not exactly a complaint
But seeing as most of the stories this week seem to be about people in authority being pricks, have this.

My sister in law's cousin's father in friend was driving home through Sydney after work one day, tired, looking forward to a cold beer etc. when he sees blue lights in his mirror and a cop pulling him over.

Surprised, but not alarmed, he pulls over and the cop gets out of his car, strides in a manly fashion up to his car and grins through the window.

"there a problem officer?" he asks.

"Yep... you didn't indicate when changing lanes at the stop light there mate*. I'm afraid it's a $60 ticket for you" chuckles the traffic cop.

"OH, come on, mate, don't give me that, you aren't seriously gonna give me a ticket for that, are you?" he asks, with some incredulity.

"yes mate, I'm afraid it's the law. And I fucking love it, I've been pulling people all day on that one" chunters the cop, writing out the ticket and presenting it with a flourish.

Queue MUCH grinding of teeth from inside the car, a counting to ten, and a sigh, followed by an unbuckling (keep it clean, there).

"Do you mind if I get out and show you something in the back of the car?" says our hero, our man of the hour, as he unfolds himself from his car on that hot, dusty Australian afternoon.

"Sure" says the cop, completely untaken aback "what you got in there?"

"This" says the driver, pulling on his work coat and silly hat, with the logo of the health and safety inspectorate on it.

"I noticed as you stepped from your vehicle onto the highway, in the course of your work, that you failed to don your high visibility jacket, as clearly stipulated in the H&S rules covering your profession. I hereby officially caution you and serve you with a $1000 on the spot fine. Sorry mate, but I'm afraid it's the law".

He says it was the happiest moment of his life, and still dines out on it some ten years later, and I think we all can take a quiet personal revery from a beautiful moment.


*or some esoteric pissy local traffic law
(pounana Slept well, and dreamed of large women, on, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 0:48, 9 replies)

I Like This

And I really want it to be true.....

Cheers
( Legless Mister Stabby - shanks for the memory, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 1:23, closed)

lies? On the internet?
How dare you.

But if you are ever on the Sydney Harbour ferry, and get to speak to one of the drivers, he may tell you about the best day in his old job...
(pounana Slept well, and dreamed of large women, on, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 1:29, closed)

I've just moved from London to Melbourne and I'm very surprised about the frequency and level of fines in Australia for the most benign things. A friend got fined $170 for putting his feet up on the seat of a train. It's not like he had any cause for argument but the amount seems a bit steep.

For a laidback country of larrikins it seems like they are quite uptight about stuff once they get into a position of power.
(bigjonnydynamite, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 2:20, closed)

The Met inspectors in melbourne are notorious
they seem to consist mainly of people who were fired from their late night bouncer jobs, because they posed too much of a threat to the safety of the patrons.
(augsav forgot about B3ta, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 2:52, closed)

It's how our pathetic excuse for what is sometimes called "government"
brings in a few more dollars, while they blow taxpayers money at a rate they can never sustain. Couldn't organise a root in a brothel with a fistfull of $50's, our management.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 9:55, closed)

Epic win
Is epic

Edit: Sydney fkn rocks!
(lemonadegame, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 6:01, closed)

Hahahahaha
Oh lovely lovely sweet tasting revenge.
(Sadarse works like Mist condensing mud flaps, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 8:32, closed)

The first and only time I've ever been supportive of H&S bods
Superb, sir. Have a click.
( Snappyuk gets BIGGER with free sample., Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:15, closed)

Beautiful

(Mocked_Meat, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:56, closed)

This deserves a thousand more clicks..
even better than this fial by the po po.. www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/bob-dylan/6030978/Bob-Dylan-picked-up-by-police-after-officer-fails-to-recognise-him.html
( lucosade is counting down the minutes until, Tue 7 Sep 2010, 15:20, closed)