Well, that's it, the working is year over.

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At least it's not Xmas Eve, still a couple of days to go. I only had a few small jobs to do, and a key recode on a Lancer, it wasn't going well and almost gave up, but finally got it sorted. The other guys had finished and were sinking beers while I was still cleaning, hosing and squeeging my bay. I usually have 2 or 3 beers and am one of the first to leave, today I was one of the last. I was having trouble seeing straight, let alone walking straight, but managed to avoid the booze bus on the way home. I was not in a good place and flaked out on the back yard with the flies and ants, with the cat for company. I woke up a couple of hours later not feeling much better...and it appears I unloaded my car and fed the cat, but I can't remember doing thoose things. The boss turned up and wished me a Merry Xmas and left an envolope for me, I presume a card and my bonus...but it's still at work. I'll have to go in and pick it up next year.

So, a pretty cruisey year with some highs and lows, but certainly my best job ever. Next year will end with me at retirement age...I'm not sure if they will let me stay on, or if I will have to find other work, but I've told them I'm not stopping.
 
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Nice work mate! Our friends overseas will be scratching their heads as to what a booze bus is
smile.gif
 
Perfect time to catch drink drivers going home after the work do....another head scratcher. Only once a year does my workshop floor get clean.
 
Originally Posted By: hpb
Nice work mate! Our friends overseas will be scratching their heads as to what a booze bus is
smile.gif

Mobile police station? I don't think it would be a party bus!
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Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Originally Posted By: hpb
Nice work mate! Our friends overseas will be scratching their heads as to what a booze bus is
smile.gif

Mobile police station? I don't think it would be a party bus!
11.gif



That's pretty much it! Random Breath Testing - have a roadside test, go over the limit, rather than go back to the police station, they take you into the booze bus which is set up with a breath analysis instrument and do the official test there. Unlike the US, police here and in NZ don't need probable cause to pull you over, and this time of year you can expect to be "put on the breatho" any time you're stopped.
 
Yep no probable cause here, they are the Queen's highways and if she wants a sample of your breath then you must give it. Rules of her road. Don't like it then don't use her roads.

You can refuse, they won't try and squeeze it out of you, though that would be amusing to watch. One gets you in the heimlich maneuver while the other shoves a straw in your mouth. They just charge you with failing to provide a breath sample, which is treated equivalent to returning as very high BAC sample.
 
I drove into a "BREATH-O-CHECK" in So. Australia years ago.

It was morning. I suppose the police were netting inebriated drivers from the posh hotel I had just passed.

I saw the Breathalizer and said, "An alcohol check? It's 9:30 in the morning for Heaven's sake!"

The cop laughed genuinely.

Good thing you feed the cat automatically.
 
Originally Posted By: hpb
Nice work mate! Our friends overseas will be scratching their heads as to what a booze bus is
smile.gif

We could probably guess
smile.gif
 
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Yeah, lots of morning breath tests, catching people going to work drunk. In a well set up checkpoint they will be running the rego of approaching cars and in contact with the cops at the check point. They pick up a lot of stolen cars, people skipping bail, with warrants out on them, breach od parole etc. In some ways I 'm happy to see them getting dangerous cars and drivers off the road...on the other hand sometimes my vehicles aren't legal, and nor am I.

Our manager is from Zimbabwe, and he tells a story about when his wife was driving in NZ with their 2 young girls in the back. She tells the girls there is a police road check up ahead - the girls automatically unclip their seatbelts and drop to the floor. She has to explain to them, these are New Zealand police, they don't even have guns, they are not people to be feared.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
I drove into a "BREATH-O-CHECK" in So. Australia years ago.

It was morning. I suppose the police were netting inebriated drivers from the posh hotel I had just passed.

I saw the Breathalizer and said, "An alcohol check? It's 9:30 in the morning for Heaven's sake!"

The cop laughed genuinely.

Yep same thing happened to me one. Pulled over for a breath check at about 9am.

I said "It's a bit early isn't it ?"
They genuinely laughed back.

I think they are trying to catch the people who had a big all night session on the grog. 12 hours of solid drinking then blend in with the morning traffic. Not for me.

I like it when cops laugh, it reminds them that no everybody they meet is a dreg. I have some old army mates who are now cops, they have to deal with the people that we prefer to walk away from.

Went out drinking with these cop mates once, they are fairly wild when off the leash. Some other uniformed cops (who didn't know us from Adam) threatened to pepper spray us all if we did pull our heads in. My mates never ID'd themselves, as it's not the done thing when off duty.
 
Everyone heading west from Sydney has to pass through our town.

Every couple of years they assemble a fake road works (can't set up a station in a 100km/h zone, roadworks are 40), complete with road equipment.

One year they pulled up every vehicle that came through for a day period, RBTed everyone, random drug tested those they felt like, rego check, obvious roadworthy defects ('cept heavy vehicles got the full run)...5,000 RBTs and they got 4 DUI, and one drugged...and a Ute full of Marijuana.

A LOT of inconvenience to everybody for little return...

I don't have a problem with the random, but the "papers please" aspect for a week is pretty rich.
 
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