Thread: "Demerit" Points.

Originally Posted by biggin

Is this a fact or a much repeated misconception? Using any public way used to be a right, when did it become a privilege? Whats the going rate for a privilege?

Everyone has the RIGHT to walk or to use a pushbike or even a horse on any gazetted road, However if anyone wants to use motorised transport then a licence is required for both the driver and the vehicle for this to happen we also have to pay the various licence fees for this PRIVILAGE
If anyone's driving habits are deemed to be dangerous or irresponsible according to the laws of the land then their driving licence can be suspended and they will loose this PRIVILAGE.

So YES, "Driving on the road is not a right but a privilege"

Wow, I never expected this much interest from my thread, but all is good, like I said, I don't expect anyone or everyone to agree with what I think, but I do love a good discussion, and there's been some good points made.
I thought I'd do a bit of "investigating" about speed cameras on the web, and there's HEAPS of stuff on there. Victoria is most definitely "leading the way" with respect to the number & types of cameras used, and those proposed, AND, by a massive margin, revenue raised!
A brief look revealed, that the camera/location where wifey was snapped is known as "The Champion Intersection". It is the top "earning" camera in Australia, in one three month period snapping 16354 motorists for a $3.8M earn. In comparison, the next closest was a camera in N.S.W. which took A WHOLE YEAR (4 times as long!) to earn the same revenue. S.A.'s top camera for the same period earned just $659K in a whole year!!
There's lot's of stuff on "wifey's camera", mostly negative, as you would expect I suppose. One of the main comments is that it's in a downhill location (another comment was made,..why are there no cameras in uphill locations?!), where one has to slow down from 70, being the preceeding limit to 40, on a downhill road,...it was referred to as "a trap" by one person! There was also another comment from one local resident to the effect that He liked to go down to the location at night so that He "could watch the camera flashing like a disco light"!
Wifey & I have discussed our "issue", and, like I said, we did know it was a 40 zone, and Wifey was accordingly "slowing down", she'd already dropped her speed from 70 to 52, but obviously, having to drop down to 40, in a short period of time, in a downhill location, she wasn't slowing down quickly enough, and should've used her brake to slow down.
Pickles.

Originally Posted by Pickles2

.S.A.'s top camera for the same period earned just $659K in a whole year!!

i think you need to update your stats

SE Freeway, Leawood Gdns: 10,302 fines in 2016, $4,772,564 revenueSE Freeway, Crafers: 4104 fines, $1,982,031Montague Rd, Ingle Farm: 5561 fines, $1,946,590West Lakes Blvd, West Lakes: 3092 fines, $1,106,988Bakewell Underpass, Mile End:2637 fines, $910,391Grange Rd, Kidman Park: 1741 fines, $647,848Cross Rd, Kingswood: 1696 fines, $621,612Pt Wakefield Rd, Paralowie: 1093 fines, $617,960

Originally Posted by YOLO110

Despite being a retired RAF fast jet/airline pilot, I am unable to judge my speed to within 2-3 kph from my surroundings!

I guess you have been lucky... and I have not!!

The good news is that in Perth... and W.A as a whole, I have not seen the same police/speed kills oppression as I did 'Over East'! Drivers here seem more relaxed, more courteous and you can actually drive with your 'eyes out', looking and reacting to traffic hazards.

Surely there are a few more reference points at ground level

And I do err on the side of caution. I think it's a question of mindset and doing the maths as well. I used to be aggressive and speed routinely until I actually sat down and thought about it and realised that a few Ks over the speed limit for a short period of time made an absolutely negligible difference to my journey time. As did trying to constantly change lanes, tailgate etc. So now I just relax and go with the flow, knowing it actually makes very little difference to anything other than my blood pressure!

Originally Posted by Eevo

i think you need to update your stats

SE Freeway, Leawood Gdns: 10,302 fines in 2016, $4,772,564 revenueSE Freeway, Crafers: 4104 fines, $1,982,031Montague Rd, Ingle Farm: 5561 fines, $1,946,590West Lakes Blvd, West Lakes: 3092 fines, $1,106,988Bakewell Underpass, Mile End:2637 fines, $910,391Grange Rd, Kidman Park: 1741 fines, $647,848Cross Rd, Kingswood: 1696 fines, $621,612Pt Wakefield Rd, Paralowie: 1093 fines, $617,960

No worries, like I said there's a heap of stuff about, my info was from 2015, so, as Vic is "leading the race", figures for Vic would likely show an even greater increase!
Pickles.

Originally Posted by biggin

Is this a fact or a much repeated misconception? Using any public way used to be a right, when did it become a privilege? Whats the going rate for a privilege?

Using a public right of way is still a right. Using a public way in a Motor Vehicle is a privilege and has been since it was determined that you had to be LICENCED to do so.

By the way; in Australia there is no Bill Of Rights, so you don't actually have any rights, that can't be Legislated away.

Originally Posted by trout1105

Everyone has the RIGHT to walk or to use a pushbike or even a horse on any gazetted road, However if anyone wants to use motorised transport then a licence is required for both the driver and the vehicle for this to happen we also have to pay the various licence fees for this PRIVILAGE
If anyone's driving habits are deemed to be dangerous or irresponsible according to the laws of the land then their driving licence can be suspended and they will loose this PRIVILAGE.

So YES, "Driving on the road is not a right but a privilege"

Hi Trout, the horse was removed as a form of transport in the "Roadcode 2000" changes.. Thus it is the same as a pedestrian with restrictions... You have no right to use a horse on a public road and some areas they are even restricted from being on pathways, suburbs, freeways etc... You can get a permit to use them in some places and you need a permit to use a sulky or cart... Most police officers overlook this as few have to deal with horses and rights of way... You are even restricted to ride horses on some crown land and also come under the livestock act when you travel long distances, ie Sth West WA where the quarantine laws apply in regards to things like Liverfluke etc

The easing up of restrictions to push bikes is mostly the police, not the law, if you have lost your license, technically you are not allowed to use a pushbike...

But in saying that, you can be done for DUI on a pushbike, horse and if on foot its drunk in a public place(or drunk and disorderly)...