Speeding Advice

[chunder]

Drove 600kms Kalbarri to Perth yesterday and 5kms from home, where the 110kmh single lane goes into a 90kmh dual carrigeway (no I don't understand that either) some crazy bloke with what looked like a gun ran into the middle of my lane and stood there with his hand up.

After being beckoned off the road he shows me a hand held radar of 111kmh and gives me a ticket for $250 and 6 demerit points (double points over Easter - not that it was over Easter yet though).

I'm rather anoyed at this - have a clean license at the moment and wish to contest this on principle, the principle being they should bugger off and leave me alone and do some real policing.

Any advice ?
Insufficient signage in speed limit reduction ?
Calibration of radar gun (I saw him as soon as I came round a corner about 500m away, braked hard immediately, glanced at the speedo which was 95 and dropping, he was already out in the road - must have had 1 second to get a bead on me, maybe he'as also a marksman)?
Any options ?

[Colonial]

How long between the change in speed zones to when you got booked?

[madazrx7]

What's to say the reading wasn't from a previous car? They could just keep it on there all day and keep the bonuses racking up...

[RCA]

Hi Bob, Hows it going?
Unfortunately as much as it really sucks I doubt you will win whatever you do!!
They refuse outright to back down, ever!! Even though its utter cr*p, Due to the huge campaign going on right now, you know the one, catch the decent motorists and make them pay and let the hoons do what they want, they are using zero tolerance. The 12 deathes already this weekend not helping matters.
I have spent the last 2 months arguing a speeding ticket to no avail. The ticket was at 11pm out in the hills, only a $50 fine no points, but the three photos they are supposed to produce showed a pair of headlights (could have been any car), a number plate (still no actual picture of the car as it was dark, could have been any car), and the third one (supposedly of the driver) was just black.
They said I had to say who was driving as the onus is on the owner, not a problem if they sent me the ticket say 2 weeks after it happened, I might have known then, but no, they sent me the ticket 4 MONTHS after the alleged offence!!
Still they will not admit they are at fault in any way. I'd like them to tell me where they were 4 months ago on a certain day because buggered if I can remember!!!

anyhow Good Luck with it!!!
Rich

[madazrx7]

Rich have they changed the law yet to make the owner responsible? I know they have talked about it but I didn't think it had happened?
I had a Camera ticket a few years ago and went to see the photo. Couldn't see the driver and couldn't tell them who it was. Wrote a letter and never heard any more.
Tim

[ozzie dave]

Check the cop is "certified" for the use of the gun, and check the gun was properly calibrated, this would have to be in court but they DO make mistakes and hope they are not chalenged.

[deviant]

I always thought that cameras or hand held radar doobies had to be a certain distance from a change in the speed limit?

I would be questioning his ability to get a bead on you and take an accurate measurement if he was near a corner....did he get you in the few seconds he had from when you turned the corner? Or did he get you from an odd angle before the corner in which case the fine cant stick as he didnt use the radar properly.

I am sick of the super strict speed limits here...sometimes you need to accelerate beyond the speed limit to put yourself in a safe position on the road (normally to get past the person that just dawdled onto the highway doing 65) but the popo dont seem to care...

[RCA]

madazrx7 said:

Rich have they changed the law yet to make the owner responsible? I know they have talked about it but I didn't think it had happened?
I had a Camera ticket a few years ago and went to see the photo. Couldn't see the driver and couldn't tell them who it was. Wrote a letter and never heard any more.
Tim

Hi Tim,
Yes they changed it around christmas time, owner is now responsible for who was driving, if you can't say then you take the rap.

Rich

[RCA]

chunder said:

Drove 600kms Kalbarri to Perth yesterday and 5kms from home, where the 110kmh single lane goes into a 90kmh dual carrigeway (no I don't understand that either) some crazy bloke with what looked like a gun ran into the middle of my lane and stood there with his hand up.

After being beckoned off the road he shows me a hand held radar of 111kmh and gives me a ticket for $250 and 6 demerit points (double points over Easter - not that it was over Easter yet though).

I'm rather anoyed at this - have a clean license at the moment and wish to contest this on principle, the principle being they should bugger off and leave me alone and do some real policing.

Any advice ?
Insufficient signage in speed limit reduction ?
Calibration of radar gun (I saw him as soon as I came round a corner about 500m away, braked hard immediately, glanced at the speedo which was 95 and dropping, he was already out in the road - must have had 1 second to get a bead on me, maybe he'as also a marksman)?
Any options ?

One thing I forgot to add Bob, They radar guns have to give a + or - 2/3kmh for accuracy reasons, you could argue that you were under 110 not doing 111kmh, if the gun said 111 it could quite easily have been 109 which you would still get a ticket for but less $$ and less points as it would be in the bracket below. i.e. 2 demerits and $100. (I got told this last time I got stung, the copper actually told me as his gun said 1kmh above like yourself but he wrote me a ticket for 2kmh less so I got less points and a smaller fine!!) Remember they do actually want you to keep your license, that way they make more money in the long run!!

[308mate]

I read this and laugh at the people who claim speeding is over policed here in the UK.

A few weeks back, I went from Manchester to Bournemouth in 3hrs flat, including 2 fuel stops doing 160kmh+ most of the way.

Only saw 1 cop and he was going the opposite way on the motorway.

If it makes you feel any better OP, 2 Bunbury coppers got me TWICE in 50 minutes a few christmases ago and it was double demerits. I blew 20 points and 850 bucks that day.

Edited by 308MATE on Thursday 3rd May 13:50

[Pasco]

308mate said:

I read this and laugh at the people who claim speeding is over policed here in the UK.

A few weeks back, I went from Manchester to Bournemouth in 3hrs flat, including 2 fuel stops doing 160kmh+ most of the way.

Only saw 1 cop and he was going the opposite way on the motorway.

If it makes you feel any better OP, a 2 Bunbury coppers got me in 50 minutes a few christmases ago and it was d.demerits. Blew 20 points and 850 bucks that day.

Sorry mate what is your point ? can not understand what you are trying to say on the last part of your post

[robinoz]

He's saying he got screwed in ozzie. To be fair I read other UK forums and the talk of massive speeds is common

Edited by robinoz on Saturday 21st April 14:08

[Pasco]

robinoz said:

He's saying he got screwed in ozzie. To be fair I read other UK forums and the talk of massive speeds is common

Edited by robinoz on Saturday 21st April 14:08

O right i understand now cheers

[chunder]

Colonial said:

How long between the change in speed zones to when you got booked?

Just been back up the road and seems I was badly mistaken - it's 90 for about 10kms with at least 6 signs so there goes that excuse.

I guess in a way I was lucky because I had been travelling much much quicker earlier on the trip albeit on good roads with good visibility in a capable car with no other traffic around in the middle of nowhere.

Still annoyed yet and still toying with the idea of taking it too court even if only to argue that it's rather harsh.

[chunder]

ozzie dave said:

Check the cop is "certified" for the use of the gun, and check the gun was properly calibrated, this would have to be in court but they DO make mistakes and hope they are not chalenged.

How do I do this - do I just opt for court and when 6 mths later they give me the date turn up and ask whether the guy is certified and the gun was calibrated ? What if they just answer yes or will it mean an adjournment till they can come back with the relevant info ? Can I query this in writing before the court date ?

[chunder]

deviant said:

I always thought that cameras or hand held radar doobies had to be a certain distance from a change in the speed limit?

I would be questioning his ability to get a bead on you and take an accurate measurement if he was near a corner....did he get you in the few seconds he had from when you turned the corner? Or did he get you from an odd angle before the corner in which case the fine cant stick as he didnt use the radar properly.

I am sick of the super strict speed limits here...sometimes you need to accelerate beyond the speed limit to put yourself in a safe position on the road (normally to get past the person that just dawdled onto the highway doing 65) but the popo dont seem to care...

There is a slight lh corner going over the crest of a hill. I was overtaking a car and in the rh lane and the copper was on the left of the road 300 metres distant. I saw him immediately and hit the brakes and he almost immediately walked into the road. The crest is unsighted so he could have only got me the instant I appeared over the hill.
When pulled over he said the first reading was 114 and the second 111 whish is what he was giving me a ticket for.
I seriously doubt that he had time to get one reading let alone two but my word against his - although I did have others in the car.
How do I go about questioning whether or not he did get me - after all as someone said the reading could have been from any car in which case what can you do ?
Once in the UK coming out of London I was followed by cops and as I knew they were behind me I stuck exactly to the limit. With a mile to go before the Mway entrance they dropped back - then sped up to way past the limit, slowed, pulled behind and pulled me over. Showed me the in car speed thingy at way over the limit and gave me a ticket, and that's the truth. Just paid it as couldn't be bothered going to the magistrates in London.

[chunder]

robinoz said:

He's saying he got screwed in ozzie. To be fair I read other UK forums and the talk of massive speeds is common

Edited by robinoz on Saturday 21st April 14:08

111km/hr is not massive speed though, not on a dual carriageway in good weather and visibility in a new car.

[madazrx7]

chunder said:

robinoz said:

He's saying he got screwed in ozzie. To be fair I read other UK forums and the talk of massive speeds is common

Edited by robinoz on Saturday 21st April 14:08

111km/hr is not massive speed though, not on a dual carriageway in good weather and visibility in a new car.

I read that and assumed it was a typo, ie he meant to say "massive fines are common?

[deviant]

Jeez the reading he got against you sounds pretty dodgy to me!!

He was 300 meters away...

He was blind to you but then as soon as you come over the hill he steps out into the road...

You were alongside another car, can he be sure he pulled over the right person? I know that if you are photographed the fine wont stick if there is more than 1 vehicle in the image.

Did you see him point his radar at you?

I reckon he had the reading on there from someone else and was just looking for people who 'looked' to fast or looking out for the people who stand on the brakes when they spot him.
As you say though...your word V his and I am pretty sure I know whos word will be listened to in court!! In the end it might just be easier (an cheaper!!) to just pay up and drive slowly for however long you hold points for.

I agree...people in the UK have got NFI about strict speed limits and cameras!!!!

[Pasco]

Yes you are quite right

When i visited Perth in February it struck me just how much you can get away with on UK roads compared to OZ.

A fact that most of us take for granted and continue to moan about fixed Gatso's IMHO