Ardent search for hills hoons

By Kath Gannaway
POLICE will continue to saturate the Melba, Maroondah and Warburton highways as part of Operation Super Ardent.
The operation is part of an offensive on the road toll which last year claimed 36 lives.
Over the past three years, Victoria’s road toll has had a significant increase during October. Of the 36 deaths, 10 were motorcyclists.
Yarra Ranges is one of the eight high-risk areas State Highway Patrol officers, members of the Operations Response Unit and local police will be targeting for speed, distraction, dangerous driving and drug and alcohol offences.
SHP member, Leading Senior Constable Gary Schipper said police can test on the spot for alcohol and drugs and that they would be targeting the high speed 80 to 100 zones on the three Yarra Valley highways.
“We’ll be saturating those major highways and focusing on the higher speed zones where the majority of fatalities occur,” he said.
Leading Sen Const Schipper was with colleagues at Yarra Glen last week , with high-visibility cars and bikes. But they said motorists won’t always see them coming with the mix of marked and unmarked cars.
Leading Sen Const Darryl Jones said police were embracing the changes to the hoon laws, which can see drivers and drivers lose their vehicle for 30 days.
“Some thought it was a bit of a joke when it was two days, but now it’s 30 and costing them anything from $800 to $1500 they’re not happy,” he said.
A 49-year-old motor bike rider caught doing 150 at Noojee earlier this month was one of the not-so-happy ones.
The officers said they would test for drugs and alcohol and offered a warning that cannabis hangs around for 24 hours, methamphetamine hangs around for a week.
“Our testing doesn’t give percentages (on drugs) it merely says if you have any in your system and it’s illegal to have any in your system,” Leading Sen Const Schipper said.
“It could be a miniscule amount, but if it shows up you are charged.
Police attention on the Yarra Valley highways – popular with motorcyclists, will not end on 31 October the officers told the Mail.
“We’ll be out there every day,” Leading Sen Const Schipper said.