Roadside Drug Testing (WA)

[hyperdrunk83]

I don't think that driving down to the shops the morning after a big night out is ever going to be an issue. You'd have to be *mega* unlucky to get done. The cops aren't after people nipping down the shops for a drink. They're aiming for people coming home from raves and the like and fair enough.

The day I see a drug bus on South St on a Saturday afternoon will be the day I eat my proverbial hat!

Either way, I'm taking the bus in on Friday!

 

[lil angel15]

I don't think that driving down to the shops the morning after a big night out is ever going to be an issue.

Driving anywhere when you're still under the influence of a substance is an issue - whether that be alcohol, cannabis or any other illicit that impairs judgement.

You may be right in you assumption that you wont see the cops set up a bus on a local street, however, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't care where you're coming from or going to if you're under the influence. It's stupid either way.

 

[hyperdrunk83]

Driving anywhere when you're still under the influence of a substance is an issue - whether that be alcohol, cannabis or any other illicit that impairs judgement.

You may be right in you assumption that you wont see the cops set up a bus on a local street, however, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't care where you're coming from or going to if you're under the influence. It's stupid either way.

No disagreement from me. The point I was more making and indeed the problem I have with the laws is that you could still be done for having it in your system even when, I would argue, you're no longer under the influence. However, if the cops are really about reducing accidents, that's not what they're really after. They're after people driving home off their chops on pills and can't tell how far away a stop sign is.

 

[lil angel15]

The point I was more making and indeed the problem I have with the laws is that you could still be done for having it in your system even when, I would argue, you're no longer under the influence.

Good point.

I think this is where we are going to see the most challenges in the courts come from. Intensive human testing would have been undertaken to determine levels of intoxication and its affect on response times and other critical factors with Alcohol, however, have these same tests been undertaken with each of the illicits being tested for?

It has been indicated that there are cut off levels, but, how have these been determined and how much weight will they hold when challenged???

 

[Splatt]

I don't think that driving down to the shops the morning after a big night out is ever going to be an issue. You'd have to be *mega* unlucky to get done. The cops aren't after people nipping down the shops for a drink.

Well if the technology gets into most patrol cars (which it will in the future) and the cops want to pull you over. That's like half the peoples excuses in the court room, they'd been drinking the night before heavily and didnt feel intoxicated in any way but still had a reading.

 

[yossarian_is_sane!]

Well Guys,

As of 12th of October it's here.

Media Release:
http://www.officeofroadsafety.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?event=topicsDrugDriving

and here is the particularly useful FAQ that details the minimum penalties involved, rough detection timeframes and whatnot...

http://www.officeofroadsafety.wa.gov.au/documents/DrugDrivingAct2007_FAQsFinal_28August2007_000.pdf

 

[lil angel15]

Thanks for that yossarian.

 

[dynamo]

what i want to know is if not all the police cars are going to have testers but
they can still pull you over nad make u take a blood test , you may not have had any drugs for a week but its still there in your blood for up to 3 months can they still charge you ?

 

[Splatt]

They'd have to think you were high first. If meth is in your blood and they suspect you've been awake for 3 days (pretty much the max time meth stays in your blood) then they will charge you. For weed they would have go go by the concentration in your blood. BTW, Am i wrong or does weed show longer in your urine more so than blood?

 

[lil angel15]

WA Police buzz about drugs bus fuzzed
Nicole Cox
October 27, 2007 06:00pm

THE police drug bus for random roadside testing has not returned to the road since its much-publicised launch by Police Minister John Kobelke a week ago.

It is understood the booze and drug bus, known as the BAD bus, has been dogged by problems, including licencing difficulties and faults with its airconditioning.

Fitting police radios and training officers have also stalled its deployment.

On the day of the launch, about 30 drivers took saliva tests on Great Eastern Hwy, Belmont. None tested positive for drugs.

It is understood police had initially planned to deploy it on October 12, to coincide with the introduction of drug-driving laws.

Insp Peter Hatch said: ``The delays are simply because we have to get it all operational.

``The legislation only came in on October 12.''

``At the end of the day, we had it out for those few hours (at the launch), now we actually have it, we are fitting it out and we're getting people trained up.''

Police can drug test without the bus, but cannot process as many positive samples.

Drivers caught with small traces of drugs in their system face fines of $200 and three demerit points for a first offence to $500 and three months' suspension for third and subsequent offences.

Penalties for those deemed to be drug-impaired range from an $800 fine and six-month loss of licence to a $5000 fine, 18 months' jail and a permanent licence disqualification.

Perth Now

 

[lil angel15]

Drug bus has had just one hit
Anthony DeCeglie
December 08, 2007 05:00pm

A NEW $758,000 police drug bus is under scrutiny after netting just one positive sample from 2741 drivers tested in its first major sting.

Every test police conduct costs the Government about $40 because the bus requires 12 sworn officers and one nurse to operate.

The bus was used over three days during the schoolies weekend in Dunsborough from November 30 to December 2.

Police caught only one driver using drugs, a male who tested positive to amphetamines.
Opposition road safety spokesman John McGrath said the figures were staggering.

"If the results are still that way after 10 or 20 operations, you would have to ask whether the bus was worthwhile,'' Mr McGrath said.

"Maybe police should not have advertised that they were going to be taking the bus to Dunsborough.

Supt Nigel White, from the Traffic Co-ordination and Enforcement Division, said traffic police were not concerned with how many drugged drivers they caught.

"All we are there to do is enforce the laws of the land,'' he said.

"We believed the bus was required in Dunsborough and we would have made many parents happy with our presence in the area.''

Supt White said there were some "teething'' problems with the bus, but they had been dealt with.

"Each alcohol test we conduct takes about two minutes and if we decide on top of that to do a drug-fluid test that is another five minutes,'' he said.

"Police do not consider that an excessive amount of time considering we are working 10-hour days.''

Mr McGrath said he was worried drivers would alert other drivers of the drug bus's presence while waiting in line to be tested.

But Supt White said police used ``interceptor'' patrol cars that roamed nearby streets.

Perth Now

 

[lil angel15]

Drug bus tests 700, catches one
21st December 2007, 7:00 WST
RONAN O’CONNELL

Police will target entertainment areas and major music events with its much-vaunted roadside drug-testing bus after a disappointing start to its campaign saw it register just one positive result from almost 700 drivers tested since its October launch.

Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Nigel White said he hoped that by focusing on areas frequented by drug users, the Breath and Drug Bus would return more positive results.

Since its launch, 691 drivers have been drug-tested but only one has returned a confirmed positive result.

Victoria Police have had success with similar targeted use of their drug buses and recent figures showed that, in the two years of random drug testing of drivers in Victoria, 470 people had returned positive results at a rate of one for every 50 people tested. Mr White said WA police were keen to return similar results and would station the drug bus near areas such as Northbridge and Fremantle and at music events such as the Big Day Out.

“Obviously so far there haven’t been many people caught by the drug bus but we are confident that by targeting entertainment precincts and major events we will see the bus catching out more people driving with drugs in their system,” he said.

“We will be targeting at-risk groups of people, who are more likely to be partygoers in entertainment areas and people attending major music events, as well as long-haul truck drivers. We’re not unhappy with the effect of the drug bus so far but we feel this will put pressure on the types of people most likely to be using drugs and then driving.”

Mr White said the bus would also be positioned in regional areas during busy holiday periods or when big country stations requested it.

He also revealed that police were equipping their two booze buses with drug-testing equipment and planned to use them for random testing by next October.

Police believed the bus had proved to be a successful deterrent in the areas used so far.

“We feel that it has definitely had an impact in terms of making people think twice about driving after using drugs so it would be a positive if we can extend that deterrent factor by having the drug testing available at all our booze buses,” he said.

Road Safety Council chairman Grant Dorrington said that the drug bus results were surprising but positive.

The West Australian

 

[Special-T.B.K]

AND THEN THE POST CRACKING.... COMMENT DIVIDING COMMENT....


So many % of Fatal accidents are caused by people (With drugs in system not necessarily high, perhaps just a drug user)- As any Autopsy from a fatal accident would see the mandatory blood test... So about 5 days for Opiates and Amphetamines and then it depends how heavy a cannabis user you are- but 3 months for a heavy user.... So really- ONCE AGAIN- Statistics are BS!

What a way to pack jails, court rooms (an already spewin from the brim system), Raise Revenue and Get cars off the road- Turned from a fight against drugs and dealers to a fight against the users IMO. If it ain't drugs it's drinking if it ain't drinking it's hoons, if it ain't hoons it's an idiot pedestrian, if it's not a pedestrian it's a cyclist, if it ain't a cyclist it's a poor bastard trying to change his spare.... etc...

Driving is dangerous fullstop- if you don't think before you get in your car- 'I could die today' Then I think you need to rethink!!!
The media forgot one thing- The Statistics and % of accidents caused by Sober/Straight drivers- Now those C*nts shouldn't be on the road....

SpecTBK

 

[lil angel15]

Morning drug bus nabs 6 drivers
Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:16pm AEDT

Perth Police have charged six people with driving under the influence of drugs, after an early morning traffic operation.

The police drug bus was set up at the east Perth exit of the Graham Farmer Freeway just before 5:00am AWDT and pulled over hundreds of drivers.

Police say they performed 41 drug tests and had six positive results, mostly for methamphetamine.

Eight people were charged with drink-driving offences.

Police say it is the first time the drug bus has been set up so close to the city and they are pleased with the results.

ABC Online

 

[yossarian_is_sane!]

I'm surprised they didn't have it set up after breakfest, that would have nabbed quite alot of people.

 

[Gzafied]

Bump!

Noticed the article said they pulled over 100s of cars, yet only tested 41.

So I guess they only test people who look obviously off chops who can't speak properly or whatever?

I'm scared shitless to smoke and drive nowadays

 

[Stuart]

yer, my guess is they would single out certain cars, and certain looking drivers. to be tested, i mean who would take drugs and drive a luxury expensive car *rolls eyes*

 

[lil angel15]

Bikie gang embark on tour, police shadow

More than 100 members of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gang have left their Maddington headquarters in Perth for a national run through Western Australia.

The gang is being shadowed by up to two dozen police, including officers from the gang crime squad.

Last night police manning the drug bus issued a number of infringements, including five for driving under the influence of drugs and two for refusing to take a test.

One gang member was charged with carrying a concealed weapon.

ABC Online

 

[Juvenile]

Soo. Has anyone here actually been tested?

I have seen what looked like the drug test in action once on Lord St before Walcott. It was about 9pm on a friday I was straight/sober and got waved through anyway. I have never been tested or heard of anyone I know getting tested.
It does occur to me everytime I leave a large event and see not so much as a single cop car, that I *could have driven* but I know the paranoia and risk of being caught is just not worth it.

Is every police car carrying test kits? or is that just a nasty rumour?

It certainly has made my mates and I modify our behaviour. None of us have driven home from an event under the influence since last year. So I guess the testing has had the desired effect on us at least.
Mostly I have caught taxis or organised private (and damn expensive) transport. Twice have decided to stay straight for the one reason that transport has not been readily available. eg NYE where it wasnt worth the risk needing a taxi and being stranded 30km from home at 2am.
Have hoofed it 5km home a couple of times from town due to not enough taxis for all the punters.

Fuck the taxi situation in perth and fuck the taxi drivers who protest against releasing more taxi plates. 9 times out of 10, if I order a taxi to get to the airport, they will not arrive in time to take me there. Then after I have gotten someone else to give me a lift, they will call me 10 minutes too late and have a go at me for not being at home!

 

[kingpin007]

NEWS : 10.6.09 - Police patrol cars could get drug testing kits

[EDIT: Threads merged. hoptis]

Police patrol cars could get drug testing kits

10.6.09

West Australian drivers could soon be tested for drug-driving by police in general patrol cars.

Currently the drug bus is the only police vehicle in WA fitted with drug testing equipment.

The Police Minister Rob Johnson has told Parliament police are now looking at installing the equipment in patrol cars.

"It won't be the full kit obviously that you get in the drug buses but if somebody is found to be on a preliminary test to be under the influence of certain drugs they can then be taken to a police station for further analysis," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/10/2594756.htm