Riders plan official complaints of police harassment
Motorcyclists have long claimed police harass them, but now a Queensland rider advocacy group plans to make official complaints to the Crime and Corruption Commission and via a Parliamentary petition.
They are calling for two officers in particular to be stood down pending investigations and have also drafted an online petition to the Queensland Government.
Motorcycle Advocacy Group spokesman Stuart Langfield says the harassment has been going on for about three years on Mt Glorious, a popular route for South East Queensland motorcycle riders.
Their complaints involve Senior Constable John Wilkins who was also mentioned in our article about spurious speeding fines and Indooroopilly station chief Mick Stevens.
Stuart has written to the Police Commissioner, Police Minister, Premier and several other officials claiming the latest round of unjust harassment is a campaign against exhaust noise with the onus of proof now switched to riders rather than official police measurements.
This follows a successful defence last year of two fines based on erroneous police noise measurements.
Stuart claims even riders of standard motorcycles with factory exhausts fitted and no aftermarket mufflers are being fined.
He says “hundreds” of riders have copied his letter and sent it to the same addresses, prompting him to now make an official complaint to the CCC.
Queensland Police Service confirmed they passed on CCC details to Stuart who had called for an independent assess inquiry rather than an internal ethics inquiry.
The QPS also says it is aware of the Brisbane Magistrate’s ruling on exhaust noise, but says roadside noise testing is still being conducted by police.
The photo at the top of this article which was posted on the Motorcycle Advocacy Group Facebook page shows an officer performing what appears to be a rudimentary roadside noise test at Samford.
“Procedures have been adjusted taking the Magistrate’s interpretation of the procedures into consideration,” QPS told us.
If this is the new procedure, it is unlikely to stand up in court, given the recent ruling.
Stuart says the police can’t “effectively act within the law so they are using bullying workarounds”.
At least one rider will challenge the matter in court and there are posts on the Motorcycle Advocacy Group Facebook page which indicate more are considering fine challenges.
Stuart is calling for more riders to challenge defect notices.
Neither the official CCC complaint nor Parliamentary petition have yet been launched. If/when they are, we will endeavour to include links.
* The Motorcycle Advocacy Group is a Facebook-based group which has more than 2000 members and has been instrumental in providing feedback to Transport and Main Roads about road conditions and maintenance on Mt Glorious.
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