http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/man-hurt-as-another-police-chase-ends-in-crash-20120126-1qjp0.html

THE third serious police pursuit this month has left a man who fled a breath test fighting for his life in hospital.

Police said the man crashed in Abbotsford yesterday morning after evading officers who were conducting breath tests in Westgarth.

A senior constable driving an unmarked vehicle with flashing lights followed him for 37 seconds.
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The senior constable slowed his car when the man sped through a red light in Hoddle Street.

The driver crashed his Nissan Skyline into a pole soon after, with the police officer almost 500 metres behind.

The man was taken to The Alfred hospital with life-threatening injuries to the lower body and was in a serious condition. He has yet to be formally identified.

The Ethical Standards Department will oversee the Major Collision Investigation Unit during its inquiry into the crash.

On Saturday, two people died and a woman was injured in a head-on smash near Morwell after one of the cars had earlier been involved in a police chase.

On January 10, a passenger was killed in Dandenong when a car crashed after a pursuit.

Yes, in most cases.

I for one do not want the chase to end. If these people kill themselves while running away - so be it!

"I panicked so I ran"

"I got scared so I ran"

or any other excuses should not be accepted.

My only concerns are for the bystanders who may be injured or killed during the pursuit. But then ending a pursuit will not guarantee bystanders won't be injured either

Quote:

My only concerns are for the bystanders who may be injured or killed during the pursuit.

That's my only concern too. But it's a big one.

The problem is if police do not pursue the drivers they will soon work out that driving away at high speed or acting reckless will guarantee police will call off the chase.....I have no sympathy for car thieves who kill themselves but as other people have said the innocent victims will be the one;s who suffer.....Courts should impose much tougher sentences for low life car thieves and drivers who run from police for a start!!!

January 27, 2012 - 8:45AM



A 10-year-old French boy has been apprehended by police after taking his father's car and trying to drive it to school when he missed the bus.   :o

The boy, who brought along a nine-year-old friend who also missed the bus, managed to make it more than two kilometres in his father's Renault Megane before crashing into a roadside pylon on Thursday, police in the southeastern town of Valence said.   :(

"I had my seatbelt on," the boy pleaded to police when they arrived.   ;D


Neither of the boys was injured during the crash.  :)

Police said the boy could face charges of driving without a licence and damaging public property.

Prosecutors will decide whether to press ahead with the case.

AFP

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/breathtest-chase-driver-dies-in-hospital-20120127-1qk7l.html

A driver who fled a breath-test before crashing into a power pole in Melbourne’s inner north yesterday has died in hospital this morning, police say.

The 26-year-old St Kilda man died just before 1am in The Alfred hospital’s intensive care unit from injuries he suffered in the crash on the corner of Hoddle and Johnston streets in Abbotsford.

Police said the man crashed after evading officers who were conducting breath tests in Westgarth about 6.20am yesterday.

A senior constable driving an unmarked vehicle with flashing lights followed him for 37 seconds.

The senior constable slowed his car when the man sped through a red light in Hoddle Street.

The driver crashed his Nissan Skyline into a pole soon after, with the police officer almost 500 metres behind.

Paramedics said the man was taken to The Alfred hospital suffering life-threatening injuries to his lower body.
The Ethical Standards Department will oversee the Major Collision Investigation Unit during its inquiry into the crash.

On Saturday, two people died and a woman was injured in a head-on smash near Morwell after one of the cars had earlier been involved in a police chase.

On January 10, a passenger was killed in Dandenong when a car crashed after a pursuit.

In a separate crash last night, a woman was killed when the vehicle she was a passenger in hit a tree on South Road in Brighton East.

Police said the crash occurred near Letchworth Avenue just before 11pm.

Paramedics attempted to revive the woman, who was a rear seat passenger in the car, but she died at the scene.

The male driver and male passenger were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Police will prepare reports for the coroner

wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 8:07am:

January 27, 2012 - 8:45AM A 10-year-old French boy has been apprehended by police after taking his father's car and trying to drive it to school when he missed the bus.   :o The boy, who brought along a nine-year-old friend who also missed the bus, managed to make it more than two kilometres in his father's Renault Megane before crashing into a roadside pylon on Thursday, police in the southeastern town of Valence said.   :( "I had my seatbelt on," the boy pleaded to police when they arrived.   ;D Neither of the boys was injured during the crash.  :) Police said the boy could face charges of driving without a licence and damaging public property. Prosecutors will decide whether to press ahead with the case. AFP

do we then take the one exception to make our rule?

The senior constable slowed his car when the man sped through a red light in Hoddle Street.

Every time this happens the police say this - I wonder how often it is the truth?

They always break off the chase a minute or 2 before the crash?

The senior constable slowed his car when the man sped through a red light in Hoddle Street.

Every time this happens the police say this - I wonder how often it is the truth?

They always break off the chase a minute or 2 before the crash?


It is true EVERY TIME. Now be good and find out why.

Maqqa wrote on Jan 26^th, 2012 at 11:59pm:

I for one do not want the chase to end. If these people kill themselves while running away - so be it! "I panicked so I ran" "I got scared so I ran" or any other excuses should not be accepted. My only concerns are for the bystanders who may be injured or killed during the pursuit. But then ending a pursuit will not guarantee bystanders won't be injured either

Ending the pursuit is as close as you can get.

I can not say that I know the answer but in a very large portion of cases like this one where it is someone avoiding a breath test it is probably his own car, Take his number and go knock on his door.

In some other cases where its more likely a stolen car or related to a more serious crime it may be different.

I would say chase for some but not the guy doing 3 K over the limit at a speed trap or booze bus because this is obviously dangerous but make the law very harsh on the ones who do not stop.  Mandatory 10 days locked up and 6 or 12 months suspended license.

Chase the real crooks but don’t risk the misdemeanours.


And don't bull shite about ending the chase when it goes wrong.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 8:22am:

The senior constable slowed his car when the man sped through a red light in Hoddle Street. Every time this happens the police say this - I wonder how often it is the truth? They always break off the chase a minute or 2 before the crash?

Probably quite a lot of the time Dna....once the speed reaches a certain level, the police have to break off......but the offender usually doesn't, and high speed driving is a difficult skill to learn on the spot...

My main concern is offenders, if there is a change in rules, flout it to gain an illegal advantage.

Like this guy did?

CRAP PRESS:

Police have come under fire after a man avoiding a police RBT unit later claimed the life of a mother and her 2 children when the car he was driving swerved into the other car, 2 hours after he evaded the breath test.

Do to stupid wowsers the police could not chase the driver when he sped off from the road-side RBT.

………………

freediver wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 12:55pm:

Like this guy did?

I have been present when a couple of young blokes were boasting that the rules about 12 years ago within the police force was once they ran more than 2 or 3 red lights the chase had to be abandoned, and if the police continued to pursue after this it was tantamount to an illegal arrest.  I remember sitting there with my jaw open.

I dont like the idea of making laws that prevent them from doing their job.

Verge wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 2:01pm:

freediver wrote on Jan 27th, 2012 at 12:55pm: Like this guy did? I have been present when a couple of young blokes were boasting that the rules about 12 years ago within the police force was once they ran more than 2 or 3 red lights the chase had to be abandoned, and if the police continued to pursue after this it was tantamount to an illegal arrest.  I remember sitting there with my jaw open. I dont like the idea of making laws that prevent them from doing their job.

Yeah, but young blokes say things about laws that are wrong all the time....

In NSW it's based on the speed of the pursuit, not the number of red lights....

If you lead them into areas where there's plenty of pedestrians and/or heavy traffic then they will break off the chase - always have, actual policy or not. They'll attempt to second guess you as to where you will pop out of the area and either re-engage the chase or simply tail you at a distance until you stop/get caught in traffic etc.

Late at night in a built up area and they'll stick to you like glue and you see more and more flashers heading in your direction - especially up ahead so as to modify your path of travel. Do it during busy daylight hours and you've only got about 60 to 90 seconds to evade them before the chase is broken off.

Unless your plate(s) aren't visable or you're driving a stolen vehicle, you will get done. For starters the cops are going to be waiting for you when you get home.

Yes, but with exceptions.

Chase the real crooks but don’t risk the misdemeanours.


You really have NO idea.

perceptions_now wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 8:15pm:

Yes, but with exceptions.

Yeah, gun down a few people and they might just be a bit more determined.

I'm speaking from experience as someone who used to go out and bait them.

(yes, I eventually got done for it.)

Life_goes_on wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 8:23pm:

perceptions_now wrote on Jan 27th, 2012 at 8:15pm: Yes, but with exceptions. Yeah, gun down a few people and they might just be a bit more determined. I'm speaking from experience as someone who used to go out and bait them. (yes, I eventually got done for it.)

LOl ahh yes, Bear baiting.....I remember that....I gave up when it got too expensive in fines..

Funny as it may seem, I too have experience of car freaks who accept no rules.

Done > 100 miles per hr ( thts miles) around Canberra.  Which is, by the way, a great place for car freaks who love speed ---probably why the Summer Nats are held there every year.

Seems to me..  the 'chase' is all about the cops getting a bit of fun as well!!

So? people die on the roads everyday,  and  seems to me the Police should NOT be adding to the Toll/carnage.   Not their brief , like.   Yeah?

So, get the number, follow (discreetly) if poss, if not comm ahead... not that hard surely in this age of IT. Stolen cars?? 
Same deal - far as I can see.
Just needs a bit of  IT pro and no need for car chases to the death.!!

No fun in that tho.

Yes, there are concerns for innocent bystanders. There needs to be some discretion used when deciding to start and continue pursuits and alternatives should be used wherever possible. But this already happens. Chases are often called off. Helicopters are regularly called in to take over. Road spikes are deployed. etc etc.

Unfortunately you can't simply have a blanket ban on chases, because then all anyone wanting to escape apprehension needs to do is flee. Killed a security guard during an armed robbery while driving a stolen car, or with stolen plates? No worries, just exceed the speed limit, and the Police will let you go. How many others will die or be traumatised by that escapee in the future as a consequence of them never being pursued?

Well - I didn't say let them go!!

I said - with a bit of smarts..  i 'd say again.. there are better ways.   
(QLD has NO POLICE helicopter'S!! 'cept on the G C - which have just been agreed to!!) ::)

And obviously,  Most Chases don't involve major crims.!!
Unless  they're duh dumb!
But yes It does happen as we know which would likely be one of the 'exceptions' to any 'no chase' regulation.  :-?

Emma wrote on Jan 28^th, 2012 at 10:45pm:

Well - I didn't say let them go!! I said - with a bit of smarts..  i 'd say again.. there are better ways.    (QLD has NO POLICE helicopter'S!! 'cept on the G C - which have just been agreed to!!) ::) And obviously,  Most Chases don't involve major crims.!! Unless  they're duh dumb! But yes It does happen as we know which would likely be one of the 'exceptions' to any 'no chase' regulation.  :-?

Yes, but it's not generally major crims that drive like nutters and lose control is it??
They drive sedately so as not to be noticed...

It's the boy racers, drunks and unlicensed/unregistered and 'indestructable' youngsters that need to be chased and caught....

gizmo_2655 wrote on Jan 28^th, 2012 at 10:51pm:

Emma wrote on Jan 28th, 2012 at 10:45pm: Well - I didn't say let them go!! I said - with a bit of smarts..  i 'd say again.. there are better ways.    (QLD has NO POLICE helicopter'S!! 'cept on the G C - which have just been agreed to!!) ::) And obviously,  Most Chases don't involve major crims.!! Unless  they're duh dumb! But yes It does happen as we know which would likely be one of the 'exceptions' to any 'no chase' regulation.  :-? Yes, but it's not generally major crims that drive like nutters and lose control is it?? They drive sedately so as not to be noticed... It's the boy racers, drunks and unlicensed/unregistered and 'indestructable' youngsters that need to be chased and caught....

Well that is ALMOST my point after all......  did u not get that?

NO  Better to say  'need to be caught.!' ....... Not chased first.!
Need to be caught,  NOT killed, NOT chased in a stupid and unnecessary game.

Guess  'da fuzz just aren't smart enough to manage obtaining ID on large numbers of 'hoons' properly,  .despite numerous attempts ( anecdotal) by witnesses,  who ph, pic AND video the dickheads,  and send to police this info  .....and the fuzz agrees they're there at regular events.. its just that ...' they move a lot ... '.???  so they bring out "the Russian Roulette"'!!

I mean really.!!Its just not necessary. !!   Its not as if they  (hoons) don't kill themselves regularly. Happens every day here.
Don't know why the cops bother...  8-)  ;)

    AND   there are as many innocent victims resulting from police chases, as there are from hoons - unchecked.!!
(well pretty damn close I reckon.)

But IT (bleeps)  ME to hear the burning tyres .. and drive the graffiti'ed roads, full of circles and burnouts.
The young , and not so young, swine who think this is heaps fun,  need to be wrapped around a power pole.!!!
BUT  - let them do it to themselves. 8-)

Quote:

Guess  'da fuzz just aren't smart enough to manage obtaining ID on large numbers of 'hoons' properly,  .despite numerous attempts ( anecdotal) by witnesses,  who ph, pic AND video the dickheads,  and send to police this info  .....and the fuzz agrees they're there at regular events.. its just that ...' they move a lot ... '.???  so they bring out "the Russian Roulette"'!! I mean really.!!Its just not necessary. !!   Its not as if they  (hoons) don't kill themselves regularly. Happens every day here. Don't know why the cops bother...  8-)  ;)

What good is it 'getting an ID' if the only thing you use it for is to work out which of the 3 cars in the burning pile of wreckage is the hoon???

Would it be a lot of comfort to you if the police came to notify you of a loved ones death in a traffic accident and said "Sorry, your loved one died in a crash with a hoon, but we wrote down his rego number yesterday for dangerous driving and speeding and he'll get a ticket in 3 weeks time"....

Quote:

It's the boy racers, drunks and unlicensed/unregistered and 'indestructable' youngsters that need to be chased and caught....

They've just announced that the national road toll for 2011 is the lowest since 1946.... based on that I can't see the hoons, the unlicensed, the unregoed and the pissed to be anywhere close to the "most wanted list". Certainly not worth putting others at risk simply to teach them a lesson.


Quote:

Lowest road toll in 65 years More people died on NSW roads in 1970 than nationally last year. The national road toll last year fell to its lowest level since 1946, when Australia’s population was one-third the size it is today and the three-point seatbelt was still more than a decade away. According to figures released by the Department of Transport there were 1292 deaths recorded on Australian roads, a decrease of 10.9 per cent over the past five years and down 4.4 per cent compared with 2010. ......

http://smh.drive.com.au/roads-and-traffic/lowest-road-toll-in-65-years-20120127-1qkb8.html

gizmo_2655 wrote on Jan 28^th, 2012 at 11:52pm:

[quote]Guess  'da fuzz just aren't smart enough to manage obtaining ID on large numbers of 'hoons' properly,  .despite numerous attempts ( anecdotal) by witnesses,  who ph, pic AND video the dickheads,  and send to police this info  .....and the fuzz agrees they're there at regular events.. its just that ...' they move a lot ... '.???  so they bring out "the Russian Roulette"'!! I mean really.!!Its just not necessary. !!   Its not as if they  (hoons) don't kill themselves regularly. Happens every day here. Don't know why the cops bother...  8-)  ;)

What good is it 'getting an ID' if the only thing you use it for is to work out which of the 3 cars in the burning pile of wreckage is the hoon???

Would it be a lot of comfort to you if the police came to notify you of a loved ones death in a traffic accident and said "Sorry, your loved one died in a crash with a hoon, but we wrote down his rego number yesterday for dangerous driving and speeding and he'll get a ticket in 3 weeks time"....[/quote]

Now you are starting to get an inkling of an idea of what I am talking about.!!
But not quite there yet. 
Precisely ... what are  police doing  ??? 

If your scenario as above is true.....??  what are they doing??

Another case of Hoon hysteria.

Quote:

but we wrote down his rego number yesterday for dangerous driving and speeding and he'll get a ticket in 3 weeks time

If you've just evaded a chase and they've got your rego, they are very quickly knocking on your door.

TOG Coppers are hot shots, believe me, they are lead foots and they need to be restrained from unnecessary car chases. 8-) http://www.web-smilie.de/smilies/auto_smilies_car_smiley/auto14.gif http://phumphries.com/forums/images/smilies/pimp.gif

Emma wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 12:23am:

gizmo_2655 wrote on Jan 28th, 2012 at 11:52pm: [quote]Guess  'da fuzz just aren't smart enough to manage obtaining ID on large numbers of 'hoons' properly,  .despite numerous attempts ( anecdotal) by witnesses,  who ph, pic AND video the dickheads,  and send to police this info  .....and the fuzz agrees they're there at regular events.. its just that ...' they move a lot ... '.???  so they bring out "the Russian Roulette"'!! I mean really.!!Its just not necessary. !!   Its not as if they  (hoons) don't kill themselves regularly. Happens every day here. Don't know why the cops bother...  8-)  ;) What good is it 'getting an ID' if the only thing you use it for is to work out which of the 3 cars in the burning pile of wreckage is the hoon??? Would it be a lot of comfort to you if the police came to notify you of a loved ones death in a traffic accident and said "Sorry, your loved one died in a crash with a hoon, but we wrote down his rego number yesterday for dangerous driving and speeding and he'll get a ticket in 3 weeks time"....[/quote] Now you are starting to get an inkling of an idea of what I am talking about.!! But not quite there yet.  Precisely ... what are  police doing  ???  If your scenario as above is true.....??  what are they doing??

Tyring to stop the speeding dangerous drivers BEFORE they kill innocent road users/pedestrians...by chasing after and catching them...

Life_goes_on wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 12:26am:

Another case of Hoon hysteria.

So??....I'm allowed, I was one, I paid my membership dues and spent the time....

I was up in QLD on holiday last week and they had an article in the paper because the policy is not to chase in QLD. The police and community were outraged because these criminals are getting off scot free and the crime of running has more than doubled since the change in policy.

Have to agree with Maqqa (first time ever) they choose to run they live with the consequences, if it is a child under 16 then the parents should be required to face charges of neglect and pay all costs for the chase, court and medical and counseling bills for the police as well. Time we were required to be responsible for our lives and those we bring into this world and stop paying such things weak lip service.

So our parents are to blame for the crimes we commit?

Quote:

because the policy is not to chase in QLD.

That is incorrect. There is no such policy in Qld.

Life_goes_on wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 4:26pm:

Quote: because the policy is not to chase in QLD. That is incorrect. There is no such policy in Qld.

YeaH NEWS TO ME TOO.  ooops..

You just cannot believe what you read in the news, esp. on the Coast.!! Nairbe, news equals spin in QLD. None that I read can be called objective journalism.  Well,  rarely.!

But i do agree with your last para.  Ideally, that would be the way to go,  but not chasing them first...  just identifying for immediate follow-up.!

just identifying for immediate follow-up.!


And if they had stolen number plates or if the car was stolen as so often it is than what?

Your all forgeting one vital thing Why did they do the crime and then Flee from the authoritys.

Because there are just Struggling Australians trying too survive in a Country than dosn't care about them.

Maybe if the country did then their would be less of what we call CRIME

blackadder wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 7:23pm:

just identifying for immediate follow-up.! And if they had stolen number plates or if the car was stolen as so often it is than what?

I do get it... I'm suggesting that police policy could do with looking at...as I said before... if police were better prepared to identify....track (not chase)... and INDEED intercept if info suggests it is stolen or fleeing robbers or ...??? the primal chase down need not occur.
I know it's a big part of the thrill for these fools to get the cops in..'s long as they get away.!!

WHY is there no aerial surveillance unless the TV channels news copters take on the job.??? Which we see happen lots.
Perhaps I read too much, and expecting something not mired in the 19th century is unreasonable.? 

warrigal wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 7:38pm:

Your all forgeting one vital thing Why did they do the crime and then Flee from the authoritys. Because there just Struggling Australians trying too survive in a Country than dosn't care about them. Maybe if the country did then their would be less of what we call CRIME

Umm, because they are all dumb @rses like you.

Emma wrote on Jan 30^th, 2012 at 1:22am:

blackadder wrote on Jan 29th, 2012 at 7:23pm: just identifying for immediate follow-up.! And if they had stolen number plates or if the car was stolen as so often it is than what? I do get it... I'm suggesting that police policy could do with looking at...as I said before... if police were better prepared to identify....track (not chase)... and INDEED intercept if info suggests it is stolen or fleeing robbers or ...??? the primal chase down need not occur. I know it's a big part of the thrill for these fools to get the cops in..'s long as they get away.!! WHY is there no aerial surveillance unless the TV channels news copters take on the job.??? Which we see happen lots. Perhaps I read too much, and expecting something not mired in the 19th century is unreasonable.?

Why don't you call the police and suggest to them that they check the vehicle's number plates in future? It sounds like a great idea to me and i'm sure they'd appreciate the advice. They could also have choopers hovering above all RBTs.

real intelegents this forums admins are,

They citercize the coment but they don't come up with a solution to the problem.

Ultemately a police chase will just endanger more People On or near to the roads. Just a STUPID idea

Emma wrote on Jan 30^th, 2012 at 1:22am:

WHY is there no aerial surveillance unless the TV channels news copters take on the job.??? Which we see happen lots. Perhaps I read too much, and expecting something not mired in the 19th century is unreasonable.?

Because it costs ~$3,000 an hour to keep a twin-engined helicopter in the air?

If there is a better way to end the chase I don't know it. Sorry I take that back - there is, later we could find that he was billed for the repair cost of fixing the post.

Sometimes I feel that anyone who carelessly drives and endangers my families life, welfare or for that matter anyone other than themselves by driving under the influence should be herded into brick walls at high speed. In fact sometimes I would feel that portable concrete barriers be erected across roads when these idiots try to evade police. I fully expect that the high speed chases would Verry quickly cease if this was the standard procedure - while they are drunk and driving they haven't lost any sense of self interest, it's just they see no real negative consequence if they do try and evade police. But should these poor misunderstood people be condemned to the possible consequences of the real world physics of 2 tons of metal stopping rather quickly because of a police car chase, or should they be allowed to continue to drive under the influence and allow someone else to suffer the possible consequence of threal world physics of 2 tons of metal running you over if your a bicyclist/women with a pram/old person walking/children walking home from school or some else driving on the roads?
I consider it almost a foolproof winner solution if a clear coherent reason Why it is in their OWN interest to stop.

Sure...end the chase. Let the f..heads take over the streets. Let them go out and do burn outs, run down ladies with prams, drive through shop fronts, do a real Blues Brothers effort.

Don't even let Mad Max go after them, just give them a big a GREEN FREAKING LIGHT HUH?