QLD 40 Vehicles a Day Taken off the Road Under Anti-Hoon Laws But not "Hooning"

[csv8]

"FORTY vehicles a day are being taken off the roads under anti-hooning laws but many of their drivers have never drag-raced or performed a burnout.

Since new legislation targeting reckless drivers was introduced in Queensland in November 2013, police have either impounded or confiscated the number plates of 18,682 cars, four-wheel-drives and motorcycles.

Of these, 1795 were seized for traditional hoon acts such as reckless driving, evading police, street-racing and burnouts.

The remainder were confiscated because motorists were repeatedly caught driving while uninsured, unregistered, unlicensed or with a blood-alcohol limit above .15.

Some have also been nabbed with illegally modified vehicles or doing more than 40km/h over the limit.

More than 2280 serial offenders have faced losing their vehicle permanently.

There have been more than 85,000 offences under the laws since they came in.

Although the LNP sold the laws as their tough “anti-hooning” policy, the term “hoon” is not referenced anywhere in the legislation.



“Perhaps a better term (for the law) would be anti-social driving,” Road Policing Command Acting Inspector Ian Krang said. “Someone recklessly doing a burnout – I’d call that person a hoon. I wouldn’t call someone who lets their driver’s licence expire a hoon.”

Insp Krang said hardcore hoons were still active throughout the state but they were less prone to routine illegal meets in public because of increased enforce-ment of the laws.

He said law-abiding motoring buffs who liked to “show and shine” their vehicles at sanctioned events should not be mistaken for hoons.

But law-abiding revheads have slammed hoons who tarnish their image, saying they are being unfairly targeted by police as a result.

Downshift Australia has the largest gatherings of revheads in Australia, with two meets a month in Queensland.

Director Matyas Fulop said police target people at his events for “trivial” offences.

“We’ve got people trying to come to a car meet that is properly organised, insured, on private property and away from residential housing,” he said. “They (police) come to our events looking for things wrong on the cars, they’ll say it’s their job, but really, is it?”

Mr Fulop said anyone caught doing a dangerous hooning act on a public road deserved everything the law can throw at them.

Luke Greensill goes to Downshift meets and said it was disheartening to get tarred with the same brush as hoons.

“The majority of enthusiasts are well behaved. It spoils the public perception of our culture,” he said"
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/q...edium=Facebook

[Stefan]

I'm not fan of the term hoon in legalese but who cares what it's called repeat offenders of driving unlicenced or drunk or whatever deserve what they get.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by csv8

Some have also been nabbed with illegally modified vehicles

Thats pretty much most of us on the forum with modified cars, we would all have illegal modifications cause our cars wouldn't meet emissions regulations anymore.

[thehammer]

there's two different types of "hoons", hoons with a brain, and hoons without one

dropping huge skids or drifting in housing areas or in traffic, yea that's dangerous, but putting on a bit of opposite lock in the middle of nowhere with no one around for miles, that's a whole different story

the biggest question for me is "was it dangerous", if there's no risk of injury to anyone other than the driver than it shouldn't be classed as "hooning" and should at worst be a small fine and lose of 1 point

doing the same thing in Sydney CBD during peak-hour, yep whole different story

[damo76]

The cops have no right to take poeples property off them.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by thehammer

dropping huge skids or drifting in housing areas or in traffic, yea that's dangerous, but putting on a bit of opposite lock in the middle of nowhere with no one around for miles, that's a whole different story

the biggest question for me is "was it dangerous", if there's no risk of injury to anyone other than the driver than it shouldn't be classed as "hooning" and should at worst be a small fine and lose of 1 point

Not sure but if you drop a skid in the middle of nowhere with no one around you won't be charged at all.

If you get caught obviously someone was around then you get charged.

[Ford Falcon XR6]

Originally Posted by thehammer

there's two different types of "hoons", hoons with a brain, and hoons without one

dropping huge skids or drifting in housing areas or in traffic, yea that's dangerous, but putting on a bit of opposite lock in the middle of nowhere with no one around for miles, that's a whole different story

the biggest question for me is "was it dangerous", if there's no risk of injury to anyone other than the driver than it shouldn't be classed as "hooning" and should at worst be a small fine and lose of 1 point

doing the same thing in Sydney CBD during peak-hour, yep whole different story

Well said mate I couldn't agree more. If the cops want to get the people on side they need to use their brains and stop hitting people for trivial offences like pod filters and window tint.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by damo76

The cops have no right to take poeples property off them.

Keep your car legal & obey the law & you won't have a problem of losing your car, how easy is that!

[superyob]

Originally Posted by damo76

The cops have no right to take poeples property off them.

Yes, they do. Legislated by law. They can even take property off people with attitudes like yours...

[Dash_XR]

$18,682 x $500 (average fee) = $9,341,000.

They are just legislating new taxes out of anything they can, old news.

[WoodyAU]

When they had the first auction of seized vehicles, it worked out that the average sale price was $500. I think this shows that it is mostly just ********* in ****boxes getting canned. Most people who have put a fortune (and a lifetime) into their car are not idiots.
Don't forget the newspaper is trying to make the stories seem exciting.

[WoodyAU]

hey look-automatic censorship! I did not know that happens and apologise if the language in my original post would have offended anyone.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Not sure but if you drop a skid in the middle of nowhere with no one around you won't be charged at all.

If you get caught obviously someone was around then you get charged.

I have to agree with thehammer. Doing stupid stuff in traffic where there is a risk someone innocent may be injured is much, much worse than doing it when no one is nearby.
If they see you do it from a distance then there is no chance of them being hurt, but they still saw it happen.

I saw someone doing circle work on a rural back road one morning from almost 1km away. By the time we reach the location they were, they were long gone but you could see little bit of tyre smoke hanging around and the fresh tyre marks on the road. Zero chance they could of hurt us even though we saw what was happening

[noflac52]

Originally Posted by trublu

Keep your car legal & obey the law & you won't have a problem of losing your car, how easy is that!

Actually obeying the law 100% of the time 24/7 is virtually impossible.

[CoupeKing]

There's a time and place for everything. The Problem is Heroes.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by CoupeKing

There's a time and place for everything. The Problem is Heroes.

Too many heroes not enough capes

[Kingsley]

If they're targeting hoons why do they have the habit of setting up RBT's and mobile inspection stations near some car shows? Is it so mr and mrs average think they're targeting the hoons???

[superyob]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Too many heroes not enough capes

NO capes!!! Have you not seen 'The Incredibles'?

[CoupeKing]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Too many heroes not enough capes

Too many Heroes not enough Coupes

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by superpursuit05

If they're targeting hoons why do they have the habit of setting up RBT's and mobile inspection stations near some car shows? Is it so mr and mrs average think they're targeting the hoons???

Lets face it because that is where the hoons hang out....no point setting up at an antiques fair.

[STINKY NINJA]

Originally Posted by noflac52

Actually obeying the law 100% of the time 24/7 is virtually impossible.

Actually its quite possible and done by the majority of people.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by noflac52

Actually obeying the law 100% of the time 24/7 is virtually impossible.

That might be for you but not for me!

PS: My comment was for the ones who intentionally go out breaking the law.

[EDManual]

hoons kill only a few, drunks and druggys kill far more. but the most is the person who makes a mistake due to innatention. these people get a small fine. they should be locked up for 10 years. I remember a woman in SA turning infront of a motorcyclist and killing him, then she did it again a few years later!
What a joke the law is.....

[Lunch]

Originally Posted by trublu

That might be for you but not for me!

Theres your hero

[Tom Tucker]

I've got pretty big issues with the criminalisation of traffic offences, and Australia's obsession with traffic law enforcement. As far as I'm concerned it's a product of our Federal system of politics that encourages competition for government funding, which in turn has lead to state and local governments adopting creative ways of fleecing the population. All under the veil of road safety. Heaven forbid anyone advocate pragmatism. That may be unsafe and will surely compromise the children.

Having spent a bit of time in other countries around the world, nowhere else seems to be as concerned as us when it comes to minor traffic offenses. Especially in Europe, roads aren't vastly different (contrary to popular belief), speed limits are generally higher, highways aren't stalked by hwy patrol and speed cameras are used sparingly. Contrary to the scare campaign run in Australia, people aren't dropping dead on the roads. The unfortunate nature of motor vehicle transport is that accidents will occur. You can't legislate beyond reasonable practicality, and the best way to minimise both cause and effect is to build decent infrastructure.

Got no problems whatsoever in throwing the book at some clown speeding or doing burnouts in populated areas, but that is common sense. And that's all the police need apply: common sense. Not oppressive, draconian treatment upon the entire population, who must prove innocence when it comes to these matters.

State police authorities have an economic incentive to prosecute traffic offenders in favour of actual criminals. It's easier, and makes the state government money, instead of costing it money to convict people of criminality. As far as I'm concerned, police are meant to protect the population, not be a source of revenue. Clearly the boat's already sailed on the politicisation of police. It's a pity that revenue raising has followed suit.

[thehammer]

it's becomes a bit worrying when even car enthusiasts start buying into government traffic legislation propaganda

top priority for the government when it comes to traffic laws is to make as much money from them as possible, safety is a distant second, or maybe third.

speed cameras are a prime example, look at how many fixed speed cameras are around in irrelevant spots. I drive down the Pacific HWY from the QLD border regularly, as soon as you hit nsw there are fixed speed cameras everywhere, all of them placed in areas that aren't dangerous, the one near Wardell is clearly there to catch people out, a straight and flat section of road with trees either side and near a speed limit change.

Also, there is no proof speed cameras stop accidents on the whole, if anything, they CREATE accidents as motorist drive with their eyes glued to the speedo, causing less attention to the road and greater fatigue. They say every K over is a killer, yes I agree, every K over 0km/h you are taking a chance, 99km/h in a 100km/h does not gaurentee you anything.

This will never change though until people start making a fuss about being treated like chained-monkeys and voting out governments who do so

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by thehammer

This will never change though until people start making a fuss about being treated like chained-monkeys and voting out governments who do so

Honestly, who are you going to vote in that will make any difference?
All political parties/politicians will not drop revenue raisers, like it or not they are here to stay.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by WoodyAU

When they had the first auction of seized vehicles, it worked out that the average sale price was $500. I think this shows that it is mostly just ********* in ****boxes getting canned. Most people who have put a fortune (and a lifetime) into their car are not idiots.
Don't forget the newspaper is trying to make the stories seem exciting.

This says it all, if the are taking 40 ***boxes off the road its a good use of the law.

Nobody should be concerned about this, unless you are driving something clearly not fit for road use.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by trublu

Honestly, who are you going to vote in that will make any difference?
All political parties/politicians will not drop revenue raisers, like it or not they are here to stay.

This is 100% correct. Which means the system is so fundamentally flawed, it needs a reboot.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Tom Tucker

I've got pretty big issues with the criminalisation of traffic offences, and Australia's obsession with traffic law enforcement. As far as I'm concerned it's a product of our Federal system of politics that encourages competition for government funding, which in turn has lead to state and local governments adopting creative ways of fleecing the population. All under the veil of road safety. Heaven forbid anyone advocate pragmatism. That may be unsafe and will surely compromise the children.

Having spent a bit of time in other countries around the world, nowhere else seems to be as concerned as us when it comes to minor traffic offenses. Especially in Europe, roads aren't vastly different (contrary to popular belief), speed limits are generally higher, highways aren't stalked by hwy patrol and speed cameras are used sparingly. Contrary to the scare campaign run in Australia, people aren't dropping dead on the roads. The unfortunate nature of motor vehicle transport is that accidents will occur. You can't legislate beyond reasonable practicality, and the best way to minimise both cause and effect is to build decent infrastructure.

Got no problems whatsoever in throwing the book at some clown speeding or doing burnouts in populated areas, but that is common sense. And that's all the police need apply: common sense. Not oppressive, draconian treatment upon the entire population, who must prove innocence when it comes to these matters.

State police authorities have an economic incentive to prosecute traffic offenders in favour of actual criminals. It's easier, and makes the state government money, instead of costing it money to convict people of criminality. As far as I'm concerned, police are meant to protect the population, not be a source of revenue. Clearly the boat's already sailed on the politicisation of police. It's a pity that revenue raising has followed suit.

^^^ THIS x11ty billion.

/end thread