# three police officers



## shmiff (Aug 5, 2017)

Long trip notification. First pick-up is a detective. Second pick-up is a detective. Third pick-up is a detective sergeant. Final destination : a police station.

Nobody in the back bothers to put a seatbelt on.

One copper opens a beer without asking and drinks it during the journey. The same copper leaves the bottle top and bottle opener behind in my car. I get out and return it to them after dropping them off.

Above the law and difficult to confront.


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

shmiff said:


> Long trip notification. First pick-up is a detective. Second pick-up is a detective. Third pick-up is a detective sergeant. Final destination : a police station.
> 
> Nobody in the back bothers to put a seatbelt on.
> 
> ...


In all seriousness, I would have come down on them like a ton of bricks. Drinking in the car, you must be joking.

Do you let others drink (grog) in the car?

.


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## shmiff (Aug 5, 2017)

With respect, what is the difference between grog and water?


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

shmiff said:


> With respect, what is the difference between grog and water?


Don't worry about respect  Just let it rip.

Water is non alcoholic and therefore legal in a passenger vehicle. You can't / shouldn't / wouldn't have a beer in a taxi, nor should you in an Über.

This whole scenario just smacks of a lack of discipline on the part of plod. Having a beer in an Ûber on the way to the police station? WTF?!

.


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## shmiff (Aug 5, 2017)

Who is John Galt? said:


> Don't worry about respect  Just let it rip.
> 
> Water is non alcoholic and therefore legal in a passenger vehicle. You can't / shouldn't / wouldn't have a beer in a taxi, nor should you in an Über.
> 
> ...


Granted, but in law it is illegal to eat or drink anything in a public transport vehicle in South Australia without the operator's consent. I don't mind people eating or drinking in my car, because if they spill I'm entitled to a cleaning fee. It was more annoying that the police officers would wilfully break the law, whereas the general public usually don't. What would happen if we got stopped? The police officers would identify themselves, wink at the traffic cop and we'd be on our way. What a pile of crock.


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

Failing to put on a seat belt (in all three cases) is also appalling and all the more so because the driver would also have copped (sorry) a hefty fine with demerit points.


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## shmiff (Aug 5, 2017)

Jack Malarkey said:


> Failing to put on a seat belt (in all three cases) is also appalling and all the more so because the driver would also have copped (sorry) a hefty fine with demerit points.


Don't worry, I'm not singling out the flange. I'm just as annoyed at myself for not stopping the car and insisting on legality. But what then? You have to touch your phone to do the job.


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

Jack Malarkey said:


> Failing to put on a seat belt (in all three cases) is also appalling and all the more so because the driver would also have copped (sorry) a hefty fine with demerit points.


I agree Jack. I'm assuming they were told to put their belts on and they complied. If they didn't (comply), I would have told them to leave the vehicle. Trip cancelled / ended.

.


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## gustavusadolphus (May 1, 2018)

Jack Malarkey said:


> Failing to put on a seat belt (in all three cases) is also appalling and all the more so because the driver would also have copped (sorry) a hefty fine with demerit points.


Just on that - not sure about other states and territories, but in NSW this does not apply to Ubers. In a normal car, yes: both passenger and driver get a $330 fine, and the driver gets demerit points. If it's an Uber only the passenger gets fined - the driver does not, and does not lose any points. This is for adult passengers - driver is still liable for minors.


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## BuckleUp (Jan 18, 2018)

shmiff said:


> Long trip notification. First pick-up is a detective. Second pick-up is a detective. Third pick-up is a detective sergeant. Final destination : a police station.
> 
> Nobody in the back bothers to put a seatbelt on.
> 
> ...


Interior dashcam? You could make a few $ selling the footage to ACA.


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## gustavusadolphus (May 1, 2018)

Fun fact: in the event of a collision, if a rear passenger is not wearing a seatbelt the driver is five times more likely to die.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

gustavusadolphus said:


> Fun fact: in the event of a collision, if a rear passenger is not wearing a seatbelt the driver is five times more likely to die.


Cop that!



BuckleUp said:


> Interior dashcam? You could make a few $ selling the footage to ACA.


I like how you're seeing opportunity here!


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## guerre64 (Feb 20, 2018)

Don't care who gets into my car for rideshare - no booze or we don't move. No seatbelts on, we don't move. No exceptions.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

guerre64 said:


> Don't care who gets into my car for rideshare - no booze or we don't move. No seatbelts on, we don't move. No exceptions.


Who could refuse such a lovable face as yours!


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## Benny J (Aug 9, 2017)

gustavusadolphus said:


> Just on that - not sure about other states and territories, but in NSW this does not apply to Ubers. In a normal car, yes: both passenger and driver get a $330 fine, and the driver gets demerit points. If it's an Uber only the passenger gets fined - the driver does not, and does not lose any points. This is for adult passengers - driver is still liable for minors.


Which section of which Act or Regulation provides for this exception to the general seatbelt laws?


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## gustavusadolphus (May 1, 2018)

I don't know. It's what I was told by the policeman I asked about it at an RBT in Balmain. He said it did apply to ubers until recently but they're now (earlier this year) considered hire vehicles and in the same category as taxis as far as seatbelts go - I don't recall the exact words but that was the gist. 

I'd had a passenger fined at an RBT and I was expecting one myself, which was why I asked. I don't drive off until I've ensured everyone's buckled up regardless, but I missed it that night. Four drunk english boys on the way from the pub to the club. Turns out they snuck an open beer into the car too, which I didn't find out until after.

Edit: I think he said something about the licence T code and the rideshare identifier.

Edit #2: not "hire vehicles" but "public passenger vehicles".


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

gustavusadolphus said:


> I don't know. It's what I was told by the policeman I asked about it at an RBT in Balmain. He said it did apply to ubers until recently but they're now (earlier this year) considered hire vehicles and in the same category as taxis as far as seatbelts go - I don't recall the exact words but that was the gist.
> 
> I'd had a passenger fined at an RBT and I was expecting one myself, which was why I asked. I don't drive off until I've ensured everyone's buckled up regardless, but I missed it that night. Four drunk english boys on the way from the pub to the club. Turns out they snuck an open beer into the car too, which I didn't find out until after.
> 
> ...


I understand that to be the position in New South Wales but not in South Australia (where shmiff drives) or in the ACT (where I drive).


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## Spirto (Dec 30, 2017)

gustavusadolphus said:


> I don't know. It's what I was told by the policeman I asked about it at an RBT in Balmain. He said it did apply to ubers until recently but they're now (earlier this year) considered hire vehicles and in the same category as taxis as far as seatbelts go - I don't recall the exact words but that was the gist.


I too had a passenger fined for not wearing a seatbelt. RBT. Passenger hooked the belt only over his shoulder ... was sitting behind me and I couldn't see. 
This was in Woollahra/Paddington.


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## gustavusadolphus (May 1, 2018)

Jack Malarkey said:


> I understand that to be the position in New South Wales but not in South Australia (where shmiff drives) or in the ACT (where I drive).


Nor Queensland I think - iirc there's a driver on the brisbane boards who's also a highway patrol officer who said as much.


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