Saturday, August 31, 2013
To kevin rudd oblish the carbon tax and the gst and ausys may be able to breath and live again with out fear of losing power and gas and water and the price of fuel may come down and food might be in reach for the little person feather the pockets of the struggling familys not the rich wake up as the australian dream is floating away kevin dont destroy the luky country to all my face book friends please copy and paste this to your status on your time line and lets be heard cheers
To kevin rudd oblish the carbon tax and the gst and ausys may be able to breath and live again with out fear of losing power and gas and water and the price of fuel may come down and food might be in reach for the little person feather the pockets of the struggling familys not the rich wake up as the australian dream is floating away kevin dont destroy the luky country to all my face book friends please copy and paste this to your status on your time line and lets be heard cheers
Thursday, August 29, 2013
We would like to ask everyone to share this to your wall and ask your friends to share it too, we need to find out who she is and bring her to justice! "Lets Make Her Face Famous PLEASE"!!!!! We need to get her behind bars, we will make it happen just get us her name and address!
contact
SSG. Douglas M. Ducote Sr.
United States Army (Ret.)
CEO/Veterans United For Justice
(225) 907-5354 or
LVFJ501C@yahoo.com
United States Army (Ret.)
CEO/Veterans United For Justice
(225) 907-5354 or
LVFJ501C@yahoo.com
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Here is a scene from a legal, organised, QLD car show today.. 50+ police and Department of Transport, blocking both routes out of the event, specifically set up to target the vehicles going to this show. What are your thoughts on this? My personal thoughts are that this act by the QPS is extremely short sighted. While on one hand the Police will have had "great success" at defecting people and issuing fines, but have SEVERELY failed at one thing - These events are run, with part of the reason being - to get it's members to take it off the street, and take it to the track (check out their track days, run regularly). The ability for this organisation to 'convert' those people from 'car shows' to maybe giving 'track days' a go (and as such, driver education), is now greatly reduced. If people now think that they have less chance of getting nicked out back of the industrial estate or up the mountains, what motivation do they have to go to legally organised events? I remember running events way back when in VIC, the police (as 'hard arsed' as they are down there), still would come to the meeting places (invited), and EDUCATE the members, let people have an open Q&A, not treat it like a "fish in a barrel".. Very disappointed with QPS's display today, Very poor form.. What's your say? [Picture sent in from Scotty,
Friday, August 23, 2013
SERIOUSE ACCUSSATIONS AND REPORTS ASSAD REGIME USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS TO KILL MORE THAN 1000 CIVILIANS CROSSING THE RED LINE
Serious accusations have been levelled at the Syrian government after reports the Assad regime used chemical weapons to kill more than 1000 civilians.
The alleged attack comes exactly one year after U.S. President Barack Obama warned the use of chemical weapons would be crossing a “red line”.
The United Nations is demanding access for an inspection “without delay”. Previous UN intervention has been stymied by vetoes from Russia and China, but early this morning the Russian foreign ministry agreed an independent investigation was needed.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said reports of chemical warfare were repugnant.
"The use of weapons of mass destruction in any circumstances is intolerable and unacceptable in any civilised nation," he told reporters on Thursday.
The Syrian civil war is into its second year, with more than 1 million children fleeing over the border to escape the violenc
The alleged attack comes exactly one year after U.S. President Barack Obama warned the use of chemical weapons would be crossing a “red line”.
The United Nations is demanding access for an inspection “without delay”. Previous UN intervention has been stymied by vetoes from Russia and China, but early this morning the Russian foreign ministry agreed an independent investigation was needed.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said reports of chemical warfare were repugnant.
"The use of weapons of mass destruction in any circumstances is intolerable and unacceptable in any civilised nation," he told reporters on Thursday.
The Syrian civil war is into its second year, with more than 1 million children fleeing over the border to escape the violenc
Head-on crash with U.D. police car nets charges
UPPER DARBY — The driver who struck a township police vehicle head on Tuesday afternoon was charged with driving under the influence Wednesday morning, police said.
James A. Alleva, 27, of the 200 block of South Lynn Boulevard, Upper Darby, admitted smoking marijuana before getting behind the wheel and driving at an excessive speed in attempt to beat the light at the intersection of State Road and Miller Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
Officer Sean Kenny, 27, a six-year veteran, suffered minor injuries in the crash that spun his vehicle around facing in the opposite direction on State Road.
“Fortunately for Kenny, the air bags worked,” police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. “Kenny was on his way to assist another department in a dangerous situation when he gets hit head-on by a guy who’s whacked out.
“The driver admitted he was ‘blitzed’ and ‘smoked up (marijuana) right before driving.’ He said he was in a hurry and wanted to beat the red light at West Chester Pike. This happened near rush hour in a highly dense traffic area across the street from a day care center. He put a whole community at risk.”
According to Chitwood, Kenny had pulled out from Miller Avenue onto State Road when Alleva crossed over the double yellow line and hit Kenny head on.
“The impact from the collision was so great that Kenny’s patrol car spun around and came to rest facing northbound,” Chitwood said.
Alleva was arraigned on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, drug possession, reckless endangerment and multiple motor vehicle violations for driving on the wrong side of the roadway, speeding, careless driving and reckless driving.
Bail was set at 10 percent of $20,000 pending a preliminary hearing Aug. 28 in district court.
James A. Alleva, 27, of the 200 block of South Lynn Boulevard, Upper Darby, admitted smoking marijuana before getting behind the wheel and driving at an excessive speed in attempt to beat the light at the intersection of State Road and Miller Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
Officer Sean Kenny, 27, a six-year veteran, suffered minor injuries in the crash that spun his vehicle around facing in the opposite direction on State Road.
“Fortunately for Kenny, the air bags worked,” police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. “Kenny was on his way to assist another department in a dangerous situation when he gets hit head-on by a guy who’s whacked out.
“The driver admitted he was ‘blitzed’ and ‘smoked up (marijuana) right before driving.’ He said he was in a hurry and wanted to beat the red light at West Chester Pike. This happened near rush hour in a highly dense traffic area across the street from a day care center. He put a whole community at risk.”
According to Chitwood, Kenny had pulled out from Miller Avenue onto State Road when Alleva crossed over the double yellow line and hit Kenny head on.
“The impact from the collision was so great that Kenny’s patrol car spun around and came to rest facing northbound,” Chitwood said.
Alleva was arraigned on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, drug possession, reckless endangerment and multiple motor vehicle violations for driving on the wrong side of the roadway, speeding, careless driving and reckless driving.
Bail was set at 10 percent of $20,000 pending a preliminary hearing Aug. 28 in district court.
Police are appealing to witness for a crash between cyclist and police car please come forward
Officers are appealing for information after a police car was in collision with a cyclist.
The collision with the cyclist took place near to the Priory Lane newsagents in Scunthorpe at around 2.15pm on Thursday, August 15.
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The rider of the cycle, a 30 year old man, left the location on foot following the collision.
Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who may have seen a man running away from Priory Lane to contact them on 101 and ask to speak to Inspector Paul Sergeant referring to log 336 of August 15.
Man charged with firearm offences in Griffith should be more of it get rid of the gun and save lifes
A man has been charged with firearm offences and goods in custody offences following his arrest in Griffith today.
About 1.30am (Friday 23 August 2013), detectives attended a home on Lawford Crescent where they arrested a 21-year-old man for breach of bail and breach apprehended violence order (AVO).
During the arrest, police seized a number of the man’s personal items, including a mobile phone.
An inspection of the phone allegedly identified drug activity and pictures of three shotguns, which had been stolen during a break and enter in July 2013.
At 11.50am, police executed a search warrant at a house on Lawford Crescent, where they seized a shotgun barrel, a hacksaw blade, two shotgun cartridges, a firearm carry bag, a crystal substance believed to be a cutting agent, electronic scales, and other goods suspected of being stolen.
The 21-year-old man was charged with possess shortened firearm, possess unauthorised firearm, possess barrel, possess ammunition and goods in custody. He will appear before Griffith Local Court on tomorrow (Saturday 24 August 2013).
About 1.30am (Friday 23 August 2013), detectives attended a home on Lawford Crescent where they arrested a 21-year-old man for breach of bail and breach apprehended violence order (AVO).
During the arrest, police seized a number of the man’s personal items, including a mobile phone.
An inspection of the phone allegedly identified drug activity and pictures of three shotguns, which had been stolen during a break and enter in July 2013.
At 11.50am, police executed a search warrant at a house on Lawford Crescent, where they seized a shotgun barrel, a hacksaw blade, two shotgun cartridges, a firearm carry bag, a crystal substance believed to be a cutting agent, electronic scales, and other goods suspected of being stolen.
The 21-year-old man was charged with possess shortened firearm, possess unauthorised firearm, possess barrel, possess ammunition and goods in custody. He will appear before Griffith Local Court on tomorrow (Saturday 24 August 2013).
17-year-old was charged with possess prohibited drug and the 46-year-old is expected to be charged with drug offences.
NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command officers from the Riverina Cluster have arrested three men following a three-day crack-down on drug and alcohol-affected drivers in the area.
From Tuesday 20 August to Thursday 22 August 2013, police conducted the local enforcement strategy in the rural township of Young.
As a result, about 10.20pm on Thursday 22 August, police noticed four people sitting in a vehicle parked in Prospect Street. When police spoke with the occupants, a 17-year-old boy and 46-year old man sitting in the back seat, both from Temora, appeared to be hiding items in their clothing.
Following a search of the pair, police allegedly located an amount of amphetamine on the 17-year-old boy and 49 ecstasy tablets on the 46-year-old man.
The 17-year-old was charged with possess prohibited drug and the 46-year-old is expected to be charged with drug offences.
In a separate incident, about 12.15am today (Friday 23 August), police patrolling Spring Street observed a 31-year-old man sitting in a parked vehicle. Police recognised the man as being wanted for domestic-violence offences and approached the vehicle. A subsequent search of the man resulted in more than 73 grams of amphetamine being found.
He was charged with the outstanding warrants and further charges are expected to be laid over the alleged drug offences.
Operations Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol, Superintendent Stuart Smith, said focus on ‘catch’ training, used in the three-day enforcement strategy, was proving to be successful and will continue in future operations.
“The positive results following this week’s enforcement strategy should be a warning to anyone involved in interstate drug running, together with drink and drug-affected driving. You will invariably be caught as we continue these deployment strategies with Highway Patrol Officers across NSW,” Superintendent Smith said.
“We will continue to deliver ‘catch’ training to our officers patrolling the roads, which assists them in the identification, recovery and prosecution of those involved in the conveyance of drugs, weapons, stolen property and other contraband across state borders,” he said.
From Tuesday 20 August to Thursday 22 August 2013, police conducted the local enforcement strategy in the rural township of Young.
As a result, about 10.20pm on Thursday 22 August, police noticed four people sitting in a vehicle parked in Prospect Street. When police spoke with the occupants, a 17-year-old boy and 46-year old man sitting in the back seat, both from Temora, appeared to be hiding items in their clothing.
Following a search of the pair, police allegedly located an amount of amphetamine on the 17-year-old boy and 49 ecstasy tablets on the 46-year-old man.
The 17-year-old was charged with possess prohibited drug and the 46-year-old is expected to be charged with drug offences.
In a separate incident, about 12.15am today (Friday 23 August), police patrolling Spring Street observed a 31-year-old man sitting in a parked vehicle. Police recognised the man as being wanted for domestic-violence offences and approached the vehicle. A subsequent search of the man resulted in more than 73 grams of amphetamine being found.
He was charged with the outstanding warrants and further charges are expected to be laid over the alleged drug offences.
Operations Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol, Superintendent Stuart Smith, said focus on ‘catch’ training, used in the three-day enforcement strategy, was proving to be successful and will continue in future operations.
“The positive results following this week’s enforcement strategy should be a warning to anyone involved in interstate drug running, together with drink and drug-affected driving. You will invariably be caught as we continue these deployment strategies with Highway Patrol Officers across NSW,” Superintendent Smith said.
“We will continue to deliver ‘catch’ training to our officers patrolling the roads, which assists them in the identification, recovery and prosecution of those involved in the conveyance of drugs, weapons, stolen property and other contraband across state borders,” he said.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Front number plates won't catch more speeding motorcylists: lobby group
Gordon Lewis, Road Safety Camera commissioner told Neil Mitchell 40% of speeding motorcyclists are currently unable to be processed due to a lack of a front number plate. He disagreed with the contention that front number plates .
The Victorian Motorcycle Riders Association has rejected calls for front number plates to be placed on motorbikes, denying they will be more effective in catching speeding riders.
Speaking with Ross and John, Chairman Peter Baulch said the percentage of speeding motorcycle riders who were unable to be identified by authorities was comparative to vehicles, and front number plates would be both a safety and warranty issue.
Mr Baulch said the solution was to install speed cameras which pointed both front and rear to capture motorcyclists’ rear number plates.
"Number plates were removed from motorcycles some 30 years ago on the grounds of safety," he said.
"Following the lead of VicRoads in removing front number plates from motorcycles, that's been adopted all over the world on the grounds of safety.
"Motorcycle manufactures have indicated that in some cases warranties would be voided by interfering with airflow to the engine and to the aerodynamics of the motorcycle."
NSW Police Force have charged a 20 yeared old female
Police have charged a 20-year-old woman following a pursuit in Macksville at the weekend.
About 4.50pm (Sunday 18 August 2013), a silver Holden 4WD was allegedly stolen from a Macksville petrol station.
Police sighted the vehicle travelling north on the Pacific Highway at Nambucca Heads and attempted to stop the driver, activating their warning lights.
Officers will allege the driver and sole occupant, failed to stop and sped off along the Pacific Highway.
About 5.15pm (Sunday 18 August 2013), police initiated a pursuit with the vehicle, which was terminated a short time later.
The vehicle collided with another car, causing minor damage and continued travelling north. No one was injured as a result of the collision.
The driver later lost control of the vehicle on the Pacific Highway, near the intersection of Ballards Road at South Urunga, causing it to leave the roadway and stop in the nearby bush.
Officers arrested the 20-year-old female driver and she was taken to Macksville Police Station.
She was charged with police pursuit (Skyes law), take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, exceed speed limit by more than 45kph, drive in a manner dangerous and never licensed person drive vehicle on road.
The woman, from Upper Coomera in Queensland, was refused bail to appear before Kempsey Local Court today (Monday 19 August 2013).
About 4.50pm (Sunday 18 August 2013), a silver Holden 4WD was allegedly stolen from a Macksville petrol station.
Police sighted the vehicle travelling north on the Pacific Highway at Nambucca Heads and attempted to stop the driver, activating their warning lights.
Officers will allege the driver and sole occupant, failed to stop and sped off along the Pacific Highway.
About 5.15pm (Sunday 18 August 2013), police initiated a pursuit with the vehicle, which was terminated a short time later.
The vehicle collided with another car, causing minor damage and continued travelling north. No one was injured as a result of the collision.
The driver later lost control of the vehicle on the Pacific Highway, near the intersection of Ballards Road at South Urunga, causing it to leave the roadway and stop in the nearby bush.
Officers arrested the 20-year-old female driver and she was taken to Macksville Police Station.
She was charged with police pursuit (Skyes law), take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, exceed speed limit by more than 45kph, drive in a manner dangerous and never licensed person drive vehicle on road.
The woman, from Upper Coomera in Queensland, was refused bail to appear before Kempsey Local Court today (Monday 19 August 2013).
Sunday, August 18, 2013
NEWS Drivers face $1000 bill to fix up clunkersTENS of thousands of motorists will have to pay about $1000 each to have old bombs and hotted-up cars repaired under tough new emissions and noise controls
Drivers who refuse to fix their cars would be fined and repeat offenders would face having their registration suspended.
The new regulations, expected to be introduced in December, are detailed in a report by the state's Environment Protection Authority into the effects of vehicle air and noise emissions limits.
The report says that in the first year about 8100 motorists would be expected to be caught for pumping out too much pollution, or being too loud.
If those motorists want to keep driving their cars, the EPA estimates that repairs and testing fees would be about $1261 each.
Over the next decade, the report says almost 81,000 cars are likely to break the regulations, with the average costs of repairs and testing over that period being about $1000 a vehicle.
New limits mean that most cars would be banned from pumping out exhaust smoke for "a continuous period of 10 or more seconds", and that their noise would be no more than five decibels above the level "established for the vehicle when it is certified".
"The beneficiaries of the regulations are the Victorian environment and the wider Victorian community, with reduced emissions leading to improved overall health and amenity outcomes," the report says.
The net value to the community was estimated at $249.3 million over 10 years, while the cost to motorists would be $56 million over the same period.
RACV public policy manager Brian Negus questioned the accuracy of the figures supplied by the EPA.
"My initial response is that we need to be very careful in looking at their stated benefits - they seem to be very high," Mr Negus said.
"We would support remaking the current regulations ... but as to extending it to some of the areas where there are huge costs involved, there needs to be very careful consideration of that."
Environment Minister Ryan Smith's spokesman James Martin said the updated regulations were aimed at excessively smoky or noisy vehicles.
"These are normally associated with poorly maintained clunkers, or hotted-up cars that contribute to poor air quality, exacerbate health issues or result in sleep disturbance," Mr Martin said.
The EPA report says new regulations would enable easier detection of polluting vehicles as the "EPA anticipates using remote sensing to increase the ability of detecting high-emitting vehicles".
It also expected restrictions on petrol vapour emissions at service stations would cost the industry more than $100 million in the next 10 years, a cost likely to be passed to motorists.
The report says emissions limits would be a better tool than mandatory testing, which would have seen 25,000 light commercial vehicle drivers forced to get special services, costing about $437 a year.
Friday, August 16, 2013
POLICE FORCES SCAM UNLEASHED TO PROVE THAT POLICE SPEED DETECTION DEVICES ARE NOT UNIFORMLY PATTERN APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL REGULATORY APPROVAL AUTHORITIES & ARE ILLEGALLY BEING USED BY STATE & TERRITORY GOVERNMENT REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
TO PROVE THAT POLICE SPEED DETECTION DEVICES ARE NOT
UNIFORMLY PATTERN APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL REGULATORY
APPROVAL AUTHORITIES & ARE ILLEGALLY BEING USED BY STATE &
TERRITORY GOVERNMENT REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
In the particular case of all SPEED DETECTION DEVICES. They are NOT PATTERN APPROVED
by the National Standards Commission, (NSC) the Regulatory Approval Authority. Because of
not having a Pattern that has been Approved by an accredited organisation, the devices do not
have Transparency nor Accuracy of measurement, nor do they have uniform Traceability to
Australian hierarchy standards of measurements, ie: The Australian Legal units of measurement of
a physical quantity. To ensure Traceability & Accuracy, the calibration at each level should be
carried out by an appointed, accredited organisation, using approved equipment, traceable
standards and appropriately trained personnel. Traceability is necessary both to ensure that all
measurements are derived from and are consistent with the primary standards, as well as meet the
legal requirements of Section 10, of the National Measurement Act, (As seen in NSC
Information Leaflets No 25 & No 4, Legal Metrology & Pattern Approval Design Criteria.)
Therefore, devices used for regulatory purposes must be suitably Approved.
What’s more, the Institution for Re-verification of the instruments is not an appointed authority
by The National Standards Commission and does not comply with the requirements of Section 10
of the Act, Traceability, or the Criteria of Pattern Approval?
This is obviously apparent according to the National Standards Commissions Leaflets,
listed in the Appendix.
It is particularly Evident in Leaflet No 4 LEGAL METROLOGY, Pages 1 through 5.
& Leaflet No 25 The National Measurement ACT. Pages 1 thru 4.
A Recent Legal Decision
In 1995, a Western Australian Fisheries prosecution concerning under size lobsters failed because
the Magistrate Ruled that the evidence that the lobsters were under size, relying on the use of a
Sheridan gauge, was inadmissible because it could not be shown that the measurements were
taken in accordance with the National Measurement Act 1960. Fisheries appealed and on 4th
April 1996, Mr Justice Owen of the WA Supreme Court disallowed the appeal with the
concluding remarks: ”In my opinion section 10 of the Nation Measurement Act must be complied
with when measurements are being taken for any legal purpose. The language of the section is in
clear and imperative terms. The evidence was, in my opinion, properly excluded and I can discern
no error in the Magistrate’s decision to dismiss the complaint.”
Section 10 of the National Measurement Act 1960 is explicit in its terms
and the formalities which are to attend that performance.
Measurements to be ascertained in accordance with appropriate standards of measurement,
certified reference materials, or certified measuring instruments.
SECTION 10 Quotes: - When, for any legal purpose, it is necessary to ascertain whether a
measurement of a physical quantity for which there are Australian legal units of
For more inf on this please visit http://www.adrawa.com.au/Surveys%20and%20Studies/Studies/Legal_arguement_against_speed_camera_fine.pdf
UNIFORMLY PATTERN APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL REGULATORY
APPROVAL AUTHORITIES & ARE ILLEGALLY BEING USED BY STATE &
TERRITORY GOVERNMENT REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
In the particular case of all SPEED DETECTION DEVICES. They are NOT PATTERN APPROVED
by the National Standards Commission, (NSC) the Regulatory Approval Authority. Because of
not having a Pattern that has been Approved by an accredited organisation, the devices do not
have Transparency nor Accuracy of measurement, nor do they have uniform Traceability to
Australian hierarchy standards of measurements, ie: The Australian Legal units of measurement of
a physical quantity. To ensure Traceability & Accuracy, the calibration at each level should be
carried out by an appointed, accredited organisation, using approved equipment, traceable
standards and appropriately trained personnel. Traceability is necessary both to ensure that all
measurements are derived from and are consistent with the primary standards, as well as meet the
legal requirements of Section 10, of the National Measurement Act, (As seen in NSC
Information Leaflets No 25 & No 4, Legal Metrology & Pattern Approval Design Criteria.)
Therefore, devices used for regulatory purposes must be suitably Approved.
What’s more, the Institution for Re-verification of the instruments is not an appointed authority
by The National Standards Commission and does not comply with the requirements of Section 10
of the Act, Traceability, or the Criteria of Pattern Approval?
This is obviously apparent according to the National Standards Commissions Leaflets,
listed in the Appendix.
It is particularly Evident in Leaflet No 4 LEGAL METROLOGY, Pages 1 through 5.
& Leaflet No 25 The National Measurement ACT. Pages 1 thru 4.
A Recent Legal Decision
In 1995, a Western Australian Fisheries prosecution concerning under size lobsters failed because
the Magistrate Ruled that the evidence that the lobsters were under size, relying on the use of a
Sheridan gauge, was inadmissible because it could not be shown that the measurements were
taken in accordance with the National Measurement Act 1960. Fisheries appealed and on 4th
April 1996, Mr Justice Owen of the WA Supreme Court disallowed the appeal with the
concluding remarks: ”In my opinion section 10 of the Nation Measurement Act must be complied
with when measurements are being taken for any legal purpose. The language of the section is in
clear and imperative terms. The evidence was, in my opinion, properly excluded and I can discern
no error in the Magistrate’s decision to dismiss the complaint.”
Section 10 of the National Measurement Act 1960 is explicit in its terms
and the formalities which are to attend that performance.
Measurements to be ascertained in accordance with appropriate standards of measurement,
certified reference materials, or certified measuring instruments.
SECTION 10 Quotes: - When, for any legal purpose, it is necessary to ascertain whether a
measurement of a physical quantity for which there are Australian legal units of
For more inf on this please visit http://www.adrawa.com.au/Surveys%20and%20Studies/Studies/Legal_arguement_against_speed_camera_fine.pdf
Police pursuit ends in crash
A man has been arrested following a police pursuit in Melbourne's north-east on Tuesday afternoon that ended in a collision with another car.
Police attempted to intercept the driver shortly before 1.30pm on Betula Avenue, in Mill Park, a police spokeswoman said.
Police believed the car was stolen.
The driver, who is aged in his 20s, then crossed on to the opposite side of the road and collided with a second vehicle, carrying three people.
A man, woman and young girl, have been treated for shock.
The man police were pursuing escaped injury and will be questioned in relation to a series of thefts and other offences.
What is an earthquake and what causes them to happen?
An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust and cause the shaking that we feel.
In California there are two plates - the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. The Pacific Plate consists of most of the Pacific Ocean floor and the California Coast line. The North American Plate comprises most the North American Continent and parts of the Atlantic Ocean floor. The primary boundary between these two plates is the San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas Fault is more than 650 miles long and extends to depths of at least 10 miles. Many other smaller faults like the Hayward (Northern California) and the San Jacinto (Southern California) branch from and join the San Andreas Fault Zone. The Pacific Plate grinds northwestward past the North American Plate at a rate of about two inches per year.
Parts of the San Andreas Fault system adapt to this movement by constant "creep" resulting in many tiny shocks and a few moderate earth tremors. In other areas where creep is NOT constant, strain can build up for hundreds of years, producing great EQs when it finally releases.
In California there are two plates - the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. The Pacific Plate consists of most of the Pacific Ocean floor and the California Coast line. The North American Plate comprises most the North American Continent and parts of the Atlantic Ocean floor. The primary boundary between these two plates is the San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas Fault is more than 650 miles long and extends to depths of at least 10 miles. Many other smaller faults like the Hayward (Northern California) and the San Jacinto (Southern California) branch from and join the San Andreas Fault Zone. The Pacific Plate grinds northwestward past the North American Plate at a rate of about two inches per year.
Parts of the San Andreas Fault system adapt to this movement by constant "creep" resulting in many tiny shocks and a few moderate earth tremors. In other areas where creep is NOT constant, strain can build up for hundreds of years, producing great EQs when it finally releases.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Gary The Goat in casino as the van breaks down again traggic stuff
On Tuesday arvo, our van broke down 10 kms outside Casino.
We went into a nearby farm to ring the NRMA who came out and said she was ‘rooted’ and towed her back into town.
We knew we had to push on though as we had a gig in Gladstone (above Kempsey in NSW) that night.
So we grabbed a couple of bags of stuff, said goodbye to the van and started hitching.
Ivan Milat killed off more than backpackers.
He also just about killed off the Australian tradition of thumbing a ride.
Not many people hitch in Australia these days and even fewer pick you up.
Especially if you’re dishevelled, have two massive bags next to you plus a huge goat with horns.
After a while Jimbo and I started mixing it up to see if our chances improved.
We’d both take turns hiding in the bushes to see who had the best chance of getting someone to stop.
The art of hitching is basically about putting a positive vibe out for the drivers going past.
A lot of it is in the eye contact which can be hard when you’re tired and the sun’s directly in your eyes.
Sunnies and hat covering your face will never work.
Anyway, five hours after we first put our thumb and hoof out we were both falling asleep and resigned to the fact that it looked like the sun had also gone down our chances of getting to the gig.
Which was a pity because we were looking forward to this one.
We knew it was going to turn our East Coast tour into the black.
Two people turned up to our gig in Brisbane, enough turned up to our Surfers Paradise gig to pay off our fines, Broken Hill council cancelled our Evans Head gig, and half the town turned up to our Woodenbong gig (all six of them).
All the signs were looking good for this gig too.
The main hurdles we have with gigs are this:
1) Hardly any venues these days want to deal with unsigned acts who cold call. Most pubs only deal with agents who only deal put their own acts on.
2) Those that do give us a go, generally don’t like advertising us more than putting a poster up on a dunny door. Their reasoning after the gig is, ‘Sorry but I didn’t want too many people turning up to the gig in case you were shit. Let me know next time in town though and I’ll talk it up when I’m serving beers.’ Publicans these days rarely last more than 18months especially in the country.
3) We don’t have a door person so before each gig while collecting money we normally go around answering the same three questions for an hour which can get tiring. ‘Are you funny?’, ‘Tell us a joke?’, ‘Why should I pay money listening to you when I can spend it on bourbon instead?’ are the main ones.
4) Jimbo’s act has been honed in the front bars of Australia’s Outback pubs in rooms where when he starts talking no-one is listening to him. His punch lines are brutal. He’s now attempting to bring this show into the cities un-edited for people who want something different from their standup. Most people who come to his comedy show now pay to hear him go to the extreme. Some can’t handle it though and walk out and complain. Having a publican who will back us through a few walkouts knowing that those who stay to the end will have had a top night is vital for a good show for us. Or at least helpful.
This gig in Gladstone had it all.
David had seen Jimbo perform many times at his old pub and had advertised this gig on local radio, made his own posters, sold tix (about 30 which is good for us) and guaranteed his customers they’d have a top night.
He was looking after us by setting up the right conditions for us to do our best work.
All we had to do was rock up and let it rip.
It was all laid out for us.
Yet here we were, just when it was about to happen, 300kms away, eyeing off a ditch on the side of the road.
After years of travelling, we’re both used to sleeping on the side of the road.
It's not that hard when you get used to it.
Missing a gig wasn’t hard either.
We know we’ll run into more good gigs if we keep trucking on.
What made Tuesday night hard was knowing our publican mate David had stuck his arse out in the wind for us and he was going to be the one who looked bad the most – in front of the customers who were his bread and butter.
We were leaving him high and dry.
We knew we couldn’t just sleep on it.
So instead of crashing out and resuming our hitch in the morning we left our big bag of t-shirts in the bush and walked into Casino to find a phone to let him know before the crowd lynched him after their fifth drink.
When we got into town, we had one last go at hitting people up for a lift even though we knew we’d still be at least an hour late (I was prepared to piss in a bottle if we got a lift to save time).
We even went into two pubs and started asking people if we could borrow their car.
Then Jimbo made the call to Dave the Publican which he said felt like ringing up a bride at the altar and letting her know, 'Look, I love you but can we change the date of the wedding?’
'But they're all here, it’s all been organised, is there anyway of you getting here even if it's late?', David pleaded.
Jimbo knew he’d done everything short of car-jacking to get to the gig though.
David then said he'd put some money on the bar to keep them happy to which Jimbo said, 'we want to make this up to you so how about if we get there on Saturday night after our Newcastle gig and do a show for free and rip the roof off the joint for you while giving your customers the best night of their life?’
It was the best we could offer and David took it well.
We then walked down to the Light Industrial Area to find our van so we could at least sleep in it but it was locked up, so we rocked back to The Commercial Hotel where the publican said he'd put us up for a night for $40 as long as I stayed locked in the yard not the room.
Early the next morning, Jimbo then walked back out to get the bag we’d hidden in the bushes.
No-one had taken it.
If they had they would have got a shock though coz it was full of 'I fucked a goat' t-shirts.
The bag was still too heavy to carry for ten kms back though.
Jimbo then tried to hitch again and again no-one would give him a lift back (even without me) so he left the bag in the bushes and walked back into town hoping to crash out for the day in the pub and catch up on some sleep before working out a game plan.
This wasn’t to be though coz the publican said, he didn't want a goat staying in his pub two nights in a row so Jimbo started walking down to the library.
I had other ideas though. I was still hungry coz there wasn’t much feed in the pub courtyard that night and we started having a tug of war with my collar in the mainstreet.
We had no phone, no internet (our ipad got smashed when Jimbo sat on it), no van, a small bag and a frayed rope in between us.
People kept on coming up to us and asking what the story was.
Sometimes when you’re on the road, there’s a fine line between telling people how you are and sounding like a beggar.
What we really wanted when Jimbo explained our situation was a lover of the arts who had somewhere for Jimbo to lay down while I ate their rose garden while they fixed our Toyota van.
Most people just said, ‘don’t worry, you’ll get there mate but can you take your goat off the street, it might cause an accident’.
Eventually Jimbo stopped going into detail about our situation to every inquirer and just started telling people with a crazy look in his eye that we were “Road junkies looking for a fix of ‘how do you get outta this town’”.
People seemed to leave us alone then.
Except the guy who ran the newsagency.
He popped his head out the door and said, ‘do you want to leave your goat out the back coz my yard needs mowing?’
Which was a magic offer because his yard full of clover plus it
gave Jimbo time to go to the library to check his gig diary on his website.
When he came back he informed me that he’d stuffed up.
Our gig in Newcastle was Saturday night which meant we’d double booked which would mean he’d have to ring up David the Gladstone publican and change the date again.
We knew that wasn’t an option though.
Jimbo didn’t mind being called ‘the guy with the goat’ but not ‘the guy with the goat who called Wolf’.
We knew the only chance we had of saving the gig was to rock up to Gladstone in the flesh sometime today and let him know we meant business – by proclaiming we were definitely doing a gig for him Friday night.
This would also give us two days to spruik the gig up to the locals to ensure a good turn out.
So Jimbo called the NRMA guy to see if the van was salvageable.
He said if it was going to go again it first needed to see an auto electrician and if we found one he’d tow it there.
Jimbo then found a payphone, lined it all up and walked with me to the Casino Auto Electrician in the LIA (Light industrial area).
Having a full belly of clover, there was no need for him to push me there now either.
We skipped down there, checking out caryards on the way.
The Auto electricians told us the starter motor was buggered and because it was an old van they'd have to order in a part which would take days and be expensive.
So we went across the road to the wreckers to see if they had a starter motor for an '87 Toyota Hiace.
The wrecker said 'no, not many cars in here are more than 15 years old sorry'.
Jimbo then asked him if he had any cheap cars.
He said the only one he had was a $500 one that wasn't rego'd.
Jimbo then said, 'Well, none of the cars we walked past on the way here were in our budget so if that’s what it takes to get to Gladstone tonight, we’ll buy it’.
'You're going to drive off in an un-rego'd car?'
'Yep, coz we have to get there ASAP. I'll put my van plates on it and wait til midnight, drive the back roads and then when I get to Gladstone tomorrow, I’ll get it rego'd there while I spruik up the gig’.
The wrecker guy then said, ‘are you performers?’
Jimbo said, ‘Yeah’.
The wrecker guy then went on, “this reminds me of my favourite John Williamson song were he says, ‘would you tie it up with wire just to keep the show on the road?”
Jimbo then replied, “Who knows, maybe he meant, ‘would you drive an un-rego’d car to a gig” but the lyrics didn’t rhyme?’
'You're really going to do this, aren't you?' said the wrecker.
‘Yes’ said Jimbo.
‘Even though every cop car has got a rego scanner which matches it to the type of car it should be on and alerts them if there’s not a match’, said the guy wiping down his wrench.
Jimbo then said, ‘As soon as we get outta this Casino, we reckon our luck is gunna change’.
'Well then, hold on a minute' he said putting down his rag and wrench.
He then pulled out a map and said, 'I'll show the best back roads, first go towards Tenterfield and chuck a left...'
After we'd go his directions Jimbo and I then went across to the Auto Electricians to let them know that the wrecker was coming to take the van.
As we walked into the workshop the radio was blaring out 'Why
did you give up on me so soon?'.
The mechanic then said, 'Look we've just found a reconditioned starter motor out the back which might work, give us another hour an we'll have a crack at it'.
Anyway they did it.
And for the second time on this tour our van 'Lazarus' had came back from the dead just when we’d been told by the local wrecker that they were prepared to take it off our hands for free.
As we pulled outta town we realised we were $500 lighter.
Which all up, wasn’t bad for a 24hr stop at a Casino.
We also made it to Gladstone last night where David said he was happy to see us.
The barman Daniel then offered Jimbo a bed at his place and an unmowed backyard for me.
Everything was back on track again.
Our next gigs are:
16/8/13 Heritage Hotel, Gladstone, NSW.
17/8/13 Mayfield Sunset Studio, Newcastle, NSW.
18/8/13 Qbar, Sydney, NSW.
25/8/13 Highlander Bar, Melbourne.
We went into a nearby farm to ring the NRMA who came out and said she was ‘rooted’ and towed her back into town.
We knew we had to push on though as we had a gig in Gladstone (above Kempsey in NSW) that night.
So we grabbed a couple of bags of stuff, said goodbye to the van and started hitching.
Ivan Milat killed off more than backpackers.
He also just about killed off the Australian tradition of thumbing a ride.
Not many people hitch in Australia these days and even fewer pick you up.
Especially if you’re dishevelled, have two massive bags next to you plus a huge goat with horns.
After a while Jimbo and I started mixing it up to see if our chances improved.
We’d both take turns hiding in the bushes to see who had the best chance of getting someone to stop.
The art of hitching is basically about putting a positive vibe out for the drivers going past.
A lot of it is in the eye contact which can be hard when you’re tired and the sun’s directly in your eyes.
Sunnies and hat covering your face will never work.
Anyway, five hours after we first put our thumb and hoof out we were both falling asleep and resigned to the fact that it looked like the sun had also gone down our chances of getting to the gig.
Which was a pity because we were looking forward to this one.
We knew it was going to turn our East Coast tour into the black.
Two people turned up to our gig in Brisbane, enough turned up to our Surfers Paradise gig to pay off our fines, Broken Hill council cancelled our Evans Head gig, and half the town turned up to our Woodenbong gig (all six of them).
All the signs were looking good for this gig too.
The main hurdles we have with gigs are this:
1) Hardly any venues these days want to deal with unsigned acts who cold call. Most pubs only deal with agents who only deal put their own acts on.
2) Those that do give us a go, generally don’t like advertising us more than putting a poster up on a dunny door. Their reasoning after the gig is, ‘Sorry but I didn’t want too many people turning up to the gig in case you were shit. Let me know next time in town though and I’ll talk it up when I’m serving beers.’ Publicans these days rarely last more than 18months especially in the country.
3) We don’t have a door person so before each gig while collecting money we normally go around answering the same three questions for an hour which can get tiring. ‘Are you funny?’, ‘Tell us a joke?’, ‘Why should I pay money listening to you when I can spend it on bourbon instead?’ are the main ones.
4) Jimbo’s act has been honed in the front bars of Australia’s Outback pubs in rooms where when he starts talking no-one is listening to him. His punch lines are brutal. He’s now attempting to bring this show into the cities un-edited for people who want something different from their standup. Most people who come to his comedy show now pay to hear him go to the extreme. Some can’t handle it though and walk out and complain. Having a publican who will back us through a few walkouts knowing that those who stay to the end will have had a top night is vital for a good show for us. Or at least helpful.
This gig in Gladstone had it all.
David had seen Jimbo perform many times at his old pub and had advertised this gig on local radio, made his own posters, sold tix (about 30 which is good for us) and guaranteed his customers they’d have a top night.
He was looking after us by setting up the right conditions for us to do our best work.
All we had to do was rock up and let it rip.
It was all laid out for us.
Yet here we were, just when it was about to happen, 300kms away, eyeing off a ditch on the side of the road.
After years of travelling, we’re both used to sleeping on the side of the road.
It's not that hard when you get used to it.
Missing a gig wasn’t hard either.
We know we’ll run into more good gigs if we keep trucking on.
What made Tuesday night hard was knowing our publican mate David had stuck his arse out in the wind for us and he was going to be the one who looked bad the most – in front of the customers who were his bread and butter.
We were leaving him high and dry.
We knew we couldn’t just sleep on it.
So instead of crashing out and resuming our hitch in the morning we left our big bag of t-shirts in the bush and walked into Casino to find a phone to let him know before the crowd lynched him after their fifth drink.
When we got into town, we had one last go at hitting people up for a lift even though we knew we’d still be at least an hour late (I was prepared to piss in a bottle if we got a lift to save time).
We even went into two pubs and started asking people if we could borrow their car.
Then Jimbo made the call to Dave the Publican which he said felt like ringing up a bride at the altar and letting her know, 'Look, I love you but can we change the date of the wedding?’
'But they're all here, it’s all been organised, is there anyway of you getting here even if it's late?', David pleaded.
Jimbo knew he’d done everything short of car-jacking to get to the gig though.
David then said he'd put some money on the bar to keep them happy to which Jimbo said, 'we want to make this up to you so how about if we get there on Saturday night after our Newcastle gig and do a show for free and rip the roof off the joint for you while giving your customers the best night of their life?’
It was the best we could offer and David took it well.
We then walked down to the Light Industrial Area to find our van so we could at least sleep in it but it was locked up, so we rocked back to The Commercial Hotel where the publican said he'd put us up for a night for $40 as long as I stayed locked in the yard not the room.
Early the next morning, Jimbo then walked back out to get the bag we’d hidden in the bushes.
No-one had taken it.
If they had they would have got a shock though coz it was full of 'I fucked a goat' t-shirts.
The bag was still too heavy to carry for ten kms back though.
Jimbo then tried to hitch again and again no-one would give him a lift back (even without me) so he left the bag in the bushes and walked back into town hoping to crash out for the day in the pub and catch up on some sleep before working out a game plan.
This wasn’t to be though coz the publican said, he didn't want a goat staying in his pub two nights in a row so Jimbo started walking down to the library.
I had other ideas though. I was still hungry coz there wasn’t much feed in the pub courtyard that night and we started having a tug of war with my collar in the mainstreet.
We had no phone, no internet (our ipad got smashed when Jimbo sat on it), no van, a small bag and a frayed rope in between us.
People kept on coming up to us and asking what the story was.
Sometimes when you’re on the road, there’s a fine line between telling people how you are and sounding like a beggar.
What we really wanted when Jimbo explained our situation was a lover of the arts who had somewhere for Jimbo to lay down while I ate their rose garden while they fixed our Toyota van.
Most people just said, ‘don’t worry, you’ll get there mate but can you take your goat off the street, it might cause an accident’.
Eventually Jimbo stopped going into detail about our situation to every inquirer and just started telling people with a crazy look in his eye that we were “Road junkies looking for a fix of ‘how do you get outta this town’”.
People seemed to leave us alone then.
Except the guy who ran the newsagency.
He popped his head out the door and said, ‘do you want to leave your goat out the back coz my yard needs mowing?’
Which was a magic offer because his yard full of clover plus it
gave Jimbo time to go to the library to check his gig diary on his website.
When he came back he informed me that he’d stuffed up.
Our gig in Newcastle was Saturday night which meant we’d double booked which would mean he’d have to ring up David the Gladstone publican and change the date again.
We knew that wasn’t an option though.
Jimbo didn’t mind being called ‘the guy with the goat’ but not ‘the guy with the goat who called Wolf’.
We knew the only chance we had of saving the gig was to rock up to Gladstone in the flesh sometime today and let him know we meant business – by proclaiming we were definitely doing a gig for him Friday night.
This would also give us two days to spruik the gig up to the locals to ensure a good turn out.
So Jimbo called the NRMA guy to see if the van was salvageable.
He said if it was going to go again it first needed to see an auto electrician and if we found one he’d tow it there.
Jimbo then found a payphone, lined it all up and walked with me to the Casino Auto Electrician in the LIA (Light industrial area).
Having a full belly of clover, there was no need for him to push me there now either.
We skipped down there, checking out caryards on the way.
The Auto electricians told us the starter motor was buggered and because it was an old van they'd have to order in a part which would take days and be expensive.
So we went across the road to the wreckers to see if they had a starter motor for an '87 Toyota Hiace.
The wrecker said 'no, not many cars in here are more than 15 years old sorry'.
Jimbo then asked him if he had any cheap cars.
He said the only one he had was a $500 one that wasn't rego'd.
Jimbo then said, 'Well, none of the cars we walked past on the way here were in our budget so if that’s what it takes to get to Gladstone tonight, we’ll buy it’.
'You're going to drive off in an un-rego'd car?'
'Yep, coz we have to get there ASAP. I'll put my van plates on it and wait til midnight, drive the back roads and then when I get to Gladstone tomorrow, I’ll get it rego'd there while I spruik up the gig’.
The wrecker guy then said, ‘are you performers?’
Jimbo said, ‘Yeah’.
The wrecker guy then went on, “this reminds me of my favourite John Williamson song were he says, ‘would you tie it up with wire just to keep the show on the road?”
Jimbo then replied, “Who knows, maybe he meant, ‘would you drive an un-rego’d car to a gig” but the lyrics didn’t rhyme?’
'You're really going to do this, aren't you?' said the wrecker.
‘Yes’ said Jimbo.
‘Even though every cop car has got a rego scanner which matches it to the type of car it should be on and alerts them if there’s not a match’, said the guy wiping down his wrench.
Jimbo then said, ‘As soon as we get outta this Casino, we reckon our luck is gunna change’.
'Well then, hold on a minute' he said putting down his rag and wrench.
He then pulled out a map and said, 'I'll show the best back roads, first go towards Tenterfield and chuck a left...'
After we'd go his directions Jimbo and I then went across to the Auto Electricians to let them know that the wrecker was coming to take the van.
As we walked into the workshop the radio was blaring out 'Why
did you give up on me so soon?'.
The mechanic then said, 'Look we've just found a reconditioned starter motor out the back which might work, give us another hour an we'll have a crack at it'.
Anyway they did it.
And for the second time on this tour our van 'Lazarus' had came back from the dead just when we’d been told by the local wrecker that they were prepared to take it off our hands for free.
As we pulled outta town we realised we were $500 lighter.
Which all up, wasn’t bad for a 24hr stop at a Casino.
We also made it to Gladstone last night where David said he was happy to see us.
The barman Daniel then offered Jimbo a bed at his place and an unmowed backyard for me.
Everything was back on track again.
Our next gigs are:
16/8/13 Heritage Hotel, Gladstone, NSW.
17/8/13 Mayfield Sunset Studio, Newcastle, NSW.
18/8/13 Qbar, Sydney, NSW.
25/8/13 Highlander Bar, Melbourne.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
A Roadworthy Vehicle Is a Safe Vehicle
A Roadworthy Vehicle Is a Safe Vehicle
Central District Police want to remind motorists that with winter just around the corner, it's a good time to check that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition for the season.
Road Policing Manager Acting Inspector Jeanette Parke says: "Your vehicle's roadworthiness along with your driving behaviour plays an important role in getting you to and from places safely. Making sure that your vehicle is fit for the road can save you time and unwanted stress."
"There are also added risks when driving on roads during winter and it's vital that motorists drive to the conditions and remain aware at all times.
"Winter weather can present some difficult conditions and if your car is not in shape to handle them and you don't adapt your driving you could find yourself in trouble."
Listening to your local radio stations for weather and road updates can also be helpful before you start your journey.
"Our dedicated officers are out on the District's roads 24/7, 365 days a year, keeping them safe. We all know how to stay safe on our roads so remember to give your vehicle a complete winter check up and always drive to survive."
Carrying out some basic safety checks will ensure your vehicle is safe and fit for the road. If you have any concerns about your vehicle visit your local garage.
Some key things to check:
• Ensure that windscreen wipers function efficiently. Replace them if they are old or worn.
• Make sure your front and back windscreens and wing mirrors are clean.
• Current registration and warrant of fitness.
• Check the radiator and hoses for leaks. Ensure that your vehicle always has a sufficient amount of anti-freeze rated for the coldest weather.
• Battery — Replace your battery if it's weak or playing up.
• Check the internal window de-misters/heaters (front and back) to make sure they are working efficiently.
• Fill the washer container with a suitable cleaning fluid and top it up frequently. Keeping a spare bottle of water in you car is also handy especially if you need to top up this up or your radiator.
• Check tyres for tread and correct pressure and make sure your spare tyre is inflated and in a roadworthy condition.
• You should always be prepared for a breakdown or an emergency. You should have in your vehicle some basic emergency equipment including a - first aid kit, torch, high visibility vest, tyre jack, tow rope, jumper leads, and tyre chains.
• Make sure your front and back windscreens and wing mirrors are clean.
• Current registration and warrant of fitness.
• Check the radiator and hoses for leaks. Ensure that your vehicle always has a sufficient amount of anti-freeze rated for the coldest weather.
• Battery — Replace your battery if it's weak or playing up.
• Check the internal window de-misters/heaters (front and back) to make sure they are working efficiently.
• Fill the washer container with a suitable cleaning fluid and top it up frequently. Keeping a spare bottle of water in you car is also handy especially if you need to top up this up or your radiator.
• Check tyres for tread and correct pressure and make sure your spare tyre is inflated and in a roadworthy condition.
• You should always be prepared for a breakdown or an emergency. You should have in your vehicle some basic emergency equipment including a - first aid kit, torch, high visibility vest, tyre jack, tow rope, jumper leads, and tyre chains.
Demerit points with vic roads as have your say on this one
Demerit points are one type of penalty that you can be given when you commit a traffic offence. You can be given demerit points for a traffic offence committed anywhere in Australia.
The demerit points are recorded against your driver licence or learner permit (Ls). If you continue to offend and accrue too many points, you may lose your licence or learner permit.
Why have demerit points?If you continually commit traffic offences you are at risk of being involved in a crash, putting your safety and the safety of others at risk. Demerit points are designed to encourage you to be more careful and to change your driving behaviour.
Demerit points should be treated as a good behaviour bond - they have no effect if you drive carefully and don’t re-offend, but if you continue to offend and exceed your demerit point limit (see table below), you may lose your licence or learner permit.
How many points are too many?The number of demerit points you incur will vary depending on the offence - see the list of demerit points for common traffic offences for details.
There are limits on the number of points you can accrue, depending on the type of licence you hold - see table below.
The demerit points are recorded against your driver licence or learner permit (Ls). If you continue to offend and accrue too many points, you may lose your licence or learner permit.
Why have demerit points?If you continually commit traffic offences you are at risk of being involved in a crash, putting your safety and the safety of others at risk. Demerit points are designed to encourage you to be more careful and to change your driving behaviour.
Demerit points should be treated as a good behaviour bond - they have no effect if you drive carefully and don’t re-offend, but if you continue to offend and exceed your demerit point limit (see table below), you may lose your licence or learner permit.
How many points are too many?The number of demerit points you incur will vary depending on the offence - see the list of demerit points for common traffic offences for details.
There are limits on the number of points you can accrue, depending on the type of licence you hold - see table below.
| Licence type | Details of demerit point limits |
|---|---|
| Full | If you get 12 or more demerit points in any three year period, you may lose your licence. |
| Learner permit, Probationary P1 or Probationary P2 licence | If you get five or more demerit points in any 12 month period, or 12 or more demerit points in any three year period, you may lose your licence or learner permit. |
You can read more about what happens if you get too many points.
What if you receive demerit points or other penalties and you weren’t driving?When you are sent a Traffic Infringement Notice you must either pay the penalty or nominate the actual driver at the time of the offence. If you pay the penalty it is assumed that you were the driver and the demerit points are recorded against you.
Registered operators of corporate vehicles photographed are also required to nominate the driver at the time of the offence or face a fine.
It is important that you notify VicRoads within 14 days when you buy a vehicle to minimise the risk of incurring someone else’s demerit points.
Victoria to close demerit-point loophole on vic licences
The Victorian Government will next year close a legal loophole that allows speeding drivers and other traffic offenders to pay a higher fine to dodge gaining demerit points on their licences.
A News Limited report revealed that approximately 50,000 drivers each year have elected to pay a higher fine, leading to government revenue of $112 million over three years.
Under the loophole, drivers can accept a $717 fine on top of their initial fine and avoid gaining demerit points if they don’t tell police who was driving at the time of the offence.
Drivers can pay the additional ‘failure to notify a driver’ fine as many times as they wish to dodge demerit points.
Approximately 158,000 motorists have paid the extra fine in the past three financial years, with a police source telling News Limited reporters that truck and taxi drivers and companies were among the worst offenders.
Victoria’s Roads Minister, Terry Mulder, confirmed the loophole would be closed in the New Year to ensure drivers and companies were more accountable for their actions on the road.
In Victoria, a driver may have their licence suspended for three months or more if they get 12 demerit points over a three-year period.
Australia’s toughest hooning laws passed and they are cracking down hard on the law breakers
Queensland will now see serial hoons’ vehicles sold or crushed sooner after the Newman Government passed the country’s toughest anti-hooning penalties in last night.
The new penalties will see people committing two serious hooning offences have their car confiscated indefinitely as part of changes to the Police Powers and Responsibilities (Motor Vehicle Impoundment) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012.
The new penalties will see people committing two serious hooning offences have their car confiscated indefinitely as part of changes to the Police Powers and Responsibilities (Motor Vehicle Impoundment) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012.
Police Minister Jack Dempsey said Queenslanders were fed up with dangerous hooning on public roads and wanted the brakes put on the perpetrators.
“Hooning such as racing and driving recklessly in the suburbs is not only socially unacceptable, it is outright dangerous and places the lives of all road users at risk,” Mr Dempsey said.
“In the past we have even seen hoons lose control of their vehicles before ploughing into yards and houses injuring and, in some cases, taking the lives of innocent people.
“The community and the Government were sick and tired of hoons and these new penalties will see their cars off the road for 90 days for the first offence, and confiscated and sold or crushed if they commit a second hooning offence within a five year period.”
The two strikes approach will apply to those committing Type 1 offences which include:
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Racing and speed trials on roads
• Wilfully starting a motor vehicle or driving a motor vehicle in a way that makes unnecessary noise or smoke
• Evade police
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Racing and speed trials on roads
• Wilfully starting a motor vehicle or driving a motor vehicle in a way that makes unnecessary noise or smoke
• Evade police
Mr Dempsey said the new laws would address frustration in the community which, under the previous government, continued to see hoons back on the road even after multiple offences.
“Under Labor more than 92 per cent of vehicles previously impounded ended up back on the road,” he said.
“We are telling the people of Queensland that the police now have the legislative tools to truly put the brakes on hoons. If there’s a local hooning issue they should contact their local police station or the Hoon Hotline on 13HOON (13 4666).”
While the hooning laws have now been passed through State Parliament, they won’t come into effect for six months to allow sufficient time for logistics to be finalised and community education about the new penalties as requested by the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee.
Below is a list of current hooning offences broken down by district for the past 12 months
Please note: the Two Strikes policy related to traditional Type 1 offences only. Please see the Proposed Motor Vehicle Impoundment Process Matrix below for a list of Type 1 and 2 penalties and definitions.
Type 1
No. of Offences
No. of Vehicles Impounded
GLADSTONE
28
23
LONGREACH
0
0
MACKAY
36
23
ROCKHAMPTON
24
19
CENTRAL REGION
88
65
CAIRNS
23
17
INNISFAIL
5
4
MAREEBA
5
2
FAR NORTHERN REGION
33
23
BRISBANE CENTRAL
3
1
BRISBANE WEST
8
6
NORTH BRISBANE
36
30
PINE RIVERS
15
11
METROPOLITAN NORTH REGION
62
48
OXLEY
35
25
SOUTH BRISBANE
21
15
WYNNUM
16
11
METROPOLITAN SOUTH REGION
72
51
BUNDABERG
11
11
CABOOLTURE
27
19
GYMPIE
15
12
MARYBOROUGH
28
25
REDCLIFFE
16
12
SUNSHINE COAST
60
50
NORTH COAST REGION
157
129
MOUNT ISA
8
7
TOWNSVILLE
37
26
NORTHERN REGION
45
33
COOMERA
41
27
GOLD COAST
34
27
LOGAN
83
70
SOUTH EASTERN REGION
158
124
CHARLEVILLE
2
2
DALBY
9
9
IPSWICH
30
26
ROMA
6
3
TOOWOOMBA
41
32
WARWICK
13
11
SOUTHERN REGION
101
83
QUEENSLAND TOTAL
716
556
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