[Louwai (Bryan)]

The flaming coppers are really starting to pick on motorcycle riders lately. Just N/west of Brisbane is Mt Glorious which is a very popular place for riders. At the top is a very nice café where, on a Sunday lunch time, there would easily be 100 or more bikes, live music & great atmosphere.
Recently the coppers decided to visit. They brought with them a “Set-Square”. Someone has obviously looked at, & misinterpreted the AU motorcycle regulations. The coppers walked along each side of the road & were putting the set-square on the rear swingarm of each bike. If the rear mud-guard was not within 45deg, that particular bike received a defect notice.
Most of the bikes that were defected were totally stock standard as per the manufacturer’s spec. Of course these people did not get a fine of any kind because their bike was legal & correct, BUT, the simple fact that they were defected in the first place means that, before they can prove otherwise the bike must be towed from the position where it was defected & then presented at an inspection station. When a defect notice is given the vehicle / bike MUST NOT be driven / ridden anywhere. It MUST be towed regardless of the fact that it actually was not defective at the time.
So on that day there were about 40 bikes that were defected & towed, but which totally 100% met the manufacturer’s & by default, the Qld transport regulations.
The worst part is that, even though they were incorrectly defected & should not have been in the first place, they still had to pay for the bike to be towed / carried to their home & to the inspection station. None of these costs can be claimed back.
Further to that, the defect stickers that the coppers use have a very strong & corrosive glue on them. On every bike defected, the coppers stuck the sticker onto the painted surface of the fuel tank. Just the same as putting a sticker in the middle of the car bonnet.

On the same day they were also giving out tickets for "not securing your vehicle". It seems there is a rule somewhere that says you can not leave your keys in your vehicle if you are more than 3m away from it. So any bike that was parked & the keys left in it received a ticket. Regardless that the owner was sitting at a table in full view of it & about 8m away.

They obviously are trying hard to become a friendly & respected police force.