MARCH 1, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
(Joe Mastroianni)
Speedsters, beware Go easy on the accelerator and keep an eye on your speedometer over the coming Labour Day weekend. Westgate highway patrol will be targeting speedsters over the upcoming long weekend, part of a number of operations planned for the Westgate division, which includes Wyndham, Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong. Westgate highway patrol unit commander Jason Templar said general duties police officers would be teaming up with highway patrols over the long weekend to ensure drivers stick to the rules. “As far as long weekends go, we’ve had some horror long weekends,” Senior Sergeant Templar said. “A lot of our focus divisionally is on the highway, in particular the Princes and West Gate freeways.” Last year, police detected 116 traffic offences across Wyndham over the Labour Day long weekend through random breath testing and regular patrols. Police pulled over 32 unregistered vehicles, 22 for seatbelt offences, 17 speeding drivers, 15 unlicensed drivers, 12 for mobile phone offences and 10 for drug driving offences. ACTING SERGEANT LAURENCE CARVER AND SENIOR SERGEANT SHAUN ROTHE
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He would not comment on whether police are constrained by their safe pursuit policy. A source told Star Weekly that many Harley Davidsons had after-market exhaust systems that were much louder than stock systems, and these did not meet noise emissions standards. “The noise is part of the appeal of these bikes,” the source said. “Riders getting caught are issued an infringement notice and have to take the bike in for a noise test. “They then just bolt the standard exhaust on, take the test and pass, and be on their way. I went through this with my bike years ago.”
An Altona Meadows resident, who asked not to be named, said one of the most commonly identified problem motorcyclists, who wears a Nazi-style helmet and skull bandana, nearly crashed into children on Friday. “He nearly came a cropper on Roach Drive as the schoolchildren were walking home,” he said. “I have called police numerous times, as have the neighbours, and they have spoken to them and know where they live.” Another resident in Altona said he witnessed the same rider passing on the left-hand side of vehicles. Fines for motorcycles that exceed noise levels are $389. 1219971-HM10-16
Police admit they are frustrated by noisy ‘rogue’ motorcyclists in Hobsons Bay, who residents say are turning the area into scenes from The Fast and the Furious. Senior Constable Josh Stolk, of Westgate highway patrol, said police were conducting operations almost daily, particularly in Altona Meadows, but motorcyclists were making a mockery of the road laws. He said motorcyclists caught with excessively loud bikes were re-fitting compliant exhaust systems for testing, then switching back.
“If they have changed the exhaust and it then complies, then that is all we can do,” Senior Constable Stolk said. “Then they can change it back, and we have to see them riding again. “When people are constantly causing issues for the community and we speak to those people, and they continue to do it and we enforce them, and they still continue to do it – it’s very frustrating for the police. “We are there nearly on a daily basis in Altona Meadows. They’ve got numerous addresses around, and we target them on a constant basis,” Senior Constable Stolk said. 1182408-CG18-15
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