South-East Queensland Police will conduct a“road safety campaign” on the same day hundreds of riders are expected to be taking part in the Black Dog Ride 1 Dayer charity ride to raise money and awareness for depression . The Gold Coast charity ride on Sunday, March 20, 2016, travels over Beechmont and through Canungra while police are setting up sausage sizzles at Syd Duncan Park, Outlook Ave, Lower Beechmont and Tamborine School Park, Waterford Tamborine Road from 7am to 1pm. The police campaign is called Operation North Upright and began in the Gold Coast hinterland area in December. While this is only the second time police have engaged in a “sausage sizzle” engagement with riders, they have been very active in this area over the past few months. The operation will involved police from Logan and Gold Coast police districts plus the QFES, QAS, the Department Transport and Main Roads, and Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim City Councils. Hopefully the charity riders in the Black Dog Ride 1 Dayer won’t be inconvenienced by the operation. Acting Senior Sergeant Rob Buckingham says they will “encourage” and “invite” riders to “stop in for a chat about road safety”. However, riders say that on the previous occasions, bikes were stopped by Main Roads officers for compliance checks and police in marked and unmarked vehicles intercepted riders for licence checks and traffic offences such as passing over unbroken lines and speeding. “We want to give riders the information they need to stay safe on our roads through displays, demonstrations, and discussions,” Snr Sgt Buckingham says. “People will have the opportunity to see speed detection equipment, police motorcycles and marked vehicles first hand. We’re also here to provide answers to any traffic related questions and crash prevention strategies.” Police say the campaign is prompted by the death of 15 motorcyclists on hinterland roads in the past year, representing 47% of all road deaths in the year which is double the state rate. They do sound like significant figures, but the area is very popular for motorcyclists, so the above-average statistics are regrettably understandable.
I've seen enough radars and speed detection equipment first hand that I don't want or need another invitation to view. And the sausage sizzle will be taxpayer funded too no doubt. And how many car deaths were there in the same area for the same period. Altogether now - "What a load of rubbish, what a load of rubbish.....". So let's look at this more closely - police to do the trafiic fines and general harasment, Dept Main roads to do roadwaorthy check, councils to fine you for parking - it's enought to make you paranoid. And they have a walk up start by taking advantage of group of people engaging in something for a good cause. I can see numbers falling away from such events cause tossers like Acting Sargeant Plod can't see over his taxpayer funded fat gut. I do love how they believe their own propoaganda though - has an uncanny parallel to a certain party in Central Europe from the mid 20th Century who dressed in brown and had a fascination with telling others how they should live and look where it got them.... Rant over. Breathing now.......
