I noticed last night that Operation RAID [1], referred to by the ACT Police as “Australia’s largest traffic operation” is in full effect. I had the pleasure of being pulled over twice last night and passing through another RBT site without being pulled over.
The first time that I was pulled over was at a static RBT site on Northbourne Avenue between the Barton Highway and Antill Street, a clever spot on what is otherwise a straight road, as it’s about the only place along there that they wouldn’t be spotted from a distance. It looked like they were enjoying themselves, although it was rather amusing when the police officer doing the licence checks didn’t notice that I was wearing glasses and asked if I was wearing contact lenses…stopping himself halfway through his sentence when he looked at me again.
The officer conducting the breath tests had a bit of a chat with me while he waited for his breath testing machine to reset, and then after a little while longer decided to send me on my way without testing me because it was going to take another twenty minutes for the machine to reset. Apparently the driver they tested before me had been drinking, and it takes a while for the machine to return to providing accurate readings afterwards.
I passed another RBT site on the Tuggeranong Parkway near the Sulwood Drive intersection a bit later on, but got past them without being pulled over. When I ventured near Northbourne Avenue again, they were gone, so it’s possible that it was the same people on the Tuggeranong Parkway.
On my way home, I was pulled over on Antill Street by a patrol car that seems to be lurking, awaiting people to drive past so that they could be screened for alcohol. A quick licence check and breath test and I as on my way again.
In semi-related news from a weekend press release, I would like to offer my best wishes to the female police officer who was injured in an accident on Hindmarsh Drive yesterday whilst on her way to an emergency call. I hope that she has a speedy recovery.
Samuel