Thread: "Demerit" Points.

Originally Posted by AGRO

Loss of licence

that doesnt work, cause people just drive unlicensed.

It is not often that I find any wisdom whatsoever in the words of a politician, but one quote I heard from the ex-Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh, fits the bill.

"Speeding is not obligatory". (Or words to that effect).

Originally Posted by AGRO

....

The inattention derived from mobile phone use whilst driving should be rewarded by "INSTANT LOSS" of phone for a week. ....

I'd say impound the car for a month or two minimum.

Getting a cheap phone just to stay connected is easy, hiring a car for a month a lot more $'s
And make sure that all insurance companies know that this person is a phone user whilst driving .. up their car insurance premiums.
Once people make the connection that these broken rules will cost them $$$!! I think it will eventually sink.

It's like the drink driving laws in Sweden(I think) jail for being above 0.0% from memory!!
That society has simply accepted that you just don't drink and then drive.

Originally Posted by Eevo

that doesnt work, cause people just drive unlicensed.

Why I'm not a big fan of anti surveillance proponents!
Generally I don't care for them one way or the other, but until something happens to them and (lets say) surveillance footage helps to redress their issue, they just don't get it.

I'm all for more cameras detecting more errant drivers.

I'd love to see a system where real time cameras detect an unregistered vehicle, and track it's course, and police are alerted and estimate it future course with the view to locate it and stop it from any further progress.
Of course that means that I'm also being monitored as well .. so my right to privacy is being infringed upon.
Like I care! I'm not doing anything wrong .. but the theory goes that I have something to fear?

As a HGV driving instructor here in the UK, I spend every day, repeating myself and getting students.....not to obey the speed limit, but to read the road signs. They can be fairly fluid, and local councils can and do, change them on a whim, normally after a few emails from a "concerned citizen", thats how it tends to work here anyway.
IN this case, you stated that you knew the speed limit had changed on that stretch of road , but it was still ignored because your wife did not get down from 60 quick enough! Whatever way you dress that up, that is just bad driving! I agree that points and a fine are probably out of place here, I would suggest that the authorities take his as a reason to give your wife some training instead of just an easily paid fine. In the UK, its happening all the time, "Driver Awareness Courses" are being handed out as an option for many offences, even down to just bumping someone up the backside.
The govt charge £120, rather that the mandatory £60 for speeding, but you get no points and no mark on your license.
Its a good way to start the massive retraining of people who obviously, have forgotten what they learned on their test, and spend more time trying to justify bad driving rather than correcting it. It does not matter what the limit is, or what the law is, we live in a democracy and agree to abide by laws for the greater good, in this country now, "Innapropriate speed" is being used in court cases, ie 30mph near a school, but anyone with a brain knows that they should be travelling a lot slower than that, if that is successful, then the charge is "driving without due care and attention" not speeding.

i would prefer to see personal insurance on a person licence and not the car.
i can only drive 1 car at a time.

Originally Posted by john taylor

.not to obey the speed limit, but to read the road signs.


Its a good way to start the massive retraining of people who obviously, have forgotten what they learned on their test, and spend more time trying to justify bad driving rather than correcting it

i prefer to drive the conditions.

and i would like to see bi annual licence testing.

Originally Posted by john taylor

....
The govt charge £120, rather that the mandatory £60 for speeding, but you get no points and no mark on your license....

My belief is that unless you've been rear ended at 60k/h or knocked off your bike at any speed, and you don't feel this pain for yourself, you just won't learn that it's just uncool to do that to someone.
So a more appropriate course would be to have them sit in a car for an unspecifed time, and without their knowledge have another vehicle rammed into the rear so they understand what it feels like. Then charge them for that pleasure!

Originally Posted by Eevo

i would prefer to see personal insurance on a person licence and not the car.
i can only drive 1 car at a time.

ditto!

Charge a base rate(eg. $1K per year) and then additional $100 per demerit point per year.
Demerit points are meaningless up until about 9 accrued here in Vic. At 12 you get 'the letter' giving you options!

[QUOTE=trout1105;2722262]I may have been somewhat harsh But speeding is not only a crime it has been proved to cause accidents and deaths.
Try telling a parent of a child that has been run down by a speeding car that speeding is not that serious and the coppers are just using it as an excuse to raise revenue
We all know that speeding is dangerous and we all know it is illegal and yet many of us still speed.
I myself am NO angel in this regard and I have been busted on a few occasions that have cost me money and demerit points that left me feeling stupid for speeding in the first place.[/QUOTE

If the government was serious about speeding being dangerous there's a thousand different things they could do that actually work as opposed to handing out fines. It is revenue raising pure and simple and if you believe otherwise you need to wake up