Speed Trap (& Parking) Subterfuge

Great link. Really elevates “hiding in the bushes” to a whole new level.

Here is a snap our GoPro caught over Easter of a mobile speed detetctor.

Traffic%20Offender

I wonder how many motorists he has booked for the same traffic offence.

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Hope you got his number @Fred123?

I learnt from the media not too long ago, while a quota may not exist as such, apparently the tally of bookings, arrests, boufines, etc. contribute toward fulfilling KPI requirements and improving performance reviews that in turn leads to future advancement within the Force.
As an aside, I have a personal peeve about the amount of cars (and even a few motorbikes) that have a prolific array of unnecessary/illegally used lights, that are extra bright, extra clean and predominantly aimed to shine in your eyes from a great distance. And this is just in built-up areas.

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Yes! and I wonder if anyone has ever been ticketed for that offence that actually affects safety (dazzling). About half the SUVs seem to keep on their fog lights or driving lights permanently, yet the ADR mob refuses to even demand vehicles be equipped so that when the engine is turned off, the lights turn off until purposefully and intentionally turned on again. Not perfect but a step forward.

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I times past I recall people were pinged. When the first Skylines came out way back when, they had 6 headlights though only 4 were lit, but the rules said 4 fitted, not lit, so I think that led to a change.

Light bars are the latest thing, latest being relative. Where I am, a few kilowatts of lighting is common - and needed. Now we have a speed limit - up to 130 in some places - it’s less of an issue, but still with unfenced roads and camels, cattle, horses, donkeys, roos, etc - the more light the better. When I get to the big smoke, and people see a few pairs of spotlights and a few light bars, you can sense the questions - but when they see the vehicle is somewhat ‘mad max’ with associated dents/etc, plus the outback plates, they usually ‘get it’.

Most city ‘SUV’s’ wouldn’t risk hitting anything bigger than a blowfly …

Similar debates take place for bull-bars … hardly something one might need in St Kilda, but here they are barely optional …

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Having and using in the bush or remote areas where they are needed is a far distant discussion then operating them in Eltham or roads around the Yarra Valley… I wonder if times past include times present based on the numbers of citified SUVs and their ‘Crocodile Dundee wannabe’ drivers who proudly venture forth, all their lights in the ‘on’ position day and night. It is not usually the real deals with the serious 4WDs w/light bars, but the pretenders doing soccer and grocery runs w/built in driving and fog lamps, although the fog lamps being what they are are not as nasty.

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I don’t get it either? In a practical sense anyway.

Why would you take a brand new sparkling expensive high end off road capable vehicle, remove some of the city centric safety design features (eg pedestrian friendly soft bumpers), and spend another $25,000 accessorising it with light kits, recovery winch, bull bars, long range fuel tanks etc?

Would you risk even a stone chip on a dirt road or a galah stuck in the grill, unseen for a day or two until well baked?

And then the moment it gets it’s first panel dent in the school car park or first salt corrosion mark on the alloys from driving down the surf, sell it for less than half what it cost.

The only winner here is the first instance the struggling car accessory retailer , or possibly the farmer over the hill who might get a cheaper hack vehicle for some real work.

The biggest looser might be the little old lady in a Hyundai who the Toorak tractor with off-road chunkies and lousy braking rear ends and drives over on the way home from bridge. Remember to never admit it is the drivers fault. :thinking:

My tip for city folk intent on pretending at looking like a real bush connected Aussie. You can get the same effect at a bargain price. Terry towelling for the Fraser Island and driving on the sand look, or an Akubra string and corks optional if you choose an affinity with the dust, outback, and lack of water for a good long 30 minute shower?:roll_eyes:

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Wow. Now the revenue raisers have sunk to an even lower level.

And the rocket scientists who keep claiming that their revenue raising speed traps are reducing the road toll cannot explain why the road toll is soaring.

Simple explanation. “You just can’t help stupid” in regard to idiot drivers and idiot public officials

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Perhaps, but if this practice resumes in our area, there is the perfect reason to not pay for the clean?

Looks like by law (in WA anyway) it is illegal to give payment! :wink:

If there were any fines, possibly they should be to the windscreen cleaner as they are the ones who initiated the offense (if it exists).

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7 posts were merged into an existing topic: New Answer To Idiots Who Use Mobile Phones Whilst Driving

An interesting article regarding a NZ driver beating a speeding ticket.

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Being NZ it is even more surprising the driver was speeding or even overtaking, given the typical price of petrol is $2.20 Aussies or more per litre, up to $2.50 away from the big cities.

Not sure I’d rely on that over here?

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An article advising that 1 in 4 drivers and riders killed on Qld roads had a BAC of over 0.05%.

When I was driving home at around 3:00 PM on Tuesday along the arterial road before turning right at the roundabout, I saw a large police operation a little further down the road which was pulling over all southbound traffic, presumably primarily for Random Breath Tests.

In view of the reports of parents being caught driving drunk on the morning school runs, the afternoon school runs would presumably be worse.

This is the sort of thing they should be doing as oppsed to hiding in the bushes with cameras.

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An article regarding NSW proposing to remove warning signs near fixed speed cameras.

So somehow not making speeding motorists aware that they are about to be caught by a fixed speed camera is going to reduce the road toll?

And whether or not they slow down temporarily for the camera, how will this reduce the road toll when they kill themselves and/or someone else 10 minutes later and the fine arrives in the mail a week or so later?

I thought that the government was previously claiming that the speed cameras had been a runaway success in reducing the road toll.

The signs at the combined speed and redlight cameras around Cairns state. “Speed and Red Light Camera. For Road Safety”.

I noticed last week that someone had overpainted “For Road Safety” on one of the signs.

Pity they did not add “For Revenue Raising”.

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“expert advice” apparently - I’ll bet the qualifications of said expert are in the finance and accounting field.

“The NSW government may scrap speed camera warning signs across the state, amid claims the move could save 54 lives a year.”

I’d be all for it if they can publish an accurate list of names for those 54 people in advance :wink:

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An observation, on the other 3 out of 4 drivers.

There are two types of drivers on our roads. Those who are alert, and can observe the speed restrictions; and those who cannot.

Perhaps those who cannot need to pay to have speed limiters installed in their vehicles, as an alternative to revenue raising?

Or is it really all about being observant and alert at all times, in which instance the alternative may need to be more draconian. :wink:

I’d be more concerned about stray cattle stepping out of the bushes, or that flock of errant sheep late at night. The petroleum and auto makers marketing teams who built the freedom of the open road images should be at the front of a class action. IMHO.

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… at the end of the article about warning signs:

NSW drivers have paid government $1.12 billion in fines since 2012. That total is set to increase with the introduction of mobile phone detection cameras in Sydney by the end of the year.

The detection cameras will photograph all passing cars, with a computer then identifying drivers who have a phone in their hand. The system will check 123 million cars every year.

Based on numbers from a recent trial, it’s estimated that more than 1 million drivers will be caught every year, attracting up to $348 million worth of fines.

Lawyers have told a parliamentary enquiry the legislation allowing the cameras reverses the onus of proof, and drivers will be assumed guilty.

That should have everyone in NSW concerned …

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Oh!
Packet of cigs, two way mic, Mars Bar, handkerchief, readjusting glasses, scratching ear, …? Must be a really high res camera.

Perhaps as a driver you now need to keep both hands on the wheel, or under the dash out of sight!

Will your mobile carrier turn up in court complete with records of the day to prove you were not on a call or using data at that instant. Although the latter is open to argument either way.:wink:

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The NRMA is not buying the NSW Government’s snow job.

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