Queensland Government big increase traffic infringements

[ashman]

On the news last night our state Government has just increased all traffic fines in a big way, the greedy bastards all in the name of road safety, BS the Gov is broke and they are making big money catching us poor folks even just going over the speed limit by a few km will cost big bucks doubled the old fines, not wearing a seat belt has gone from $525 to $1075 and same with holding a mobile phone it doubled a few months ago and with these new detection cameras in the last 3 months have netted the Gov pockets over $40 million in fines and they don't even have to pull you over with radar cameras in the cars they just send you the ticket in the mail, our state has the highest traffic fines in Aussie land and all regos are also going up, when will this all end, they are also dropping the speed limits in places where you need the power to climb up the ranges, its just a blatant money grab from a greedy over spending Government who has sent our state broke.
I not trying to be political with this just angry and of course doing the right thing will be no problems at all but the fun police is going a bit over board and the way they are doing it with hidden cameras mounted on road over pasts, mobile camera trailers and cars, hiding behind trees or the bush and even mounting speed cameras on trees, power poles and even sign posts on the popular bike roads they even have hand held radar cameras so you never know till you get the ticket in the mail.
Well I had my whinge for the day.

Ashley

 

[lazyeye6]

The price of freedom is not cheap.

 

[robs ss]

No excuse (or sympathy) for using mobile phone while driving... and seat belts... well, when are people going to learn? In our brilliant "free" public hospital system - I don't want to pay, as a taxpayer, for self-inflicted injuries from not wearing seat belts.
Go harder I say!!!

Ahem - notice I didn't mention speeding
Cheers

 

[ashman]

Not so much about freedom, more like a bumbling GOV borrowing and spending more money than it earns and for us suckers to pay for their mistakes/mismanagement/corruption and the other side is not much better.

 

[ashman]

No excuse (or sympathy) for using mobile phone while driving... and seat belts... well, when are people going to learn? In our brilliant "free" public hospital system - I don't want to pay, as a taxpayer, for self-inflicted injuries from not wearing seat belts.
Go harder I say!!!

Ahem - notice I didn't mention speeding
Cheers

I don't drive without a seat belt and I never use the phone while driving, I have no problems with those fines but the speed cameras are set for 1km over the speed, yes 1km, now that's not fair and the traps/hiding places they use to trap folks, like some places on the highway speed limit at 100km then to be dropped to 90km for a short distant to going back up to 100km for no reason at all and of course the cops don't sit in wait or have a camera set up there much and of course they say all money goes back to roads, what a load of BS and then there are the little infringements that no one knows about till you get booked for it, but as I say don't do the crime and you be right mate.

 

[ntst8]

I guess we will have that following soon. We already have sections of main roads one by one having their speed limits dropped to 80kph. The cotton wool brigade have taken over.

 

[Shelby-Right]

After that effort , there might be a new party on re-election , you can only hope, we are getting all the odd speed limits in NZ 30,40,50,60,70,80, 90 for trucks and 100 for open road I think up by Hamilton there is a 120kmph sometimes you don't know what speed your supposed to be doing , especially on a old norton with mph on the speedo

 

[ntst8]

110kph on a section of the expressway near the Tron. I agree it’s almost impossible to keep up with the constant limit changes, and some junctions have so much signage the it is information overload and nothing sinks in:

 

[Mike40M]

Don't know if it's true but when last visited Tassie they warned about speeding late in the week. Police had to issue a weekly number of speeding tickets. So being lazy had them to put in an extra effort at the weekends.
Luckily in my country traffic fines are quite low. Speed cameras can't catch motorcycles as they don't have front number plates.

 

[Shelby-Right]

The police force wages are funded by us , and all the extra money goes to the government , "IF" all the money from infringement's and the consolidated fund went to roading , it would improve road toll , NZ would have a massive dual carriage way right down the centre , instead we have a "Road to Zero " campaign , slow down main roads to 80kph ! , I think there were still deaths on horse and carts ! , someone trying to justify their job .

 

[ashman]

Don't know if it's true but when last visited Tassie they warned about speeding late in the week. Police had to issue a weekly number of speeding tickets. So being lazy had them to put in an extra effort at the weekends.
Luckily in my country traffic fines are quite low. Speed cameras can't catch motorcycles as they don't have front number plates.

Our speed cameras get you when you past so rear number plate gets you, but some mobile cameras only get you from the front so that's good if on a bike, the cops are even setting up speed cameras in old junk cars parked on the side of the road but the camera vans are easy to pick as the flash light is mounted on the rear bumper and normally can pick a van parked on the side of the highway, there was also a story a few months ago they are trialing fitting cameras in guard rails that are reshaped to catch us, we also have distant time travel between 2 points where they can work out your speed.
We are into our second week of school holidays and a 4 day long weekend for Easter and the cops will be out in force as well double demerit points, lose 12 points and you get 3 months suspension and if lose any points take 3 years to get them back.

 

[Flatspot]

Where you are required to do so, then there’s no excuse for not wearing a set belt, then there’s also no excuse for using a mobile phone - hit them hard.

Speeding is another matter, on occasion you can get caught out by being inattentive, then it sucks to get a fine.

Excessive speed, and I’ve been very, very guilty myself in the past, is not excusable - hit them hard.

Drink driving/ drug driving has no reason at all these days - hit them so hard it hurts their ancestors. Personally, I’d vote for compulsory vehicle forfeiture and to be crushed.

 

[Lineslinger]

I get your point. The govt' "experts at pissing away tax dollars" have no discipline. The coffers run dry they just tax from a different direction calling it public safety.
They know as everyone else does its all BS, but they don't care.

No seatbelt? Nail them.
Cell phone while driving? Same as blowing a 1.2 alcohol level...as in drunk. Big fine. Loss of license.
Yet the phone use while driving issue is getting out of control. I never see police making stops...I have seen police using cell phones at stoplights.

Ash, there are ways to deal with speed cameras...try a search for "speed camera plate cover". I happen to know someone who uses one quite successfully. It also deflects radar and laser. Here most courts won't press a speeding fine issued on a radar or laser reading against a motorcycle. Too much precedent of a MC not having enough reflective surface for an accurate readout.
Outrunning them is pretty easy, just gotta' make sure not to get caught.

 

[Onder]

Getting the politicians to give up fines on motoring is going to be about as successful as taking the bottle from a baby.
The only way to beat them at their own game is not to speed, use the mobile or whatever their rule is. It is a bother but you can do it and eventually get a lift out of never getting a ticket. I don't drink or have a mobile, try to be very careful about riding in towns but outside of town you can get flattened by doing the legal limit because so many do not. Now that the season is upon us, speeding will be nearly impossible anyway!

 

[texasSlick]

Here in Texas speed and red light cameras have been designated unconstitutional. Our Bill of Rights says everyone accused has a right to confront (question) his accuser at trial. A camera cannot be confronted.

Hope you do not have to, but ask to question the camera's owner at trial .... most likely they will be unprepared for that, and the charge should be dismissed (if there is any fairness left in the world).

Slick

 

[BERT]

On the news last night our state Government has just increased all traffic fines in a big way, the greedy bastards all in the name of road safety, BS the Gov is broke and they are making big money catching us poor folks even just going over the speed limit by a few km will cost big bucks doubled the old fines, not wearing a seat belt has gone from $525 to $1075 and same with holding a mobile phone it doubled a few months ago and with these new detection cameras in the last 3 months have netted the Gov pockets over $40 million in fines and they don't even have to pull you over with radar cameras in the cars they just send you the ticket in the mail, our state has the highest traffic fines in Aussie land and all regos are also going up, when will this all end, they are also dropping the speed limits in places where you need the power to climb up the ranges, its just a blatant money grab from a greedy over spending Government who has sent our state broke.
I not trying to be political with this just angry and of course doing the right thing will be no problems at all but the fun police is going a bit over board and the way they are doing it with hidden cameras mounted on road over pasts, mobile camera trailers and cars, hiding behind trees or the bush and even mounting speed cameras on trees, power poles and even sign posts on the popular bike roads they even have hand held radar cameras so you never know till you get the ticket in the mail.
Well I had my whinge for the day.

Ashley

If they can take a picture of a traffic violation and fine you for it, what would be wrong with taking a picture of the payment and sending them the picture?

 

[franko]

so then they can send you a picture of handcuffs

 

[ashman]

I get your point. The govt' "experts at pissing away tax dollars" have no discipline. The coffers run dry they just tax from a different direction calling it public safety.
They know as everyone else does its all BS, but they don't care.

No seatbelt? Nail them.
Cell phone while driving? Same as blowing a 1.2 alcohol level...as in drunk. Big fine. Loss of license.
Yet the phone use while driving issue is getting out of control. I never see police making stops...I have seen police using cell phones at stoplights.

Ash, there are ways to deal with speed cameras...try a search for "speed camera plate cover". I happen to know someone who uses one quite successfully. It also deflects radar and laser. Here most courts won't press a speeding fine issued on a radar or laser reading against a motorcycle. Too much precedent of a MC not having enough reflective surface for an accurate readout.
Outrunning them is pretty easy, just gotta' make sure not to get caught.

Putting anything over your number plate or speed camera plate cover is illegal here and also cop a big fine same as having a radar detector police cars have radar detector detectors to catch you just after they hit the market, the Gov has covered all grounds for avoidance, we can't win which ever way we go, its easy to just go over the speed limit but to fine you for just 1km over is a bit wrong the old days you were given a small break for a few km over but they are so desperate for money they lower it to 1km, I have no problems with being caught for being well over the speed limit as its my own fault, I don't drink and drive I have auto pilot for that (the wife she don't drink) people getting caught with phones in their hands, its so easy to set up hands free when driving so I have no problems with people being caught with them in their hands or lap, and seat belt have been in force for over 50 years now so why do people still not wear them, and if you are caught over 40km over the speed limit you lose your car or bike for 3 months as well your licence is suspended for 6 months + the big fine and cost to get your car/bike back and if you get caught 3x you lose it for ever, the same as doing burn outs or any dangerous driving we have very strict hoon laws here, but its more to do with revenue raising not for road safety.
Our biggest problems now is under aged teenagers stealing high powered cars and driving them flat out on major roads full of their mates and of course some never come back home because the inexperienced driver has killed them or killed some other innocent people who are just minding their own business or in the wrong place at the wrong time and when they get caught they just get a slap on the risk, this is where the GOV should be cracking down on and use the police for catching these young bastards, not hiding behind a tree catching most just a little over the speed limit by a few km.
My problem is the way they go about catching people and the size of the fines for just being over the limit by a few km, times are hard for everyone these days, cost of living is getting out of control, our roads are getting worst and the GOV is getting desperate for money, we pay high taxes on everything and big fines are just extra money that is for the powers that be, not for road safety, if the money was used for roads we would have the best roads in Aus or the world for that matter, but we don't, we have some of the worst roads in the world.

Ashley

 

[johnm]

"Our biggest problems now is under aged teenagers stealing high powered cars and driving them flat out on major roads full of their mates and of course some never come back home because the inexperienced driver has killed them or killed some other innocent people who are just minding their own business or in the wrong place at the wrong time "

This is a problem here in NZ. However the big difficulty is catching them. There have been several examples of when the cops chase them they go faster and kill more people.

Recently heard from a cop who attended a crash of young teenagers who had stolen a car. Not chased but they still crashed. No seatbelts. All went out the back window. All killed.

Wasn't the first time they had stolen cars. Have to say the local town wasn't terribly upset.

 

[ashman]

"Our biggest problems now is under aged teenagers stealing high powered cars and driving them flat out on major roads full of their mates and of course some never come back home because the inexperienced driver has killed them or killed some other innocent people who are just minding their own business or in the wrong place at the wrong time "

This is a problem here in NZ. However the big difficulty is catching them. There have been several examples of when the cops chase them they go faster and kill more people.

Recently heard from a cop who attended a crash of young teenagers who had stolen a car. Not chased but they still crashed. No seatbelts. All went out the back window. All killed.

Wasn't the first time they had stolen cars. Have to say the local town wasn't terribly upset.

Yes that's the big problem is chasing them and they know the cops have to stop when things get dangerous and they get away to do it all over again if they don't kill someone first and there have been quite a few young ones killed after the driver lost it and the drive bailed out to do a runner leaving his mates for dead.
The Gov are blaming the parents but be real these kids are out of control and the poor parents are suffering as well as the kids just don't care and running a muck, lock them up when caught, well that just makes them worst when they get out, these days the young ones have no respect for no one but themselves and they have no respect when they kill their mates.
It seems these high powered luxury cars are so easy to steal, but most are being stolen with the keys when they break into your house while everyone is sleeping, but my two cattle dogs are quiet but they don't let anyone in the yard without me knowing, my dogs are outside dogs not house dogs.

Ashley