Speeding Tickets

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Intra

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Did a quick search, came up with nothing, and thought I might get the thoughts of the good people here at AFF.

Just received my 2nd speeding ticket in the mail (57 in a 50 zone), the first one I received back when I was on my P Plates I recognised as being legit and coped it on the chin. This one I'm not so sure about in all honesty; I don't mind necessarily paying $151 and taking the demerit point, but I'm seriously considering taking this to the courts. I have no experience in doing so ofcourse, and wanted to see if anyone else had disputed a speeding ticket before and there experience. Its just hilarious that I get a speeding ticket for this, where in other cases I've passed cops and felt like I'd get pulled over or get something in the mail cause of the speed I was going at... but nothing til this...
 
on what grounds would you dispute the ticket? Assuming its from a camera, then you have been presented with "proof" you were speeding. So you would need to show proof you were not, or at least show that the proof presented by the Dept of Transport (i.e. the photo from the camera) is flawed in some manner as to present sufficient doubt about the validity of their proof. A "feeling" is not going to change the situation.
 
There are many claims that Speed Camera tickets are easy to beat, but you probably need expert advice. Google 'beat speed camera ticket' and change the search country to just Australia and you'll find some links.
 
If you in Victoria and you have not had a fine for 2/3 years, you can apply for a warning.
 
Did a quick search, came up with nothing, and thought I might get the thoughts of the good people here at AFF.

Just received my 2nd speeding ticket in the mail (57 in a 50 zone), the first one I received back when I was on my P Plates I recognised as being legit and coped it on the chin. This one I'm not so sure about in all honesty; I don't mind necessarily paying $151 and taking the demerit point, but I'm seriously considering taking this to the courts. I have no experience in doing so ofcourse, and wanted to see if anyone else had disputed a speeding ticket before and there experience. Its just hilarious that I get a speeding ticket for this, where in other cases I've passed cops and felt like I'd get pulled over or get something in the mail cause of the speed I was going at... but nothing til this...

Presumably this was a camera? If so, the strong assumption is going to be that you are guilty and you will essentially need to prove your innocence or at least produce a convincing reason for there to be reasonable doubt. If you simply turn up on the day and say something similar to "I don't believe I was speeding on the day" the court will likely just rubber stamp you and add a few bucks for their trouble.
 
In WA it is legal to have a radar detector in your car so I have all 12 points in hand.
It does remind me to slow down.
The biggest road threat comes from people texting while driving. That should be a 12 point penalty to get those folks on to public transport or the footpath.
 
on what grounds would you dispute the ticket? Assuming its from a camera, then you have been presented with "proof" you were speeding. So you would need to show proof you were not, or at least show that the proof presented by the Dept of Transport (i.e. the photo from the camera) is flawed in some manner as to present sufficient doubt about the validity of their proof. A "feeling" is not going to change the situation.

Yes, I recognise that my "feeling" is not going to have any standing in a court, but I'm just stumped as to of all cases I may or may not have been speeding, I get caught out while unintentionally speeding, and if I was to do, say 2kms less, I probably would have been in the clear. With an option of disputing it, I'm curious to see if anyone here has taken this path.

Valid argument would indeed have to be found. I can easily just seeing myself just using my next Youth Allowance payment and pay up... What goes around come around.
 
The only time I've been done by a speed camera was one of those red-light speed cameras which trick you into racing the orange to avoid the red light but you end up speeding so get done anyway.

I had a clean record in NSW for over 20 years so put my case and the fine was waived. I've learned my lesson.

In NSW you need 10 years of blemish-free driving. In ACT it's 20 apparently - that's where I last got done many years ago and couldn't get out of it due to having my only other fine some 15 years earlier - harsh!
 
I doubt in QLD you get much benefit from a clean record.No speeding fines for a while when I got pinged twice in a day.Knew I wasn't speeding as I was on cruise control just below the limit.got my speedo checked and it was reading significantly below the actual speed so supplied the proof of that with a plea for leniency.No result just told to pay up.

One speeding ticket since when on the way to the hospital for an emergency.Still had to wait whilst the fellow filled out the ticket and again no luck with a plea for mercy.
 
If your credit card gives you points for gov payments, cop it on the chin and move on.

SPEEDING FINES - GROWING YOUR POINTS BALANCE
 
In Victoria the philosophy seems to be that if you have a good driving record, the offence is 'minor' and that if you took the case to court and plead guilty in front of a Magistrate, they are likely to 'let you off - this time' - they are prepared to give a driver an 'official warning' rather than have the courts tied up.

e.g. 2 years without an offense, under 10km over the limit is an example of the criteria.

Not so in QLD! http://www.police.qld.gov.au/Resources/Internet/programs/roadSafety/documents/PenaltiesDemerit.pdf

I am not sure what options a QLD Magistrate would have if you took this fine to court.
 
It sounds like you regularly speed and have been lucky so far, so I would just put this one down to karma...
 
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In WA it is legal to have a radar detector in your car so I have all 12 points in hand.
It does remind me to slow down.

I bought a top of the range model many years ago (in WA) worked pretty well for about a year, but ended up being plagued with false positives and as a result became essentially useless. Considering what I paid for the detector coupled with the fact that I rarely speed anyway, I gave it up and just cop any fines I happen to get on the chin now (maybe 1 in 3-5 years).

Having said that though, its easy to go a few km's over the limit, say 5, when your mind is on other things - have the detector systems improved much over the years do you feel?


The biggest road threat comes from people texting while driving. That should be a 12 point penalty to get those folks on to public transport or the footpath.

Have to agree with this. Over in WA at least its endemic. I missed what would have been a nasty t-bone a couple of weeks ago when a guy just coasted right through a red light with his 4x4. I don't know what he was doing of course, but as he rolled through the intersection he certainly wasn't watching the road but something on his lap or feet.

edit: I think that the fear of getting a ticket is contributing to poor driving too. I spend a more than average amount of time on the freeway in PER and it amazes me how many folks drive along at 90-95km/hr in the 100 posted zones. It doesn't sound like a big deal but as most of our freeways are only 2 lanes I reckon it contributes to the nasty congestion we've been suffering over here for the last several years.
 
I'm really sorry officer, I took my eyes off the speedo for a second to check the road ahead and my mirrors, promise I wont do it again.
 
There's a school of thought that says strict enforcement of speed limits (within a few kph) actually makes the roads more dangerous as people are constantly glancing at their speedo and taking their eyes off the road increasing the chance of running up someone's rear or hitting a pedestrian (the type with white tendrils hanging from the ears probably).

I dunno. You should have a fair idea of your speed around town and on the highway use cruise control. I find the worst places are the outskirts of town where you are way out of town but haven't seen a 100 sign. You think "surely this is far enough out of town" and speed up then spot either a police car or the 100 sign.
 
From what I know about speed enforcement, your only hope is for leniency, not ¨beating¨the ticket. The pólice devices for measuring speed are unbelievably accurate. The handheld ¨Lidar¨ devices they have are amazing. The device, which measures distance, not speed, (and thus using multiple distance measurements over a period of time to calculate speed) are essentially unchallengable. The same devices are used by NASA on space stations for docking procedures. I would trust one of these devices a million times more than the ¨curise control¨on a car.

I have got a ticket about once every five years. Usually on open highway in good weather. But I admit that each time, I was actually exceeding the posted limit.
 
Most, if not all, car speedos read over your actual speed so you have to be exceeding the limit by more than "a few kph" to get booked I'd reckon.

I've compared the speedos of many, many rental cars with the readings of various GPS units and almost every single one reads 3 kph higher than the GPS reading. The GPS IS more accurate than a car speedo - I thought so - 20 odd satellites will help - but Dr Karl also said so therefore it must be true!

The other way to check your speedo is those overhead LED speed signs in a few spots. Several on the Geelong road and also the F6 south of Sydney - any others? They seem to read about 3-5 kph below my car speedo too.
 
The other way to check your speedo is those overhead LED speed signs in a few spots. Several on the Geelong road and also the F6 south of Sydney - any others? They seem to read about 3-5 kph below my car speedo too.

But don't rely too much on those mobile ones you may see near construction zones. They'll flash random numbers even when there are no cars passing by.
 
Did a quick search, came up with nothing, and thought I might get the thoughts of the good people here at AFF.

Just received my 2nd speeding ticket in the mail (57 in a 50 zone), the first one I received back when I was on my P Plates I recognised as being legit and coped it on the chin. This one I'm not so sure about in all honesty; I don't mind necessarily paying $151 and taking the demerit point, but I'm seriously considering taking this to the courts. I have no experience in doing so ofcourse, and wanted to see if anyone else had disputed a speeding ticket before and there experience. Its just hilarious that I get a speeding ticket for this, where in other cases I've passed cops and felt like I'd get pulled over or get something in the mail cause of the speed I was going at... but nothing til this...

Have you at least obtained a copy of the photo to confirm that it was your car and you driving?

I doubt in QLD you get much benefit from a clean record.No speeding fines for a while when I got pinged twice in a day.Knew I wasn't speeding as I was on cruise control just below the limit.got my speedo checked and it was reading significantly below the actual speed so supplied the proof of that with a plea for leniency.No result just told to pay up.

One speeding ticket since when on the way to the hospital for an emergency.Still had to wait whilst the fellow filled out the ticket and again no luck with a plea for mercy.

I assume you only sent a letter? It would be interesting to see how this went in court (see below).

If your credit card gives you points for gov payments, cop it on the chin and move on.

SPEEDING FINES - GROWING YOUR POINTS BALANCE

Love the positive attitude!

edit: I think that the fear of getting a ticket is contributing to poor driving too. I spend a more than average amount of time on the freeway in PER and it amazes me how many folks drive along at 90-95km/hr in the 100 posted zones. It doesn't sound like a big deal but as most of our freeways are only 2 lanes I reckon it contributes to the nasty congestion we've been suffering over here for the last several years.

Agree! Same in MEL.

There's a school of thought that says strict enforcement of speed limits (within a few kph) actually makes the roads more dangerous as people are constantly glancing at their speedo and taking their eyes off the road increasing the chance of running up someone's rear or hitting a pedestrian (the type with white tendrils hanging from the ears probably).

I dunno. You should have a fair idea of your speed around town and on the highway use cruise control. I find the worst places are the outskirts of town where you are way out of town but haven't seen a 100 sign. You think "surely this is far enough out of town" and speed up then spot either a police car or the 100 sign.

I agree with this theory. There's also another theory that the differential in speed is significantly more dangerous than speeding, for example, if the majority of the traffic on the freeway is speeding and someone is doing the speed limit, they are a bigger risk than everyone speeding.

Most, if not all, car speedos read over your actual speed so you have to be exceeding the limit by more than "a few kph" to get booked I'd reckon.

I've compared the speedos of many, many rental cars with the readings of various GPS units and almost every single one reads 3 kph higher than the GPS reading. The GPS IS more accurate than a car speedo - I thought so - 20 odd satellites will help - but Dr Karl also said so therefore it must be true!

The other way to check your speedo is those overhead LED speed signs in a few spots. Several on the Geelong road and also the F6 south of Sydney - any others? They seem to read about 3-5 kph below my car speedo too.

Speedos in all cars built in the last 10-20 years will not read lower than the actual speed, since the Australian Design Rules were changed from +/- 10% tolerance, to only +10% (i.e. speedo cannot read under).
 
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Have you at least obtained a copy of the photo to confirm that it was your car and you driving?
...
From an experience :oops: from well over a decade ago, QLD actually include a copy of the photo on the fine sheet.
 
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