Huge RCMP Roadcheck

[Dizzy1]

•Vehicles ordered for immediate inspection - 2
•Vehicles ordered to be inspected within 30 days - 9
•Vehicles with defects - 242

It would be very interesting to see how much of these defects are factors in our abysmal accident statistics.

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... bring on the 2 year mandatory vehicle safety inspections.

[Donald G]

Just to clarify. DL suspensions apply to government employees every bit as much as they apply to other citizens of Canada, including RCMP officers whose driver's licences are suspended for cause.

[jamapple]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#143592


Another reason I like traffic enforcement. Contrary to popular belief, monies from fines and tickets actually go back to the communities to use for safety upgrades, or urgent safety needs, not being told how to spend it by mom and dad government.

The amount collected is huge, and I can see how anyone on here would be against it all because they recieved one of those tickets or fines. I just care to drive with a valid licence and insurance, not impaired,at the posted speed limit, and in a vehicle with good tires and maintanance records.

[twobits]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-143592-3-.htm#143592


Another reason I like traffic enforcement. Contrary to popular belief, monies from fines and tickets actually go back to the communities to use for safety upgrades, or urgent safety needs, not being told how to spend it by mom and dad government.

The amount collected is huge, and I can see how anyone on here would be against it all because they recieved one of those tickets or fines. I just care to drive with a valid licence and insurance, not impaired,at the posted speed limit, and in a vehicle with good tires and maintanance records.

Who doesn't want every driver on the road to have the same philosophy? It however does not require a gridlock of traffic on a major hwy to weed out the non conformists. How's this for a novel idea? With 1/4 of the manpower, deploy the RCMP to the Wallmart, Super Store and Safeway parking lots. As people return to their cars they get approached, asked for their licence, registration and a quick safety inspection. It wouldn't back up the hyw for an hour and would catch just as many impaired's, unsafe tires etc, and outstanding warrant's as the draconian method of blocking off an entire Hwy. Might even be better at catching the person running to the liquor store for another sack to replace the one they already consumed.
Plain clothed with proper id on approach. That is what I would consider smart policing.

[Donald G]

To twobits ...

Do you really think there are a high percentage of wanted or impaired moms and dads buying the usual 1 to $500.00 worth of merchandise at Cosco between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM to warrant the resources required ?? Wait until each person returned to their vehicle ??

I would expect Cosco, who does not even sell booze in Canada, would scream to high heaven. And rightly so.

Just for the record the police often run the plates in a parking lot through their computers in an effort to identify "pointer" vehicles or expired plates or stolen vehicles. Especially places like beach parking lots, hotel, motels and downtown areas.

A hundred times more efficient.

[twobits]

To twobits ...

Do you really think there are a high percentage of wanted or impaired moms and dads buying the usual 1 to $500.00 worth of merchandise at Cosco between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM to warrant the resources required ?? Wait until each person returned to their vehicle ??

I would expect Cosco, who does not even sell booze in Canada, would scream to high heaven. And rightly so.

Just for the record the police often run the plates in a parking lot through their computers in an effort to identify "pointer" vehicles or expired plates or stolen vehicles. Especially places like beach parking lots, hotel, motels and downtown areas.

A hundred times more efficient.

I think you would be very surprised at the number of "parents" that are impaired by noon. Besides that, and ignoring that, it is still a vehicle check for obvious things like tires and valid plates.........which create validity for further investigation....which leads to.....
And when you talk about resources employed, I think one RCMP member cruising every parking lot once a day will find more expired tags than 50 officers in a 6 hour blitz holding up everyone on the hwy.
IMO, smarter policing and a better use of resources.

[Hassel99]

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... bring on the 2 year mandatory vehicle safety inspections.

The bulk of the problems are larger commercial vehicles, not private passenger. The miles they put on those units dwarf any private passenger capacity.

Large commercial vehicles in BC must have commercial vehicle inspection annually.

[Donald G]

To Hassel99 ...

Plus such vehicles are subject to "ad hoc" inspections throughout the year. Including at the various scales at times.

[Dizzy1]

The bulk of the problems are larger commercial vehicles, not private passenger. The miles they put on those units dwarf any private passenger capacity.

Large commercial vehicles in BC must have commercial vehicle inspection annually.

Its not always just about the amount of miles they put on - lack of maintenance and unsafe mods are also issues that need to be dealt with IMO - and without any required safety inspections, its more or less a free for all.

[jamapple]

twobits, I appreciate the fact that you add to the conversation, and not just crap on people for their stance. I clearly see that there HAS to be a better way to do a roadcheck of that size, and there MUST be some other options, and I am getting that they in fact do run plates, and scope out drivers going to cold beer and wine stores, and nabbing them,( I believe there was a thread on here about that). The numbers they catch through that must be adaquate, or they wouldn't be doing it. I have said before that I don't particularily like the wait either, but when I see the list of people they catch with some of the more serious things, I tend to be more leaniant with the wait, but was refreshing to see someone actually add an alternative to the mess instead of just a moan.

[twobits]

The bulk of the problems are larger commercial vehicles, not private passenger. The miles they put on those units dwarf any private passenger capacity.

Large commercial vehicles in BC must have commercial vehicle inspection annually.

Sorry hassel but that is not entirely true. Only single axle trucks can get a one yr cert. That would be for example the Ace Courier etc single axle truck running around. In reality, it is those vehicles that you should be most concerned about as far as vehicle maintenance and driver capability cuz anyone with a Class 5 drivers licence can legally operate them on our streets and hwy"s. Scary Huh? One day after the "N", they can be in traffic with you up to 15,000 kg in GVW with hydraulic brakes.
Two axle or more trucks require an MVI safety check by an authorized shop every 6 months. And it ain't cheap to pull a truck off the road for the day and pay for that MVI.
We have moved past the "old" days where it was a crap shoot as to the road worthiness of commercial vehicles. The fines for even having one air brake out of an 18 wheel or more truck out of spec will drive any trucker out of business if they want to operate that way.

[Osoyoos_Familyof4]

I once worked for a trucking Company in Salmon Arm for about a year. (They are now out of business) but had been in business for 20 years+.

I was a contractor, doing some very specific financial clean-up and research and thus had access to just about every part of the operation.

This company was pretty big (over 50 trucks on the road) and delivered to the biggest of biggest named companies on the coast. Most of their runs were Western Canada based, but they would go elsewhere for the right quote.

I was down on the floor for about a week with the dispatchers. In that week I saw them TWICE panicking, getting on the radios to warn other drivers of road-check stations. I saw the dispatchers frantically looking at maps and re-routing drivers to miss them and avoid them at all costs. The chatter on the mics was panic and mayhem. The drivers would do anything to avoid detection. I can't say for certain if they were avoiding them because of the delay in time? Or because they knew their trucks wouldn't pass inspection? Or because of cooked-log-books, I don't know. What I do know, is that I was young, dumb, needed a job, and didn't know enough about trucking to be certain of what I think I was seeing. But 20 years later, I remember it quite clearly.

[twobits]

I once worked for a trucking Company in Salmon Arm for about a year. (They are now out of business) but had been in business for 20 years+.

I was a contractor, doing some very specific financial clean-up and research and thus had access to just about every part of the operation.

This company was pretty big (over 50 trucks on the road) and delivered to the biggest of biggest named companies on the coast. Most of their runs were Western Canada based, but they would go elsewhere for the right quote.

I was down on the floor for about a week with the dispatchers. In that week I saw them TWICE panicking, getting on the radios to warn other drivers of road-check stations. I saw the dispatchers frantically looking at maps and re-routing drivers to miss them and avoid them at all costs. The chatter on the mics was panic and mayhem. The drivers would do anything to avoid detection. I can't say for certain if they were avoiding them because of the delay in time? Or because they knew their trucks wouldn't pass inspection? Or because of cooked-log-books, I don't know. What I do know, is that I was young, dumb, needed a job, and didn't know enough about trucking to be certain of what I think I was seeing. But 20 years later, I remember it quite clearly.

The key statement in your post came in the first paragraph......"they are now out of business".

[Osoyoos_Familyof4]

They didn't go out of business because of fines. They went out of business when the price of gas exploded and they neglected their receivables (I know, I did a forensic audit). They were in business over 20 years previous, this was no fly-by-night operation.

[twobits]

They didn't go out of business because of fines. They went out of business when the price of gas exploded and they neglected their receivables (I know, I did a forensic audit). They were in business over 20 years previous, this was no fly-by-night operation.

So a fly by night outfit would be one that concentrates on receivables but not payable's? Not stirring, just asking.