in the ‘hood is reassuring for those of us that are law abiding and sobering for those who aren’t.
Why is it that these days, nothing can be achieved unless the latest gee-whiz technology is being used followed by heaps of media spin?

So what you are saying is you want the Police to go over to every house where there was a car registered there and that is not out of rego? Are you mad? They would have to go to every single house in Canberra.

How are Police supposed to enter the property to check for stolen goods? The RTA give them a warrant at the same time?

My post was referring to UNREGISTERED vehicles, dimwit. Seeing that you appear to know everything, please advise me how unregistered vehicles were detected before RAPID?

I wouldn’t be throwing the dimwit tag around when you’re advocating that instead of using the technology available (which would definitely be more cost-effective) that police should go door to door in the case of unregistered vehicles. Being that the car is unregistered, how are they supposed to ascertain that where the driver of that unregistered car lives? I’ve got a car out the front which has been unregistered for a couple of years now, it’s last rego was for my mate across the road. Are you expecting that the police then question the last registered owner of the house, then start the trail from there just to fine a person for an unregistered car? I dont think you’ve thought this quite through given the resources restraints police currently have even getting patrol cars out on the streets.