Hello!

Preface: First of all, let me assure you that I never intended to speed on purpose - in fact I always tried to go with the flow of the other cars on the road (probably not the best idea in retrospective) and usually felt like one of the slower drivers because I was overtaken pretty often. I have learnt from the incidents and it will be my highest priority to drive below the speed limit at all times in the future.

Here's the story: I'm a visitor in Australia and will stay here for a few months. I arrived here in early September and bought a used car registered in NSW a few days later.
I didn't really realize that there are such strict speed limits (and heavy fines) here until about 1 week ago when I got my first speeding ticket in the mail. Another one followed a few days later. Both occured in NSW and have a fine of $243 each.
I recently drove from NSW up to Cairns (QLD) so there might be more tickets coming in the next few days/weeks (by the way, is there a way to find out about tickets that might be on the way?).
On my way up, I once got another speeding ticket on the spot from the highway patrol (or whatever they are called here). It was $150 but they told me that I do not really have to pay it because I'm a foreigner (Austrian citizen) and nobody will track me down after I've left the country.
So, basically my question is: Can I get away with not paying the speeding fines I received in the mail? I heard somewhere that tickets belong to a specific car rather than a person, so if the car is sold, the new buyer can get in trouble if the previous owner has not paid all fines. Is this true? I don't want the next owner of my car to have any trouble.
Do you have any advice for me? Is there any way out of this mess? Is it possible to request the photos from the speed camera to make sure that they didn't accidently fine the wrong person? Is there a way to buy myself more time (the first ticket is due in a week)?

Thomas

PS: It must appear to you that I'm a reckless racer, however, I would consider myself as a safe and foresighted driver who generally tries to keep under speed limits and obey all rules. I never had ANY incidents in Austria (since I got my licence 8 years ago).

This is my understanding Mate (WA rules anyhow), The ticket's will go to whoever the car is registered to, even if someone else was driving. It's then your responsibility if someone else was driving to have them complete the section on the form with their details and sign declaring it was in fact them driving. In WA we get the fine with a photo of the car, rego plate and driver (which is good because last week the wife tried blaming me for another $75 fine until I showed her the photo), not sure with NSW??

Now If you don't pay you'll probably get some warnings issued and late fees applied on top of your fine. It will get to a point where they will eventually put a warrant against you because you owe a certain amount or have run out of demerit points. That's if they don't track you down where you are living, you will probably be highlighted on the computer system at the airport on departure. That may not happen if your leaving in the next few months, you will happily fly out and not have to pay anything.

BUT if you ever want to return, or say you go to some other destination and meet some hot Aussie chick who thinks your alright and wants to come back to live in Australia and settle down, have babies and ruin the rest of your live.... then you maybe screwed.

Remember the federal police, state police, customs and all the other so called authorities share data base's to look up info on everyone and everything.

Hope some of that makes sense, I would definitely find out where you can view the photo's to make sure it's you. I've seen heaps of stuff on a current affair shows where people are getting booked even after slowing down to 10klh below the limit.

Although the speed cameras haven't actually reduced the road toll any they have been a huge $uccess. Anyone who says otherwise is a dangerous driver.

- If you're not coming back, throw the tickets away.

- If you're worried about the next owner of car getting fine, give them a forwarding address they can post your fines to you, etc.

I drove to Vienna for a coffee once. I stopped at the top of one of the wee hills for a beer with a view. One of the best road trips, maybe the best actually, I've ever done. You've got some great roads.

theDoctor said...

evlPanda said...

Although the speed cameras haven't actually reduced the road toll any they have been a huge success. Anyone who says otherwise is a dangerous driver.

yeah ofcourse,...... traffic slows down 100 metres before the camera and speeds up again after they pass it.... huge success.

The cameras have also generated a lot of revenue from fines, that can be used to buy more even more speed cameras to generate even more revenue.

We also shouldn't be better educating drivers, because that would perhaps be shown to actually reduce deaths, and we wouldn't need the cameras anymore, that are very $uccesful.

assuming the car is in your name, when you get to the airport very early, with a lot of money to pay your fines and the fines for not paying your fines . It will all come up on the computer when you hand over your passport.
they will then check with other state authorities , which will of course take time. Oh , I forgot , you have a plane to catch , .
If you get away with it here , and are heading to the US , they may, and have been known to, send you back on the next available flight to sort it out in Australia.
I would really recommend you ring the traffic people in the state where you got the fine , check if there any others and get em paid. so you can leave with ease. .
I know how you feel , its the camera traps that get me every time.
I have arrived at an international airport and been aske d to pay a fine that I didnt know about , before I leave

Regardless on your views of speed cameras etc, generally speed limits are pretty well sign posted.
If you dont want a ticket its pretty simple... you dont speed. Surely after the first ticket you would have realised that fact.
And as for staying with the flow etc., I would rather be the slow guy that can stop when the first guy hits something rather than be one of the 'sheep' that ends up in the concertina

The RTA have told me that as I don't have a NSW driving licence (still on UK) the points continue to stay on my name for the next 2 years. When I change to a NSW licence (when I go for residency) the remaining time/points will automatically go against it. Whatever happens you should pay the fine because it will affect you when you want to come back to this awesome country (especially when you want to get residency - these fines will not help!).

Cheers

Nice to see someone gave me a thumbs down for my previous post. I just hope a friend or family member of yours is not killed or maimed by a speeding driver

government peoples talking: "well we have spent the alcopop tax on krudds travel expenses already, how we gonna get more money? we are already taxing cars, gas, well everything except ipod sales from what i an think of..."
"nah, gst is on everything remember "
"not everything... what about milk and water?"
"ummmm, nah... my brother is a milk Barron."
"surely there is something left to put tax on..."
"maybe we need to look at this a different way, what can we get more revenue out of? how about speeding fines?"
"they went up like 3 months ago and i really can't afford to keep paying them"
"ok, we give ourselves a pay rise and increase the speeding fines and say anyone who disagrees is a hoon."
"didn't we say that last time?"
"yer... suckers"

Very simple solution, don't speed

Don't blame the government or the police for your own ineptitude at being unable to control your motor vehicle withing the guidelines laid down.

It's not as if there are no speed signs around advising you what the limit is.

When you go past one of those big white signs with the number within the red circle. Look at the sign, then look down at the speedo, if the the needle is pointing to a number greater than the one which is on the sign then lift up the right foot slightly so that the needle moves back to the speed which you desire.

Also before any of you hard done by personages want to have a shot at me, I rack up on average 70,000Km a year on the roads both city and open. After a while you realize it's a pointless excersize speeding along.

get over it

Don't speed

and most certainly

Don't DUI

I always go by the rule that you are safe if you stay within 10km of the limit. Well that was until today when I got a “Traffic Expiation Notice” from the SA Police. I was over there in August for work and got booked for doing 68km in a 60km zone whilst driving through Port Augusta. $220 bucks! Well I guess it’s my fault I knew the limit, but that’s a bit tight.

evlPanda said...

^ In QLD you are, which is why everyone is always mysteriously 12kmh over.

I've got to question the angles they set those things up on. Any maths wizz want to explain how much variation a couple of degrees across a 4 lane motorway can make?

I got done by a hand held a few months back, coming around a corner, 4 lanes, he was on the other side of the road, about 45 degree angle.

Then you got ripped off if you recorded a small margin over, then again the quota might not have been full for the shift[}:)]
Multi N. camera standards WA are to have camera set up so line of site is a min of 400 meters, no setting up just around corners or across corners

elmo said...

And a recommendation if you've been snapped

Always check the photo's

Can I request a photo (in my case it's NSW)? Does it cost something to get it?

Thomas