By Casey Neill
Car meets are causing heated confrontations in Dandenong South.
Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Scott Roberts is warning the “motoring enthusiasts” involved that if they didn’t start respecting other road users, his team would start issuing fines.
“We’re getting a lot of congregation in the Dandenong South area,” he said.
“They’re blocking roads and access into service stations, more specifically.
“This is causing a lot of angst among truck drivers and other drivers with a genuine need to use these facilities.”
Sen Sgt Roberts said there was a confrontation between two motorists in recent weeks.
“It’s the actions of these people who are coming down and congregating,” he said.
“They’re creating these confrontations with other motorists who are just trying to use the roads lawfully.”
He said police had powers under Greater Dandenong bylaws to fine those involved in the gatherings.
“They’ve been getting warnings and they will be getting notices,” he said.
“If they continue to do it they will be fined and I think it’s about $250 a pop.
“We don’t want to do it, but if they continue when they’ve been warned….”
Sen Sgt Roberts said his team would issue the fines “out of fairness to everybody who’s looking to use the roads and public areas”, to prevent confrontations and allow people freedom of movement.
“They don’t want to feel threatened if they’re going about their normal life,” he said.
“We will be seeking, at some stage, to start enforcing the bylaw if people refuse to stop.”
In February last year, the Journal reported that Greater Dandenong councillors had amended local laws to facilitate the fines Sen Sgt Roberts was referring to.
They expanded regulated activities provisions to include public gatherings, processions, rallies and demonstrations, and to cover people organising or participating in an event in instances where someone has used social media to arrange a gathering but has not attended.
The changes followed submissions from police trying to curb hoon behaviour and enable officers to require any person at an unauthorised gathering to leave.
The Journal first reported Sen Sgt Roberts’ push for these changes in June 2013.
He said the behaviour was drawing “precious resources” away from where they were needed most and that police would use the bylaws in addition to operations with marked and unmarked police cars, hidden cameras and vehicle impound measures.
