Water Police unable to identify PFD1

[tigermullet]

In the boating section of the Sunday Mail 18-02-2007 this article was found which states, inter alia, -- Even safety jackets maintained in excellent condition and stamped with the Australian standards 1512 number are now obsolete. The new legislation requires all jackets to have the words PFD type 1, PFD type 2 or PFD type 3 clearly marked in block letters not less than 6mm high.

The fine for a breach of this legislation is $150.

On checking with MSQ the information was found to be correct.

A later discussiom with the Fishing and Boating Patrol revealed that the Water Police are enforcing the change.

Why must we suffer these Water Police Clowns? If they cannot tell the difference between PFD's 1, 2 and 3 without them being labelled as such perhaps they should be confined to shore duties and, under very close supervision, be given the job of guarding local water fountains.

[timddo]

Can we write PDF 1 on our old life jackets??????

mine has faded off but the life jacket is in good condition.

[tigermullet]

Sorry - I forgot to mention that. I asked the same question and the answer is, 'No - it is part of the labelling required to be placed by the manufacturer.'

I have about twenty life jackets hanging around the place - 99% of them in pristine condition in their original wrapping. Now they are not suitable for use just because some beaurocrat has changed the regulation and the water police cannot properly identify a suitable PFD. Interfering ar**holes!

[Roughasguts]

Maybe we should rent PFD'S off the authoritys, or give them to us along with fire extinguishers, seeing as we pay so much for the privaledge of having a boat.

Bet they would say hell, we couldn't afford to give you new ones every time some dick justifys his job and changes the regs.

So I wonder what makes them think we can afford every little change.

[timddo]

we can always use the old lifejackets as boat fenders.

[Kerry]

Is that with or without gas bottles

[bootyinblue]

In the boating section of the Sunday Mail 18-02-2007 this article was found which states, inter alia, -- Even safety jackets maintained in excellent condition and stamped with the Australian standards 1512 number are now obsolete. The new legislation requires all jackets to have the words PFD type 1, PFD type 2 or PFD type 3 clearly marked in block letters not less than 6mm high.

The fine for a breach of this legislation is $150.

On checking with MSQ the information was found to be correct.

A later discussiom with the Fishing and Boating Patrol revealed that the Water Police are enforcing the change.

Why must we suffer these Water Police Clowns? If they cannot tell the difference between PFD's 1, 2 and 3 without them being labelled as such perhaps they should be confined to shore duties and, under very close supervision, be given the job of guarding local water fountains.

TIGERMULLET - Can you I get you to start by taking a couple of deep breaths for me. Then lets have a look at you post above and chunk it down a bit.

Firstly, you have to differentiate between those who make the laws and those who enforce the law. If you have a beef with Legislation, then take up the matter with your local MP. Police do not make laws.

Have you fully investigated how Police are enforcing this new legislation? Do you know of infringement notices being issued? Have you received one? Or have Police enforced the legislation by way of information only at this stage?

And finally, mate I just hope next time you are in the poo in someway and you require the assistance of Police either on the water or land, that the Police are not off practising their juggling skills or swinging from some trapaze, cause then you would probably complain about response times...

Enough said!!

[ozscott]

Booty - I assume that you are in the job..your point it well made I think. I am a lawyer and I make the point also that coppers enforce what they are told to enforce. They have leaway in some areas and can make judgment calls, but overall they are required to enforce the law. They in no way make it. The people to lobby and lobby hard are members of parliament. Take up this issue with your local member...nothing makes an MP more aggitated that negative feedback.

Cheers

[FNQCairns]

We have a system where 1 in 1000 get noticed when they have a legitimate consern and the weight they wield as an individual is just 1 vote/no voice and they know it.
Many can have the same complaint but as each will never know the others with the same complaint the authorities and members can treat each seperately and as individuals (1 vote, no voice) ie shrug off their consern without a moments thought.

Then here then lies the police who as individuals *choose* with merit by whatever value system they personally hold when 'they are told what to enforce'. The Police cannot force an ex-police officer to issue a ticket neither can they force a currently employed police officer to issue that he chooses not to!

Here lies the reason for tigers angst (I imagine) as every single ticket/order/whatever issued is solely at the discression of that particular individual police officer, as the issued has no option present or future but to accept - see paragragraph 1.

cheers fnq

[tigermullet]

Deep breath taken, Booty. It was a lovely rant for me while it lasted.

I have written to Peter Beatty expressing my disgust with this piece of legislation or regulatory change but expect that letter to end up in the circular file.

The Fisheries and Boating patrol was my source of information of the enforcement by the Water Police. Their words (not verbatim but close) were that they certainly knew the difference between the types of PFD's but would not waste fuel on enforcement of such a minor point. No, I have not received an infringement notice.

I might have leapt to the conclusion that the Water Police were not capable of distinguishing between the types of PFD's but that says a lot about the perceptions some of us have about the police in general and the water police in particular. Most encounters are less than satisfying and they are, of course, the visible, armed presence supporting Government wishes and whims. I know that they should not be but it is so often very apparent that the police are there to serve and protect, first the political party in power at the time and second, the citizens.

It was and is very easy for me to believe that the Water Police would have difficulty in recognizing a PFD Type 1. Tom Molloy would have had a field day with some of the newer entrants. How difficult is it to recognize the different types? Proper training would have cancelled the need for the jackets to be specifically labelled as PFD Types 1, 2, 3 etc.

Anyway, I do realize that the Police are the meat in the sandwich with politicians and public servants wanting more and more control and the public directing their anger and frustration at the police. Not that one can get too angry because, after all, it is the police who have the guns and huge on-the-spot fine books.

I hope that the police recognize that a little verbal slanging is often just a safety valve for frustration and better to tolerate a little of that rather than have the public chucking rocks. I am sure that Sgt. Tom Molloy realized that and was the reason for his very fine yelling - it ensured that new recruits were able to let a bit of yelling and screaming roll off them like water off a duck's back.

[gone_fishing]

sounds to me like a public servant trying to justify their existance
maybe one of their colleges got a boat and they are jealous so came up with what sounds like a policy so when their sitting by themselves at a pub or under their boses desk they can be happy with themselves

[tigermullet]

You have said it far better than I, FNQ. Well put! That is exactly it. We have been beaten into submission and learned that it is better to keep a low profile and go along without protest for fear that we will be fined, imprisoned, stun gunned, sprayed, beaten or shot.

Personally, I treat all police as if they could turn out to have a 'Little Hitler' personality because if they do then one can be in big trouble. Therefore I am always an apparent meek , mild, submissive type who is always courteous and very ready to say, 'Yes sir - No sir - three bags full sir'. Cowardly but less trouble all round. Sad isn't it? But who wants to 'set off' someone who might pull a gun and start blazing away if they judge you to be a bit of danger to them.

And that is not far fetched. Remember the unarmed Grandmother at the Gold Coast a few years ago. She was having some sort of problem (perhaps mental) and was on a low roof doing a bit of yelling and screaming. She was stun gunned for her trouble. I wrote to Peter Beatty about that but did not get a reply to my letter expressing my dismay at the police zapping granny off a roof.

He keeps on smiling though. Sometimes I think that I will scream if I see him smile just once more.

[dfox]

Just recently we were pulled up and had our gear checked at combie point (just outside the bay boundry).
Flares-ok
Epirb-ok
saftey gear-ok
3 persons on board 4 lifejackets, 2 marked pfd 1, the other 2 (better quality and more floatation) unmarked.
End result $150 fine...

[Wear the fox hat]

Tough call DFOX.
I'll bet half of the boaties in Qld still don't know about the new laws & I'll bet you didn't know at the time.
I only found out by word of mouth.
Three things I'd like to mention:
1) Why in the hell when they have the big promo with Matt Hayden supporting common sense use of life jackets, they couldn't mention the upcoming changes with jackets is beyond me.
2)As boating licence holders, why couldn't we have been notified by mail or a brochure of sorts. Dollar constraints maybe? Too bad, life jackets are a must have in ALL boats, so we should have been notified.
3)Have a look at the so called PFD1 jackets you can get for $15 nowadays. Only crap straps on most & I can't see how the majority of them would stay securely on someone's body when in water. They should be banned & the twit/s that approved them should be made float around in them for a while waiting for a rescue, 'cause I'm sure they would only find the jacket & not a body after a few hours.

WTFH

[bootyinblue]

Ah well Tigermullet, I would rather have one person throwing rocks than have that one person trying to rally others to do likewise too by using inflammatory statements.

And as far as Police protecting the current Political party of the day..... Well, recent incidents have torn any truth of that to shreds (This is my personal view and is in no way to be intepreted as the view of the QPS) Sorry, just have to put that bit in...