Thread: Road Safety or Revenue?

Originally Posted by gromit

Speed cameras are no more than a voluntary taxation system.

If you speed and get caught you pay the tax, stay within the speed limit and you don't pay, your choice......


Colin

Originally Posted by gromit

Highway driving, aproaching a town, foot off throttle and slowing for 90 speed limit ahead.
Ping!
Passed first 90 sign without seeing it.

So, Colin, this was you choosing on this day to "pay the tax", or was it you making a mistake?

If the latter, could you imagine that a person who drives, say, 1000 times more km a year than you do has approx 1000 times more chance to make that same mistake? Then, can you imagine that the penalty is the same for each of you? So, a 'mistake' made three times carries the same penalties, the same points, so you risk a licence suspension 1000 times less than someone who depends on their licence for a living?

The camera that got you, was it in a place that you, a reasonable person ( I've met you. I think you are. ), would consider to be fair? Was the 90 sign obvious? Were you simply not looking? Multiply it by 1000, and you might change your opinion on cameras.

A reasonable police officer, if such a thing still exists, would see that you were trying to slow to meet the limit, and know that the first limit sign is way before any reasonable danger existed. A camera cannot.
Cameras are robots, People are not.

Originally Posted by Eevo

its stupid. i drive a 14T firetruck and the law allows me to be be distracted by a phone or radio. no additional training or anything

VicPol don't train admin police, apart from what they get at the Academy, for anything at all, and yet they are ALL exempt. So are Sherriffs, MFB members, apparently CFA volunteers, although in Vic I'm not holding my breath on that one, and Ambos.

I get that operational needs are important, which is why the Military have strict protocols for radio comms.

IMO, they're just lying to us, like in everything else right now.

Originally Posted by Eevo

99% of the time i'll let someone handle the radio.

Very wise.

Originally Posted by Tins

apparently CFA volunteers, although in Vic I'm not holding my breath on that one, and Ambos.

well im CFS volunteer, the SA equivalent to CFA

Originally Posted by Tins

I get that operational needs are important, which is why the Military have strict protocols for radio comms.

important enough to put other road users at risk?

i know im preaching to the choir here.

Originally Posted by Eevo

well im CFS volunteer, the SA equivalent to CFA

I get it, but I dunno if SA rules and Vic rules are the same. A long time ago the CFA were Dad's army, which is most definitely not fair. The CFA have been wonderful here in Vic, and I recall the CFS played a major part in saving my sister's house in Bridgewater in the Ash Wednesday fires way back.

Back to phones; if the coppers can use a mobile, why not you? It's a joke.

Originally Posted by Eevo

important enough to put other road users at risk?

i know im preaching to the choir here.

Good at what you do, are you? Could you drive and use comms at the same time? Bet you can. Situational requirements can change in a heartbeat. Do you want someone who obeys the politicians when you are facing a firestorm? No, of course not.

My point is the lowest common denominator. The law says we are all equal (yeah, it doesn't really, does it? ), but I have to be as useless as a learner driver, but a copper fresh out of the Academy is superior to my nearly 50 years of experience, and we all just have to lie down and accept this.

Originally Posted by Tins

and I recall the CFS played a major part in saving my sister's house in Bridgewater in the Ash Wednesday fires way back.

i'd been keen to hear more. its the Bridgewater firetruck i drive
and we still have a few people who went thought ashwed. all in their 65's or older now.

Originally Posted by Tins

So, let me guess. When Tombie and Mrs Tombie and the little Tombies are out in the car, the journey is silent? Mrs Tombie won't take a call?

Sure.

No little Tombies anymore - they’re gone.

Wife will take calls whilst I drive, I ignore the conversations. Small talk is obviously occurring, but I stop interacting when road conditions require more attention.

Yes I take calls, and can admit focus can change when content requires more thought - at those times I pull over to continue the conversation or tell the caller I’ll ring them back when more suitable and end the call.

Common sense…..