Beware Of Speeding Camera's On A Long Weekend Or Otherwise!

[Steve07]

Just received a nasty suprise in the mailbox yesterday,got 2 speeding fines within 45minutes from the same

camera on cleveland street on the long weekend back in late April.

I drive State transit buses for a living & got 1 fine for going 61km in a 50km zone on my way into central

station & the other fine i got 45min later on my way out of central st,by the same camera going 62km in

the 50km zone.

That meant each fine was worth 3points,but because it was a long weekend it doubled to 6 points for each

fine,12points gone in a blink of an eye.

The worst part was that it happened on a saturday morning at 5.30am with hardly another car or person around,in a part of cleveland st that i have been driving on for at least 12years,i just totally forgot about the new 50km zone which is 24hours

a day,7days a week,outside sydney girls high school & got done without even realising it,until yesterday.

Looks like i will be getting a 3 month suspension,which also means having a 3 month forced holiday from

work,unfortunately most of that time without any pay.Not to mention not being able to tow the boat for a

days fishing or even getting around the place & picking up kids from school etc.

Guys just beware of the speed & red light camera zone's,it doesnt take much to lose a bit of concentration &

get done.

Otherwise its a vey costly mistake & like me you will learn the hardway that its not worth it especially if it

happens on a long weekend.

I think the rock platforms around South maroubra,malabar & littlebay that are within walking distance of my

house will get a pretty good workout over the 3 months,luckily i still have most of my rockfishing gear!!

cheers

Steve

Edited August 15, 2008 by nexus

[stylo]

NO !!!! That is very tough news .. very sorry to hear Nexus ..

[DaveD]

bugger

2 in bout the same time, thats the worst bit.

Just think of it as a little vacation in a way

[wonniefisho]

Mate, thats dreadful luck, but depending upon your circumstances, I feel you are very able to fight it, at least to the extent that you can keep your licence. This all, of course, depends on your prior driving record as well. If you are a regular speeder (or should I say, get caught regularly), then no chance, but if your record is good, give it a try - its worth it.

For starters you are an experienced driver, with good knowledge of the road, its conditions, your vehicle and its capabilities, at a time of day with lighter traffic.

Add to this the government try and talk up speed cameras as a deterent and warning system, not as a revenue raiser, you could quite easily argue that getting done twice by the same camera in such a short period does not give you time to get your 'warning' - plus the fact that it was a recent change of speed limit.

I think as a minimum you could quite easily get one of them reversed, allowing you to keep your licence.

I don't for one minute agree with 'speeding', but I do believe one can exceed the speed limit and still remain safe and in control. I also absolutely disagree with someone who has a good driving record loosing their licence simply because their indiscretion happen to fall on a public holiday.

Best of luck!

Edited June 24, 2008 by wonniefisho

[donjuarez]

Very unfortunate mate..

At the very least, I'd be trying to contest it...

Best of luck!

worst case.. the fish better watch out!

[hottyscotty]

definitely fight it.

if you have clean record in those 12 years, they'll definitely be lenient. i'm confident the least you'll get back is 1 point on probation. first off try to write a letter, if no response, try once more. then last resort fight it in court but plead guilty with explanation.

but if you do fight it in court, consult a legal advisor first. i don't want to give wrong info.

[double pluggers]

I feel sorry for you mate bloody revenue raising b******s. Not a very fair system hey if you were pulled over & booked there is no way you would have done it again on the same day.I cant see how constantly looking at your speedo is safer than watching out for the pedestrians they are trying to protect. Dont give up your boat for those dogs.

[arpie]

Bad luck Steve - as Wonnie says, give the letter a go - it may work! If you don't try, you won't know!

Hope you get a lesser punishment & your job back!

Cheerio

Roberta

[pelican]

Get the unedited photos. They can be of the wrong bus or with another vehicle in the frame.

Fight it and research what to put in the letter. It does work and your Union should also know a few experts .

Hope it works out

Pel

PS I diddn't realise there was a camera there but in the traffic I travel in it wouldbe a world record to actually get above 50km/h

[lighthouse2k]

Always check the photo's. The Rta never check them. Even if you elect to go to court, they still don't check them until they get to the magistrate most of the time. The Rta get cost awarded against them quite often because of this.

You got 2 tickets in such a short period of time there is a good chance you will get off one if you get a lawyer and go in front of a magistrate.

It is definately worth the effort.

[inhlanzi]

Hey Nexus

Sorry to hear about your demerit points.

Have a go and challenge them you never know if you don't try.

A mate of mine got done for DUI and got 2 and a half years suspension. He appealed and it was reduced to a year.

Don't be shy to put your hand up for some one in your area to take you for a fish. I am sure there are a number of raiders in your area who will help you out.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers

inhlanzi

[xtosea]

Wasnt it on the news that bus drivers in the past were given a free ride if they got booked? They waved the fines from the RTA?, now they took that away and people are getting what they rightly deserve, i drive for a living too, and although i think we should have double the amount of points well all i can say is good on them!

You speed you lose.

Kamil

[andrew399]

you will get out of it easy. Tell them its your livelihood at stake and also they will reduce the double demerit to single demerit and you will only lose 6 points. It happened to me over easter and I got out of it, i dont have a clean record at all. Contest it and you will get out of it for sure!

[Flightmanager]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Steve , I will PM some details that may be of some assistance to you .

I am also a professional driver , and for this reason , the courts can be harder on us , as we are expected to drive better than your average Joe. I know there are a lot of arguments ( many of them quite valid ) about the number of speed zone changes in our fair city , but at the end of the day , in a 50 KM/H zone , you are not permitted to travel over that speed .

It's near impossible to drive up north watching the road and remembering where the speed cameras start and finish. Wiith modern cars these days it's near impossible to stay within the speed limit in their lower speed areas with your foot off the accelerator even on a flat road, while concentrating on driving safety at the same time.

Byron , if that is indeed the case , it may be time for that person to seriously consider not driving. All speed cameras in NSW are signposted well in advance . I can tell you for a fact , that between Sydney and Glen Innes , there are 13 of them . There are a similar number between Sydney and Grafton . If you are travelling at the posted speed limit , they do not pose a problem. What does pose a problem , is drivers ( of any age group ) , who through lack of concentration , or a desire to break the land speed record between Sydney and Brisbane , blindly rocket through a 60 KM/H zone , still travelling at 100 KPH! The simple fact they were not aware of the change in speed limit does not mitigate the offence ( or lessen the potential danger ) in the slightest.

What about the lack of warning signs on the main highways. How can you remember whether you've gone thru the speed signs already or not when here comes that cracked up truck driver leading the convoy at you again.

Cant agree with you on that one Byron , I have been driving heavy vehicles in NSW for the last 27 years , the sign posting , on the whole , is adequate. I have over 2.5 MILLION kiolmetres under my belt , I have NEVER been booked for speeding where it was not my fault. Also , I have NEVER received a Camera Recorded Infringement. Not bad for a " cracked up truck driver " eh? 4 times a week , 47 weeks a year , for the last 16 years on the Pacific , Hume , Sturt and New England Highways. Thats 52 speed cameras a week , not counting static police units . Not one fine . EVER.

Ross

[Flightmanager]

PM sent.

Ross

[Penguin]

So typical of the RTA, drop the speed limit on Cleveland st, and then whack in speed cameras,

great way to make easy money

The govt needs the money to fight off the publics, media and the opposition parties attention,

within regards to drunken husband and wife politicians who threaten staff at a well known

central coast waterfront restaurant and bar.

Nexus you are a bad man, all those years driving busses and thousands of comuters lives in your

hands and never a problem once, no one injured and no one killed, and now you go 11kms over the

NEW LOWER speed limit, at the crack of dawn on a weekend,and they wanna hang you out to rot.

Then they take away your means to earn a honest buck.

Fight them and good luck

penguin

[Mrwooley]

Bad luck mate, you've just another $ donation to a corrupt state. It is obseen that this state's government has decidered that their not interested in road safety and that camera revenue is the way to go. They've spend thousands of dollars on media advertising bull#it, trying to convince the motoring public that cameras save lives. What a load of crap, it's all revenue raising! The politicians know this, the Police know this, and most members of the publis know this!

The only positive way it impact on all areas of road safety is to put more Police cars on the road. I remember when I was a teenager, I was still a rat bag, but the only thing that slowed me down was the thought of running into a cop car arround the next corner. We had cops on the road then, we do'nt now!

I travel from Camden to Noth Sydney every day and I'd be very lucky to see one Police car per day.

Cameras are no determent to bad driving, young or old, all they are is an easy way raise cash.

( I'll get off my soap-box now )

Barry.

[humesy]

That sucks champ.

I am clinging to two points myself for another year. 120 people a week are losing their licence due to speeding demerits. I would be gutted if my boat were to be stuck in the garage but if there is a bright side, I guess it could be mid summer.

[Steve07]

Thanks guy's,i appreciate everyone's comments & advice,a letter has been put in for hopefully a bit of

leniancy or reduction of lost points but if it dont work,i will just cop it & know that after 3 months i start

my points from zero again.

Put it this way on the bright side of things,its the perfect time of year for rockfishing,snapper & yellowfin,

im sure i can grab a lift pretty easily to get me out there & spend a few times a week relaxing on the

water & chasing some nice fish,something i love doing.

Will let you no how it goes!!

cheers

Steve

[pelican]

Good luck with your application. Hope you made the hardship issue really clear.

Well this is someithing I didn't know

In 3 months time you start from zero points.

Steve this isn't directed at you as I don't believe in double points but how bloody silly is the system. Some people are obviously idiots and silly when in cars and get done for offences. Then after a 3 month wait they can be back at scratch. For people who don't drive for aliving etc that isn't too bad. I hate to say it but they should be back on at 9 points as they would really give a crap and be careful of at least educate themselves on the road rules. Instead they are back out there able to go be idiots again. That doesn't make sense to me. Is that really how it works???

Pel

I'd rather se more police on the road but honestly the young police have so little discretion to apply common sense these days it seems we might not be better off if they were. We had 9 yes I repeat 9 turn up to a house robbery ( which was great - but the thieving little scrote still managed to avoid them somehow) the other day. and seriously once they had been logged as arrived and on station it was near impossible to get rid of them. They wern't interested in driving around the block as they were happy to be logged on as attending so they didn't have to attend another call or confront any possible suspects.

[TobyW]

Steve, CLear out ya Inbox mate its full..

Found this on RTA:

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations...ints/index.html

""Good behaviour period

Unrestricted licence holders who receive a Notice of Suspension due to the accumulation of demerit points can apply for a 12 month good behaviour period instead of serving the suspension. This option is not available to provisional licence holders or those already serving a good behaviour period.

Licence holders who accumulate 2 or more demerit points while serving a good behaviour period will be suspended for double the original suspension time.""

This sounds like the Probationary licence Ive been on, It allows you to keep your Licence status, but with only 2 points for 12 months. You have to be careful for the 12 months (obviously).

As I mentioned to you earlier, Ive done it and it saved my ass with work and functioning as a dad..

Just check with RTA on how/if it effects your HR Licence.

Cheers

Toby

[Steve07]

Well guys it finally came in the mailbox yesterday & exactly what i was expecting to receive as well.This is

what we call copping it greek style.For losing 16 points over the last 3 years,12 of those as you know in the

space of 45 minutes a few months ago,i can have the choice of either a total license suspension of 4 months

from 16 september 08 to 16 january 09,Or i can take the option of going on Green P plates for 1 year to

get around in the car only.

Firstly,i drive buses for state transit for a living which means i cant operate a heavy vehicle while on my

P plates for the year if i take that option & also if i loose any 2 points within that 1 year while on my green

P's,my suspension which i originally received of 4 months will then double to 8 months automatically if i make just one mistake on the road.

But if i take the option of 4 months suspension,which i also get the option from work to go on light duties,

i then give up all my rights to be on the road for that period,but after i do my time i start with a clean

sheet on 12points from 17january.It means no driving around or picking up kids from school or towing

the boat to the ramp,nothing!!

I am by the way taking the 4 month option & will get by till January,but

Just for a bit of interest from other fishraider's,What option would you take??

Anyone in the market for a 5.50m aluminum stessl or black Toyota Prado

cheers

Steve

Edited August 15, 2008 by nexus

[Hodgey]

G'Day Steve

I think if I had to choose, I would take the four months hardship, and start afresh in Jan. It would just be my luck to do something wrong on the P's and double my hardship.

Don't despair mate. There is bound to be Raiders out there that will ensure you get to wet a line over the next 4 months. Good luck buddy...

Hodgey

[Jigholio]

True that. You're always welcome aboard here, mate.

Jig

PS I would have the matter heard in court. Twice I've in the same situation 10 & 14 yrs ago & the suspension was reduced to 1 month, the other commuted, yeehah!!

1. It was a very dark morning, you had to focus your attention on the ROAD in the interest of SAFETY rather than the speedo, there was NO OTHER traffic on the road for you to gauge speed. No pedestrians to be seen.

2. Speedometers are notoriously innacurate. ( I produced a dyno sheet proving >15% discrepancy).

3. Your livelihood & the welfare of a young family is at stake. Play this one to the hilt, (lose the home, take kids out of private school negating a 15 year waitlist etc, etc.)

4. You simply cannot perform your duties without a licence. Get a character reference from your immediate supervisor. Ensure there is mention of LACK of Public Transport and skilled bus drivers in Sydney, well documented in the media. The commuters and general public would suffer. Quote numbers of persons you transport(ed) daily, and what a valued asset you are.

Have a copy of your driving record. Be prepared. Be courteous & respectful to everyone, RTA, Police whomever. Be humble but firm in your resolve. Always address the Magistrate as 'Your Worship'

They love that shit, and they truly respect the fact you're being proactive!!

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jigholio

[Dreamtime]

Mate,

I'm glad it's you and not me having to make that decision - tough one indeed.

Light duties for 4 months, or for 12 months whilst on P's.

Being mobile, all beit subdued, or being stranded for 4 months.

I guess it wouldn't be too difficult to find a mate that could drive your car to tow your boat, and double as your fishing partner.

Does your wife work? Who normally transports the kids to and from school?

Either way it is going to be an extra burden on your wife - having to pick the boss up as well as the kids.

Good luck in your choice - is an appeal out of the question?

I guess weighing up the job factor I would have to take the 4 months.

Are you not due any holidays or long service that would pass the time a bit quicker? (would probably be worse I guess)

I would look into appealing - if unsuccessful would the penalty be more severe?