Today will go down as “Black Friday” for motoring enthusiasts in Queensland following the implementation of the new Queensland anti hoon laws; or more correctly, The Police Powers and Responsibilities (Motor Vehicle Impoundment) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012. As from today, the police have the power (under a type 1 offence) to impound vehicles for 90 days for a first offence of burn outs, racing, speed trials, dangerous operation, careless driving, wilfully make unnecessary noise or smoke, and evade police. For a second offence, the vehicle is forfeited. Let’s get one thing clear, like most reading this I have no issue with people being penalised when caught breaking the law. I do, however, question the severity of the penalties when you compare them with type 2 offences such as driving uninsured and unregistered, driving unlicensed, high range drink driving, exceeding the speed limit by 40km/h, and drive an illegally modified vehicle not complying with prescribed sections of the vehicle standards and safety. For a type 2 offence, there is no impoundment for first offence, a seven day impoundment for a second offence, 90 day impoundment for a third offence, and forfeiture for a subsequent offence. Remove the illegal modification clause from a type 2 offence and you have a series of traffic offences of which most are known high-end contributors to the road toll, yet the penalties are less than those for creating a nuisance. As for the illegal modification clause, this leaves the way clear for police to intercept and remove from the road vehicles which, in most cases, are not so much illegally modified, but rather, are in a state of compliance unknown. These vehicles are mostly well maintained, driven according to the road rules, and owned by people who respect their vehicle, their right to drive, and other road users. Personally, I think the solution is simple: remove “drive an illegally modified vehicle not complying with prescribed sections of the vehicle standards and safety” from the type 2 offence and call it what it is – a defect; simple. We all know, however, that this will never happen. The truth is we have a team of bureaucrats, an out of control government, and a power-hungry police force attempting to impose their will on a perceived minority of motoring enthusiasts and force all modified vehicles off the road. Given the Newman-led Queensland government record of acting against the best interest of Queenslanders over their 18 months in office, one has to wonder what other sinister agenda they are slipping into the mix unnoticed whilst the public is distracted by their anti-hooning stance.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 08:28:01 +0000