why are australian cops so strict on speed?

[whyshoulditellyou]

As asked above, why are australian cops so strict on speed? considering other developed countries have higher speed limits but less fatalities than Aus

What would it take for Australia to get higher speed limits?

[Franco Cozzo]

Oh my, new account coming right out the gate with this hot topic

Because it makes money, the vast majority of speeding fines are for under 10km/h under the limit enforced by cameras here in Victoria, that's why they dedicate so much resources to it.

You can't justify it in any way that doing 5 over the limit and having the fine issued weeks later from a camera is about safety - that's two thirds of the fines every quarter in VIC.

100% fake news,

Big hole in the VIC budget at the moment with $8-$10B/year in interest payments alone, with a government that owns no sources of revenue aside from speed cameras.

Good luck easier to set up a human colony on Mars than addressing that elephant in the room.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Oh my, new account coming right out the gate with this hot topic

Because it makes money, the vast majority of speeding fines are for under 10km/h under the limit enforced by cameras here in Victoria, that's why they dedicate so much resources to it.

You can't justify it in any way that doing 5 over the limit and having the fine issued weeks later from a camera is about safety - that's two thirds of the fines every quarter in VIC.

100% fake news

but don't the cops also hide behind bushes etc pinging people for 3k over the limit?

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

As asked above, why are australian cops so strict on speed? considering other developed countries have higher speed limits but less fatalities than Aus

What would it take for Australia to get higher speed limits?

Think we have a mix of bag of bad attitude (more people think they are more important than the next, less giving way etc) and bad roads. Our roads were not designed to do the speeds that they do in the US and Europe, case in point, they don't have big gum trees 5 metres off the side of the road!

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

but don't the cops also hide behind bushes etc pinging people for 3k over the limit?

Don't think I've seen this happening for 20+ years now.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Think we have a mix of bag of bad attitude (more people think they are more important than the next, less giving way etc) and bad roads. Our roads were not designed to do the speeds that they do in the US and Europe, case in point, they don't have big gum trees 5 metres off the side of the road!
many of our roads are far better than the ones in US, UK etc
like the hume, pacific, bruce etc


Don't think I've seen this happening for 20+ years now.

ahh
so does that mean they still give around 10% leeway?

[arm79]

Cos speed kills.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

ahh
so does that mean they still give around 10% leeway?

lol yeh I reckon 1 in 10 will give way to you when they legally don't have to.

Its funny here, people drive faster on smaller roads than say in the UK and asia. But on highways, they drive faster.

[b0son]

It's a fine on normal human behaviour, so it's virtually guaranteed that there will be a steady stream of revenue. I don't doubt a proportion of HWP cops believe their own bulldust and think they're making the roads safer, but as a NSW HWP told me, the majority of people he fined for speeding werent doing anything dangerous. They fine you because they can, not because they need to.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by b0son

It's a fine on normal human behaviour, so it's virtually guaranteed that there will be a steady stream of revenue. I don't doubt a proportion of HWP cops believe their own bulldust and think they're making the roads safer, but as a NSW HWP told me, the majority of people he fined for speeding werent doing anything dangerous. They fine you because they can, not because they need to.

"They fine you because they can"
Yet on other countries cops routinely ignore people driving over the speed limit, as long as they're not driving dangerously etc
Why isn't this the case in Australia?

[EBSXR6]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

"They fine you because they can"
Yet on other countries cops routinely ignore people driving over the speed limit, as long as they're not driving dangerously etc
Why isn't this the case in Australia?

As Franco posted the Governments need the money.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by EBSXR6

As Franco posted the Governments need the money.

Yes but what I mean is how come Australian governments need the $$$ from speeding fines but other countries governments don't?

[PooDog]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

Yes but what I mean is how come Australian governments need the $$$ from speeding fines but other countries governments don't?

Exact same deal over the ditch .....the latest craze over here is altering speed limits all over the place then sit back and collect the revenue

[FairmontGS]

There’s no point comparing UK, France , Italy , Germany to Australia, the roads are far superior and can cater for greater speeds.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

There’s no point comparing UK, France , Italy , Germany to Australia, the roads are far superior and can cater for greater speeds.

The autostradas in France and Italy are only 2 lanes and don't have an emergency lane
They're 130 zones
And most people drive at 150-160 ish
Not to mention France and Italy have a road toll similar to Australia

Our draconian speed enforcement isn't saving lives

[Rallye Sport]

I wouldn't say its the cops being strict, they're just working to the letter of the law much the same as an Electrician or a Plumber works to a set standard.

I once sarcastically asked a copper how much money he'd made that day. His answer was blunt "I couldn't tell you, but I do know how many demerit points I've taken away today and thats what really hurts people"

That rings true to me, I don't remember my last fine but do remember the points I lost over it.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

I wouldn't say its the cops being strict, they're just working to the letter of the law much the same as an Electrician or a Plumber works to a set standard.

I once sarcastically asked a copper how much money he'd made that day. His answer was blunt "I couldn't tell you, but I do know how many demerit points I've taken away today and thats what really hurts people"

That rings true to me, I don't remember my last fine but do remember the points I lost over it.

"Just working to the letter of the law"
Sure but the point I'm trying to make is that they don't use discretion
In other countries cops routinely ignore people driving over the speed limit as long as they're not driving dangerously
Many of these countries have road tolls similar to Australia, and lower in some cases

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

The autostradas in France and Italy are only 2 lanes and don't have an emergency lane
They're 130 zones
And most people drive at 150-160 ish
Not to mention France and Italy have a road toll similar to Australia

Our draconian speed enforcement isn't saving lives

We have "Woke Governments" who says speed enforcement saves lives, who do think you are questioning them.

Cheers.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by Itsme

We have "Woke Governments" who says speed enforcement saves lives, who do think you are questioning them.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

I wouldn't say its the cops being strict, they're just working to the letter of the law much the same as an Electrician or a Plumber works to a set standard.

I once sarcastically asked a copper how much money he'd made that day. His answer was blunt "I couldn't tell you, but I do know how many demerit points I've taken away today and thats what really hurts people"

That rings true to me, I don't remember my last fine but do remember the points I lost over it.

Eh what do you mean by this? Questioning them?
Lol

[Electrolyte Burns]

I was over in WA a few years ago when I heard the top cop of the state being interviewed, on the radio, about speed camera revenue.
It was down about 6 Million on the year before.
His attitude was not "The speed cameras are working for us as the offences are down"
It was "Oh what will we do we have just lost 6 Million"
So blatant as to be nauseating.
Says it all really.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by Electrolyte Burns

I was over in WA a few years ago when I heard the top cop of the state being interviewed, on the radio, about speed camera revenue.
It was down about 6 Million on the year before.
His attitude was not "The speed cameras are working for us as the offences are down"
It was "Oh what will we do we have just lost 6 Million"
So blatant as to be nauseating.
Says it all really.

So basically the cops know it's revenue raising but won't publicly admit it

[ozpacman]

Originally Posted by Electrolyte Burns

I was over in WA a few years ago when I heard the top cop of the state being interviewed, on the radio, about speed camera revenue.
It was down about 6 Million on the year before.
His attitude was not "The speed cameras are working for us as the offences are down"
It was "Oh what will we do we have just lost 6 Million"
So blatant as to be nauseating.
Says it all really.

I find that a bit odd EB.

Firstly, state police departments don't receive the money from speed camera fines. It goes into the respective state government's consolidated revenue fund.

Secondly, it would be most unusual for a 'top cop' from any jurisdiction to complain in the media about a multi million dollar loss of revenue from traffic fines. That would be career suicide.

I worked in police media and public affairs for many years, so have a reasonable understanding of how the game is played!

[b0son]

Originally Posted by ozpacman

I worked in police media and public affairs for many years, so have a reasonable understanding of how the game is played!

accidents are down? it's working, that's why we need more.

accidents are up? drivers are not getting the message, that's why we need more.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by b0son

accidents are down? it's working, that's why we need more.

accidents are up? drivers are not getting the message, that's why we need more.

Hit the nail on the head
Aus is the biggest nanny state in the world
Even dictatorships like china have higher speed limits on their freeways

[roKWiz]

Maybe if half the imbeciles on the roads these days knew how to drive, the cops wouldn't have to be so strict.
Assuming half the imbeciles on the road have a licence.

[FairmontGS]

You seem to be fishing for the answer that you want. Let me guess - you just got done for speeding?

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

You seem to be fishing for the answer that you want. Let me guess - you just got done for speeding?

No I always drive 10k under the limit just in case

[arm79]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

No I always drive 10k under the limit just in case

So one of those that make my blood boil...

You must be a Queenslander...

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by arm79

So one of those that make my blood boil...

You must be a Queenslander...

quite the opposite, i'm in vic, the land of hidden speed cameras
and the last time I was in qld, everyone seemed to do 10k over the limit
don't know how they manage to avoid getting fined lol

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

quite the opposite, i'm in vic, the land of hidden speed cameras

Has it been raining in your part of Victoria all day today?
Too wet to mow the lawn or do some work on the car?
Your footy team not being televised today?
I can think of no other reasons you’d be banging on about this inane subject for the last 5 or 6 hrs!
There’s other really interesting stuff on this forum you know?

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

No I always drive 10k under the limit just in case

So you were fined for driving in the right lane obstructing traffic.
This thread is pointless.
Been here for a few months. Every single post in this thread, tells me a lot.