A Perth driver's complaint about a police officer at a roundabout has turned into one of the most heated r/perth threads of the week, with more than 220 comments arguing over how fast is too fast and how police should behave at a traffic stop.
What the driver says happened
In a post on r/perth, the driver said a police officer on a motorbike was waiting at the give way line of a roundabout as they drove through. They said they slowed down, there was no near miss, and they were not over the speed limit for the street.
The driver said the officer pulled them over, asked them to get out of the car, said they would be getting an infringement for speeding at the roundabout, and spoke to them rudely and aggressively. This is one person's account and the officer's version of events is not known. The driver said they plan to seek a review of any infringement and lodge a complaint.
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Most commenters back the cop
Most of the thread was unsympathetic. Many users pointed out that sticking under the speed limit doesn't mean you're driving to the conditions, and that drivers should slow well down approaching a roundabout. Others noted that police on motorbikes are especially vulnerable to drivers who "send it" into an intersection.
"It's not a chicane, you're supposed to slow down so that collisions are rare." - a Perth Reddit user
A smaller group said that even if the driver was in the wrong, officers should still act professionally, and suggested fitting a dashcam with audio.
Photo: LuvsMG481 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo.
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The rules, and how to complain
In WA, drivers must give way to any vehicle already in a roundabout, as PerthNow has reported. Several commenters also flagged that you can be charged with careless driving without breaking a speed limit.
If you believe an officer acted unprofessionally, Legal Aid WA says you can raise it with the officer in charge of the station or make a formal complaint online, and serious matters can go to the Corruption and Crime Commission. Write down the date, time, place and the officer's details while they're fresh.
Sources: r/perth, PerthNow via Albany Advertiser, Legal Aid WA.
Hero photo: Nachoman-au via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). WA Police motorcycles on the Swan River foreshore. File photo, not the officer involved.
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