Life in the faster lane

Andrew Mathieson
A FITTER and turner made a decision to give up the comfort of a job at Ford to join his “mates” on a bike in Victoria Police.
Little did the Corio patrolman know that 17 years on he would evolve into Geelong’s top traffic cop.
Senior Constable Bob De Bono’s reputation for running down speed demons has become legendary in the force.
“I find it’s never boring,” Bob confesses.
“Every day is different.”
His boss, Ken Scott, speaks of Bob’s “uncanny sixth sense” in catching up to daring motorcyclists.
Bob’s passion for motorbikes emerged before dreams of police chases.
The 41yearold larrikin tells of a family deeprooted in all forms of motorsport and the lessons he learned at a young age.
“Of course I didn’t start (riding motorcycles) real young because I wasn’t allowed to,” Bob chuckles.
“Not until I was old enough to get my licence.”
Bob left Corio Technical School around the same time for a fitter and turner apprenticeship at Ford.
But at 24 he had a change of heart – and career path.
“I had a mate who was a motorcycle copper, too – he just loved it,” Bob tells.
“So, yeah, a lot of my mates did join and my cousins, too, so I thought I’d give it a go.”
Bob was on two years probation before joining the traffic unit in 1992, waiting a further three years before stepping over a bike.
Nine weeks of intense highspeed courses honed his skills further.
“Mentally it was hard but it wasn’t nervewrecking,” he says.
Bob works out of the Corio station but spends many hours on country roads.
His stories span patrols between the West Gate Bridge and South Australia border. Every one of the highspeed chases has its own twist.
Bob leans back in his office chair and smiles as he recalls each.
“There were a lot of memorable ones,” he laughs.
Bob regains his composure and recalls one of the most rewarding captures.
A suspect had given police the slip four or five times before.
A colleague of Bob’s was in pursuit of the rider on the Princes Freeway when roadworks had cut the speed limit to 80.
But Bob was sitting in wait ahead after cleverly stopping all traffic to catch his man.
“As I got out of the car as he drove towards me I jumped out in front of him and grabbed him,” Bob recalls.
“He wasn’t expecting it. He hit the brakes and I just grabbed his keys.”
Bob also remembers a chase around Shell Parade at over 180km/h on a wet road.
It was the only time the accomplished cyclist felt fear.
“I eventually caught him but I just about lost it going around the corner,” he admits.
Another time Bob remembers a speeding motorcyclist risking life and limb.
He went through boom gates only seconds before a train went past.
“I said ‘That’s enough for me’,” Bob remembers.
Now 41, Bob knows the day is coming when he walks away from the bike and moves into patrol cars fulltime.
“I’m getting a bit old to ride bikes now,” he sighs.
“In the cars there are blokes who at 55 are driving like they’re still 20.
“The motorbikes are a bit different in my view – I don’t think I have many years left.”