Vic to double demerits over holidays?

[balthazarr]

From: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...0-2862,00.html

A PUSH to introduce double demerit points is gaining strength, with thousands one mistake away from being forced off our roads.
...
Police are examining whether Victoria should crack down on drivers twice as hard next Christmas.

Assistant Commissioner (traffic) Ken Lay said double demerit points worked in other states and a team was reviewing it in Victoria.

"We need to find something that bites," he said.
More than 31,000 drivers are on 12-plus demerit points and face immediate suspension.

Another 9950 are on 11 points, while more than 21,000 have racked up 10.

The figures do not include almost 10,000 suspended drivers who will have carry-over demerit points when they get their licences back.
...
Mr Lay said double penalty points could help cut the road toll.

Sixteen people died on Victorian roads during the Christmas-New Year period - the highest in the nation - and police fear another horror toll at Easter.

"It's difficult to say that because it works in New South Wales and Western Australia it will work in Victoria," Mr Lay said.

"If we believe it can, we will be going to the government to have this talk."
...
The debate comes as the number of disqualified and suspended drivers on our roads soars.

In 2006-07, more than 7000 drivers were convicted in the Magistrates' Court of driving while disqualified or suspended.

It has been described by Chief Magistrate Ian Gray as an "epidemic".

Those caught were only the tip of the iceberg, he said.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show traffic matters make up almost half of cases heard in magistrates' courts across the nation.
...
Vehicle impoundment and immobilisation laws are likely to be recommended for a ramp-up.

Diversion programs, restricted licences, driver education and specialised courts dealing with banned drivers are key areas the council has flagged in its discussion papers.

A submission by the Federation of Community Legal Services recommended offenders could "work off" their demerit points with community service. It is not known if this will be part of the Sentencing Advisory Council's final recommendations.

(my emphasis)

So, we have an "epidemic" of drivers with 10, 11, 12+ points, and they want to double the points?

What is it about Victoria that has brought about this epidemic? I have my own ideas - would love to see statistics showing a breakdown of demerit points.

I suspect that our ridiculous speed camera tolerance would have something to do with the epidemic. Well, that and people's crap driving.

[platinumXR]

Obey traffic law = No ticket. :sm_drool:

[mrbaxr6t]

the way they are going in Victoria we will all be on push bikes before long. But if they did that no revenue oh no wait but speed cams/traffic fines aren't revenue raising are they just ask the private company that runs the mobile speed cams in Victoria...............

[zetec]

Originally Posted by platinumXR

Obey traffic law = No ticket. :sm_drool:

Second that. Not hard.

[ZA-289]

SA has had this for years. Its a great idea for when the most accidents happen (long weekends) If your aware about double points it makes you very alert and on your best driving behaviour.

[vztrt]

Thought this was already the norm in Vic. Many times I've heard on the news that it will double demerits.

[TZENU]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Thought this was already the norm in Vic. Many times I've heard on the news that it will double demerits.

Has been done before in vic.... the boss lost double demerit points last easter for 86 in an 80..

[Fev]

It's been double demerits in NSW over public holidays etc for a few years now..

[gtxb67]

who cares - do not get caught - if you must go over the limit, be aware of your surroundings
i have yet to be given a fine during a holiday period, so it would not have affected me yet

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by TZENU

Has been done before in vic.... the boss lost double demerit points last easter for 86 in an 80..

Was that in a metropolitan/suburban area or out in the country, out of curiousity?

[xls3v]

spewin if you run a light speeding say bye license doesnt have to be by much

[XR6_190]

I thought this was done every long weekend/ holiday period?

[GASWAGON]

Its fair enogh as these weekends are 'crazy'......the bit i hate is 3 yrs to regain the points lost....It's just too harsh.....It should 2 yrs...And alot of fines are for a ridulous few k's over!!!

[stang01]

just make sure you are 3km/h under the legal speed limit at all times, its easy to do just concentrate more on your speedo than on the road . remember at 3 very dangerous km/h over the limit you will have to pay.

[GASWAGON]

They complain about so many unlicensed drivers on the road but they made the 3 yr rule.......ITS TOO HARSH and people put themselves in worse conditions in the necessaty to get to work .... :

[asusdragon]

they have had double demerits on holidays and long weekends over here in Perth for as long as i have been here

[gotanxr6]

if the police and politicians want to reduce speeding, why not have $1000 dollar fines for 5km/h or more over the speed limit? could it be that it may work too well and deprive them of revenue?

[XR6_190]

Originally Posted by gotanxr6

if the police and politicians want to reduce speeding, why not have $1000 dollar fines for 5km/h or more over the speed limit? could it be that it may work too well and deprive them of revenue?

No, probably more along the lines of public outcry being too much come election time.

[mickbundy]

Originally Posted by xls3v

spewin if you run a light speeding say bye license doesnt have to be by much

If you are silly enough to run a light while speeding well you should be just dragged out of the car and shot you fool
How many innocent people have been killed and injured this way ???? :

[Bearman]

What a load of crap, since when has it been twice as dangerous to drive during holiday periods?? All it will mean to me is that I just won't travel, simple as that. Why should anyone lose double demerit points for being snapped by Constable Kodak for doing 64km in a 60km zone??

All the while people are driving around in unroadworthy cars. I can't tell you how many times I've seen cars with bald tyres etc. No wonder there's a road toll.

For those in states which have the double demerit point thing happening, has this had an effect on the road toll? I suspect not.

[RG]

Originally Posted by stang01

just make sure you are 3km/h under the legal speed limit at all timets easy to do just concentrate more on your speedo than on the roads, i . remember at 3 very dangerous km/h over the limit you will have to pay.

Do you realise how unbelievably unsafe that is?

[TZENU]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Was that in a metropolitan/suburban area or out in the country, out of curiousity?

Metropolitan - Chadstone/Oakleigh to be exact! ...

[Tuddy200]

Try being a P plater with only 5 points to play with, get caught doing 11KM/H over the limit. 6 points and bye bye licence for one thing.

Although, I am not a P plater anymore. Just can't drive for another 5.5 months! :(

[tweeked]

Originally Posted by platinumXR

Obey traffic law = No ticket. :sm_drool:

Yep, drive around all day not watching the road, just your speedo, run over deaf old ladies crossing in front of me while i am doing 57kph. Not my fault.

When you do 700km every week, you have to drive for a living in a well maintained car, then to be penalised while driving safely but accidentally creep 4 kph over the limit is ridiculous.

Comments like this belong on the pedestrian and i hate all cars forums, im sure it exists.

Policing should be about safety.:sm_drool:

[balthazarr]

Originally Posted by tweeked

Yep, drive around all day not watching the road, just your speedo, run over deaf old ladies crossing in front of me while i am doing 57kph. Not my fault.

When you do 700km every week, you have to drive for a living in a well maintained car, then to be penalised while driving safely but accidentally creep 4 kph over the limit is ridiculous.

Comments like this belong on the pedestrian and i hate all cars forums, im sure it exists.

Policing should be about safety.:sm_drool:

I agree. The point of my original post was - what makes Victoria different? Why do we have an 'epidemic' of drivers that have lost, or on the brink of, losing their licence whereas other states don't?

As far as I know, Vic has the tightest tolerance on cameras, and also seems to be the least transparent as to the placement of cameras and signage warning drivers of where the cameras are.

eg. in NSW, they have three rather large signs leading up to every fixed camera... you'd have to be blind to miss it. In Vic, there's a huge sign, but it's anywhere up to a km or so from where the actual camera is.

[Fev]

Originally Posted by Russell

Do you realise how unbelievably unsafe that is?

i think that was his point because the politicians certainly dont know it!

[3vXT]

If people need to stare at their speedo in order to maintain a certain speed without creeping over then perhaps it would be safer for everyone if they took the bus?

FFS if you cant keep your car at or under the speed limit whilst still looking where you're going then there is something wrong with your coordination or you just suck balls at driving. I'm not perfect either, in fact i'm closer to the other end of the scale, but the only time i've been pulled over for speeding was when i knew i was over the limit.

The 'do they expect us to have our eyes glued to the speedo?!?' argument is just a stupid excuse to be less accountable for your actions (or lack of actions) and a way of resisting the man and any laws he might try to enforce on us.

EDIT: People need to grow up and take responsibility for their actions. If you don't think 4 or 8 or 14k's over the limit is unsafe then go ahead, I certainly wont give you any crap about it. Just don't whinge and complain when you get a ticket.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by balthazarr

As far as I know, Vic has the tightest tolerance on cameras, and also seems to be the least transparent as to the placement of cameras and signage warning drivers of where the cameras are.

WA seems to be worse in terms of tolerance. Not sure if this is still valid.

[QUOTE]
The speed camera tolerance in Western Australia is set ridiculously low. The Assistant Commissioner of Traffic believes that drivers should only be given 1 km/h tolerance which is the in built error factor in the Multanova speed camera.[QUOTE]

http://www.policespeedcameras.info/foi.html

[XR6_190]

Originally Posted by mickbundy

If you are silly enough to run a light while speeding well you should be just dragged out of the car and shot you fool
How many innocent people have been killed and injured this way ???? :

Tell me about it, I know about this all too well, a good friend of mine had this happen to him, he and his whole family got put in hospital, while his car was written off by some fool running a red, they were OK, but the worst part about it was, that it was the day before they were meant to fly to the USA for a big family holiday, which had to be postponed as they couldn't fly for weeks after the accident.

[flappist]

How many points can you aquire if you don't have a license?

They say they have a problem with people driving witout a license so they want to implement a system to take the license of more people.

The simple fact is that laws are supposed to be FOR the people not AGAINST the people and if too many people are getting fined then the LAWS is wrong and should be removed.

The problem Victoria has is that it is like a heroin addict, it has tasted the joys of money from speed cameras and now is addicted to it.
Like all addicts it will make any excuse and tell as many lies as it needs to ensure its addiction continues.
They care as much about safety as heroin addicts cares about all the people they rob, it is just a means to an end.

The funny thing is the stupid naive people who say things like "if you dont speed you won't get fined". This is like the do gooders who constantly rabbit on that drug addicts, paedofiles or murderers are really just nice ordinary people who had a bad childhood or rough time and deserve a second, third, forth, fifth etc chance.

But you victorians vote for the these idiots so you get what you deserve.......