Teh One Who Knocks
01-08-2014, 12:06 PM
Brittany Vonow - Courier Mail
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QUEENSLAND’S police commissioner has admitted he also stretches his leg while riding a motorbike.
Commissioner Ian Stewart, a regular user of social media Twitter, replied to several complaints after it was revealed a man had been fined $146 for stretching his leg while riding a motorbike to work.
Jake Sloman was riding along the Logan Motorway on Monday when he stretched his leg.
Police pulled him over and fined him $146. The offence? "Fail to keep both feet on footrest".
The fine has caused outrage on Twitter and on Sloman's Facebook page, with people saying taking this particular road rule to the letter would mean almost every motorcycle rider would be liable to be fined.
Mr Stewart, a regular user of social media Twitter, replied to several complaints about Mr Loman's fine.
When asked if riders were not allowed to stretch their legs on the highway, Commissioner Stewart replied “of course you are”.
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http://i.imgur.com/qAw6CeV.jpg
Mr Sloman has spoken out about the incident.
He told www.couriermail.com.au that he was 20 minutes into his ride from the Gold Coast to Logan for work on Monday morning when he stretched his leg on the motorway.
“You could see it was a cop car in front of me but I didn’t even think of it,” he said.
“They were in the right hand lane and pulled over, I’ve gone past them and they pulled back in behind me, pulled me over and basically told me they were booking me for taking feet off a footrest.”
He said he tried to explain he was just stretching his leg but was still hit with the fine.
“I’ve never heard of anyone else being done for taking their leg off for a second… I could understand it if I was riding along with my hands off the handlebars and something ridiculous but having stretch is a bit far.”
He said even though he knew other bike riders did the same thing, he did not intend to contest the fine.
“I don’t have the time or money – it would probably cost me more if I do lose,” Mr Sloman said.
“The only grounds would be that the date on the fine was wrong, which someone pointed out on Facebook.”
He said he didn’t realise him sharing the fine on Facebook would create such a reaction.
"It was just a bit of a whinge session,” he said.
"Considering the other offences that were happening on the road though - numerous cars in the right hand lane and not overtaking – I think they were a much worse offence than me taking me my foot off the footrest.”
Last week a Brisbane man left his car parked with a window down three to four centimetres to let the hot air escape on a scorching summer's day.
Queensland police fined Julian Harris $44.
Public outrage at the fine didn't stop police delivering Mr Harris a lecture via the media, saying he was "lucky to get off so lightly".
In December, Townsville man Jake Cassidy copped a $146 fine for driving 1km/h over the speed limit.
Mr Cassidy, 21, was pulled over on December 23 and accused of clocking 61km/h in a 60km/h zone.
The police officer did not use a speed gun to catch Mr Cassidy but measured the speed by driving behind him.
After an outcry, the fine was rescinded.
http://i.imgur.com/pu1Lw5u.jpg
QUEENSLAND’S police commissioner has admitted he also stretches his leg while riding a motorbike.
Commissioner Ian Stewart, a regular user of social media Twitter, replied to several complaints after it was revealed a man had been fined $146 for stretching his leg while riding a motorbike to work.
Jake Sloman was riding along the Logan Motorway on Monday when he stretched his leg.
Police pulled him over and fined him $146. The offence? "Fail to keep both feet on footrest".
The fine has caused outrage on Twitter and on Sloman's Facebook page, with people saying taking this particular road rule to the letter would mean almost every motorcycle rider would be liable to be fined.
Mr Stewart, a regular user of social media Twitter, replied to several complaints about Mr Loman's fine.
When asked if riders were not allowed to stretch their legs on the highway, Commissioner Stewart replied “of course you are”.
http://i.imgur.com/M3iLoaa.png
http://i.imgur.com/qAw6CeV.jpg
Mr Sloman has spoken out about the incident.
He told www.couriermail.com.au that he was 20 minutes into his ride from the Gold Coast to Logan for work on Monday morning when he stretched his leg on the motorway.
“You could see it was a cop car in front of me but I didn’t even think of it,” he said.
“They were in the right hand lane and pulled over, I’ve gone past them and they pulled back in behind me, pulled me over and basically told me they were booking me for taking feet off a footrest.”
He said he tried to explain he was just stretching his leg but was still hit with the fine.
“I’ve never heard of anyone else being done for taking their leg off for a second… I could understand it if I was riding along with my hands off the handlebars and something ridiculous but having stretch is a bit far.”
He said even though he knew other bike riders did the same thing, he did not intend to contest the fine.
“I don’t have the time or money – it would probably cost me more if I do lose,” Mr Sloman said.
“The only grounds would be that the date on the fine was wrong, which someone pointed out on Facebook.”
He said he didn’t realise him sharing the fine on Facebook would create such a reaction.
"It was just a bit of a whinge session,” he said.
"Considering the other offences that were happening on the road though - numerous cars in the right hand lane and not overtaking – I think they were a much worse offence than me taking me my foot off the footrest.”
Last week a Brisbane man left his car parked with a window down three to four centimetres to let the hot air escape on a scorching summer's day.
Queensland police fined Julian Harris $44.
Public outrage at the fine didn't stop police delivering Mr Harris a lecture via the media, saying he was "lucky to get off so lightly".
In December, Townsville man Jake Cassidy copped a $146 fine for driving 1km/h over the speed limit.
Mr Cassidy, 21, was pulled over on December 23 and accused of clocking 61km/h in a 60km/h zone.
The police officer did not use a speed gun to catch Mr Cassidy but measured the speed by driving behind him.
After an outcry, the fine was rescinded.