Undercover squeegee cops nab dozens of drivers on phones

[GO FURTHER]

Be careful getting your windscreen cleaned at intersections.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/la...cbee24cf812580

[Vesper Martini]

$484 fine and 4 demerit points
38 caught so $18,393 for an afternoons work

[BENT_8]

Now thats innovative, i like it.

Of course the downside is its probably shut down the intersection squeegie industry overnight though.

Although i never did trust those guys, there was always something shady going on with them, they made it very clear..

[GO FURTHER]

I wonder if the cops kept the tips they made.

[Outbackjack]

Sneaky but good. I have no sympathy for arrogant pricks that think that whatever they are doing is more important than someone elses life.

[DJR-351]

"However, what is not known is how much the undercover cops made in tips from cleaning car windows."

[b0son]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

Sneaky but good. I have no sympathy for arrogant pricks that think that whatever they are doing is more important than someone elses life.

I would feel that way too if there was a compelling link between the two. 13 serious crashes in NSW involving phones, out of 42,000 fines issued. That's not to say phone usage isn't a factor in minor non-injury crashes, but it would seem its more of a nuisance than a scourge on our roads.

[jpd80]

Or just ride around on a bicycle with a GoPro on helmet
Most car drivers wouldn’t give it a second look

[GT450]

It's really simple to discourage most recidivists, just issue fines and confiscate phones. No excuses , this behaviour puts all road users and pedestrians at risk and there is absolutely No reason it should be tolerated . I see it every morning and afternoon on the commute to work, some are blatant some covert and they wont stop until they realise it's going to hurt them much more that it does now. $484 and 3 demerits isn't doing the job, so hats off to the boys in blue, in this case i agree with them.
GT450

[zipping]

Originally Posted by GT450

It's really simple to discourage most recidivists, just issue fines and confiscate phones. No excuses , this behaviour puts all road users and pedestrians at risk and there is absolutely No reason it should be tolerated . I see it every morning and afternoon on the commute to work, some are blatant some covert and they wont stop until they realise it's going to hurt them much more that it does now. $484 and 3 demerits isn't doing the job, so hats off to the boys in blue, in this case i agree with them.
GT450

A recidivist is a convicted criminal who re-offends, repeatedly.

Think you getting a bit carried away, road safety is important but lets not go giving the state confiscation powers and classifying overwhelmingly law-abiding citizens as recidivists.

I don't know the time span of the operation but 38 out of possibly 2-3000 cars passing doesn't suggest draconian action is required, its not as if there is a spike in road fatalities since the mobile phone invention.

In Victoria the road toll is 1/3 of what it was in 1989 with far more drivers on the road.

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by zipping

In Victoria the road toll is 1/3 of what it was in 1989 with far more drivers on the road.

True, but cars have also become a lot safer as well.

[whitelion65]

So they cleaned out their wallets, then wiped a few points off their licences ;-)

I don’t know about serious crashes, but the loss of traffic flow due to inattentive behaviour is worth pursuing.

[GT450]

Hi Zipping , i see them every day and nothing seems to be going to change the behaviour of some of these people,they use their phone every time they drive, so yes, they are recidivist offenders. They have no respect for this law and the big stick approach needs to be taken as they don't seem to care about large fines or demerit points.
It has nothing to do with the reduction in the road toll it's about teaching drivers that they have a responsibility to all around them, at the moment it seems it's all about what they want , to hell with the consequences. I know you live in Melbourne so you must see this law being flaunted daily. If it was speeding the cops would be on to it forthwith as it fills the coffers it's just harder to detect . If this sort of operation is what it takes , so be it , as the number of times i have had an idiot behind me with his head looking down at
his lap instead of the road ahead makes me cringe .....just waiting for the bang.
GT450

[Craig@AUDI]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

Be careful getting your windscreen cleaned at intersections.

Sorry mate, no loose change today, can i pay using this?

https://www.samsung.com/au/apps/samsungpay/

Waddya mean $484 and a $2 tip for the windscreen wipe???

[zipping]

Originally Posted by GT450

Hi Zipping , i see them every day and nothing seems to be going to change the behaviour of some of these people,they use their phone every time they drive, so yes, they are recidivist offenders. They have no respect for this law and the big stick approach needs to be taken as they don't seem to care about large fines or demerit points.
It has nothing to do with the reduction in the road toll it's about teaching drivers that they have a responsibility to all around them, at the moment it seems it's all about what they want , to hell with the consequences. I know you live in Melbourne so you must see this law being flaunted daily. If it was speeding the cops would be on to it forthwith as it fills the coffers it's just harder to detect . If this sort of operation is what it takes , so be it , as the number of times i have had an idiot behind me with his head looking down at
his lap instead of the road ahead makes me cringe .....just waiting for the bang.
GT450

If only the Victorian judiciary had your sensible attitude to actual recidivists.

[jpd80]

I like immediate confiscation of Phone for say 30 days, an immediate control measure.

Could you imagine the melt down...........

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I like immediate confiscation of Phone for say 30 days, an immediate control measure.

Could you imagine the melt down...........

Or a more permanent measure...
Crush them like we do with hoon cars.

[wodahs]

not that I dislike this idea but isn't it also illegal to conduct window cleaning at an intersection ?

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

Or a more permanent measure...
Crush them like we do with hoon cars.

I honestly think it should go one step further and have a ban for a month on owning an active telco connection , so thy cant just replace it (be new phone or a cheapy prepaid or whatever) and continue

[CyberWasp]

With Sync3 there is not need to be touching your phone.

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

With Sync3 there is not need to be touching your phone.

Unless you are a Millennial needing Facebook, Twitter and the rest while on the move.

[Falcon SXR8]

Good, the amount of people i see driving with there heads in there laps is ridiculous. Just the other day a p plate girl came past me as i was at an intersection and she wasn't even looking where she was going, head buried in her lap. Then i caught up with her along the highway again and she was still at it, she even drifted right off the road spraying my car with rocks.

[Tonz]

Why I have truck air horns in my ute, want to see them mess themselves.

While I applaud the tactics and do not live in Victoria .. (thank gawd I'll bet this wont happen at election time.....

[EDManual]

Fair enough when moving. However I highly doubt there has ever been even the slightest injury due to someone waiting at the lights and having a quick look at an sms or whatever. Only thing is it may hold the traffic up a tad as the driver may not notice the light go green as quick as they should.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by EDManual

Fair enough when moving. However I highly doubt there has ever been even the slightest injury due to someone waiting at the lights and having a quick look at an sms or whatever. Only thing is it may hold the traffic up a tad as the driver may not notice the light go green as quick as they should.

Lol, i was sitting at a set of lights a few days ago in the bus and a 'P' plater infront of me was on her phone whilst waiting for the light to go green.
Its a dual right turn setup so when the light turns green all the traffic in the right hand turn lane take off, old mate doesnt move.
Now im just about to land on the horn and give her a wakeup when i notice the car at the front of the queue opposite is a new ZB cop car so i refrain from giving her the heads up in hope that he see's her obviously oblivious to whats going on, realises shes got her head in her lap and grabs her.
So just as the right turnlight turns yellow she realises her error, nails the throttle and goes through the intersection alone.
Mr plod didnt even give her a second look and away she went, i just moved up to the line, shook my head and, waited for the next set, what chance have you got if they dont even care about it right under their noses.

[Warrenk]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I like immediate confiscation of Phone for say 30 days, an immediate control measure.

Could you imagine the melt down...........

Confiscation won't stop most people as they will probably have a old one laying around somewhere. Just treat the mobile phone users who are using them while driving the same way they treat "hoon" drivers. Impound their car the same as the "hoon law". If they won't learn from their vehicle be impounded, just confiscate their car(or truck) after the 3rd or 4th infringement.

Warren

[eb2fairmont]

I think people are missing the point

Window washing at the traffic lights is illegal and thus could be tested as a form of entrapment.

But I copped one at a set of lights many moons ago for touching the phone, copped it on the chin don't touch it all now.

Really need to be focussed on driving these days given how distracted other driver are because of phones in the car.

[Iggle Piggle]

They should just confiscate their phones then send a text to all their contacts that reads: "Hi, I am having a clear out of my phone contacts and cannot remember how I know you - can you remind me?"


Make them sound like the self-absorbed selfish flog they are...or maybe something worse.

[mike_nofx]

Didn't touch my phone once occifer!

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by b0son

I would feel that way too if there was a compelling link between the two. 13 serious crashes in NSW involving phones, out of 42,000 fines issued. That's not to say phone usage isn't a factor in minor non-injury crashes, but it would seem its more of a nuisance than a scourge on our roads.

I want to know how accurate that would be. You would think if someone crashed while messing around with their phone they might make up another excuse in a hope to not get in as much trouble. As for crash investigators how do they know if someone was playing a game or doing something else moments before a crash? Phone calls and texts messages record times, but most things on modern phones wouldn't.
I am going to guess they cause more acccidents than we think.

Also I'm sick of beeping people at green lights so **** 'em

[Trevor 57]

Saw a young mum with 2 little kids in the car stopped at the lights texting, then drove off and didn't stop texting. I could see her beside me