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.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by arm79

Cos speed kills.

germany's road toll disagrees

[arm79]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

germany's road toll disagrees

You're right. It's the sudden stop that does it.

[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.

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by arm79

You're right. It's the sudden stop that does it.

Sure, still doesn't explain how Germany, UK, and other countries have higher speed limits and lower fatalities than Aus though

[arm79]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

Sure, still doesn't explain how Germany, UK, and other countries have higher speed limits and lower fatalities than Aus though

You're seemingly missing the facetious sarcasm.

Its as Franco said, it a great money earner. Income from speed and mobile phone fines are a budget income line item these days and budgeted to increase year on year. State economies can't do without them.

Road construction also exponentially increases as the speed goes up. Road bases need to be made deeper with better materials to suit the speed and that isn't something governments aren't interested in doing.

Plus there is the basic premise that Aussie drivers are both incapable and not responsible enough to drive at those speeds. People around here are barely capable of driving at 60 or 80, let alone 130, and don't maintain their cars properly in order to do it.

Laws are made for the lowest common denominator.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

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.

Spend a bit of time out in the Western suburbs, people are either doing 30 under the limit on the freeway or 200+ - every morning I've come across some monster doing warp speed and changing across four lanes in amongst the snails

[whyshoulditellyou]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Spend a bit of time out in the Western suburbs, people are either doing 30 under the limit on the freeway or 200+ - every morning I've come across some monster doing warp speed and changing across four lanes in amongst the snails

Is this Melbourne you're talking about?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by whyshoulditellyou

Is this Melbourne you're talking about?

Yes - Melbourne, Florida.

[T3rminator]

Actually, going back to the title of your topic, to be honest, I don't think cops are strict on speed....well not in this area from my experience. There was a talk back radio on the other day asking why in 2023, Vic had a higher fatality rate than NSW, yet had less roads (pretty crude way to compare). Plenty of callers from NSW saying they were surprised how little our roads are policed compared to NSW when they crossed over.

I think the "strictness" comes from gov with their fixed and contracted mobile speed cameras. Not the actual cops patrolling.

[EBSXR6]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Yes - Melbourne, Florida.

Thanks you clearing that up Franco so many places named Melbourne over here.

Melbourne - Washington
Melbourne - Tennessee
Melbourne - Missouri
Melbourne - Kentucky
Melbourne - Iowa
Melbourne - California
Melbourne - Arkansas

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Actually, going back to the title of your topic, to be honest, I don't think cops are strict on speed....well not in this area from my experience. There was a talk back radio on the other day asking why in 2023, Vic had a higher fatality rate than NSW, yet had less roads (pretty crude way to compare). Plenty of callers from NSW saying they were surprised how little our roads are policed compared to NSW when they crossed over.

I think the "strictness" comes from gov with their fixed and contracted mobile speed cameras. Not the actual cops patrolling.

I reckon I've only seen speed trap setups by police maybe 5 times in 12 years on the road, averaging 30,000km/year around Melbourne and surrounds - that was what got me when I done my licence.

Otherwise, when it comes to demerit points I've got a mint driving record, and I spent 12 years driving like a flog.

Hell I've only been brethoed maybe 3 or four times and one was last week and it was a setup of young ones, its like they wheel out the new recruits out somewhere and get them on the bretho.

Its the cameras and for the higher range offences they come down on hard here, otherwise the vast majority of traffic enforcement comes from cameras.

When I did my road trip and went through NSW, I only saw two NSW highway patrol on the entire trip of their coast, one speed trap at Nambucca Heads and one in Forster chasing someone on a dirtbike in the industrial estate.

Also I reckon some of the infringements are weighted that they're not too unpalatable and its done on purpose - using your phone while driving is only 4 points and around $600, its not that much of a disincentive to not use your phone while driving but they make it out like its the end of the world from a safety perspective.

If they were so concerned then how come its not instant suspension of your licence on the spot and four figures?

Or the way in VIC that speeding fines are weighted - 10-24 over the limit is $370 and 3 points, but under 10 over is 1 point and $231.

So why even bother doing 10 over you might as well as do 24 over (unless its a 110 zone then 20 over is loss of licence), its the best value speeding fine on the market.

[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 Franco Cozzo

I reckon I've only seen speed trap setups by police maybe 5 times in 12 years on the road, averaging 30,000km/year around Melbourne and surrounds - that was what got me when I done my licence.

Otherwise, when it comes to demerit points I've got a mint driving record, and I spent 12 years driving like a flog.

Hell I've only been brethoed maybe 3 or four times and one was last week and it was a setup of young ones, its like they wheel out the new recruits out somewhere and get them on the bretho.

Its the cameras and for the higher range offences they come down on hard here, otherwise the vast majority of traffic enforcement comes from cameras.

When I did my road trip and went through NSW, I only saw two NSW highway patrol on the entire trip of their coast, one speed trap at Nambucca Heads and one in Forster chasing someone on a dirtbike in the industrial estate.

Also I reckon some of the infringements are weighted that they're not too unpalatable and its done on purpose - using your phone while driving is only 4 points and around $600, its not that much of a disincentive to not use your phone while driving but they make it out like its the end of the world from a safety perspective.

If they were so concerned then how come its not instant suspension of your licence on the spot and four figures?

Or the way in VIC that speeding fines are weighted - 10-24 over the limit is $370 and 3 points, but under 10 over is 1 point and $231.

So why even bother doing 10 over you might as well as do 24 over (unless its a 110 zone then 20 over is loss of licence), its the best value speeding fine on the market.

Sure Melbourne might not have many cops, but there speed cameras everywhere in Melbourne (many of them hidden)
I don't understand how people can speed in Melbourne without losing their license

[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?

[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