Speeding fine

[jtct]

We've been exceptionally lucky and haven't been fined yet. After 6 years holidaying and 2 years living here, we were well prepared. My daughter and SIL have both been caught several times. Best to cough up generally

 

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/speed-limit-on-hutt-st-in-adelaide-cbd-cut-to-40kmh-in-sixmonth-trial/story-fnii5yv5-1226762713492

 

Watch out for the 40 signs if you are in Blackwood too.

[bill]

In which case they might have you for obstructing traffic.

 

There is more than one way of skinning a motorist

 

Can't see that happening. The authorities are quite happy to see us doing ever decreasing speeds. Today, we were behind somebody in the right hand lane on an 80km/hour road, doing 70 for about 3km. They should have been in the left hand lane, but weren't. That's breaking the law too, but when do the police ever do anything about that? Answer? Never!

Speed limits will keep coming down until we are driving at walking pace, and it still won't make any difference to SA's road toll. Why? Because drivers aren't trained properly. The very idea that you can drive here without passing a practical test is ridiculous.

Instead of implementing ever more restrictive driving speeds, let's make sure that everyone can drive properly, have a more laissez faire system like in the UK (which has lower accident rates by the way). Put speed cameras where they are needed instead of for revenue raising, concentrate on the lunatics who tailgate and drag race, crush the cars of persistent dangerous drivers, and let the large percentage of us who drive safely all the time spend less time worrying about whether a few km's over the limit will cost us hundreds of dollars.

[Lazy Cow]

The very idea that you can drive here without passing a practical test is ridiculous..

 

The only people that get to drive here without a practical test are migrants, aren't they? The days when there was no practical test for leaners are well gone and truly gone.

 

I don't know how learner drivers get their licences in the UK, so I can't compare but I know that here kids have to pass a practical Competency Based Test with their own instructor (if he's qualified to take them through ) or the Vehicle On Road Test with an examiner.

 

Then consider the number of hours that they have to log - I think it's currently 75 hours - driving with a responsible driver, split into day and night hours and over the course of a (minimum) year...

 

Personally, I don't think catching people who speed is simply revenue raising; it's just catching people who are breaking the law. I think the revenue raising bit is the fact that there don't always seem to be enough signs letting drivers know when and where the speed limit has changed. I know motorists that actually did not realise the speed limit had dropped from an 80 to a 60k before going back up, and I mean within metres, to 80k again.

 

I too wish they'd catch tailgaters, people dawdling in the over-taking lane, people on mobiles, people drug or drink driving, etc etc.

 

Since apparently 27% of fatal accidents in SA in 2012 involved speed or driving in a dangerous manner the more people caught, the better, surely?

 

LC

Edited January 12, 2014 by Diane
fixing quote

[minty]

Why? Because drivers aren't trained properly. The very idea that you can drive here without passing a practical test is ridiculous

 

 

Completely false quote there and shows a lack of understanding/knowledge of the system.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Diane
fixing quote

[Blossom]

Completely false quote there and shows a lack of understanding/knowledge of the system.

My Australian partner never took a practical test (until he took his truck licence). He lived out rurally and the local policeman asked him a few questions, which he got wrong and had to be prompted to the right answer, and he was given his licence....

[minty]

You now have to do a theory to get your L plates. Your P1 requires a vehicle on road test or competency based course.

 

The requirements are here - mylicence.sa.gov.au

Edited January 13, 2014 by minty

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

You now have to do a theory to get your L plates. Your P1 requires a vehicle on road test or competency based course.

 

This competancy based thing has been hugely studied as to if it is a good idea or not. On the competancy based training, you have to demonstrate competancy in 145 skills, the practical tests requires 122. Young people who have done the practical test have higher self ratings of skill and safety when in fact the opposite is true, albeit very very slightly.

 

The practical test requires the student to be able to demonstrate safe driving and different skill over an hour on one day, the CBT is done over several weeks and therefore the student needs to show s/he can drive safely more consistantly.

 

Whatever you think or don't think of the system here it has been studied many times and show to have very little difference on results and accident rates.

 

I would suggest that a much bigger risk of accidents in young people are the ones whos parents think that there is nothing too bad about being a few km over the limit and it is more dangerous to be checking you speedo than not.........great example......is it a surprise that some kids have little respect for the laws??.......and don't even get me started on the whole drinking thing!

[Lazy Cow]

The practical test requires the student to be able to demonstrate safe driving and different skill over an hour on one day, the CBT is done over several weeks and therefore the student needs to show s/he can drive safely more consistantly.

 

I would suggest that a much bigger risk of accidents in young people are the ones whos parents think that there is nothing too bad about being a few km over the limit and it is more dangerous to be checking you speedo than not.........great example......is it a surprise that some kids have little respect for the laws??.......and don't even get me started on the whole drinking thing!

 

You are right, Claire, the VORT test is a one-off drive that demands a higher percentage to pass and the CBT tests skills over several weeks but they still have a final drive where they have to repeat the most important bits. I think it lasts around 45 minutes?

 

thebacons: driving licences etc have changed a lot over the years and Blossom's OH isn't the only one driving without a 'real' test. We've had this convo with friends and it seemed like each person and their kid had a different way they got their licence to drive, some more of a nod and a wink than a test!

 

I would like to think parental example and experience must make a difference but ultimately it's up to the individual. Attitudes toward drink driving have changed even over recent years and even in the time we've been here our friends seem to be way more cautious. Others pay lip service, were caught, banned for a year and really inconvenienced by their ban. Did this change their attitude? For sure! Did it change the attitude of their teen-driver son? Pig's ar$e it did! He also got caught, fined and banned because he was over the limit.

 

Oh, and what about the casual approach to driving with THC's still in the blood!!

 

LC