August 13, 2014
Concerned members of the public have been contacting police following the circulation of a “warning” on social media about allegedly illegal shackles commonly used on trailers.
However there’s no need to rush out to buy new equipment. It’s all a hoax.
A photograph of a poster, apparently taped to a pole, has been shared widely in South Burnett Facebook groups.
The photo claims “cops in Gympie have been pulling over everyone towing a boat or box trailer and issuing a $235 on-the-spot fine”.
Officer-in-charge of the Gympie Road Policing Unit, Sgt Peter Webster, said today Gympie police have not issued any tickets in relation to shackles.
He had also spoken to other police units and they have confirmed the same.
“The police blitz is a myth. And if there is anyone who is claiming to have got a ticket, we would love to speak to them,” he said.
Sgt Webster said the hoax had spread like wildfire.
“I have had phone calls from all over Australia,” he said.
He has also been contacted by towbar manufacturers.
The latest “Safe Towing Guide” issued by the Department of Transport and Main Roads shows “recommended” shackles but there is no legal requirement for the shackle to have a load rating.
“For normal use, the normal size shackle the same size as the chain is ample,” Sgt Webster said.
However, he did advise people to avoid stainless steel shackles.
“Boaties, in particular, like them because they are not prone to rust,” he said.
“However they are more prone to sheer. The stainless steel is more brittle.”
Sgt Webster said he wished he knew who had started the hoax as people had been coming into the police station requesting police inspect their trailers.
“Maybe someone had a lot of shackles that they wanted to sell,” he joked.
Kingaroy police confirmed today they had also had people coming to the front counter concerned about the warning.
They had all been referred to the Department of Transport and Main Roads website.
Information about towing requirements – including towbars, couplings and safety chain connections – is available on the TMR website (26kb PDF)
Not all police know what is legal and what isn’t, or care, some think that if doesn’t look right just write a ticket or in fact arrest someone. I use as a an example the arrest of a Cairns woman for a 20-year-old parking fine. Legislative change was initially blamed for the error, however a subsequent clarifying statement said “police do not have legislative authority to arrest on this occasion, unfortunately the officers involved and their supervisor were unaware of this”.