WA Police Desperate for $$ ?? Mobile Phone fines !!!!

[csv8]

Ross Gundry was fined $250 and gained demerit points for using his mobile phone while at the reins of a horse-drawn carriage

The passengers on board a horse-drawn carriage ride in the Swan Valley last month got more excitement than the brochure advertised when the flashing lights of a police motorcycle pulled them over.
Swan Valley Wagon Trails operator Ross Gundry was at the reins when he was pulled over on West Swan Road and fined $250 for being on his mobile phone while operating the wagon.
Mr Gundry said when the police officer told him why he was being pulled over, he questioned him, as he believed the law to cover motor vehicles, not horse drawn vehicles.
"He told me that the law changed last year changing to cover all vehicles, not just motor vehicles. I didn't know it'd changed," he said.

Mr Gundry said what annoyed him the most was that he was fined the first time he was pulled over.
He said a warning would have been sufficient given he was not aware of the new law which he said most people would not know about.
Mr Gundry has been travelling up and down West Swan Road for 14 years and said he usually had his mobile phone in his top pocket and never had any second thoughts about answering it when it rang.
"I travel at about two to five kilometres an hour," he said.
Mr Gundry said his passengers were pretty shocked at what happened.
"They thought it was pretty ridiculous," he said.
Mr Gundry said as well as the $250 fine, he had also been given demerit points.
He said he had spoken to his lawyer about the matter but was not sure if he would be able to get out of paying the fine.
This matter follows the cancellation of a similar fine given to a pram-pushing mum last year who was initially fined $250 for talking on her mobile phone while "in charge of a vehicle" before the fine was overturned.
Detective acting inspector of the traffic enforcement division Gary Nicolau said the law dealing with using a mobile phone while driving had recently changed to include those driving or riding an animal.
"Driver distraction is a big issue," he said.
"When you are talking on a mobile phone you can't be focused properly on what is happening on the road, it doesn't matter what speed you are travelling at."

[xisled]

I think that is fair. This Law has been in for a few years here in Victoria.
There was even a new report on it a few years ago.

If they are a vehicle on the road, they need to be safe. A carriage could do as much damage as a car in an accident.

[poppa smurf]

good grief!!!!!!.....what next?

[aussie muscle]

i don't think they should apply the same fine to horses as cars, after all a horse won't plow mindlessly through a fence (unless scared). it has a mind of it's own and can basically 'drive' itself. Plus the speed difference.

[superpursuit83]

Yeah exactly..... what next?

And the Pram Pushing mum was an absolute joke but she got an apology and fine taken away.

[Fiesta_Man69]

There's talk of banning pedestrians from wearing ipods whilst walking on city streets in Sydney so they can hear traffic.... with fines attached. Don't think it'll get up though.

[superpursuit83]

Thats not a bad idea but will probably never happen... Can you imagine trying to enforce it?

Lost count of how many times I have braked for a Ipod wearer that walks across an intersection totaly oblivious to me nearly running them over.

I have banned all in ear devices from my vehicles and cranes. They are just plain dangerous. And cost me money when operators dont hear strange noises that may indicate a problem.

[cobramania]

The pram pushing mum is way over the top.

Here in NSW, the road laws date back to before motorised vehicles & haven't been changed, you can be fined for riding a horse drunk (DUI), breaking the speed limit on a horse, riding a horse on the footpath, talking on a mobile phone on your horse, etc. The laws go back to the beginning of settlement times, & a horse (& associated trailers/carriages) are classed as vehicles, not a motorised one, but one none the less.

[flappist]

I wonder if there will ever be breathalysers used in parliament and during road safety conferences?

I cannot see how some of the stupid ideas they come up with could possibly be created by sober people........

[Cashie]

How is 'driving' a horse any different to a car?
What if the horse spooks etc, the 'driver' has one hand on a phone and his attention somewhere else... What if the horse strays into the wrong lane etc?
Has anyone ever seen a horse verses car accident before, not really pleasant to witness.
Does he talk on the phone whilst paying passengers are in the back too?

[mcnews]

He should have been shot on the spot........

[cs123]

Originally Posted by Cashie

How is 'driving' a horse any different to a car?
What if the horse spooks etc, the 'driver' has one hand on a phone and his attention somewhere else... What if the horse strays into the wrong lane etc?
Has anyone ever seen a horse verses car accident before, not really pleasant to witness.
Does he talk on the phone whilst paying passengers are in the back too?

Do you ride much? It's a lot different.

[Silver Ghia]

Difference between a horse and a car?

I remember years ago when our milk was delivered via a horse drawn cart, the milkman ran around delivering the milk bottles to each house, bringing the empties back to the cart. The horse plodded along on its own, stopping when the milkman whistled. Cars dont have a brain like a horse and relies on the driver to control the vehicle, which becomes erratic when the driver is on the phone.

[Rockape]

Aghh when will it end. They have a fine for everything.

[AU-Hog]

Maybe he should buy a horse with bluetooth, and have his conversation straight from the horses mouth.

[EDManual]

so can you lose your car licence, and still ride a horse?! Or bike?
if you can get points on your car licence for talking on a phone while on a horse, surley you CANNOT ride of drive a horse of bike without a car licence!

I dont understand?!!

[foxtrot3]

Originally Posted by cobramania

The pram pushing mum is way over the top.

Here in NSW, the road laws date back to before motorised vehicles & haven't been changed, you can be fined for riding a horse drunk (DUI), breaking the speed limit on a horse, riding a horse on the footpath, talking on a mobile phone on your horse, etc. The laws go back to the beginning of settlement times, & a horse (& associated trailers/carriages) are classed as vehicles, not a motorised one, but one none the less.

Hi. I know that mobile phones have been around for longer than some members on here but they WERE NOT around before cars had motors! Cheers MD

[Nic302ef]

what about the emisions coming from the horses ****? and the oil it leaks and drops all over the road, maybe they should start putting a deffect notice across the horses head.

[Neale]

funny that it is still legal for police to use a moblie phone when operating vehicle whilst going through a red traffic light & driving over the speed limit. Its only if they crash that it becomes an issue.

[IDT]

Didn't this rule come about in WA because of cyclists?

[Nic302ef]

Originally Posted by IDT

Didn't this rule come about in WA because of cyclists?

it was a large contributing factor i do remember that incedent. I some how recall the mobile phone law was already in but txt was a grey area, but quickley got out lawed

[Itsme]

Bureaucracy at its best, any thing to fine you!!!

[BHDOGS]

Some cop had a bad day and handed out a stupid fine big whoop like nobody hear does Stupid **** sometimes do we need a thread about revenue raising everytime the government makes 20 bucks of somebody

[Kable72]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

Some cop had a bad day and handed out a stupid fine big whoop like nobody hear does Stupid **** sometimes do we need a thread about revenue raising everytime the government makes 20 bucks of somebody

Go home.

[LG17]

Originally Posted by flappist

I wonder if there will ever be breathalysers used in parliament and during road safety conferences?

I cannot see how some of the stupid ideas they come up with could possibly be created by sober people........

Haven't been to a Road Safety Conference yet where alcohol is served.
Been to a few.

[cobramania]

Originally Posted by foxtrot3

Hi. I know that mobile phones have been around for longer than some members on here but they WERE NOT around before cars had motors! Cheers MD

Think you missed the point. Horses are classed as vehicles, which in NSW laws date back since before cars & hasn't been changed. Old laws classing horses as vehicles, means all new laws regarding road rules & regulations also apply when riding a horse. New laws usually supersede old laws, but the law of a horse being a vehicle still stands. An XD falcon existed before mobile phones, but it's not like I can legally talk on a phone whilst driving an XD, the XD's a vehicle, therefore all current laws/rules apply.

[GasoLane]

Now if the Horse was using the phone............

[superpursuit83]

The fine has been revoked and a warning issued not to do it again.

So you will be fined for this in future. Wonder where he will mount his hands free device...lol

[lilmattie]

In order for a corrupt government to function, it needs a furnish a populace of criminals to fine for infringements.

More laws = more infringements = more revenue generated.

Present company excluded for the sake of discussion - I just do not understand how any person in society with a basic grasp of sense cannot see this, but it seems that the majority don't. We are progressively being turned in a nation of 'criminals' by stupid laws that impede on civil liberty and that should be covered by common sense.

Just my opinion.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by LG17

Haven't been to a Road Safety Conference yet where alcohol is served.
Been to a few.

Haven't driven on a road yet where alcohol is served.
Driven on a few.

So obviously no one is ever drunk, under the influence of drugs or just outright fixated and taking no notice of anything else on a road either.......