Speed Cameras

[multiweb]

Apparently as of today most (over 50 so far) red light cameras in Sydney will clock your speed as well. So don't get tempted to pass the orange light in a rush or you'll be flashed (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/speedandspeedcameras/safetycameras/index.html).

[Kevnool]

There keeping an eye on you fellas over in Sydney.
Either some people wont obey the laws or someone wants to make a bit of cash.
Cheers Kev.

[snowyskiesau]

Not a bad thing either.
The cameras are clearly marked so I've no sympathy for anyone who gets caught by them.
If they were hidden cameras, then that's a different issue...

[Octane]

Marc,

Every red light camera is also a speed camera down here.

You get used to them. I have been done once, as I completely forgot. I sped up to get through an amber signal and got pwnd for doing 68 in a 60 zone. :facepalm:

H

[multiweb]

Yeah... old habits die hard. I tend to speed up if I see an orange light. :whistle: I mean not all the time but most of the time you're moving with the flow and if you get caught it's kinda should I go or should I stop and if you have people behind you can't really plonk the car dead stop. That could cause more problems because 99% of the time the bloke behind you is accelerating too. :P Gonna have to be careful from now on.

[mill]

That is where most people go wrong :P
The orange light means prepare to stop and not go faster :)

[erick]

Yep, cause you cannot trust that guy in front of you who spoils the show by stopping when you were so sure you would "make it" (just?)

[mojo]

As a matter of interest has anybody seen any statistics of how many accidents happen because the vehicle was travelling over the speed limit and by how much? That is, how many people have actually died because they were doing 110 instead of 100? Stats for how many were drunk drivers, fell asleep at the wheel, speeding, etc.?

[mithrandir]

Not really. It means stop if reasonable to do so. You try stopping a bike traveling at a legal speed on a wet greasy road with cars around who have no intention of stopping for an orange light.

What really pissed me off was it was a cop on a bike that booked me and made it a court appearance - not an on-the-spot.

[mithrandir]

Of course not. If they had to produce figures on how many accidents were caused only by speed we would see how it is pure revenue raising.

[supernova1965]

I will only say one thing If no one sped they would make no money from them

[bartman]

Just today at a T- Junction some IDIOT decided to speed up and go thru the amber light at the last moment. I was at the bottom of the T and going to turn right. The car was coming from the right.
My light to turn right was green..... and I started to go b4 I hit the brakes as I noticed he wasn't going to stop!
Luckily the dude behind me was also weary and didn't rear end me....

I have nothing else to say.........
Other than I would either not be writing this post - or - be embroiled in a insurance claim.

Bartman

[Jabba]

I hate it when you are sitting in the middle of an interesection to turn and there is no signal to turn so you have to wait for oncoming cars to pass first and find a gap... whilst sitting there waiting the lights go orange and the oncoming cars dont seize to stop and your only chance to turn is on a red light :/

That said, I think the speed cameras will work well, even though its a good way to make more money.. I can see it working and it will help stop idiots on the road and help reduce road rage.

[multiweb]

Oh I get that no prob. What I'm saying is that if you're doing 60km/h, you're cruising along then the light let's say 50m in front of you turns orange. I'd speed up a bit to go through because I know that if I hit the brakes hard the guy behing me will end up in my boot. So there's a bit of buffer speed wise to clear the intersection. Some of those lights have very short orange and in some cases you have to make a quick decision. So yes this is going to generate a lot of revenues and I suspect more accidents. :shrug:

You go through a red light then it's wrong of course. Does it matter how fast you went through it? I always check and have a quick look left and right when going through green anyway. An old trick I picked up in Europe ;)

[bartman]

I agree with Marc....
"I know that if I hit the brakes hard the guy behing me will end up in my boot."
and :
"Some of those lights have very short orange"

As I am from Europe too, I know the craziness that happens on the roads over there.
I got my Drivers License here in Perth WA ( yes ....for International IIS mebers, Sydney is an Eastern Suburb of Perth...heehehehheh).

One of many things that stuck into my adolescent brain when going for my license was that " WHEN APPROACHING ANY INTERSECTION, SLOW DOWN!!!!!!! No matter if you have right of way, Green light, etc !!!! "
There could be a police car, ambo or tirefruck approaching!!!!

OR SOME IDIOT TRYING TO RUN THE AMBER LIGHT!!!!!!!!

I'm telling you( people reading this) that I had a near death experience this morning cause of some idiot______________________________ __

___^____^____^.......... ( heartbeat)

Bartman

[snowyskiesau]

I got my motorcycle license long before I learned to drive so I learned to be paranoid and assume that every driver on the road was out to get me.
This attitude works just as well when behind the wheel :)

[Peter Ward]

I actually got a ticket for
"Not stopping on a YELLOW light"

The cop that booked me was basically being a pri_k.

I didn't pay the fine.

The case was heard at the Sutherland Local courts about 3 months later, and I won the case. :)

The fact that it was wet (a road weather alert had been issued) and I had a P-Plater tailgating my car helped as well.

That said, it was interesting to actually read the statues.

Yellow means "stop" unless the driver thinks it's unsafe to do so.

If I have been stationary, then took off through the yellow I would have lost the case.

[mithrandir]

There's a couple of differences.

You in a car.
Me on a bike.

You in an NSW court.
Me in the ACT - with ACT plates and an ACT license.

Agree on the cop being an a******e.

[Louwai]

Get some stickier hoops Andrew. Maybe less overall klm, but MUCH better control & stopping.

I run Michie 2CT's. Not he stickiest, but a good all rounder for daily comuting & weekend blast.
I get about 14,000 to 17,000klm out of a rear tyre.

[mithrandir]

It's nothing to do with that, Bryan. People on bikes are automatically better targets for cops and courts.

And I don't ride any more. After spending several weeks in hospital, and two operations after I came off it, SWMBO v1 insisted the bike go. SWMBO v2 is of the same opinion.

[RobF]

I've always found the concept of a speed limit interesting ever since I learned to drive and had to survive amongst everyone doing limit + 8 km/hr.

If we were all serious about it, and the limits were reasonable, why don't they just put 3G speed transponders on every car? I guess we will eventually, after a serious of politically correct tightenings of the law...:rolleyes:

Somone told me today there will soon be digital speed cameras that time your passage between Point A and point B to determine if you're speeding. Anyone heard that one?

[Jules76]

The only digital speed cameras I know of are the one's coming to QLD as reported not long ago in the Courier Mail. Apparently they are going to be more accurate therefore they are looking to lower the speed tolerance level which will result in catching more drivers. Apparently it's only 3km over the limit in Vic?

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26549590-952,00.html

As a side note, take notice of the small article just below it about Speedos. Funny thing is, this article came out just days after I was pulled over by a Policeman who claimed I was doing 80km/h in a 60km/h zone which was totally false. I'm always careful to watch my speedo and as I told the cop, it was definately reading 60 (which was backed up by my workmate who was in the car at the time), and it just happened I looked at it moments before I even saw him in my rear vision mirror.

Of course he had no proof, flimsy evidence at best. His assumption I was speeding was based on him coming from a stop start off a side road and having to speed up from at least 200m away (according to my workmate). Well of course he had to go 80+ to catch me 200m away going 60. :rolleyes:

Anyway to cut a long story short, he blamed my speedo being out. Yeah sure, a 4 year old car's speedo is out by 20km/h. :lol:

[Gallifreyboy]

Traffic lights used to be simple
green - go
red - stop
amber - go faster

I hope it stays that way over here:)

[Louwai]

Fair enough. I've been lucky. Only 1 off in 20yrs & it was nothing to do with me. I was hit from behind on the freeway. Pricks..... Can't even see what's in front of them let alone beside or behind........:shrug:

[Louwai]

No vehicle manufacturer will guarantee their speedo accuracy better than 10%. + different tire diameters will also throw the accuracy out.
So really, dropping the "tollerance" to 3 or less klm/hr will only clog up the courts with people contesting their fines.

I drive a 2007 Honda Legend. I know for a fact that the speedo reads 10klm/hr faster than I am actually moving when travelling at 100klm/hr.
So I should NEVER be booked for speeding.:P


My partner is a sales rep on the road all day every day (in the Honda). She NEVER speeds as losing her licence would be losing her job.
The other day she got a ticket for doing 90 in a 70 zone. That means that the speedo would have to be reading 100klm/hr. There is no way she would have been doing 100 in a 70 zone.
She may possibly have had a lapse of cencentration, but I doubt it.
Buggered if I know how the coppers can get away it.........

[michaellxv]

They already have this and use it for long haul trucks. Only a matter of time before they start using it on cars. When they were first introduced they found quite a few trailers with the same rego in different states at the same time.

[that_guy]

why is it cool to suddenly accelerate when people are near by for hoons??

[Jen]

:screwy: jen takes notes DO NOT GO THROUGH AMBER LIGHTS :rolleyes:
What that movie Starman :question: (i think) when he says yellow light means go faster :lol:

[Louwai]

Growing wise with age I see.......

[Baddad]

Hi Rob, :)

The A to B points speed recording is to be covert. Anna Bligh has stated this. The average speed will be recorded by the device. Also a host of hidden cameras and unmarked police cars are being introduced onto Qld roads.
Currently all cameras are clearly marked. Anyone getting caught deserves the fine. Obviously not paying due attention to their driving. "Nuff Said".

Cheers Marty

[multiweb]

Yeah I forgot that case: when the road is wet. :driving: In most cases when doing the speed limit there's absolutely no chance you're going to stop the car before that red light. Better get flashed on amber than die skidding in the middle of a wet intersection with a car pile up behind you and on-coming traffic from the sides. :P

[Ric]

Amber lights terrify me as a motorbike rider.

I have lost count at the number of times that I have slowed down for the amber light only to have the idiot behind me simply swerve around and keep going.

The problem is that because I'm on a bike they don't even bother to change lanes and usually miss my side by inches.

The most interesting one was a few years back when a lady did precisely this and went around me through a red light (I'm convinced to this day that I felt the car brush my leg) only to plough into a car which was crossing the intersection.

After applying first aid to the said lady and the other cars occupants, the lady then abused me for stopping suddenly and said it my fault the accident happened and that she would be sending me the insurance bill.

I gave my statement to the Police and obviously nothing came of her threats.

[multiweb]

:eyepop: That's scary!

[mswhin63]

Car driver (non bike riders) have 4 metal sidewall to provide flexibilty to flaut traffice rules. I have copped it many time.

[Jules76]

You know, I use to think like that. That's until I got caught by a radar for the first time in over 10 years of what I considered safe driving, about 3 or 4 months ago.

The way I got done was by a green van hidden on a median strip behind a row of trees that was around a corner and downhill. "Currently all cameras are clearly marked", absolutely NOT. In fact the "speed camera in use" sign was only a couple of metres in front of the van and impossible to see unless you were going the other way or had x-ray vision to see through all the trees, around the corner and through the van. Not to mention the van is purposely green to help camoflauge it amongst the trees.

Yeah they are all clearly marked. :rolleyes:

Was I not paying enough attention to my driving? Absolutely not. On this downhill corner, it is absolutely VITAL you pay attention to the road and surroundings because there is an unmarked pedestrian/bike crossing at the bottom of the hill. Had I been more worried about watching my speedo instead of the road and applying more pressure on my brakes than I did, I wouldn't of crept over the limit at just the right time for the camera. That was my only fault.

Did I deserve it? I don't think so, no. I wasn't hooning or otherwise driving recklessly. I was paying full attention to the road conditions and all I did wrong was to not put enough pressure on the brakes because I was too busy focusing on the road and the pediastrian crossing, which I know is in a horrible position as I've been on it a few times myself on my bike.

This and being pulled over (again for the first time driving) a couple of weeks ago by an over-zealous cop, who falsely accused me of going 20km/h over the speed limit based on flimsy guesswork, makes me question what the motives of QLD police are. To actually keep the roads safe? Or try and take every opportunity, no matter right or wrong, to catch motorists out to keep the politicians happy and the money flowing. I'm not as cynical as most people to believe that 100%, but it's becoming harder and harder to ignore. Especially with all these "new" hidden cameras they are bringing in, and the possible lowering of the tolerance to 3km/h over.

[erick]

"Victoria's top traffic policeman, Ken Lay, has apologised publicly after being caught driving 10 km/h over the legal speed limit. Mr Lay, the deputy commissioner for road policing, said in a newspaper column that he discovered his lapse when he received a letter saying a speed camera had ''snapped'' him travelling at 80 km/h in a 70 km/h zone.
He said his fine and loss of three demerit points was his first penalty notice in 35 years' driving."


http://www.theage.com.au/national/ken-lay-top-traffic-cop-caught-speeding-20100114-maan.html

[AndrewJ]

And listening to Aunty this morning, he apparently knew about it well before Xmas, yet still came on the idiot box etc telling us all not to speed.
He reasoned that it would ruin his message if people knew he had just been booked.
Forgive me but thats just plain hypocritical.
Why not do what the govt does and get professional spin doctors in
to bleat out the message.
They could even have used
"dont be a bloody idiot like Ken here" in the campaign.
At least we know we are being lied to when spin doctors present it.

Andrew

[erick]

I could image a suitable advert. He shows us his letter, admits he was exceeding the limit, shows that the law applies to everyone, then takes us to the location and gives us good logical reason why the speed limit where he was "booked" should be 70km/h rather than the 80km/h he was travelling at. If the reasons are believable, that may have some effect on the viewer.

[Louwai]

This was a letter to the Editor from an ex policeman, published in the Gold Coast Sun newspaper.

Quote:
ONCE again we witnessed the horrific death toll on our roads over the Christmas period.

As an ex-trafic police officer I ask myself 'when are the politicians and bureaucrats going to realise that all their band-aid treatments have been a total failure?'

Their ideas seem to be more directed at detection and punishment of offenders rather than prevention.

Drivers cause collisions; there are no accidents. They run off roads, hit trees, lose control of their vehicles etc.

Speed, drink, drugs or whatever are secondary to the cause ... important symptoms but not the cause.

No one should be able to teach a person to drive other than a licensed driving instructor, qualified to teach a common system of safe driving (recommend the system used in police driver training.)

We should develop regional training centres equipped with a skid pan, driving simulators and eye-testing facilities to include tests to detect colour blindness.

Examination for a driving licence must be more comprehensive and should include driving at speeds up to 110 km/h, night-driving in poor weather conditions on country roads and on freeways.

Once passed as competent, L and P plates should be abolished.

The second stage of driver education should be through the courts, where instead of a tap on the wrist or paltry fine, traffic offenders may be fined and sentenced to special training at the offender's cost. [I think this may happen in some states in the USA, according to an episode of Malcolm in the Middle I saw recently.]

In cases of drink-driving, why is it necessary to even have a court case with all the associated cost and time consuming trials? If a perosn is deemed over the limit as a result of tests - straight to jail.

The community can no longer keep bearing the ever increasing cost of road trauma.

We have reached the time for some thinking beyond the square and it is high time the decision makers faced the fact that, so far, they have failed miserably to make any progress in solving the problems.
- PETER BROOKE, Mudgeeraba

End of quote.