http://www.vicpolicenews.com.au/more-news/3731-over-700-told-to-pipedown.html
Police have already issued over 700 EPA notices to drivers of excessively loud motor vehicles across Melbourne in the first three days of Operation Pipedown.
As part of the two week special operation, police have been working with Environment Protection Authority (EPA) officers and Law Enforcement Officers from Melbourne City Council in identifying cars, motorcycles and other illegally modified vehicles producing excessively loud exhaust noise.
The operation also focuses on wider road safety, including unroadworthy vehicles, drink-driving, and use of mobile phones while driving.
As part of Pipedown, owners of excessively loud and illegally modified motor vehicles will be issued with an EPA notice requiring the vehicle to be presented to an approved tester and obtain a certificate of compliance
The certificate must be presented to the EPA within 28 days.
If the notice of compliance is not provided within the timeframe, further legal action including suspension of the vehicle's registration may be taken. Anyone who drives an unregistered car faces a $584 fine.
Melbourne East Police, Inspector Bernie Jackson said the operation will run until Saturday, 1 May at locations right across Melbourne.
"Operation Pipedown is in response to the significant number of complaints we have received from the community regarding excessively loud vehicles," Insp Jackson said.
"We are asking people with overly loud cars and motorcycles to respect their community and tone it down.
"This is an opportunity for people to have a listen and think about the level of noise from their vehicle, and consider the impact on people's health and the local amenity."
Insp Jackson said the operation is also another way for police to tackle hoon drivers.
"Noisy hoon drivers could ultimately face having their vehicle's registration suspended, another incentive for hoons to tone it down and drive responsibly," he said.
"If the prospect of having their vehicle impounded doesn't phase some hoons, then perhaps facing loss of registration will."
The 2008-09 ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Crime Victimisation report details that dangerous or noisy driving is the top concern of people ranking problems in their community. Some 45 per cent of people reported concerns with the problem of dangerous or noisy driving in their community, compared with damage to property (35 per cent) and burglaries or theft from homes (29 per cent).
Operation Pipedown is being supported by the Environment Protection Authority, Melbourne City Council, Victorian Deaf Society and Harley Davidson. During this campaign, Melbourne University and VicDef audiology experts will be highlighting the health risks associated with excessive noise.
This operation forms part of a Victoria Police road policing strategy, which aims to reduce road trauma by 20 per cent by 2013. Throughout the operation police will focus on educating drivers and the community about the dangers of driving unsafe and unroadworthy cars. This effort will be crucial in reducing the number of serious injury collisions on our roads.
Police have also issued a number of infringement notices for offences such as mobile phone use, unlicensed driving and disobeying traffic signs.
Anna Erbrederis
Victoria Police Media Unit
VP 882/2010
Police have already issued over 700 EPA notices to drivers of excessively loud motor vehicles across Melbourne in the first three days of Operation Pipedown.
As part of the two week special operation, police have been working with Environment Protection Authority (EPA) officers and Law Enforcement Officers from Melbourne City Council in identifying cars, motorcycles and other illegally modified vehicles producing excessively loud exhaust noise.
The operation also focuses on wider road safety, including unroadworthy vehicles, drink-driving, and use of mobile phones while driving.
As part of Pipedown, owners of excessively loud and illegally modified motor vehicles will be issued with an EPA notice requiring the vehicle to be presented to an approved tester and obtain a certificate of compliance
The certificate must be presented to the EPA within 28 days.
If the notice of compliance is not provided within the timeframe, further legal action including suspension of the vehicle's registration may be taken. Anyone who drives an unregistered car faces a $584 fine.
Melbourne East Police, Inspector Bernie Jackson said the operation will run until Saturday, 1 May at locations right across Melbourne.
"Operation Pipedown is in response to the significant number of complaints we have received from the community regarding excessively loud vehicles," Insp Jackson said.
"We are asking people with overly loud cars and motorcycles to respect their community and tone it down.
"This is an opportunity for people to have a listen and think about the level of noise from their vehicle, and consider the impact on people's health and the local amenity."
Insp Jackson said the operation is also another way for police to tackle hoon drivers.
"Noisy hoon drivers could ultimately face having their vehicle's registration suspended, another incentive for hoons to tone it down and drive responsibly," he said.
"If the prospect of having their vehicle impounded doesn't phase some hoons, then perhaps facing loss of registration will."
The 2008-09 ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Crime Victimisation report details that dangerous or noisy driving is the top concern of people ranking problems in their community. Some 45 per cent of people reported concerns with the problem of dangerous or noisy driving in their community, compared with damage to property (35 per cent) and burglaries or theft from homes (29 per cent).
Operation Pipedown is being supported by the Environment Protection Authority, Melbourne City Council, Victorian Deaf Society and Harley Davidson. During this campaign, Melbourne University and VicDef audiology experts will be highlighting the health risks associated with excessive noise.
This operation forms part of a Victoria Police road policing strategy, which aims to reduce road trauma by 20 per cent by 2013. Throughout the operation police will focus on educating drivers and the community about the dangers of driving unsafe and unroadworthy cars. This effort will be crucial in reducing the number of serious injury collisions on our roads.
Police have also issued a number of infringement notices for offences such as mobile phone use, unlicensed driving and disobeying traffic signs.
Anna Erbrederis
Victoria Police Media Unit
VP 882/2010
