Don't like someone? Have the police take their car.

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/16/1692.asp
<...>
"Residents of the state of Victoria, Australia can now settle scores by
calling the police and ordering the seizure of someone's car. Hearsay
evidence that a car may have had a "sustained loss of traction" is enough
for police to seize a vehicle. So far in the city of Wodonga, three cars
have been taken based solely on citizen complaints."
<...>
"The police will collect A$204 in fees for the car's return on Tuesday.
On a second accusation, police keep the car three months and on a third
police will sell the car and keep the profit."
<...>

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/bm/local/733325.html

Brent P wrote:

> http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/16/1692.asp
> <...>
> "Residents of the state of Victoria, Australia can now settle scores by
> calling the police and ordering the seizure of someone's car. Hearsay
> evidence that a car may have had a "sustained loss of traction" is enough
> for police to seize a vehicle. So far in the city of Wodonga, three cars
> have been taken based solely on citizen complaints."
> <...>
> "The police will collect A$204 in fees for the car's return on Tuesday.
> On a second accusation, police keep the car three months and on a third
> police will sell the car and keep the profit."
> <...>
>
> http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/bm/local/733325.html

Police say the last three cars impounded in Wodonga were the result of community
complaints.

Sgt Cameron Roberts, of the Wodonga traffic management unit, said people have
had enough of doughnuts, wheelies and lunatic behaviour by young, generally
male, drivers.

“We have a real problem with these young men in Wodonga,” he said.

“They flout the law in their cars and generally think they won’t get caught.

“Well now they are finding out that is not the case.”

Sgt Roberts said more than one person has been surprised when police came
knocking at their door.

“Under the anti-hoon laws if a person signs a statement we can impound the car,”
he said.

“Clearly the fact that these people are prepared to back up their complaint with
a statement shows the sentiment in the community is that hoon drivers are no
longer tolerated.

“Wodonga is still a small town and if you drive like this someone will see you,
whether that be a police member or individual no longer matters.”

In article >, Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> (Brent P) said in
> rec.autos.driving:
>
>>http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/16/1692.asp
>><...>
>>"Residents of the state of Victoria, Australia can now settle scores by
>>calling the police and ordering the seizure of someone's car. Hearsay
>>evidence that a car may have had a "sustained loss of traction" is enough
>>for police to seize a vehicle. So far in the city of Wodonga, three cars
>>have been taken based solely on citizen complaints."
>><...>
>>"The police will collect A$204 in fees for the car's return on Tuesday.
>>On a second accusation, police keep the car three months and on a third
>>police will sell the car and keep the profit."
>
> The problem is you cannot make such reports anonymously - you actually
> have to swear out a complaint. Which means the riceboy punk has your
> name and address, and knows exactly where to go if he wants to
> retaliate. This should keep the number of such complaints VERY low.

You assume that people will only use it against 'rice boy punks' and
truthfully instead of making stuff up against that guy with the yellow
corvette who drives around with a video camera in his car.

On Apr 9, 9:24 am, (Brent P) wrote:
> In article >, Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> > The problem is you cannot make such reports anonymously - you actually
> > have to swear out a complaint. Which means the riceboy punk has your
> > name and address, and knows exactly where to go if he wants to
> > retaliate. This should keep the number of such complaints VERY low.

Pfft. I imagine most people would think as I would- I'll worry about
that when it occurs. The present situation of some jackasses
habitually endangering the public, maybe me or mine, takes precedence.

> You assume that people will only use it against 'rice boy punks' and
> truthfully

Why would you think otherwise?

Are you familiar with a reporting system that has no avenue of abuse?
In my experience it's usually the dishonest assholes who are most
suspicious of the thoughts and actions of their own kind.

IAC, I'm sure there's a substantial penalty for making false
statements to the police and that the LEOs would carefully evaluate
each report and would prefer to arrest any dicks who would use the
system as you fear... so you can probably safely concentrate your
paranoia on the various other conspiracies you so enjoy.
-----

- gpsman

On Apr 9, 2:44 pm, "gpsman" > wrote:
> > You assume that people will only use it against 'rice boy punks' and
> > truthfully
>
> Why would you think otherwise?
>
> Are you familiar with a reporting system that has no avenue of abuse?
> In my experience it's usually the dishonest assholes who are most
> suspicious of the thoughts and actions of their own kind.
>
> IAC, I'm sure there's a substantial penalty for making false
> statements to the police and that the LEOs would carefully evaluate
> each report and would prefer to arrest any dicks who would use the
> system as you fear... so you can probably safely concentrate your
> paranoia on the various other conspiracies you so enjoy.

I think your average person will, in their mind, "stretch" the truth
of what happened, for "the general good" or because "this guy's
clearly an a** and probably dangerous anyway".

Ever been mad, having a bad day, and had some incident in traffic?
Ever think back and find that maybe you were, in retrospect, partially
in the wrong? My favorite examples of this are "I didn't see them"
and "came out of nowhere". If you ever said anyone "came out of
nowhere", you were not paying proper attention. Ever get mad then,
and in retrospect think "that's not such a big deal, I guess I didn't
need to get upset/flip them off/yell/etc.?

So, you've got any Joe, Dick and Mary who's in a fight with the SO,
having money troubles and just had their check engine light come on.
You do something they don't like. It gets exaggerated, and you're
screwed.

LLB = "slammed on the brakes and made traffic skid and swerve around
them"
cut off = ran us off the road
beat you to the merge after a light = peeled out of the light to cut
me off

It'll be just like people calling in the everlasting "drunk driver"
when they're ****ed at someone on the highway. At least with that one
the driver can pass a breathy and go on their way. With this law
anyone can play cop, and many people just are not ready for this
responsibility. LLB's, people screaming "slow down" at cars already
under the posted speed limit, and people putting their own speed limit
sign stands in the middle of the road are prime examples.

Then there's the moral & prejudice issues, from extremist vegans
following hunters w/ Bambi in the back to racism.

So, you complain about my buddy. I complain about you in
retaliation. Your brother in law then complains about my girl. My
riding buddy then complains about your kid. Really, I'd rather just
all carry guns & be allowed to shoot out tires at that point - at
least you can face your accuser and fight back on the spot instead of
down the road.

In article .com>, wrote:

> It'll be just like people calling in the everlasting "drunk driver"
> when they're ****ed at someone on the highway. At least with that one
> the driver can pass a breathy and go on their way. With this law
> anyone can play cop, and many people just are not ready for this
> responsibility. LLB's, people screaming "slow down" at cars already
> under the posted speed limit, and people putting their own speed limit
> sign stands in the middle of the road are prime examples.

Not only play cop, but judge. There isn't any trial here, just punishment
based on the word of someone.

On Apr 9, 7:10 pm, (Brent P) wrote:
> In article .com>, wrote:
> > It'll be just like people calling in the everlasting "drunk driver"
> > when they're ****ed at someone on the highway. At least with that one
> > the driver can pass a breathy and go on their way. With this law
> > anyone can play cop, and many people just are not ready for this
> > responsibility. LLB's, people screaming "slow down" at cars already
> > under the posted speed limit, and people putting their own speed limit
> > sign stands in the middle of the road are prime examples.
>
> Not only play cop, but judge. There isn't any trial here, just punishment
> based on the word of someone.

The move for the locals to this nonsense is to write up the forms
swearing that the mayor or chief sustained a loss of traction. It
would be nice to have a bit of a movement where a bunch of people get
with it and the police either have to ignore the ordinance or impound
half the lot of Town Hall.

If I lived there I'd take my car off of the road for a couple months
(as long as this nonsense will likely go on) and start filling out
statements. There are all sorts of driving moves that ****es me off.

BTW, if you drive a truck or SUV and have had one of those "I'm
changing the climate, ask me how" (or any similar variation) stickers
stuck onto your vehicle, just think: next time that'll be an
impoundment with a $200 fee. If it's happened two or three times...

As an aside, good call to the halfwit that stuck that stupid anti-
truck sticker on my buddy's truck the other day in NH. I guess he
should be running a construction company moving lumber, tools, dirt
and rock with a Prius.

In article . com>, wrote:

> If I lived there I'd take my car off of the road for a couple months
> (as long as this nonsense will likely go on) and start filling out
> statements. There are all sorts of driving moves that ****es me off.

Just going to the grocery store and back I had two drivers I could use
that on.

> As an aside, good call to the halfwit that stuck that stupid anti-
> truck sticker on my buddy's truck the other day in NH. I guess he
> should be running a construction company moving lumber, tools, dirt
> and rock with a Prius.

The rude BMW SUV driver that cut me off without a signal while moving
slower than I can walk after blocking traffic could use that sticker. Not
to mention her passenger that flipped me off after her sub-walking pace
cost making the green signal.

> > > The problem is you cannot make such reports anonymously - you actually
> > > have to swear out a complaint. Which means the riceboy punk has your
> > > name and address, and knows exactly where to go if he wants to
> > > retaliate. This should keep the number of such complaints VERY low.
>
> Pfft. I imagine most people would think as I would- I'll worry about
> that when it occurs. The present situation of some jackasses
> habitually endangering the public, maybe me or mine, takes precedence.
>
> > You assume that people will only use it against 'rice boy punks' and
> > truthfully
>
> Why would you think otherwise?

Because people make false claims all the time, regardless of whether
or not there is a possible penalty for doing so. In the meantime,
the innocent guy, who could be YOU, gets ****ed.

In article >, Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> (Brent P) said in
> rec.autos.driving:
>
>>>>"Residents of the state of Victoria, Australia can now settle scores by
>>>>calling the police and ordering the seizure of someone's car.
>>>
>>> The problem is you cannot make such reports anonymously - you actually
>>> have to swear out a complaint. Which means the riceboy punk has your
>>> name and address, and knows exactly where to go if he wants to
>>> retaliate. This should keep the number of such complaints VERY low.
>>
>>You assume that people will only use it against 'rice boy punks' and
>>truthfully instead of making stuff up against that guy with the yellow
>>corvette who drives around with a video camera in his car.
>
> a) The video tape will show that there was no drifting or
> doughnut-making going on.

No trial for you to show it at.

> b) The day I drive the C6 down to Australia is the day I'll start to
> worry about this particular issue.

The concept may come to you