Arhh Red Light.....Driving Fines/Demerit Points

Like many thinks when it comes to government, they take good principles and turn them into justification for financial suppression of honest people. They take the intent then focus on maximising revenue from applying the law. Here in Victoria, they have been caught repeatedly tweaking cameras to, ... sorry, incorrectly callobrating cameras that result in increased penalties and fine revenue.

This is the latest story... http://m.theage.com.au/victoria/bun...should-be-refunded-report-20121109-291u2.html

Write a letter to dispute the fine. Ask for proof. Apply your weight against the momentum of the system.

Victimless crime is a falsehood from the get go. Accept that and You are just an ATM for the government to extract money from.
 
honey stacker said:
I'm pretty sure in NSW it takes 3 years from when you lose a point till it comes back. So 2 points March 2011 and 2 more June 2011 would come back March 2014 and then June 2014. This is how I remember it, probably different in each state.
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That is correct in NSW. It happened to me and cruise control became my best friend.
Fortunately we also have 13 points so when was sitting on 9 points I still had one 3 point misdemeanor left before I lost the licence... Then job... Then possibly house...
 
Man.... over 10oz silver fine.

Ouchie.

Look at it another way, if the fine is deemed excessive, do you think next time you're more likely to run a red or really pay more attention to your surroundings?

I think the purpose of the fine is as much to act as a deterrent as it is revenue raising.

If I lost 10oz like that, I'd be damn well sure in the future I was allowing more reaction time too.

That said, I wouldn't assume anyone in an 'at fault' accident actually expected to be in one.

I've lost several family members and friends to car accidents and the loss to those related to them is far more than 10oz of silver I have to say.

Not having a go at anyone, just a reminder that there's far more at stake here than the economic cost to think about.

Imagine how you'd feel Ernster if your lapse of concentration killed a family on their way home. 10oz of silver would seem rather insignificant then, eh?
 
I think people rarely think about the cars following them. I've seen some real crazy people stop on the orange, lock the brakes up even.

As for fines, I recall Sweden has means tested fines - so the fine increases based on income.

I'd say a $500 fine would hurt a pensioner a lot, but probably not some young fella who works in the mines.

People make mistakes. A camera cannot judge intent.
 
My nav-girl tells me what the speed limit is every time I go above it. This happens roughly every 10 or 15 mins. I'm sure glad I don't get booked every time I hear "the speed limit is x kms per hour"
and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.

Auspm said:
Man.... over 10oz silver fine.

Ouchie.

Look at it another way, if the fine is deemed excessive, do you think next time you're more likely to run a red or really pay more attention to your surroundings?

I think the purpose of the fine is as much to act as a deterrent as it is revenue raising.

If I lost 10oz like that, I'd be damn well sure in the future I was allowing more reaction time too.

That said, I wouldn't assume anyone in an 'at fault' accident actually expected to be in one.

I've lost several family members and friends to car accidents and the loss to those related to them is far more than 10oz of silver I have to say.

Not having a go at anyone, just a reminder that there's far more at stake here than the economic cost to think about.

Imagine how you'd feel Ernster if your lapse of concentration killed a family on their way home. 10oz of silver would seem rather insignificant then, eh?
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Good point Auspm. A sat-nav type monitor fitted to every car, that could automatically detect things like speeding and red light running, wether or not the car was registered etc would surely make drivers a lot more cautious when driving, particularly if it was capable of issuing on the spot fines. Think of all the lives that would be saved and all the man hours police could use for other crime! We wouldn't even need speed cameras.
 
Dogmatix said:
I think people rarely think about the cars following them. I've seen some real crazy people stop on the orange, lock the brakes up even.

As for fines, I recall Sweden has means tested fines - so the fine increases based on income.

I'd say a $500 fine would hurt a pensioner a lot, but probably not some young fella who works in the mines.

People make mistakes. A camera cannot judge intent.
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you aren't that guy that's always tailgating me are you? I slow down for them, just so they can get round me easier. :P
 
they've got GPS tracking systems for trucks (currently run them in the EU, Australia's been working with the frieght industry for a few years to roll ours out... they're called ITS Intelligent Transport System.
 
I'm fairly relaxed about the orange lights and usually pick a point on the road, after which I won't stop if the light changes.

It makes for relaxed driving and gives me a chance to pay attention to what is going on around me.

So then when some good citizen decides to slam their brakes on in front of me at the very moment the light goes orange, then it causes some problems...

The way I see it, it's the difference between keeping the traffic flowing and being a respectful driver, vs. the two other extremes: early brakers and red light runners.

It's those people on the fringe that cause the problems for everyone else.
 
Clawhammer said:
^^^
they've got 'em for trucks... they're called ITS Intelligent Transport System.
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Santos has their Big Brother. Their driving routes have been programmed. If you speed in your car then you get a phone call from the Brisbane office telling you that you were speeding. Three strikes and you are out. That is a good deterrent.

All the talk about revenue raising. While it is in many areas, imo the fines and points and the threat of losing your licence definately makes you aware of what you are doing and your surroundings. Yes mistakes are made, and i was sweating on mine for a while, but that is the point, to get you to concentrate while you are driving. It only takes one kid to be hit and your life has changed (not to mention the kid).
 
It can be hard waiting to turning right with the way people run the lights these days. One turn I make regularly you are often sitting in the middle waiting to turn and the lights have completely changed before you get a chance.
 
Ernster said:
Silver Soul said:
So are you trying to sell a sob story that your gunna loose $500 because you are in the wrong? Mate if you did run that red light! "Then U deserve it."
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I don't think thats completely fair. It depends how late you where. It's not like I purposely went through a red light that was red for a while. It was like 1 second too late. It posed no danger at all.

I'm not complaining about being fined, but $500+ is not right. Most people who get caught are not trouble makers and it was an accident, it's not done on purpose. I fail to see how a $100 fine (compared to a $500 fine) would be less effective in stopping red light runners. It's pure revenue raising.
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Whether it is fair or not is relative. Whether it is a revenue raiser or speed deterrent is relative.

It's like arguing that the Law of Gravity is not fair ie if you jump out the window of a 20 storey building, you are going to fall down, drop like a stone (keep BASE jumping out of this for the moment). You aren't going to fly like a bird.

Work within the parameters of the law (even if you think it's unfair) and focus your energy on more productive activities (like ways to generate more cash to buy more PMs!).

I've been pinged before for exceeding the speed limit late one evening with not another soul in sight. Got the ticket from the nice policeman who was obviously demonstrating to his new (work experience) side kick how to issue a fine.
The next day, driving along the same road, I noticed other drivers exceeding the speed limit and Mr Plod was no where in sight.

Just? Unfair? I accepted I had to cop it sweet.

Railing against it won't change a thing unless you want to challenge the accuracy of the speed camera and that it was correctly calibrated (and by a recognized and professionally accredited national body). It will be a field day for the lawyers!
 
^ at least the penalty for disobeying the law of gravity is consistent over time.

It's not subject to revenue raising, social rights groups, the nanny state or corruption.

Cars are getting better and better at higher speeds, yet I don't see them upgrading the speed limit on the super long straight highways across the middle of Australia (try driving Adelaide to Sydney).

Some stretches of road are 100 limited and should be 130 at least.

Besides, it's a bit rich to compare a law of physics to a man-made law.
 
Dogmatix said:
^

Cars are getting better and better at higher speeds, yet I don't see them upgrading the speed limit on the super long straight highways across the middle of Australia (try driving Adelaide to Sydney).

Besides, it's a bit rich to compare a law of physics to a man-made law.
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Better engineered cars-yes definitely.

Driver fatigue, overestimation of driving skills, exercising split second poor/good judgement when assessing traffic conditions are still relevant factors in whether you get from point A to B in one piece.

Vagaries of man made laws over Law of Gravity-perhaps. According to Albert Einstein It's all relative :D
 
renovator said:
I hate speed & red light cameras useless good for nothing revenue raising devices
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;)
 
I know when I drive in the Big City (Brisbane) after Bundaberg, With lights every 400m inmany parts of Brisbane, it can become very stressful at traffic lights, hoping they won't change at the wrong moment.

I have often thought , why cant we change the traffic lights themselves.

GREEN..................GO

FLASHING Yellow......Light going to change in 5 secs...! one flash every 1 sec

YELLOW....Light going to change soon.

Red ......STOP

What do you City Drivers Think of this idea.?

I think it could result in fewer rear end accidents and less stressful driving.

Regards Errol 43
 
I think they have a similar system in some chinese cities errol, not a bad idea.
They should also improve the light synchronization when there is multiple traffic lights in short succession, in many instances light goes green, then the lights 50m down the road turn red.
 
There is a bad intersection near me that desperately needed a green turning arrow which would have made the intersection work just fine. Instead they put a Revenue Camera there because they know that they can make money out of the fact that that specific intersection often leaves people stranded on the intersection.
 
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