Police lower the tolerance of lenience given for speeding...

[Biggles]

Should not post here ,as iv'e just been pinged by plod.hiding in the bushes this side of a 60km sign guess what i accelerated a little too early.how is this saving the world ?frustrated!

That's the sort of entrapment that gets the Police a bad name.  He might have been told by his superiors he had to man that location, and then it's his superiors' fault for the choice.

But I agree entirely- that kind of legalism does not save lives- it just makes us cynical about the whole concept of speed control. 

We have the same situation a block from where I sit.  The road opens up from 60 to 70 kph , and the radar/ lidar pointers stand behind a brick wall and ping drivers who speed up to 70 twenty metres before the sign.  Sure, it's illegal.  But what terrible situation is being prevented by ensuring everyone holds their 60 until abeam the sign?

[STill dreaming]

Should not post here ,as iv'e just been pinged by plod.hiding in the bushes this side of a 60km sign guess what i accelerated a little too early.how is this saving the world ?frustrated!

That's the sort of entrapment that gets the Police a bad name.  He might have been told by his superiors he had to man that location, and then it's his superiors' fault for the choice.

But I agree entirely- that kind of legalism does not save lives- it just makes us cynical about the whole concept of speed control. 

We have the same situation a block from where I sit.  The road opens up from 60 to 70 kph , and the radar/ lidar pointers stand behind a brick wall and ping drivers who speed up to 70 twenty metres before the sign.  Sure, it's illegal.  But what terrible situation is being prevented by ensuring everyone holds their 60 until abeam the sign?

Biggles that's it in a nut shell!

[TAZZIEBAZ]

I was caught like that once also while in the cage.........bugger!

[Me_3]

Yep.. saw them out on the weekend on a downhill corner that had an overtaking lane on it.. sitting at the bottom (60k zone) with one of the new hand-held camera's... only overtaking lane for quite some distance as well. I'd guess 99% of people were over the limit as they went past.. I was warned thankfully and was under the limit..

I don't mind getting pulled over if speeding, but this hiding in the bushes on a downhill with a camera should not be allowed... (Not to mention, in the last 10 years of driving the same road, i've never seen an accident in that area...)

[Biggles]

More entrapment, pure and simple!

And, as you indicate, NOT an accident "hotspot".  More proof it's about "Catch the punters" than about road safety.
This business of policing overtaking lanes would be a goldmine, and it's often exploited.  If you pass cars at the speed limit, you might get one car past the caravan.  But he'll have three or more piled up behind him cursing him- and planning their road rage revenge for the first hazardous overtaking opportunity when they will definitely be a danger to everyone.

[STill dreaming]

Iv'e always thought that twin overtaking lanes should be 90km on the left 110km on the right to clear the back log ,i don't even mind if they hammer someone staying in the fast lane after overtaking.i think everyone has followed that car who travels at 80km to 95km only to find they can make 98km in the overtaking lanes.

[JC]

The messages about "Speed Kills" don't have much of an impact, as it usually doesn't!

Stupid riding/driving will kill at almost any speed and it would be interesting to see what percentage of the road deaths occur at/below the posted speed limits. It would also be interesting to know how many low speed multi-vehicle collisions go unreported, due to the reporting guidelines.

[johnnyYTED]

from someone who has had speeding tickets in various states over the years, i have never been cranky getting a ticket, if you are speeding and breaking the law, well then it is your own fault...i have taken it on the chin and paid the fine.

I agree, theres no point giving the a hard time, cop it sweet. or hope ya sweet talk,, :)
I try staying at posted speed round Ctown and Sydney but out on the road somewhere .. giddy up    havent had many fines/demerits maybe 4 in 20 yrs.
I get breathalized regulary  in my car,, just the area  Minto  in my car but dont drink, so its no bother really  just doing thier  job...

[Old Steve]

Couple of weekends ago I rode from Mackay to Rockhampton.  the middle third between Clearview and Marlborough is 110 km/hr, either side is 100 km/hr.  The Rocky Police target drivers/riders south of Marlborough, and I myself was caught 14 km/hr over the limit (couple of hundred dollars and 3 points, Bugger!!!)

However I found that 110 km/hr portion of the ride was the most comfortable and safest of the whole trip.  115 was about my natural speed and I found I didn't have to keep looking down at my speedo and easing off 5 to 10 km/hr.  That meant I was able to concentrate on the road condition, other vehicles on the road and keep an eye out for wildlife with a suicidal tendency.

I believe that the 110 km/hr section was the safest section of the ride and wonder why the sections either side of it are restricted to 100 km/hr.  I spoke to a professional truck driver and he reckons it's fatigue and inattention that are the killers on the Rocky to Mackay stretch.

 

[Totgas]

I've noticed a trend to keep lowering the speed limit as the road deteriorates rather than fix the wear and tear.
What happened to the RACQ poll on drivers voting to raise speed limits in some areas?
Having come from the NT (when it had an open speed limit) I know the joy of not having to constantly look at the speedo.

[PaulH]

It is becoming more and more clear to me that speed limits, and giving drivers (and riders) speeding tickets for doing a hairs-breadth above them is becoming far more a dollar-making process than a driver safety process. I feel extremely sorry for our club members who wear the uniform, and who sometimes appear to be either held responsible for, or are required to justify, the simple dollar-collection methodology created by senior cops/local politicians who seem to think this is what pays their salaries.

Simple question, if a senior cop/politician REALLY wants to stop accidents cause by speed, why not simply arrest every speeding driver, jail him/her and destroy his/her car/bike straight away, no second chances. You could guarantee that NO driver would break the limit if they knew that they had only a single chance and would lose their driving licenses, their car or bike and their freedom if they got caught speeding! But no, this doesn't happen because this would stop the regular income which comes in from all the speeders who get knicked.

What does this tell you about the current "Law"; in my opinion it is simply a cash-making process for the authorities!!!  Come on authorities, either make, and enforce, Laws that actually work, or admit that you are far more interested in the money it makes you. I also realise that this makes me sound extremely sarcastic and cynical, but honestly the cops should enforce Laws that prevent crime, not utilize Laws that make money without actually stopping the crime.

Nasty old me, eh!

[JuST Peter]

I received this from a mate just a week ago,and thought it was a put-up job, but had it verified yesterday:

"The Police should be done for negligent driving here!! it is unsafe and ludicrous to think that these are 'approved' tactics!

The Victorian Police and now changing motor vehicles and moving away from the Commodores and Falcons. There are now undercover BMW X5's, Commodore SS Utes with P'plates and Surf Stickers on the back; they even got caught with a Commodore SS Ute with a "My Family" sticker and an "L" plate on the back of the car!
They was busted by a citizen who took a picture of this and sent it to A Current Affair whereby the Police Chief responded with "This is not an approved method by Victoria Police and we would not do such a thing. This was clearly a practical joke on the car of the two Police officers".

BULLSHIT!! The same car has been seen a couple of times since!

In Victoria, the "tricks" used by the Police to trap motorcyclists, raise revenue in Non "Blackspots" and make this nickname of "Nanny State" stick!
They hide radars in Trees in the Yarra Ranges and have the police wear camouflage and whilst using a radar on the only over-taking lane in the ranges which is downhill. So naturally when you have a slow car for the previous 10kms, you would want to overtake. Bastards!

There are now also place DB meters on their cars and are targeting motorcyclists. If your bike is louder than 5DB over the factory measure, you will get a warning and have 30 days to report to the EPA and have this fixed back to factory and a fee of $1000!!  Note the horns on motorcycles are ridiculous and fail to negate any danger, whereby the rev of your exhaust lets cars/trucks/buses know that you are there.
My exhaust has saved my life more than a handful of times! There have even been write up's from "DRIVERS" apologising and stating that if it was not for the exhaust, they could have killed someone.

Anyhow, my rant is over. I just hope that the other states are not as ridiculous as this state is turning out to be!! You can't fart in public without getting a ticket!"

Apparently old utes left parked on the sides of roads (and even wheelie bins) with speed cameras inside, is another ruse they're using.

My source told me that recently 3 abandoned utes mysteriously caught fire in the same area.

I can only assume the states are all strapped for cash.

[Streak]

guys I am not comfortable where we are heading with this thread, it is all getting a little to pointed towards our local boys in blue who go to work every day.

We have a good number of members who wear the uniform and do as they are told, we are not doing much good by throwing mud in their general direction, regardless of their rank.

Just remember they get out of bed and go to work just the same as the rest of us......

[STeveo]

Yes STreak, and some of them unfortunately don't come home. 

[Old Steve]

Yes STreak, and some of them unfortunately don't come home. 

Yes, and if you have an off, it'll be the Police who are first on the scene and who stabilise you until the ambulance arrives.

And if you don't make it, then it'll be the Police who have to tell your partner, your kids, or your Mum and Dad that you won't be coming home.

They have a prick of a job, and I could never have done it.  Even if I'm getting a ticket, I'll always be polite and respectful because they will be there for us when we need them.