Thousands fined in Easter roads blitz (Qld)

[wakeboard1980]

Sometimes, you don't know you're 'speeding' there are a number of factors that can cause a difference between the speed of a vehicle, compared to the speed displayed on the speedo

 

But don't let the facts put off the hoiler than thou brigade preaching the 'don't speed - don't get caught' message.

 

Nothing to do with 'holier than thou brigade' everything o do with people that whinge when they get caught speeding. I've been caught 3 times now, not for many years though, and you just cop it on the chin and hold you hands up. It is quite black and whit speeding.

[Guest chris955]

Also the numerous times when cameras have been found to be wrong, recently in Melbourne I recall they had to pay back 100's of tickets because they werent calibrated correctly. It really isnt as simple as dont speed and you wont be fined.

 

That is not actually true given the large number of not guilty verdicts handed down in the magistrates courts. You actually get some pretty heavy handed threats if you have the temerity to ask to see evidence, and you have to enter a plea before you can even see it. Now imagine this scenario, you feel you are a careful, law abiding motorist, yet nonetheless a speeding fine notice plops on your doormat. It's a road you frequently travel, but, you are pretty certain that you weren't speeding. You can just cough up, your licence is clean, but you decide to write to the court, or is it the police, or is it the CPS, and lo and behold a picture of the vehicle comes back, and its not your red Toyota Celica, but some white Nissan something or other, with false plates on it. Happened to me, and you would not believe the grief you have to go through to clear your name.

[StevieF8]

Nothing to do with 'holier than thou brigade' everything o do with people that whinge when they get caught speeding. I've been caught 3 times now, not for many years though, and you just cop it on the chin and hold you hands up. It is quite black and whit speeding.

 

No it isn't!

 

The accuracy of vehicle speedos is covered by Australian Design Rule 18. Until July 2006 this rule specified an accuracy of +/- 10 percent of the vehicle’s true speed when the vehicle was travelling above 40km/h. That is, at a true vehicle speed of 100km/h the speedo was allowed to indicate between 90km/h and 110km/h

 

In Oz, in any vehicle made before 2006 you could actually travelling at 100km/h, you look down at your speedo, it shows, 90km/h....so what do you do....increase your 'speedo speed' to 100kp/h

But what you have actually done, is increase your vehicle speed to 110km/h

 

and what happens....you get a fine....

 

After 2006, than rule changed in Oz...however, the tyre pressure, wheel size and tyre type can still impact the 'speed of the vehicle' compared to the 'speedo speed'

 

 

Not so B&W!

[The Fisheys]

Been very interesting to read the posts on this. I actually asked from a philosophical point of view, what people thought. "If a leaf falls in a forest but nobody is there does it still make a noise," or, "if a man says something, anything, but there are no women present, is he still wrong?"

I am firmly convinced if you are doing 110 in a 100 limit on an empty road at 3am you have done nothing wrong, and should not be bothered. If you are doing 40 in a 30 limit near a school, on a wet Wednesday morning at school time you deserve a rocket.

What saddens me is that too many of us are too busy to reflect on whether our laws could be improved, and don't worry about other people being prosecuted for very, very minor infringements of disreputable laws.

When speeding was monitored only by police, there was an allowance for the professional judgement of the relevant officer, but by using a robot, for that is what a camera is, the element of judgement was removed. This was further discredited by allowing local councils to keep the fines to spend as they wished: equality and diversity policies, translating their annual reports into 36 foreign languages, councillors allowances, and other "priorities."

Give some of these people your bank card and PIN number and there is bound to be trouble.

My concern is that anything that encourages middle class, middle aged professional people such as myself to maybe hold the law in contempt is not good, and needs to be thought about, not just ignored.

I worry when people's experience with the police is based on "gotcha" speeding fines, but, when a group of young thugs try to break into your home, and you supply the police with a full colour, high resolution DVD from your security camera, in far greater definition than their photograph of your alleged speeding offence, and they claim they cannot identify the people on the DVD, even when you give them their names and addresses, I am afraid society is heading in the wrong direction.

Finally, I have the greatest respect for the individuals in our police force, it's the politicians who run them who need locking up.

[Guest chris955]

I saw an interview with a chief cop in Australia and when asked about this issue he said it was the responsibility of the individual to make sure their speedo was accurate, so we all have to pay to have the instrument checked, at regular intervals on a rolling road. The issue , at least for me, is not speed enforcement it is actually the manner of the enforcement. The sneaky tactics, the lack of discretion and tolerance eg being fined for 2 over the limit.

[Guest chris955]

I was fined for doing 105/6 in a zone 100 zone on a deserted Toowoomba to Brisbane highway, broad daylight, no other cars in sight. Before anyone says it yes I WAS speeding but just use some commonsense.

 

Been very interesting to read the posts on this. I actually asked from a philosophical point of view, what people thought. "If a leaf falls in a forest but nobody is there does it still make a noise," or, "if a man says something, anything, but there are no women present, is he still wrong?"

I am firmly convinced if you are doing 110 in a 100 limit on an empty road at 3am you have done nothing wrong, and should not be bothered. If you are doing 40 in a 30 limit near a school, on a wet Wednesday morning at school time you deserve a rocket.

What saddens me is that too many of us are too busy to reflect on whether our laws could be improved, and don't worry about other people being prosecuted for very, very minor infringements of disreputable laws.

When speeding was monitored only by police, there was an allowance for the professional judgement of the relevant officer, but by using a robot, for that is what a camera is, the element of judgement was removed. This was further discredited by allowing local councils to keep the fines to spend as they wished: equality and diversity policies, translating their annual reports into 36 foreign languages, councillors allowances, and other "priorities."

Give some of these people your bank card and PIN number and there is bound to be trouble.

My concern is that anything that encourages middle class, middle aged professional people such as myself to maybe hold the law in contempt is not good, and needs to be thought about, not just ignored.

I worry when people's experience with the police is based on "gotcha" speeding fines, but, when a group of young thugs try to break into your home, and you supply the police with a full colour, high resolution DVD from your security camera, in far greater definition than their photograph of your alleged speeding offence, and they claim they cannot identify the people on the DVD, even when you give them their names and addresses, I am afraid society is heading in the wrong direction.

Finally, I have the greatest respect for the individuals in our police force, it's the politicians who run them who need locking up.

[StevieF8]

I saw an interview with a chief cop in Australia and when asked about this issue he said it was the responsibility of the individual to make sure their speedo was accurate, so we all have to pay to have the instrument checked, at regular intervals on a rolling road. The issue , at least for me, is not speed enforcement it is actually the manner of the enforcement. The sneaky tactics, the lack of discretion and tolerance eg being fined for 2 over the limit.

 

Thats great, but before 2006, they had a tolerance, so even if you tested it, it would test within the allowed limit, therefore would be deemed accurate.

[Guest chris955]

Thats great, but before 2006, they had a tolerance, so even if you tested it, it would test within the allowed limit, therefore would be deemed accurate.

 

Yes exactly, it is a crazy situation. The Police just need to be reasonable and understand that 2ks over the limit does not make you a dangerous hoon.

I dont want to make this an Oz/UK thing but I am here and I see a different approach. I have been doing a lot of miles on motorways and I tend to sit with the faster stream of traffic at around 80mph, at that speed the cops dont even look at you in most circumstances. Of course if its busy an/or wet that is different, then that word comes into it again, commonsense. I remember passing what turned out to be an unmarked car at over 80 in the outside lane, the cop didnt even look at me.

[wakeboard1980]

Been very interesting to read the posts on this. I actually asked from a philosophical point of view, what people thought. "If a leaf falls in a forest but nobody is there does it still make a noise," or, "if a man says something, anything, but there are no women present, is he still wrong?"

I am firmly convinced if you are doing 110 in a 100 limit on an empty road at 3am you have done nothing wrong, and should not be bothered. If you are doing 40 in a 30 limit near a school, on a wet Wednesday morning at school time you deserve a rocket.

What saddens me is that too many of us are too busy to reflect on whether our laws could be improved, and don't worry about other people being prosecuted for very, very minor infringements of disreputable laws.

When speeding was monitored only by police, there was an allowance for the professional judgement of the relevant officer, but by using a robot, for that is what a camera is, the element of judgement was removed. This was further discredited by allowing local councils to keep the fines to spend as they wished: equality and diversity policies, translating their annual reports into 36 foreign languages, councillors allowances, and other "priorities."

Give some of these people your bank card and PIN number and there is bound to be trouble.

My concern is that anything that encourages middle class, middle aged professional people such as myself to maybe hold the law in contempt is not good, and needs to be thought about, not just ignored.

I worry when people's experience with the police is based on "gotcha" speeding fines, but, when a group of young thugs try to break into your home, and you supply the police with a full colour, high resolution DVD from your security camera, in far greater definition than their photograph of your alleged speeding offence, and they claim they cannot identify the people on the DVD, even when you give them their names and addresses, I am afraid society is heading in the wrong direction.

Finally, I have the greatest respect for the individuals in our police force, it's the politicians who run them who need locking up.

 

That would be introducing grey areas then. Imagine the magistrates courts then?

[StevieF8]

Yes exactly, it is a crazy situation. The Police just need to be reasonable and understand that 2ks over the limit does not make you a dangerous hoon.

I dont want to make this an Oz/UK thing but I am here and I see a different approach. I have been doing a lot of miles on motorways and I tend to sit with the faster stream of traffic at around 80mph, at that speed the cops dont even look at you in most circumstances. Of course if its busy an/or wet that is different, then that word comes into it again, commonsense. I remember passing what turned out to be an unmarked car at over 80 in the outside lane, the cop didnt even look at me.

 

 

 

The current guidelines from the Association of Chief Police officers (ACPO) are:

 

 

[TABLE=align: center]

[TR=bgcolor: #6633CC]

[TD=align: center]Limit

[/TD]

[TD]Fixed Penalty

[/TD]

[TD]Summons

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: #FFFFCC]

[TD=align: center]

 

20 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

25 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

35 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: #CCFF99]

[TD=align: center]

 

30 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

35 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

50 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: #FFFFCC]

[TD=align: center]

 

40 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

46 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

66 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: #CCFF99]

[TD=align: center]

 

50 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

57 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

76 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: #FFFFCC]

[TD=align: center]

 

60 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

68 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

86 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: #CCFF99]

[TD=align: center]

 

70 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

79 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[TD]

 

96 mph

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[Love Shoes]

I saw an interview with a chief cop in Australia and when asked about this issue he said it was the responsibility of the individual to make sure their speedo was accurate, so we all have to pay to have the instrument checked, at regular intervals on a rolling road. The issue , at least for me, is not speed enforcement it is actually the manner of the enforcement. The sneaky tactics, the lack of discretion and tolerance eg being fined for 2 over the limit.

 

 

It is the sneaky tactics that I have issues with, not the speed limits, I always try to uphold the law were speed limits are concerned, they are made for a reason, but can someone please, HTT please tell me why the police drive around in bright yellow Mazda's with spoilers which wreak 'boy racer', thus intimidating other motorists, because it is natural to either put the toe down or get out of the way of 'boy racer' ... I just slow down

. The said brightly coloured cars do a roaring trade, and I think these sneaky tactics stink ... it's like the copper who jumps out from behind a bush with a camera, it's sneaky and not a deterrent, marked cars work ....

 

... I passed my advanced driving test in the UK which taught me a lot about driving .... I used to go out for lessons leading up to my advanced test with a police sergeant in fact two from Traffic & both said you were more likely to do more damage driving slowly than quickly, just repeating what they said :yes:

[Guest chris955]

That is the thing, it is proven that hidden cameras achieve nothing other than adding to the coffers.

[Guest chris955]

That would be introducing grey areas then. Imagine the magistrates courts then?

 

No, it is introducing commonsense. Let the cops decide (within reason) what is worthy of a ticket, not just 'you are doing 2 over the limit so you get a fine'. The courts dont need to get involved, it woukd actually probably lessen their load.

[PontePom]

All I will say is if you're happy to say that getting done for speeding is wrong then fine

 

You're condoning breaking the law

 

However you get caught out doesn't matter

 

You've been caught speeding

 

The other morning a police car was hidden out of view and 2 police offices were hiding behind a lamp post with their radar gun

 

They stepped out in front of cars speeding

 

What is wrong with that???

 

It was in front of a school where I saw this happening

 

If they had not been there maybe a child could've been knocked down??

 

But if you can live with it then keep on debating how wrong it is

[wakeboard1980]

No, it is introducing commonsense. Let the cops decide (within reason) what is worthy of a ticket, not just 'you are doing 2 over the limit so you get a fine'. The courts dont need to get involved, it woukd actually probably lessen their load.

 

Sorry but it is introducing grey areas if you say someone can drive at 110 in a 100 zone at certain parts of the day in certain areas etc etc. the police can already use their judgement, the cameras are set so no judgement needed.

 

So if you get caught and left off one day and I'm in the same scenario he day later but get done do you not hunk at is a 'grey' area? I think it is and it would be an absolute minefield that woud clog up the court system.

[Love Shoes]

A good few years ago we went away for the weekend with a couple of very good friends, on the Sunday morning (the day we were due home) we got a devastating phone call from our eldest son, he told my OH that the front of the house had been smashed up, and my car rear window and his front windscreen, and when I say smashed up I mean smashed up, the porch, and front window. It happened at 3 am in the morning, my sons were both woken up, my eldest son, not one to suffer fools gladly or bullies, got up and tried to chase the culprit, a neighbour also tried. My son rang 999, the Police came out about an hour later, and proceeded by asking my sons ' who have you two been upsetting recently', my sons never went out, they worked, went to college and then stayed at home in the evenings with their friends either watching TV or on their Play Stations.

We arrived home and I was in tears, we had to pay someone to board the front of the house up,, which was awful, and wait until new glass was made.

As for the cars my son had arranged through my insurers to have the screens replaced on the Sunday.

On the Monday the Police called round to chat to me, again they asked me who had my sons been upsetting, I said this had nothing to do with my sons, but more to do with someone who had attacked my husband at work and the Police took the case to court, and the defendant did not turn up, but was I believe given Community Service of pathetic hours.

My husband is a medic and his address was published by his professional body.

I knew who had done this and I told the Police I knew who had done it, but they said they couldn't just go round to this persons house and question them? The bricks used to smash our windows had naturally been left behind in our property, and my son knew what type of brick it was and most likely as to its origin, (he is a brick layer by trade) ... the Police still weren't bothered.

So on the Monday night I was so upset that I visited the local Nick, with my bricks ..... Yes my bricks ...... whilst I was waiting my turn there was a poor young lad there providing his documents, he had been done for speeding, ... whilst he was being seen to another Police Man asked me what I was there for, I explained, he said ' we can't take evidence off bricks, you have no proof, there is nothing we can do', I was nearly crying ...... well who wouldn't be, especially when your home has been smashed up because your husband was attacked at work ...... and at the same time a young motorist was being fined for going a few miles over the limit ......

My parting words to the young man was ' it is a good job the Yorkshire Ripper was committing a traffic offence because had he not been, he would still be murdering innocent women yet' ...... Now you all might realise why I get so annoyed at the sneaky tactics the Police use, especially when they couldn't be %^&$# finding out who smashed up my house and accused my innocent sons of annoying someone :realmad:

[Sir Les Patterson]

FFS...stop your bloody whinging.....some of you got caught speeding...it happens....it's happened to me......I know I was speeding...I got caught....Jesus H F##king Christ some of you people need to get some sort of normal life.

[StevieF8]

All I will say is if you're happy to say that getting done for speeding is wrong then fine

You're condoning breaking the law

 

However you get caught out doesn't matter

 

You've been caught speeding

 

The other morning a police car was hidden out of view and 2 police offices were hiding behind a lamp post with their radar gun

 

They stepped out in front of cars speeding

 

What is wrong with that???

 

It was in front of a school where I saw this happening

 

If they had not been there maybe a child could've been knocked down??

 

But if you can live with it then keep on debating how wrong it is

 

 

Bollox! - No-one has said that, what's been said is there should be an allowance for factors out of your control

 

How many speed cameras are outside of schools in QLD?

 

Or are they all on the freeways?

[Love Shoes]

Another afternoon we were at Oulton Park racing when my OH took a phone call from my son ..... someone had tried to break in the house, the thieves had arrived on bikes, now please, had they come for my microwave or my TV no they had come for my sports car ... we had CCTV of the &^%$# lifting a plant pot up looking for a spare key, the next door neighbours frightened them off, and they hopped back onto their bikes and buggered off, but not before leaving a very good image of themselves on our newly installed CCTV (which we purchased as a result of the smashed house fiasco, we felt that if the Police were to catch criminals on our property if we had images they could find and prosecute) but how wrong were we, that was five grand down the pan ..... we gave them a DVD of the perps .... but they didn't recognise them .... so nothing was done ....

 

But at the same time, had I been speeding on my way home from Oulton Park no doubt I would have been given a fine ...... Yet burglars walk free ...... again it is not the speeding laws or limits but the fact that the establishment use sneak tactics and use motorists as an easy feel .....

[Love Shoes]

FFS...stop your bloody whinging.....some of you got caught speeding...it happens....it's happened to me......I know I was speeding...I got caught....Jesus H F##king Christ some of you people need to get some sort of normal life.

 

:laugh: have you ever been done for speeding in your aeroplane ??

[Sir Les Patterson]

One of my favourite tracks and my next car OK, maybe not next car but sometime in the future. I just like having a vague idea what drivers are likely to do next. Did you like the Aston ?

 

 

About 20 months ago I had an inkling to replace my 1997 Porsche 993 Turbo with an Aston Martin (as I have always loved them from afar due to their past Le Mans and other endurance racing heritage)...the dealer from Sydney bought the car to Eastern Creek Raceway for me to have a "proper" test drive.....it was a 2002 Vanquish...6 litre V12....one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen....probably only surpassed by Ferraris from the late 50's to 1965. It had an enormous amount of power...let down by an average gearbox.....after about 15 laps at high speed around Eastern Creek...I thought...It's fabulous but will probably be let down by inherent English motor vehicle unreliability....consequently I didn't buy it and decided to restore my 993.....I made the right decision. But by Christ it was a beautiful piece of machinery.

[Sir Les Patterson]

:laugh: have you ever been done for speeding in your aeroplane ??

 

 

Thankfully no...it doesn't happen.......our speeds are strictly regulated due to our weight and fuel burn required. In the Airforce we just went "balls to the wall" when we could.

[Sir Les Patterson]

How many speed cameras are outside of schools in QLD?

 

here in Cairns I have seen radar and the new tripod mounted speed cameras with attendant Police Officer on quite a few occasions around school zones.

[The Fisheys]

That would be introducing grey areas then. Imagine the magistrates courts then?

 

Yes, local people, with a knowledge of the local area, aware of the wishes of the local community, an understanding of the law, but not lawyers, making decisions instead of a robot. Awful, absolutely awful.

[StevieF8]

here in Cairns I have seen radar and the new tripod mounted speed cameras with attendant Police Officer on quite a few occasions around school zones.

 

Do they have that variable speed limit near schools there, depending on the time of day?

 

If speeding was such an issue in these areas, then a fixed speed camera should be installed.

 

What I think you'll find is most of them are on the freeways, which gets the most traffic and where people are more likely to speed...therefore making the most money.