New Recruits Keen To Find Something To Do

[Stevie]

Ok so we have a bunch of new police officers on the roads at about this time every year, and just like this time last year and the year before that, i am being pulled over for training purposes every 5 minutes. License checks and general chit chat is the norm but last night the new recruit went for his shiny new defect pad. Referring to his text book for answers he proceeded to defect me for 3 very minor things. At this point i was happy enough to humour the young man and complete the exercise of having the things ticked off today at my local approved workshop. However to my disgust, i find he has ticked the box marked "MAJOR" and more importantly the box marked "DICKSON ONLY - FULL INSPECTION"...

Now as you may have guessed I have been simmering on the inside ever since. It was a completely unnecessary addition to the process. There was no need to tick those boxes and the new officer was all the while chatting to me about football and my car and trying to come across friendly. The prick then gave me a mini lecture about suspension and engineers certificates and clearly had no idea what he was on about. His partner was as usual a “senior” officer who in this case was a woman in her 50’s who was also trying her hardest to appear to know what she was talking about.

My main gripe is that I would have quite happily cleared the defect notice with about 5 minutes work and an inspection. Now I have to deal with Dickson and all there usual crap. I just don’t have the time to deal with them right now.

So for the next couple of months try your very best to avoid the green officers, they are keen to try out new things and learn on the job.

Edited October 10, 2007 by Stevie

[race_snooze]

thats no good Stevie mate, thats one thing I dont miss about driving my car!!!

[steven22]

Great, looking so forward to that

[a20089]

Well you could have tested their experiance and argued your case, unfortunatly too late now after the fact.

So what were the minor-major problems?

I've had my skyline checked over several times but never attracted any real attention.

[Stevie]

I did question the defect and answered a few questions about the car. Which is why it was a surprise to find the dickson only box ticked.

He pinged me for

falty parker light - drivers side

Incorrect placement of number plate

Rear tyres below tread marker.

So easy easy easy, fix the headlight, move the number plate and replace the rear tyres (which i was i the process of sourcing at the time)

How he can justify a rating of "Major" which means the car is requiring major repairs to be road worthy... its just beyond me.

Edited September 28, 2007 by Stevie

[yaf28f]

Wow,

I'd have to say they were minor aswell.

Why don't you chase up what you can do for a formal complaint.

[R32_Matt]

i'd be interested to know how your plate is currently mounted for them to defect you for it.

I would definately complain about it being major as well.

Normally if you have a light out a cop will pull you over just to let you know.

tyres, understandable on their part, but should also have only been a warning unless they were slicks and not just under the wear indicators.

[Amaru]

Ouch, that sux =( Hope the rest of the car is ok.

Unfortunately the laws that govern this great place we live in give police and specific rta staff power to issue defect notices how and when they see fit. Doesnt matter how defectable the car is, they can even send a 1 month old brand new stock Commodore being driven by a 75 year old lady over to Dickson for an inspection if they want.

And 9 times out of 10 if you try and argue it, they will reduce it to a minor defect but dont be suprised when you get a "random vehicle reinspection" notice in the mail over the next few weeks =)

[Guest]

Ok so we have a bunch of new police officers on the roads at about this time every year,

I have a feeling that the cop who pulled me over not long ago was training. He did not have proper highway patrol police car nor bike, he only had a notepad. Seemed fairly young and there were few questions that he should have asked, he didn't. (eg, why?)

I believe only RTA inspectiors and highway cops can defect you.

Recently one of our MR2 club member got a notice in the mail saying that RTA is doing random vehicle checks and that he had to bring his car to Dickson. When he rocked up there were whole heaps of other cars.... which all happened to be Silvias & WRXs. "Random" eh??

[Bullet32]

Stevie - That sux mate, Im waiting for the day when I have to go over the Dickson pits for a "random" inspection **shiver**...

Anyway, Id like to help so if you need tyres I can help out...

Edited September 28, 2007 by Bullet32

[tridentt150v]

AAAhhhh the world is a better place, another threat to society is off the road.................job satisfaction or what???

Meanwhile, somewhere on the planet there is another rape, another assault, another herion deal going down...........but you have to get your priorities sorted, pick on the one person that is the greater danger!!!

And they wonder why we reckon most porkers are swine.

[Stevie]

Thanks for the support everyone. It is continuing to be a stressful and soon to be expensive exercise, as most people know my car is “modified” and will require some playing around to get it over the Dickson pits. After all the dust and obvious frustrations have settled I still cant understand the logic behind the major vs minor and the trip to Dickson…

Unreal…

I may need the odd part or obscure bit but I have to get it in there and fail before I can ask for anyone’s help. I have every confidence that fixing the 3 listed problems will not satisfy the inspectors.

Edited October 2, 2007 by Stevie

[Baconer]

if you need the stock 33 exhaust you can borrow mine, might be a bit dusty though

[Stevie]

Ok at this stage i need a series II front bar of any variety that will lift my ground clearance up the point something of a mill to get over the height requirement. If i cant find someone who can give me a short term lend then i'm going to have to put some differnent springs in the front.

I have a cooler so it would help if it was coming of a car which has already had the adjustments made for this.

thanks guys

Edited October 3, 2007 by Stevie

[Stevie]

Defect clearance

1: Front indicators missing - Fit front indicators

2: Rear/side indicators too fast – Fit front indicators

3: Straighten rear number plate –

4: Rolling diameter of wheels +22mm – Engineer or replace wheels

5: Front tyres fouling on control arm – Trojan to check, Engineer or replace wheels

6: LR tyre worn – Replace

7: Secure Battery – Standard battery fitting, engineers advice

8: Incorrect battery or fit sealed battery box with vent – Engineers advice

9: Secure speaker in boot – Remove

10: Fit two outs child seat mountings – Engineers advice

11: Remove rear centre seat belt and child mounting – Remove

12: Supply engineers cert for modified turbo and emissions test – engineer

13: Secure air filter – Secure

14: Exhaust noise 100db – Fit excel rear muffler

15: Straighten exhaust at rear to a straight angle - Fit excel rear muffler

Well wasnt that fun. Bend me over and get it over with Mr Inspector. To be honest some of the things on here are a pleasant surprise. I mean I’ve included my 15 steps below and here is a little break down of it.

1-2 are the same repair and that was just laziness on my part, hadn’t got around to it after fitting the front bar and hadn’t been driving that much to notice.

3… you cant be serious, the very very very edge of the plate is bent up to fit in the jap spec plate hole

4-5 yeah sure too big, fair cop. But they are not fouling the control arm, its just very close.

6… … it is not

7-8 since when? I need a gel battery? Huh? Never heard or seen this one before, it passed over rego the first time in exactly the same fashion

9 … take the sub out … yawn

10. Very strange one, I’m sure the restraints are incorporated in to the speaker set up. We’ll see I guess.

11. The compliance plate says 4 seats. Remove a belt, safety first!

12. Could be fun, we’ll have to see what the engineer says about it all

13: boring, two bolts maybe. Its not really that loose

14-15: I have a part for this, thankyou Hyundai.

[Guest]

Far out! What a hassle. Sorry to hear that.

My indicator also flashes fast. Very front indicator bulb seems to cut out every few days and then. Do I need to take the quarter panel off to change front indicator light bulb?

Edited October 10, 2007 by zenith13

[MIVEC]

#15?? What the fark? Some of the crap that's in these rules are ridiculous.

I would not shed a single tear if every vehicle inspector died in a fire.

[R3sp3ct]

LOLOL ^^^^....

Man what a hastle, hope its all sorted.

Zenith13....you just have to pop the indicator out with a flathead screw driver and a rag or something to protect your guard. Did it to my mates 33 the other day.

[Stevie]

i think #11 is a pearl. The compliance plate is wrong so remove the seat belt to achieve the safest result...

Genius...

[a20089]

Jezz some of those things were total jokes, if they wern't real.

Goes to show, make sure your car looks in good condition else they might pick one someone else.

I feel for you Stevie.