OPP will continue to impound cars, chief says
June 12, 2008
Source: Canadiandriver.ca
Orillia, Ontario ââ¬â Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers are correctly interpreting Section 172 of the Highway Traffic Act and will continue to impound the vehicles and suspend the licenses of motorists caught driving more than 50 km/h over the posted speed, said OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino.
Fantino said that he was responding to remarks by some politicians and members of the media indicating that OPP officers donââ¬â¢t understand the street racing legislation or are not interpreting it correctly.
ââ¬ÅOPP officers are doing a great job of apprehending the most dangerous drivers,ââ¬Â Fantino said. ââ¬ÅIt is our job to lay the charges; once that happens, itââ¬â¢s up to the judiciary system beyond the police to deal with each case individually. We believe the rest of the judicial system is as committed to saving lives as we are. Regardless of the uninformed rhetoric to the contrary, we know that our efforts are achieving very positive results.ââ¬Â
Fantino said that fatalities on highways the OPP patrols are down 34.4 per cent this year so far, and speed-related fatalities are down 41.9 per cent over the same period last year. So far this year, 37 of the 122 fatalities in the province were speed-related.
ââ¬ÅItââ¬â¢s very disappointing to us and our front-line officers that they are being criticized for doing their jobs,ââ¬Â Fantino said. ââ¬ÅItââ¬â¢s not the OPPââ¬â¢s role to determine whether the penalty is too harsh. Our role is to make Ontarioââ¬â¢s roads even safer than they are now and to protect the citizens of Ontario and visitors to the province against aggressive drivers, those who speed or drink and drive.ââ¬Â
the name is wrong but the cause is the right one.
They should name it something other then Street Racing Legislation. Racing would require more then one car at times and most of the times its just that one idiot that is going above the limit.
mo_focus,Jun 13 2008, 06:56 AM Wrote:the name is wrong but the cause is the right one.
They should name it something other then Street Racing Legislation. Racing would require more then one car at times and most of the times its just that one idiot that is going above the limit.
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Agreed, that the title of the offence is wrong, but the intent, to get the buttheads off the road, is correct. However, I think the most effective deterrent for speeding is the price of gasoline........... :blink:
oldeguy,Jun 13 2008, 06:15 AM Wrote:most effective deterrent for speeding is the price of gasoline...........
how about price of life?
mo_focus,Jun 13 2008, 02:56 AM Wrote:the name is wrong but the cause is the right one.
They should name it something other then Street Racing Legislation. Racing would require more then one car at times and most of the times its just that one idiot that is going above the limit.
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and to be a race there must be a finish and an end i agree wrong name but still a good rule u better believe i won't go over 50 km the speed limit
hanserus,Jun 13 2008, 08:56 AM Wrote:oldeguy,Jun 13 2008, 06:15 AM Wrote:most effective deterrent for speeding is the price of gasoline...........
how about price of life?
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Good point, can you show me real stats on how many lives were killed due to street racing?
Thanks.
Then we can look at deaths caused by Drinking and Driving, and we can see which warrants more BS media attention.
Frost__2001,Jun 12 2008, 05:25 PM Wrote:OPP will continue to impound cars, chief says
June 12, 2008
Source: Canadiandriver.ca
Orillia, Ontario ââ¬â Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers are correctly interpreting Section 172 of the Highway Traffic Act and will continue to impound the vehicles and suspend the licenses of motorists caught driving more than 50 km/h over the posted speed, said OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino.
Fantino said that he was responding to remarks by some politicians and members of the media indicating that OPP officers donââ¬â¢t understand the street racing legislation or are not interpreting it correctly.
ââ¬ÅOPP officers are doing a great job of apprehending the most dangerous drivers,ââ¬Â Fantino said. ââ¬ÅIt is our job to lay the charges; once that happens, itââ¬â¢s up to the judiciary system beyond the police to deal with each case individually. We believe the rest of the judicial system is as committed to saving lives as we are. Regardless of the uninformed rhetoric to the contrary, we know that our efforts are achieving very positive results.ââ¬Â
Fantino said that fatalities on highways the OPP patrols are down 34.4 per cent this year so far, and speed-related fatalities are down 41.9 per cent over the same period last year. So far this year, 37 of the 122 fatalities in the province were speed-related.
ââ¬ÅItââ¬â¢s very disappointing to us and our front-line officers that they are being criticized for doing their jobs,ââ¬Â Fantino said. ââ¬ÅItââ¬â¢s not the OPPââ¬â¢s role to determine whether the penalty is too harsh. Our role is to make Ontarioââ¬â¢s roads even safer than they are now and to protect the citizens of Ontario and visitors to the province against aggressive drivers, those who speed or drink and drive.ââ¬Â
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From what I understand, the author of this article (and indeed Fantino) has missed or purposely ignored the point.
I don't have an issue with the 50 over part of this legislation ... there is very little interpretation needed by police officer to determine how fast someone is going ... their ability to do so and the tools and techniques they use are basically proven and accepted.
But I believe the concern being expressed about "interpretation" has nothing to do with speed, but rather the definitions of "race" and "stunt" which are largely at the discretion of the individual officer.
That, in and of itself isn't necessarily a bad thing ... I think we all agree that racing and stunt driving have no place on our public roads ... however, the 7-day administrative impounding of a vehicle at an individual officers discretion is a huge penalty to pay for someone who hasn't been found guilty of anything. Moreover, if subsequently found "not guilty" that person has no recourse for the recovery of the towing and impound fees that they would have paid.
Although I strongly agree with the intent of the legislation I have a problem with the power given to the individual officer at the side of the road to effectively impose a hefty penalty based on their individual interpretation of the definitions of "racing" and "stunt" driving.
I for one would like to see some statistics ... of all the vehicles impounded at the side of the road under this legislation, how many were caught going more than 50 over and how many were impounded based on an officers interpretation of the definitions.
the stats are irrelevant Flofocus
by the same logic I can ask you how many lives the speed racing helped to save?
even if one person died that's still one too many
it just ain't worth the risk
for you plus all the innocent people around you
and
the risk multiplies exponentially as soon as you race!
If anything we should do what France did 5 years ago, if we keep this law, Raise the speed limits on all highways to 130 km/ph and all other speed limits by an increse of 10 km/ph, with the exception of school zones, and then really go after people that are racing traffic, as no one really dose the speed limit unless there is a police car present.
hanserus,Jun 14 2008, 01:44 AM Wrote:the stats are irrelevant Flofocus
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very revelent when i do not support this law at all. Puts way to much power directly with police officers (not judges), and I'd rather spend my tax money in places that actually make a
real difference. Yes, 1 death is too many, but lets be serious, if we focused all this time and money on drunk driving where much more people die from than street racing, then maybe people will second guess themselves before hopping behind the wheel while drunk.
This law wasn't put into place to save lives, its a cash grab, easy as that.
If they wanted to really save lives, the punishment received for going 50km/hr the speed limit would have been applied to anybody that blows over a .008 blood/alcohol level.
I agree 110% with Flo on this they can focus on something else then this "street racing"
I think they titled the law due to the amount of idiots who will decide to race on the public roads and the public's perception that anyone going at high rates of speed is obviously racing something, or someone. Keep racing to the tracks. I agree with trying to keep speeds to a "safe" level. I don't agree with the impounding of your vehicle and liscence immediately. There are laws already in place for dangerous driving, but, I don't think the Government can title a law "keeping the assholes off the roads because they drive like f**king idiots"
Flofocus,Jun 18 2008, 11:17 AM Wrote:This law wasn't put into place to save lives, its a cash grab, easy as that.ÃÂ
If they wanted to really save lives, the punishment received for going 50km/hr the speed limit would have been applied to anybody that blows over a .008 blood/alcohol level.
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QFT.
It's a cash grab and a legislated demonization tool. Just like when OPP officers park themselves at the bottom of a long, steep incline to catch people who set their cruise control and then don't "bother" to ride their brakes all the way down the grade. It happens here (well, south of Powassan, anyways) all the time.
They used to do it on Thibeault hill (Hwy 11), coming south from New Liskeard / Marten River into town. They lowered the speed limit 1/3rd of the way from the bottom to 60 KM/H and then staged a 2-3 week "blitz" to catch everyone that was used to going 80 KM/H down the entire hill. Then, they were pressured to alter the entire 1KM+ grade to 70 KM/H at the top and keeping it at 60 KM/H near the bottom. Not surprisingly, their desire to "enforce" the limit has evaporated.
Flofocus,Jun 23 2008, 11:56 AM Wrote:like, give me a fawkin break.ÃÂ :rolleyes:
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/2008/06/23/5962066.html
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Released TWICE with a promise to appear. FFS! :angry: This is what happens when lawmakers are allowed to demonize a small portion of the populace and ignore the much larger one cause it hits closer to home and affects more families.
Daddy's a "good man" but drinks too much occasionally... therefore let's not THROW HIM IN JAIL! NO! But streetracers? They all molest children in their spare time so let's impound their vehicles on sight... cause everyone doing 50 and over must be streetracing!
On the other hand, at least he wasn't street racing while driving drunk either time! Someone could have been hurt... or worse yet, killed!