Channel 9, 6:30pm, 6/2/08 Truckies Roadside Tested

[CozmoNz]

I noticed when watching the program (im not sure what it was to be certain, a current affair? or some other news like program).

Anyway, my point is, when one of the truckies were caught (with pills and speed in his system), his penalty was:

$200 fine
3 Demerits
12 hours forced rest period.

OH LORDY LORDY, save me!

Your shitting me? Is it really that low? Ive been told from numerous sources, that the penalty for "normal" people, is 12 months loss of license.

Has anyone on here been caught? What was your penalty? Will you do it again? Are you a truckie?

Sorry if this has been covered in the other 12 page thread, it would seem it was pretty broad in topic.

Please fill me in.

I know if im caught, ill be appealing it due to truckies having a different penalty due to it "effecting their livelihood". I don't know many people that, if they lost their license, would be able to continue their lives in the same manor.

 

[Mr Blonde]

That does seem very low... especially considering there has been quite a bit in the news about the number of truck drivers dying on the roads in this country.

I know if im caught, ill be appealing it due to truckies having a different penalty due to it "effecting their livelihood". I don't know many people that, if they lost their license, would be able to continue their lives in the same manor.

Don't drive under the influence and then you won't have to worry about it.

 

[CozmoNz]

That does seem very low... especially considering there has been quite a bit in the news about the number of truck drivers dying on the roads in this country.



Don't drive under the influence and then you won't have to worry about it.

Do the crime, do the time. But what gets to me is the fact that you can give a lighter slap on the wrist....

Anyone know the reasoning for it?

And blonde, btw, its Monday, so its "no more for me ever again"...... :D

 

[hoptis]

Was this in Victoria?

 

[CozmoNz]

Was this in Victoria?

Highway between Perth and Adelaide.

I think it was in the WA section of it.

 

[Mr Blonde]

And blonde, btw, its Monday, so its "no more for me ever again"......

Oy vey, tell me about it... I had a couple of tablets of Zopiclone, some of my friends' home brewed beer and I can't remember how much more I had to drink after that.

Normally I don't drink alcohol that much but I guess I just completely blacked out and went for it... had to miss my course this morning as well, and couldn't get any music recording done

Do the crime, do the time. But what gets to me is the fact that you can give a lighter slap on the wrist....

Anyone know the reasoning for it?

Yeah, it doesn't make any sense to me as well. Maybe he went into drug counseling or something prior to his court date and got some sympathy from the judge?

 

[asphyx]

To be honest it isn't too great a risk driving under the influence of meth.

 

[ValeTudo]

any WA cop can do drug tests. every boozebus is a drugbus and i presume the penaltys are pretty close to that of drinkers.

 

[CozmoNz]

To be honest it isn't too great a risk driving under the influence of meth.

Why? Why is it different from any other drug? Because he cannot easily tell if you are under the influence? Besides the point.

Im not worried about driving while directly under the influence, im worried about the day after, the night after etc. What also does get me, is why do they get a lighter penalty?

 

[Mr Blonde]

Why? Why is it different from any other drug? Because he cannot easily tell if you are under the influence? Besides the point.

He probably was trying to say that amphetamines don't impair your driving ability as much as other substances, but I'd disagree with this... people are more likely to take risks when under the influence and this leads to accidents.

Im not worried about driving while directly under the influence, im worried about the day after, the night after etc. What also does get me, is why do they get a lighter penalty?

I'm also worried about testing positive some time after I have used a substance. If drugs were legalized, then I'd imagine we'd have a blood-drug-content test similar to alcohol, to judge how impaired people's driving ability is.

As far as I know however, you would test positive to most substances only up to a few hours after their use.

I still think that the reason this truckie received a lower penalty was probably because he went into some sort of drug diversion or counseling prior to the trial date, and this was brought up during sentencing so as to mitigate his penalty.

 

[Doooofus]

To be honest it isn't too great a risk driving under the influence of meth.

What a stupid thing to say. Driving under the influence of anything is dangerous. And what about after driving for 12 hours? What about driving on the comedown when your body and brain are exhausted? Personally I wouldn't want that person controlling a 20-tonne piece of machinery on the same roads I drive on.

 

[cudds]

the other thing worth thinking about is , just because a current affair repotred the story that way, does not mean it happened that way.

 

[asphyx]

What a stupid thing to say. Driving under the influence of anything is dangerous. And what about after driving for 12 hours? What about driving on the comedown when your body and brain are exhausted? Personally I wouldn't want that person controlling a 20-tonne piece of machinery on the same roads I drive on.

How is it stupid? When compared to other drugs, meth is far less dangerous to be driving under the influence of when compared to many other recreational drugs. I never said it was safe, but 'not too great a risk'. I would definitely rather be driven by someone on meth than alcohol, for example.

 

[djsim]

the other thing worth thinking about is , just because a current affair repotred the story that way, does not mean it happened that way.

oh don't get me started!
Take for example this quote from a Today Tonight (effectively the same show as ACA) story:
"Some vegetables you are eating could be likely to contain dangerous pesticides... "
Well, which is it? "could be", or is it "likely"?
Oh and this gem from their story entitled "Getting the Lotto edge":
John Vineburg from NSW Lotteries said it is down to the luck of the draw.

"We don't know ourselves when the big jackpot was going to occur"

Urrrrgggghhhh! I fuckin hate that show!