Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Entwood on 13 January 2011, 19:45:48

Title: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Entwood on 13 January 2011, 19:45:48
In the post today 2  ... yes 2 !!! ... speeding tickets .. :( both the same day, but 5 hours apart, that we drove the long drag from Melbourne to Adelaide... sat on the freeway with the cruise control set at 100 km/hr .. I know it drifted up on long downhills ... but didn't think it enough to get done....  :(

One for 107 km/hr in a 100 km/hr and the other 117 km/hr in a 100 km/hr ..:(

100 km/hr = 62 mph , 107 = 66 mph, 115 = 71 mph.... so 4 mph and 9 mph "over" :(

4 has cost me $149 = £97 ... 9 is $239 = £155 I also get 1 "demerit" for the "4" and 3 for the "9".

Fines paid by CC but I've no idea if the "demerits" reach my UK licence or not ... no info on the vic.gov web site .....

I also get a bill from the hire car company for an admin fee as they have to tell who the driver was...   $38 = £25...x 2

total bill £302 ...  :(
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Omegatoy on 13 January 2011, 19:52:09
if you are intending going back there then definetly pay it!!!
if you have no intention of returning then send it back not known at this address!!! ;D

bad luck dude, every time we went to aussie we hired from a rental company called rent-a-wreck, cars were old and battered but good mechanically and they didnt care to much what you did with them, and the paperwork was often "lost" when you period of hire was up  :y
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Varche on 13 January 2011, 19:53:28
Gosh!
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Amigo on 13 January 2011, 19:58:25
Driving recklessly again? I don't know!!!! ::)
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Dishevelled Den on 13 January 2011, 20:20:22
That’s disappointing news indeed E.

I can bang on about speeding to the frustration of other members - but I can also recognise when the piss is being taken.

Even allowing for the inevitable over-read of the typical speedometer those tolerances appear to be quite fine.

Irrespective of the diktats of the law, interpretation is the key factor to effective application of any legislation and if authorities continually try to ‘beat it up people’, can they really be surprised when those people react in the negative?

I would imagine that you would seek advice before accepting the allegations and paying the fines?
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 13 January 2011, 20:25:35
blame it on the car ;D
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 13 January 2011, 20:26:21
Bad luck Entwood! :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Entwood on 13 January 2011, 20:29:04
Quote
That’s disappointing news indeed E.

I can bang on about speeding to the frustration of other members - but I can also recognise when the piss is being taken.

Even allowing for the inevitable under-read of the typical speedometer those tolerances appear to be quite fine.

Irrespective of the diktats of the law, interpretation is the key factor to effective application of any legislation and if authorities continually try to ‘beat it up people’, can they really be surprised when those people react in the negative?

I would imagine that you would seek advice before accepting the allegations and paying the fines?


Not much point TBH .. both were Traffic Camera offences... there are "images" that can be viewed .... either by paying for a copy of the photo, or attending an address in Melbourne ... they don't do "on line" viewing like UK.

As the vehicle was a hire car they have easy access to full details of my licence .. all they have to do is ask the hire company who photocopied them ... tad difficult to deny it was me ... :( ... as I was the only one insured to drive it !!
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Welung666 on 13 January 2011, 20:31:35
Nige, the fine stands but the demerit points have no bearing as you don't hold an Aus license. You were driving using an EU license which entitles you to drive in bot Aus and NZ for 12 months per visit as a visitor :y
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Debs. on 13 January 2011, 20:33:37
Quote

total bill £302 ...  :(

 :o Jeepers criminy! :o
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Entwood on 13 January 2011, 21:11:24
Quote
Nige, the fine stands but the demerit points have no bearing as you don't hold an Aus license. You were driving using an EU license which entitles you to drive in bot Aus and NZ for 12 months per visit as a visitor :y

Thanks for that :) .. Unable to actually find that info .. although the web sites do only refer to Aus licences..

:(
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: PhilRich on 13 January 2011, 21:17:42
Damned bad luck Entwood, they probably chucked the book at you when they found out you were a 'brit abroad' 'cos they lost the Ashes! The baaastaaards >:(
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Welung666 on 13 January 2011, 21:26:19
Quote
Quote
Nige, the fine stands but the demerit points have no bearing as you don't hold an Aus license. You were driving using an EU license which entitles you to drive in bot Aus and NZ for 12 months per visit as a visitor :y

Thanks for that :) .. Unable to actually find that info .. although the web sites do only refer to Aus licences..

:(

It's the same a european driver over here caught speeding, they get the fine but no points ;)
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: tidla on 13 January 2011, 22:37:38
Quote
That’s disappointing news indeed E.

I can bang on about speeding to the frustration of other members - but I can also recognise when the piss is being taken.
Even allowing for the inevitable under-read of the typical speedometer those tolerances appear to be quite fine.

Irrespective of the diktats of the law, interpretation is the key factor to effective application of any legislation and if authorities continually try to ‘beat it up people’, can they really be surprised when those people react in the negative?

I would imagine that you would seek advice before accepting the allegations and paying the fines?

hot fuzz on the telly at the mo.

would the officers name with the radar gun be peter ian staker ::)
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Martin_1962 on 13 January 2011, 22:39:26
What can they do if you don't pay?
I suspect nothing
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Lazydocker on 13 January 2011, 22:45:15
Quote
What can they do if you don't pay?
I suspect nothing

Bill it to the Hire Company who in turn will bill it to E's Credit Card number stored when the deposit was paid ;)

Most Hire Companies have this clause in the small print nowadays AFAIK and add a hefty admin fee too
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: hotel21 on 13 January 2011, 22:46:03
As others have said, not so lucky on becoming a statistic and paying for the privelage....

Points/Disqual outwith the UK licencing system have no bearing (yet) within the UK, although plans, as always, are afoot.

You can be disqualified from driving in Outer Mongolia for a year from today but has nowt to do with UK licencing as no agreements in place.

EU, different story, lots of cunning plans in the offing before I worked my last shift over 4 years ago, so would suggest that its worth a check.

As AUS outwith EU/UK, would suggest that a ban is worth hee haw.  likewise, if its was a once in a lifetime visit, balance payout today with probability of return sometime, as yet unknown.....
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Elite Pete on 13 January 2011, 23:05:54
Well, if they can't win the Ashes they have to get back at us English somehow ::)

Bad luck Nige :(

Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Entwood on 13 January 2011, 23:13:04
Well the info I have "discovered" during my research today implies that, in the past, they have taken civil action (bailifs etc) in the UK to enforce the fine, and every extra step they take the fees increase rapidly.

I did the deed it appears so I've put my hands up and paid the fines .... :(

It would appear that they only allow a 2% margin above 100 km/hr and 2 km/hr margin below that. The fines are also very much larger in every aspect ...

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/B613EEF2-27DC-48E6-AC0B-90F814D48349/0/ActRegulationsFinesAndPenaltiesRegisterJune2010.pdf

multiply $Aus by 0.65 to get £UK

:(
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: hotel21 on 13 January 2011, 23:14:26
And what is the legally required accuracy of a speedometer fitted to a vehicle in AUS?  Its 10% in the UK.....
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: aaronjb on 13 January 2011, 23:25:39
Quote
And what is the legally required accuracy of a speedometer fitted to a vehicle in AUS?  Its 10% in the UK.....

I thought that was only 10% in one direction, though, here, not +/-10% but only +<10% (so it can read 70 when you're doing 63, but not read 70 when you're doing 77)?
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Kevin Wood on 13 January 2011, 23:53:51
Quote
Quote
And what is the legally required accuracy of a speedometer fitted to a vehicle in AUS?  Its 10% in the UK.....

I thought that was only 10% in one direction, though, here, not +/-10% but only +<10% (so it can read 70 when you're doing 63, but not read 70 when you're doing 77)?

Yep. I think it can read even more than 10% high but must not read low. IIRC, I was allowed an actual road speed of 58-70MPH at 70 indicated,

Those are the rules applied at SVA/IVA anyway. Not sure what happens during type approval of a production car but I would imagine the same principle applies, and all production cars I can remember checking against a GPS have read high by 5% or more.

Kevin
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: tunnie on 13 January 2011, 23:57:49
was it a camera or Policeman with speed gun? First one, just slightly over bit tight, plus fact your a tourist, would have thought you would just get a telling off  :(  :-/
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: mrgreen on 14 January 2011, 07:57:00
my father in law had the same problem in N.Z he was done by a copper with a gun which he paid and must have been the same stretch of road was a speed camera he paid the copper fine and ignored the speed camera one and he asked a lawyer here what the situation was and was told they have no juridstriction in Austria anyway and after about five letters they gave up 2 percent is really a tight leeway i would look further into this before paying.
Title: Re: Sour note on the Aussie trip ....
Post by: Martin_1962 on 14 January 2011, 08:28:27
At least we now know they hate tourists