Advice, speeding fine

First topic message reminder :

I copped a ticket the other day,
just wondering what peoples thoughts are on what I should do, cop it and pay ? goto court ?.

I'm probably guilty of the offense, but man it happened in the blink of an eye!  18 year unblemished record gone in 2 seconds

What happened ?
I turned into a street and was greeted with a motorist that looked like they were looking for an address and travelling slowly, after checking everything was safe, I overtook them, guess I picked up a little more speed than I thought, cop gunned me at 82 down to 77, could be right, I don't know, happened too quick. 

The worst bit ? a damn school zone .  I know what you're thinking, but I have 5 kids, and I see people speeding through the school zones when I walk them to school and I think bloody idiot... and I did the same.

I missed the signs as they were right where I did the overtake (and obviously I'm concentrating on the car and anything around it) and the car was over the 40 painted to the road, no other cars or pedestrians around

Yeah I stuffed up, but man, 5 points and $835

Update on this, the letter for leniency was pointless as expected.

I elected to go to court, then I thought stuff it, I'll just pay and get on with life.

I then received a letter from SDRO saying they weren't sure what I wanted to do, as I had elected to go to court but also paid the fine.
The letter said I had 14 days to get back to them if I wished to take it to court, otherwise the paid amount would stand.

The next week I receive a letter from RMS saying my license will be suspended for 3 months (on the last day of the 14 day limit from the above letter)...
Funny how neither the cop, the fine or the appeal for leniency mentioned the suspension, you're only notified once you pay (unless of course you're already aware of the penalties). Even links like http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/roads/safety-rules/demerits-speeding.pdf don't mention it.

So you end up in a situation where you pay the fine, then receive a suspension letter later.
You can elect to take the suspension to court, but you wont get the fine money back, so really you'd be better going to court from the outset ? (situation dependent)

I rung RMS thinking it was some sort of mistake, and it took the girl 15 mins to find the page that states the 3 and 6 month suspensions.
Everyone at work thought it was over 45 ? Was this changed recently ?.

Anyhoo, washup is that I used that letter from SDRO to get the $835 back, and will go to court and try for a section 10.

What a fcking saga ...

Kiwisteve wrote:Don't forget the 5 years that it'll take to get your points back. & during that 5 years, your insurance co will slug you maximum premiums as you are now considered an unsafe driver. Not only on your bike, but any vehicle that is rego'd in your name

you don't get your points back, they are demerit points, (bad ones, not good ones), you start with zero and accumulate them as you get caught, after (3 years in SA) you then lose them

Its a saga alright, but I think you have a chance of a section 10 with the right Magistrate. Its been well documented in NSW on a morning talk back radio program that if you live in an affluent suburb or you are rich and or famous they hand out section 10's like lollies. There's a lot of wrist slapping going on if you have money. Lets use a well know ex wife of a TV and casino mogul as an example. 4 times over the limit on a suspended licence for the sixth time, rolls her 4WD and ruins 3 parked cars and somehow doesn't kill herself or anyone else. $1100 fine. What a joke.

I hope your rich and famous Buford.

In all seriousness though, I think if you show remorse and explain the circumstances honestly you have a good chance. Good luck mate.

Do the crime. Pay the fine. 
Your license to speed fees are finally due. 
How many times have you not been caught over the years?  
Clean license just means that you have not been caught. I doubt very much that you drive like "Miss Daisy" 
I pay mine regularly,  every couple of years or so. 
I have always contested that you are allowed to speed. You just have to pay for the right. 
If you were not allowed to speed, all vehicles would be speed governed. 
Pity that the fine is so high, but school zones are to be respected. Imo.

Well if it were me and it would not take much for it to be me - I would take it to court and represent myself plead guilty on the first hearing and explain the circumstances to the judge and asked to have it converted to community service only the judge has the power to do this and you can work it off part time at the local charity they can supply details of where you can go to do it ? then you will probably still cop a $ 100 offender levy that you will have to pay out of your pocket . 

Still better than giving over the $ well for me anyway

Bosco15 wrote:Do the crime. Pay the fine. 
Your license to speed fees are finally due. 
How many times have you not been caught over the years?  
Clean license just means that you have not been caught. I doubt very much that you drive like "Miss Daisy" 
I pay mine regularly,  every couple of years or so. 
I have always contested that you are allowed to speed. You just have to pay for the right. 
If you were not allowed to speed, all vehicles would be speed governed. 
Pity that the fine is so high, but school zones are to be respected. Imo.

That is a fantastic argument for those self  righteous bureaucratic wankers that state speed cameras are there to save lives.

Bosco15 wrote:
If you were not allowed to speed, all vehicles would be speed governed. 

that's a bit simplistic when we have about 20 different speed limits around the country

Chook wrote:

Bosco15 wrote:
If you were not allowed to speed, all vehicles would be speed governed. 

that's a bit simplistic when we have about 20 different speed limits around the country

Nah, not at all. My 48month old Tom Tom (it reminds me its old) knows where all the speed zones are. Apply that simple satellite tech to a govener in the car, bike etc and bingo. No more easy government speeding tax fines.

1wheeldrive wrote:

Chook wrote:

Bosco15 wrote:
If you were not allowed to speed, all vehicles would be speed governed. 

that's a bit simplistic when we have about 20 different speed limits around the country

Nah, not at all. My 48month old Tom Tom (it reminds me its old) knows where all the speed zones are. Apply that simple satellite tech to a govener in the car, bike etc and bingo. No more easy government speeding tax fines.

Speed zones on Tom Toms are not always right

madmax wrote:

1wheeldrive wrote:

Chook wrote:

Bosco15 wrote:
If you were not allowed to speed, all vehicles would be speed governed. 

that's a bit simplistic when we have about 20 different speed limits around the country

Nah, not at all. My 48month old Tom Tom (it reminds me its old) knows where all the speed zones are. Apply that simple satellite tech to a govener in the car, bike etc and bingo. No more easy government speeding tax fines.

Speed zones on Tom Toms are not always right

Speed zones are loaded onto the map data. They are not detected "live" if that's what you ment 1wd.

Your faith in technology is very admirable

Well I guess you could argue the fact that it you were going at the speed limit and had a accident that if you had been going faster or slower you would have been before or past the point of impact hence no accident - akin to ''sliding doors'' the movie - lets face it it's mostly about timing and stupidity mostly by car drivers most of the time who don't have a good look before pulling out   

I have been riding on the road every day for almost 40 years and have not had one accident that was my fault ! only one prang in fact and yes there has been some serious speeding in that time by me .

In recent times Government has tried to make road enforcement very black and white and drawn a line we must not cross or $$$$ will apply to us - they just keep on getting it wrong time and time again but then is it about road safety or revenue ? why can we legally buy rocketships that can do more than 3 times the legal limit and then hide to catch us with their starwars detection gear. should we use these missiles (bikes) for what they are built for ? would you buy a fully automatic assault rifle and only have it on single shot mode only I think there is not a person alive who would not let her rip on auto for the wow factor ?  

My local school has a crossing that is 40 ks when the sign applies but they also run a sunday market there and I personally would not do more than 20 ks when it's in full flight - kids crossing , plants ,dogs, old blind people , you name it crosses there on market day and you can do 60 past it and be legal in the eyes of the law  .

anyway that's what I think

2wheelsagain wrote:

madmax wrote:

1wheeldrive wrote:

Chook wrote:

Bosco15 wrote:
If you were not allowed to speed, all vehicles would be speed governed. 

that's a bit simplistic when we have about 20 different speed limits around the country

Nah, not at all. My 48month old Tom Tom (it reminds me its old) knows where all the speed zones are. Apply that simple satellite tech to a govener in the car, bike etc and bingo. No more easy government speeding tax fines.

Speed zones on Tom Toms are not always right

Speed zones are loaded onto the map data. They are not detected "live" if that's what you ment 1wd.

Your absolutely right, but with a little tweaking and road safety in mind, I think Big Brother those that are so concerned about our well being.......
Sorry for the thread pirating,  I'll bow out now.

Good luck with it all  Mr. BTJustice

barry_mcki wrote:

Your faith in technology is very admirable

I just bought a FI ABS Bandit, There's faith right there!

Ps. I couldn't help myself