Huge RCMP Roadcheck

[XT225]

Yes, that would all that was required. Instead, it cost me about 300 dollars and not one of my trucks or drivers were cited for an infraction. It's all for the greater good though until the 300 dollars has to come out of the jeans of those that think these gestapo roadblocks are a great idea.

You and your company trucks may be playing by the rules, twobits but some (mainly independants) these days are NOT. There are a lot of P.O.S. trucks out there and commercial vehicle inspectors have their hands full trying to keep the roadways safe. I know an inspector personally and the horror stories that he tells are unbelievable. 4 guys take turns driving a rig, one class one license, the three others hoping that they wont get caught. Of course they just quickly switch drivers if pulled over and claim HE was driving...no HE was driving. Trap doors in the sleeper...well, I cant even talk about what that is for. Its a mess and good for YOU for playing by the rules. This is why we need random inspections.

[twobits]

XT, I see plenty of *bleep* on the road that should not be there. I could identify a specific culture, but that would mean removal of post. Nonetheless, it does not diminish the fact that these guys can be busted without making every commercial vehicle being stuck in a line of locals and tourists that are willing to sit in a line for an hour without any financial implications.

[XT225]

XT, I see plenty of *bleep* on the road that should not be there. I could identify a specific culture, but that would mean removal of post. Nonetheless, it does not diminish the fact that these guys can be busted without making every commercial vehicle being stuck in a line of locals and tourists that are willing to sit in a line for an hour without any financial implications.

I hear ya, twobits. Am glad that YOUR trucks are in order and can pass the safety checks. Perhaps random checks without stopping every one would be better; time is money we know in the trucking industry. Maybe it should be like at the border; random checks are conducted and not necessarily on what a person looks like. Its unfortunate IF (and I say IF) any particular culture of drivers are more apt to be breaking the rules than others but if that can be proven, then the authorities might want to look closer.

This from a recent media article: “Disturbing” is how one veteran RCMP officer described the results of the two-day, weekend, high-volume traffic blitz in the Penticton area.

“Surprised by the numbers? Yes and no, we haven’t firmed up the number of vehicles towed but it looks like it was in the neighbourhood of 150 and that’s a lot,” said Sgt. Harold Hallet of the South Okanagan Traffic Services Unit in Keremeos. “I would describe it as very successful, but it depends on your point of view. By these numbers there’s obviously a need to do it more often.”

[Gixxer]

When they do these roadside blitz's they tend to go over board on safety for pulling vehicles off the road. It makes for great headlines in the news, and brings up stats for ICBC for future laws.

[ToddT]

To me it's procrastination at its finest. Why not pull crappy vehicles over all of the time if they are in poor repair? They aren't hard to identify.

[Madhue]

To me it's procrastination at its finest. Why not pull crappy vehicles over all of the time if they are in poor repair? They aren't hard to identify.

I'd go one step beyond, Id say its a form of extortion and intimidation and a glowing example of how we in Canada are lacking serious levels or Rights.

so here's my rational ICBC continues to possess a monopoly on the citizens in BC, our premiums while some argue are moderate are also without fair competition and implement rules of its patrons without accountability for themselves. If we are really worried about conditions of vehicles then set up regular inspections of all vehicles of a certain age regularly.

I get that a number of driving offences and illegal activities resulted in fines and arrests, yet we have to ask ourselves at what cost? I know that driving is privilege not a right however normally to be pulled over of questioned you have to display some form of wrongdoing. These checks do nothing of the kind, people are herded in like cattle, separated and those unlucky few are examined with a fine tooth comb, their ID, personal belongings. There is no due process, no safeguards, its at the discrimination of those running the stop and the final result is that between both the large containment of vehicles selected for scrutiny we see a minute percentage of illicit activities the numbers presented are very misleading as they don't speak to multiple infractions of the same persons or vehicles but I'd gather its less than 5%.

think about this for a second, less than 5% of those selected for inspection "randomly" that would mean that 95% of the public was placed under scrutiny for no probable cause of wrong doing. This tends to be a huge issue with Canadian Logic, many Sheepeople seem to think this is just and fair but in truth we are allowing our government agents to impede our travel, search and investigate without probable cause, with little or no checks and balances under the direction of a Crown Corporation that holds a monopoly over those its serves.

it was a very costly intrusion of our freedoms. but to those that Baaaa their way to believing this has value... what happens when they want to do searches on pedestrians? random houses..?

[twobits]

When they do these roadside blitz's they tend to go over board on safety for pulling vehicles off the road. It makes for great headlines in the news, and brings up stats for ICBC for future laws.

You nailed it. This was an over the top intrusion on the travelling public. And you can also be sure that at least half of the violations cited were only done so to pad the numbers so as to justify this cluster F of a road check. It was conducted with one thing in mind only.....media attention. What would have been "get your head lite or tail lite fixed within 3 days" warning, they became written tickets to pad and justify this cluster F roadblock.
And in today's Penticton Herald, The RCMP report a huge increase in calls for response for assistance. They than go on to lament the extra burden placed on them because of the recent murder sucking up their resources and people just need to be patient.

Seems to me to be a gross miss allocation of resources when you can put 25 officers on a road check, some even pulled out of retirement as evidenced by pic and article in the Herald, (what budget covers that) rather than boots on the ground investigating property crimes and assaults. Since when do those crimes take a back seat to tail lights and driving with an expired license?

[GordonH]

Complain when not enough is being done, or complaining to much is being done.

As to be expected castanet'ers are never happy

[twobits]

I'd go one step beyond, Id say its a form of extortion and intimidation and a glowing example of how we in Canada are lacking serious levels or Rights.

so here's my rational ICBC continues to possess a monopoly on the citizens in BC, our premiums while some argue are moderate are also without fair competition and implement rules of its patrons without accountability for themselves. If we are really worried about conditions of vehicles then set up regular inspections of all vehicles of a certain age regularly.

I get that a number of driving offences and illegal activities resulted in fines and arrests, yet we have to ask ourselves at what cost? I know that driving is privilege not a right however normally to be pulled over of questioned you have to display some form of wrongdoing. These checks do nothing of the kind, people are herded in like cattle, separated and those unlucky few are examined with a fine tooth comb, their ID, personal belongings. There is no due process, no safeguards, its at the discrimination of those running the stop and the final result is that between both the large containment of vehicles selected for scrutiny we see a minute percentage of illicit activities the numbers presented are very misleading as they don't speak to multiple infractions of the same persons or vehicles but I'd gather its less than 5%.

think about this for a second, less than 5% of those selected for inspection "randomly" that would mean that 95% of the public was placed under scrutiny for no probable cause of wrong doing. This tends to be a huge issue with Canadian Logic, many Sheepeople seem to think this is just and fair but in truth we are allowing our government agents to impede our travel, search and investigate without probable cause, with little or no checks and balances under the direction of a Crown Corporation that holds a monopoly over those its serves.

it was a very costly intrusion of our freedoms. but to those that Baaaa their way to believing this has value... what happens when they want to do searches on pedestrians? random houses..?

While we had little to agree on in the past......well said.

[ToddT]

Complain when not enough is being done, or complaining to much is being done.

As to be expected castanet'ers are never happy

I believe the term is "Casta-nuts."

[jamapple]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#142931

I know.....I hate the fact that this persons rights were violated, as some of you on here do. I mean, it was only a child, right?

[ToddT]

that was pure luck and you know it. It also doesn't appear to be part of the major operation that happened last week.

[Madhue]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-142931-21-.htm#142931

I know.....I hate the fact that this persons rights were violated, as some of you on here do. I mean, it was only a child, right?

I think you're highly trivializing a situation.

So would dad on home inspections result in arrests that would locate drugs, child porn, or even folks with warrants?
Yup. I'd wager if you searched 7,000 homes in the South Okanagan it would... But do the ends justify the means?
Are you ok giving up your Civil Liberies in Hopes of a possible chance of yielding a Bad Guy?
I'm not.

Wither luck or internal the concept is simple we as citizens should have a degree of protected freedoms, there are many good reasons to have the freedoms stamped out. But are they worth it?

[jamapple]

that was pure luck and you know it. It also doesn't appear to be part of the major operation that happened last week.

If you're going to comment, maybe you should read the story. Wasn't right there at the time, but because of the roadcheck, they found this idiot. But thank you for defending him!!

[jamapple]

Madhue, it's alright that you're not ok with it. I just think if they catch a fugitive on the run, or a major crime is solved, it's a good thing. If you think they want anything to do with you, well, you may be barking up the wrong tree.
We tend to see stories where we sit there and say, "if they were just out there catching these crooks, that'd be great!" I'm not sure what they can do to satisfy us all. They DO, though, need to be present and catch these goofs before they perpetrate a crime against me or you and your family.