Speeding fine

[Robert WA]

Two comments.

Come drive in WA. The police are arguing for a rise and, to put pressure on the government, are issuing cautions instead of infringements to common or garden speeders. They say it has cost the State a $million plus in just a week or so.

The last time I got done for speeding, 128 in a 110 zone, the police officer who pulled me over had obviously just had a pee. He had 6 inches of shirt hanging out of his open fly. My wife, sitting in the car, was wetting herself laughing and the officer got annoyed and ripped into me about "your attitude". I didn't tell the crabby sod about the uniform malfunction in the hope he would carry on like that for the rest of his shift.
I paid the fine, and learned a lesson. $200 worth, plus 3 demerits.

I was, until I retired last year, the Coroner in this district. Believe me, speed does kill.

[ernknot]

It's not the speed, it's the sudden stop.

[bitingmidge]

"But, the philosophy of speed cameras is sound. That being to decrease the incidence of speeding and compliance with speed restrictions. The idea being that you will never know where one is so wont take the chance.
What he said

No argument EXCEPT if I may clarify

SIGN: Mowing- 60 next 2 Kilometres. which of course may inadvertantly give the impression that the zone exists for 2 kilometres.

2 kilometres - NO SIGN (thinks... hmmmm I wonder if there's going to be a derestriction sign? Maybe not, we're in a hundred zone but we'll keep pottering along on our 800 k journey at 60 "just in case".)

5+ k's - speed camera. (thinks... I have no idea what the speed limit is, am I still in the 60 zone? I've passed the 2k mark, I've passed the mowing team. I'm doing well under 70, if I'm in a 100 zone they'll hate me!)

100 m or so further - end 60 (thinks... PRICKS!)

So, I have no challenge at all with the idea that one doesn't know where they are, again see my original post. I do have a challenge with the signage and the location, now apparently 2 kilometres means 5, or could it mean 100??

Of course the sign could have been interpreted 60 (forever) and Mowing (next 2k's), which I suppose is my downfall. I don't usually treat signage as a cryptic teaser!

I am actually one of those annoying people who slow down for areas like this, but I do think there's a point where the word "entrapment" comes in to play, and I reckon these heroes have found it!

Cheers,

P (probably unscathed)

[Rossluck]

No argument EXCEPT if I may clarify

SIGN: Mowing- 60 next 2 Kilometres. which of course may inadvertantly give the impression that the zone exists for 2 kilometres.

2 kilometres - NO SIGN (thinks... hmmmm I wonder if there's going to be a derestriction sign? Maybe not, we're in a hundred zone but we'll keep pottering along on our 800 k journey at 60 "just in case".)

5+ k's - speed camera. (thinks... I have no idea what the speed limit is, am I still in the 60 zone? I've passed the 2k mark, I've passed the mowing team. I'm doing well under 70, if I'm in a 100 zone they'll hate me!)

100 m or so further - end 60 (thinks... PRICKS!)

So, I have no challenge at all with the idea that one doesn't know where they are, again see my original post. I do have a challenge with the signage and the location, now apparently 2 kilometres means 5, or could it mean 100??

Of course the sign could have been interpreted 60 (forever) and Mowing (next 2k's), which I suppose is my downfall. I don't usually treat signage as a cryptic teaser!

I am actually one of those annoying people who slow down for areas like this, but I do think there's a point where the word "entrapment" comes in to play, and I reckon these heroes have found it!

Cheers,

P (probably unscathed)

Good luck, BM, when you move from the general to the particular you're heading into dangerous ground. But I like what you said about the function of radar traps being that when you don't know where they are you won't take the chance. This has been theorised by Michel Foucault with his Panopticon theory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon

The idea is that the prison design allows all prisoners to be seen at any time from a central tower, no matter where they are in their cell, while the darkened windows of the tower prevent the prisoners seeing the guards. This means that the tower could be empty for days, but the prisoners still behave, not knowing ....

[Dan_574]

midge I agree cameras set up there are just rubbish.

[DanP]

SIGN: Mowing- 60 next 2 Kilometres.... 5+ k's - speed camera.... 100 m or so further - end 60 (thinks... PRICKS!)

Of course the sign could have been interpreted 60 (forever) and Mowing (next 2k's), which I suppose is my downfall. I don't usually treat signage as a cryptic teaser!

Midge,

Whilst I do not necessarily agree with the positioning of the speed camera, the mowing signs are advisory only and hold no legal power. The speed signs, however, are length of road signs and continue until the end of the road unless another sign states otherwise. So it really doesn't matter what is on the mowing sign, it is just advising you of a potential hazard. The 60 sign takes precedence.

Dan

[bitingmidge]

Dan,

I agree with what you are saying, and if the signs had not been fixed to the same board, I would have no problem!

cheers,

P

[DanP]

My point is, all the other signs are irrelevant, from a legal standpoint. The only sign that has any power is the speed restriction sign. I can see your point, though.

Dan

[silkwood]

I think the point here is that, legal standpoint or not, IT'S UNREASONABLE!

Cheers,

Mark

[Dan_574]

I wish I had a dollar for the amount of times I see roadworkers put those signs up without an end sign and the appropriate speed sign, I would be rich.

[silentC]

I think they should have an indication of how far the roadworks zone extends. I've found myself driving for kilometres at 60 only to eventually realise that I've either missed the end zone sign or there never was one. They should say "Roadworks speed zone next x kms" or something.

I think it's reasonable to assume that the speed zone related to the mowing 'zone' and I reckon a good lawyer would get you off if you got pinged. Especially as the only reason for the speed zone was to protect the workers and there was no inherent danger in travelling faster than the sign permitted. Evidentally the mowing sign was the only one they had and they made an arbitrary decision to make the speed zone wider than the mowing sign indicated.

Whether it was a deliberate attempt to catch people out or not you'll never know. Knowing the highway patrol, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it was.