Cobourg Police to investigate modified vehicles during month of August

Taken from another site originally posted by Dan

Well, I just called Cobourg's mayor and left a message for him to call me back on this issue. All the bitching in the world on a chat forum wont help our hobby. For those that are really pissed that our basic rights are being taken away, then I urge you to get on the phone and make your voice heard. It only takes a few phone calls to the right person to have our voices heard. This seems to be a Cobourg problem, but if these Co(ksuckers find out that it's an easy cash grab, then the same tactics will soon be in all municipalities.

Cobourg mayor is John Henderson, and his number is 289-251-4193
I also called Lou Rinaldi's office (MPP), but they're the ones that told me to call the Mayor.
Maybe someone on Chuk's site could also put this info out there.

I just Emailed Cobourg tourism and told them due to their laws targeting    auto enthusiasts I will be spending my vacation in Michigan rather than Cobourg 

Copy of my reply to the chief of police

 revised my reply..

The above released news article appears to be quite different than what you are stating.. Encouraging citizens to call in to report a neighbour that owns a hot-rod opens a total new can of worms that clearly shows this as attack on hot-rodders and special interest cars.. These cars and their owners bring much needed assistance to many charity’s. How-ever it would appear from the news article that we as hot-rodders and major sponsors of charitable events  are unwelcome in Cobourg..So in light of this we are rescheduling any and all charitable events in Cobourg for the 2016 cruising season..That is unfortunate for those needing and counting on our support .. Offering cash rewards and encouraging citizens to report hot-rodders, modified special interest car enthusiasts is just plain wrong under any circumstances.. Seems to me your police services could be concentrating on all vehicle safety and not a special attack to select hot-rodders.. This is an unfortunate turn of events just as we enter the busy charitable funding shows and events sponsored for and by Shows and events for the auto related summer hobby cars and fund raising..I will be encouraging everyone with a hot rod or modified car to stay away from your territory and sending out notices that recommends our clubs best stay away from Cobourg this cruising season.. This a plain attack against our hobby.. and it is totally unacceptable.. It is pretty pathetic to be requesting people to be misusing the crime stoppers program to report that a neighbour on your street might own a hot-rod or a modified automobile..That is a huge waste of what the program was meant for.. We will be watching this and planning a rebuttal through our political sources at the appropriate time..

Following my latest reply to the Chief of Police I just received this revised media release..from the Chief..

                                                                                                                                  COBOURG POLICE SERVICE

107 King Street West, Cobourg Ontario K9A 2M4

Phone: 905-372-2243        Fax: 905-372-6265

www.CobourgPolice.com

Facebook:  CobourgPoliceService          Twitter: @CobourgPolice

                                                                     MEDIA RELEASE

Date:  August 03^rd, 2016                                                  Time: 1:30 PM

Released By: Deputy Chief VandeGraaf            Phone: 905-372-6821ext 2294                           

Updated Media Release

The Cobourg Police Service has received numerous questions and concerns about this month’s S.T.E.P. initiative. As such this media release is being sent out as a clarification to some issues that some have voice. The primary goal of this initiative is road safety through education and enforcement with officers concentrating their investigations on motor vehicle safety equipment systems.

The Cobourg Police Service will continue to focus our attention on modified vehicles that can be a safety concern for others in the community. Many car enthusiasts do regular modifications to their vehicle to enhance a variety of features. The only modifications that will draw the attention of the police will be those modifications that would cause the vehicle not to meet the changes to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, Ontario Regulations 611 regarding passenger and light duty vehicle inspection standards. Examples of this are after-market mufflers designed to create loud noise, tires set at an angle that cause undue wear and tear on tires rendering them unsafe, obscuring signal indicators or other lighting systems, obscured visibility due to changes in windshields or passenger windows and others.

 This is by no measure aimed at addressing the modifications that are normally made to vehicles that attend the variety of “cruise nights” around Town.

Additionally, it has been brought to our attention that the true focus should be on vehicles that due to their age or neglect are no longer able to pass those same inspection standards. Officers will also be addressing these issues in the month of August.

Any further questions or concerns can be directed to the Deputy Chief of Police. The link to the updated regulations can be found at http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/trucks/pdfs/passenger-light-duty-vehicle-inspection-standard 

Thank you for your concern and feedback.

Subject:   Modified Motor Vehicles –

Selective Traffic Enforcement Project (STEP) – 1 to 31 August, 2016                                                                        

During the month of August 2016, Officers of the Cobourg Police Service will be conducting traffic stops with motor vehicles that appear and are modified from manufacturer’s factory specifications.  Officers will concentrate their investigations on motor vehicle safety equipment systems (steering, suspension, tires, wheels, braking systems, headlights, running lights, brake lights, side mirrors, windshields, horns, exhaust systems, steering wheels, seatbelts, etc) and any modifications made to the motor vehicle.  Drivers who are operating a modified motor vehicle and investigated for such may be charged under various statues such as the Town of Cobourg Noise By-Law, the Highway Traffic Act, the Environmental Protection Act and the Criminal Code, to name a few.

The Cobourg Police Service is determined to make our community roadways as safe as possible, through enforcement and education.  The Police Service has enhanced our traffic patrols with the implementation of the Selective Traffic Enforcement Project (S.T.E.P.); the project is being run from March 2016 to March 2017 focusing on a different topic monthly.

The Cobourg Police Service encourages the community to become involved with this monthly initiative and report motor vehicles that appear to be modified and / or unsafe.

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THEY REALLY DON'T GIVE A CRAP .. i WOULD TRY TO MAKE A SERIOUS ATEMPT TO FIND AND GET ALL RODDERS TO BOYCOTT ALL COBOURG CRUISES AND OR EVENTS .. LET THE ORGANIZERS OF ALL EVENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LACK OF RODDERS THAT WILL COME TO COBOURG WE SHOULD NOTIFY ALL EVENT ORGANIZERS THAT RODDERS WILL NOT SPEND A DIME IN COBOURG THIS CRUZING SEASON... I BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THEM BACK OFF IS TO STAY AWAY FROM ALL COBOURG EVENTS..

My response to the revised Media release..

After careful reading of your reply, it appears that rather than try to reach some dialog to make us feel welcome, it appears you are just digging in your heels.. We will continue to avoid Cobourg and advise our rodding community it would be in their best interest to avoid any activity in Cobourg that would include our cars attending any charitable events .. I will be advising our members that any attendance to any events in Cobourg will be at their peril in light of your harassment of our cars during the summer months.. Thank you for your response to our concerns.. However your answer is unacceptable to provide any assurance to our members that they will not be the subject of police harassment..We will rebuke your decision and find other political ways to challenge this harassment to hot-rodders and special interest cars and the old car hobby..We will not take this lightly as it infringes on our rights and freedoms to be selected for harassment as a minority group  of Canadian citizens enjoying our hobby.. We should not be subject to any special police harassment to target Modified car enthusiasts as a group.

Sincerely

Chuck Armstrong

Ont Rodder Community  

Saw this today. http://www.northumberlandnews.com/news-story/6805580-modified-vehicle-blitz-held-in-cobourg-over-night/

so essentially they will simply pick and choose who they are going to harass, if a particular cop dislikes you or your ride, I haven't drove the buick since golden beach as im sure they would pick it apart till they found something they didn't like.

RELATED STORIES

UPDATE: Cobourg Police clarify...
On Aug. 10 between 8 p.m. and midnight, the Joint Forces Enforcement Team made 11 traffic stops which resulted in nine inspections by the Ministry of Environment of motor vehicle safety equipment.

A total of 15 provincial notices were issued for offences contrary to the Highway Traffic Act, Environmental Protection Act and Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act.

Among the charges were notices for defective brakes, covered headlights, improper mufflers, more than four lighted headlights, improper tires, expired validation, seat-belt offences, fail to stop at red light and fail to surrender insurance cards.

One motor vehicle was placed ‘out of service’ and another deemed as ‘cease operation.’

The initiative of the joint team, which consisted of members of the Cobourg Police Service, Northumberland OPP Traffic Unit and Ministry of Environment, was consistent with the strategic business plan of the Cobourg Police Service, and as set out in media releases that were sent out previously, the service said."




Interesting. Eleven traffic stops and FIFTEEN tickets issued with two seemingly having their plates pulled. That suggests to me that not one single vehicle (of the eleven stopped) made it through the inspection without getting a ticket (just going by averages). I wonder what the difference between "out of service" and "cease operation" is?  Also, what does "more than four lighted headlights even mean"?

Taken from CityNews dot ca


Distracted driving has contributed to twice as many deaths on Ontario roads than impaired driving, Ontario provincial police (OPP) said Monday.

As of mid-August, the OPP investigated 38 deaths involving an inattentive driver, compared to 19 impaired driving-related deaths.

Police say that for the first time since distracted driving laws were introduced in the province in 2009, “driver inattention-related road deaths are poised to double the number of impaired-related deaths this year.”

Ontario stiffened penalties for distracted driving last fall, with a set fine of $490 that a judge could increase to $1,000, plus three demerit points on conviction.

In a statement, OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair said passengers also need to be vigilant when riding in a vehicle.

“Don’t be a passenger of a distracted driver. Recognize that they are endangering your life. Speak up and insist that they focus on the road and on safe driving,” Blair said.

Police say they have investigated more than 600 inattentive driver deaths in the province.

The OPP will be launching its distracted driving campaign over the Labour Day weekend.






Nice to see that Cobourg and Belleville have the public's best interest in mind. Or not.

I sort of have a mixed reaction to this and to some of the reply's. I too would be P'od to get pulled over or harassed. That's because, I know my car will pass any test they do on my car. I keep my car safe. How-ever I do not have any emission equipment on my pre-70s engine. I am not upset that the police are doing their job. I think we all can agree that we have seen a lot of cars/trucks/tuners that caused us to make some remark either to our self or a friend or here on a forum about the build.

I believe there a great many of Tuners, jacked up trucks, and rat-rods that are questionable and we need to police and protect ourselves from bad or unsafe rides. I wonder how many of us make any effort to speak up to some of these owners. Most of us really don't want to get involved in any hassle. But I think it's fair to say some of these should not be on the road and for sure not doing 120 or more on the 400 series highways. I don't want to see anybody hurt or crippled and I sure don't want my family hurt by someone driving an unsafe poorly modified car with bad welds, bad or poor tires, steering that is iffy at best..

I know a lot of skilled, responsible rodders that build above and beyond in the area of safety. I think somewhere we all need to take responsibility for everyone's safety.. While I find it hard to know exactly what all these vehicles were, or what the defects were that they removed the plates from, but out of 15 vehicles they removed the plates from 9...That's a lot .. I wish I knew what the reasons for removing the plates were for..I have a hard time thinking that those enforcement guys got up in the morning planing on taking those vehicles off the road..I do not want crappy poorly built rides on the road..

I think that those who build cars with little or no real concern about the safety spend to much time and money trying to make their ride look like they found the most amount of tin cans , road signs, farm implement parts, and more to make it a one off. I think they are the most dangerous as they tend to be the most irresponsible show offs as well. I think of the the commercial that says Friends don't let friends drive drunk.. Heck a few of the cars I have spotted at some events made we want to get home early before that car left the event.

I am not clear on who the Police, MTO, or The MOE are actually after to get off the road. I have never been bothered, nor do I know anyone personally who has been hassled or stopped with their hot-rod..I do see a few tuners even in my small town that do need a second look and are asking to be stopped.. There is one Honda I see in town with  a transport  5' stack coming out the back of his and up the back of the trunk higher than the roof.. I would say that fella is attracting attention and he is making his own trouble.

I don't like that they lump us all under one umbrella of modified cars. Most guys I know are responsible about safety, but unfortunately there many among us that are not. . I am not judging anyone but, I want the unsafe cars off the road that my family, or friends drive on. I think most of us would want the same, so how do we fix this . I guess living way out here in the boonies I just don't see or hear of anybody being hassled in Stratford or Goderich, or any of the smaller towns in my area..