Speeding Advice

[912uk]

No your right I am from the UK and i was in Perth and all I can say about coppers and speed is what a bunch of F****s

Talk about Pee people off.. you guys drive at 100ks on the freeway which is nothing we do 120-130 on av here. and then if you get done doing 105k's your stuffed..

I mean to be honest I was there when 12 people where killed.. I have to say as i say about US driving.. put fancy cars with Macy D's cup holders and french fries holds in the car and tell people to drive long distance at 60mph and what will they do... eat the food drink the drink and not notice half of what they are doing when they driving along ....

you guys like in the US where accidents are high.. is drive faster.. be more alert and give the motorist a break.. if some one does 105k's for 1/2 a mile with out noticing it's NOT the end of the world it's the ones doing 150'ks and couldn't get a toss that need the fines and points.... all the heavy handed Oz rules will do , will make the driver resent the coppers...

I saw a camera... on the slip road in Perth.. it was about 100 yards from the freeway and the 100k's sign...so even though the road is one way and every one is going to accelerate to get speed up to join the freeway... you had to be doing 60k's... it was flashing like a fair ground ride... that's not fair putting it there.. it's there 100% to make money...

I feel for you guys in OZ... it's black mail by the cops.... start kicking up a stink... I will be joining you in a few years... when I move over.. I mean parking on the street and you have to have your car facing the right way!!! what's all that about!!! I love Oz but you have too many American rules and too much American influance... start being Oz's

Sorry i feel very strongly about this.. it's a great place and a great bunch of people.. but too much of the wrong infulance..

[chunder]

I intend to take a stand on this and as such have written to the Infringement Office, as advised to do when I queried what the process was, stating that the officer didn't have time to get a reading, that I was too far away anyway, was he qualified to use it and was it calibrated as I was only travelling at 100km/h - still over the limit but because of a downhill incline and trying to complete an overtaking manouvre safely without getting in the way of other drivers.
I also questioned the safety of pulling someone over to the grass and trees on a median strip between high speed dual carriageways (well they seem to think it's high speed), not giving me the opportunity to explain the circumstances or query the reading, sending me out into the outside lane after giving me the ticket with no protection from oncoming vehicles and the advisability in general of having police officers walk into the middle of a high speed dual carriageway to flag down "speeding" drivers.
Apparently they will investigate and get back to me prior to me having to decide whether to contest in court or pay the fine.

I have just received notification that they will write to me soon for a court date for another outstanding infringement I have. Early December, pulled at 112 on the freeway by an unmarked car. Idiot Officer gave me the choice of taking the speeding (1 point $100) or failing to move over (2 points $50). I knew I had no chance on the speeding so took the failing to move over - this is not failing to pull over for a police car, just failing to move into an inside lane. I stated at the time that I was in the middle lane and he must have written his notes up on top of the ticket because it has come through on the carbon copy - driver stated was in the middle lane as an excuse.
Checked the law next day and there is no offence for driving at the speed limit in the middle lane of a three lane freeway - offence is if you stay in the outside lane. Elected for court which has now taken 5 months for me to be sent a letter telling me they will send another letter when a court date has been arranged.
This delay may be useful for some drivers as the demerit points only apply at the point the matter is dealt with by a court or the fine paid. If you are sitting on 10 and pick up a 3 point fine but are due to have some points drop off within 6 months just elect to challenge in court and string it out - may save losing your license.

[Pasco]

Hi Bob Good on ya for making a stand

Good Luck and keep us informed mate.

Cheer's

Paul

[deviant]

I have HEARD about people using the police officer uniform and equipment against them in cases like this..

I.E. Was he wearing his hat, a high vis jacket, using an illuminated baton to flag you down (I dont know about you but I cant make out hand signals from 300M away!!), was his car illuminated?

I think the theory behind people mentioning this is that if the officer cannot follow procedures to cover his own safety how can he possibly be following procedures for a complex piece of speed detection equipment or follow procedures to ensure your safety.

I have often wondered myself about being pulled over by a bloke with a radar...in the 'burbs its easy enough but what am I supposed to do on the freeway?!!? Especially as all the times I have seen them they are on the central reservation under a bridge. There is no bloody way I am going to jam my brakes on to try and pull over to where he is stood and I am not going to try and cross a lane to get to his side either!!

[nickpage]

hi bob

I've got cruise control on both my daily drivers - swear by it, mate. Mind you - had none in the Cerbie , but managed no tickets in 4.5 yrs and 10,000 miles of sensible attentive driving (yes speedo was in miles not kms). Now managed no points/fines since August 1997. Not trying to be a goody two shoes or boast or anything, but just to suggest you use cruise control all the time, or get it or a radar detector fitted - it pays for itself very quickly. Ken Charlesworth will concur. Of course I speed but on a long weekend on major arterial roads in WA you have to be 10 times more diligent and you HAVE to expect one when the speed limit comes down as you enter into a built up area. The plod are all a bunch of c**ts with nothing better to do than revenue raise - assume the worse and drive accordingly, it only adds a few minutes to the journey anyway.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

nick

[chunder]

Hi Nick,

I know what you are saying - I've never been troubled in the TVR nor any of the other cars I have used regularly until I took the company option and now have a Hyundai Sonata V6. Clean license up until that point but driving back from Kalbarri was a case in point - I found driving at 90 my attention was wandering whereas slightly quicker I was actually focussed on what I was doing.
Obviously it was avoidable, they always are, my point being that they shouldn't have to be. On an almost daily basis I put up with idiots doing doughnuts through my "quiet" suburb, see examples of what to me should be license removing behaviour on these major arterial roads and yet never, ever see a police presence. If the measures that were taken genuinely reduced danger to other road users, pedestrians and property then I would be behind them 100% - as I am reduced limits in suburban areas. But they aren't.
Amongst other things I run a vehicle fleet at work with 120 cars and therefore receive both insurance claims and traffic infringements for all drivers. Those that I know are good safe drivers occasionally get speeding infringements, those that I know are bad drivers regularly submit insurance claims, some of which involve injury.
I know which group should be under pressure from road safety advocates and I know which group is actually under pressure on the roads and somewhere it's all going badly wrong.
Off my soapbox now - hopefully see you Sunday at the British Car Day - I imagine we can play spot the speed camera on the way as they will be out in force.

Regards

PS By police presence I don't mean cameras, I refer to actual police in cars or on bikes using common sense to pull people who shouldn't be allowed to own a car.

Edited by chunder on Friday 18th May 02:16

[madazrx7]

chunder said:

...Off my soapbox now - hopefully see you Sunday at the British Car Day - I imagine we can play spot the speed camera on the way as they will be out in force.
...

Where's that then? This Sunday 20/5? (bugger if so as I'm working all weekend)

[chunder]

British Car Day at Gingin - 3rd Sunday in May every year. Good turnout this year as well, especially TVR with 6 there including an 03 Tuscan which generated a lot of interest.

Was a great run there, 3 cars with 13.5 litres and some 1000hp between them, all trundling along clear roads in rural areas at 90kmh.

[robinoz]

madazrx7 said:

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?

I meant that guys in the UK drive at over 100mph+ daily then come to aussie and get busted big time. Rude awakening tbh. I remember breaking the speed limit all the time in the UK where safe to do so. Try that here and your f*****

[Night Rider]

The way I look at it and all of you should, how many times have you driven over the speed limit, not indicated, Illegal U turns, overtaken on un-broken lines & general - well no one can see me do this - just cop it sweet and remember the stuff you have got away with. You will get your points back, you will forget about the couple of hundred dollars.

robinoz said:

madazrx7 said:

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?

I meant that guys in the UK drive at over 100mph+ daily then come to aussie and get busted big time. Rude awakening tbh. I remember breaking the speed limit all the time in the UK where safe to do so. Try that here and your f*****

[Pasco]

robinoz said:

madazrx7 said:

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?

I meant that guys in the UK drive at over 100mph+ daily then come to aussie and get busted big time. Rude awakening tbh. I remember breaking the speed limit all the time in the UK where safe to do so. Try that here and your f*****

Yep put me off coming over to tell you the struth !!

Any new's Chunder ?

[brenmona]

Night Rider said:

The way I look at it and all of you should, how many times have you driven over the speed limit, not indicated, Illegal U turns, overtaken on un-broken lines & general - well no one can see me do this - just cop it sweet and remember the stuff you have got away with. You will get your points back, you will forget about the couple of hundred dollars.

robinoz said:

madazrx7 said:

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?

I meant that guys in the UK drive at over 100mph+ daily then come to aussie and get busted big time. Rude awakening tbh. I remember breaking the speed limit all the time in the UK where safe to do so. Try that here and your f*****

I just got a ticket through for speeding when I was in Perth Dec 06, Got $160 and 3 points from a camera hidden beside a tree, 20kmh over the limit. Gotta laugh really, I reckon i'll lose my license in around 4 weeks when I move over. When i was over year before last, was driving from perth to monkey Mia got pulled at 6am doing 120kmh, copper went mad at me, like I had raped or murdered someone, i tried to explain that i hadnt seen another car in over 2 hours in either direction, and that in truth on a double lane road 120km wasnt the end of the world. Conversation took a turn for the worse, ended up that I had to sit in the passenger seat and was told to make wife drive, as I must have clearly lost concentration due to driving so long, how else could i be driving at such a huuuuuge speed ???

[madazrx7]

Night Rider said:

The way I look at it and all of you should, how many times have you driven over the speed limit, not indicated, Illegal U turns, overtaken on un-broken lines & general - well no one can see me do this - just cop it sweet and remember the stuff you have got away with. You will get your points back, you will forget about the couple of hundred dollars.

That doesn't make sense. Most of us here are good drivers, we don't generally do any of the stupidly dangerous things you mention. We drive safely and within our limits. What we object to is being demonised by the police & media because we know it is safe to drive faster than most of the ridiculous speed limits, especially on the open road.

[madazrx7]

brenmona said:

I just got a ticket through for speeding when I was in Perth Dec 06, Got $160 and 3 points from a camera hidden beside a tree, 20kmh over the limit. Gotta laugh really, I reckon i'll lose my license in around 4 weeks when I move over. When i was over year before last, was driving from perth to monkey Mia got pulled at 6am doing 120kmh, copper went mad at me, like I had raped or murdered someone, i tried to explain that i hadnt seen another car in over 2 hours in either direction, and that in truth on a double lane road 120km wasnt the end of the world. Conversation took a turn for the worse, ended up that I had to sit in the passenger seat and was told to make wife drive, as I must have clearly lost concentration due to driving so long, how else could i be driving at such a huuuuuge speed ???

That is exactly the sort of thing I mean, I wonder how many police really believe this? The media and general public are submitting to the brainwashing that speed is the biggest issue in the road toll. I (and others who actually think about it) are sickened by the cynical revenue raising and not addressing the real problems.

[Pasco]

madazrx7 said:

brenmona said:

I just got a ticket through for speeding when I was in Perth Dec 06, Got $160 and 3 points from a camera hidden beside a tree, 20kmh over the limit. Gotta laugh really, I reckon i'll lose my license in around 4 weeks when I move over. When i was over year before last, was driving from perth to monkey Mia got pulled at 6am doing 120kmh, copper went mad at me, like I had raped or murdered someone, i tried to explain that i hadnt seen another car in over 2 hours in either direction, and that in truth on a double lane road 120km wasnt the end of the world. Conversation took a turn for the worse, ended up that I had to sit in the passenger seat and was told to make wife drive, as I must have clearly lost concentration due to driving so long, how else could i be driving at such a huuuuuge speed ???

That is exactly the sort of thing I mean, I wonder how many police really believe this? The media and general public are submitting to the brainwashing that speed is the biggest issue in the road toll. I (and others who actually think about it) are sickened by the cynical revenue raising and not addressing the real problems.

I find the whole situation a little strange tbh
You can have big hassel for 30 kliks over the limit on very safe roads yet the nutcase hooners can rip up the suburbs during the night without any cop involvement why is that

[madazrx7]

Pasco said:

I find the whole situation a little strange tbh
You can have big hassel for 30 kliks over the limit on very safe roads yet the nutcase hooners can rip up the suburbs during the night without any cop involvement why is that

Not sure what situation you refer to? but the fact is they miss the really dangerous stuff because they focus their attention where it will raise the maximum revenue. So speed traps on freeways and open roads where the limit is too low and a large % of people will exceed it, and not where you get the odd 1 or 2 doing something really dangerous.
Don't forget, this is "business", the aim is profitability, not road safety

[chunder]

Pasco said:

Yep put me off coming over to tell you the struth !!

Any new's Chunder ?

I received a final demand with a further $13 fine !

I queried this as I hadn't had my queries answered and was told the final demand was the answer - that the copper had responded to my queries by stating that the fine still stood.

I told them this was unacceptable, that I needed ANSWERS to my queries before I knew whether to pay the fine or go to court and in the end they agreed, have put the fine on hold pending a written response to my queries.

I have the other one in court on 21st Aug where I was fined $50 and 2 points for failing to move over from the right hand lane when I had the opportunity - even though I was in the middle lane and it actually states that on the ticket I was given as the coppers notes came through on the carbon copy. He has now issued a statement which says that I offered no defebce at the time, whilst on the carbon in his handwriting it says sriver stated he was in the middle lane. This is perjury and I am currently in the process of giving him the opportunity to drop the infringement.

Will let you know how I go on both counts - I don't fancy sitting on 8 points for 3 years.

[PomBstard]

robinoz said:

madazrx7 said:

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?

I meant that guys in the UK drive at over 100mph+ daily then come to aussie and get busted big time. Rude awakening tbh. I remember breaking the speed limit all the time in the UK where safe to do so. Try that here and your f*****

Oh yes!!! I got around this by driving a truck for the first three months

On the subject of low speed limits and how dangerous they can be, I think the Italians raised their autostrada limit to 150kmh on the basis that to drive faster you had to concentrate more - now that's proper thinking. Driving from Melbourne to Sydney takes soooooooooooooooo long cos you're sat at 110kmh on roads that would be safe for 180 - I'd love to be able to knock a couple of hours off that trip. And don't even get me started on the Sydney to Brisbane trip.

Looking forward to the court case update.

[nickpage]

Now the fuzz and the sharp suited advertising agency are trying a new track.....got this from the BBC website. Time to tell us how big it is Bob!!!

"Australian drivers hit below belt Australia anti-speeding campaign"

Images of road deaths have not curbed speeding, says the RTA. A new Australian ad campaign is seeking to reduce road deaths by questioning the manhood of speeding drivers.

The series of TV ads shows women shaking their pinkie finger - a gesture used to symbolise a small penis - as speeding male motorists race past.

The $A1.9m (£805,400, US$1.6m) campaign aims to make speeding socially unacceptable among young drivers.

The "Speeding. No-one Thinks Big of You" campaign will run on TV, in cinemas, at bus shelters and online.

The shock tactics of previous adverts that showed disturbing images of death and injury in road crashes have not worked, says the New South Wales state government authority behind the ads, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA).

Exposure to "computer games, modern media ... and horror films" had desensitised many young males to the violent images of those campaigns, RTA spokesman John Whelan told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

The new ads include one young driver revving his engine and rushing through traffic lights in front of two young women and another racing past a female pedestrian.

After both incidents the women wave their pinkies in slow motion with knowing glances.

"We will do what we feel we have to, to get the message through," Mr Whelan said.

Speeding is a factor in about 40% of road deaths in NSW each year, according to RTA figures.

The ad campaign coincides with the introduction of new restrictions on learner drivers, including a ban on all mobile phone use, limits on the number of young passengers allowed and tougher speeding penalties.

[PomBstard]

I'm still waiting for the female version - or is it OK to be sexist if its for their own good? Perhaps we could have a group of yound lads watching a Sheila burn her SS ute up the road, saying, "Tch, I bet she gives crap head."

Or would that be wrong?