Additional Tax Contribution: Mobile Speed Cameras

**team_v** · 19-07-2010, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by james_c

it might if they are hungry enough for votes

its not just the matter of paying the price for being caught speeding. its the issue of neglecting other factors that can make our road safer, such as the need to educate motorist how to drive properly, improving road conditions, etc. speed is only a minor contributing factor that attributes to road accidents, but its the easiest to police.

It won't matter if they are hungry for votes or not.
They can't do anything about it as it's not their portfolio so it gets passed on to the federal roads minister and you get the usual non committal response.
They wouldn't even receive it by the time the election is held anyway.

Whilst we understand there are other factors that can contribute to an accident occuring, speeding is the only one they can actually enforce.
They also need to be seen to be doing something to fix the problem now, that can be measured (Gov is all about measureing your successes)

They know about the problems but it's easier to have the quick fix solution in place of lowering speed limits which also provides revenue = no tax increase = more votes.
It has been covered multiple times and even televised with Mark Skaife saying the same thing.
They still won't listen as their task force says that this is the easiest solution and is able to be measured.

**VW Convert** · 19-07-2010, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by team_v

It won't matter if they are hungry for votes or not.
They can't do anything about it as it's not their portfolio so it gets passed on to the federal roads minister and you get the usual non committal response.
They wouldn't even receive it by the time the election is held anyway.

What a load of horse feathers.

Firstly, it's a state matter not Federal, no approach to a State Member would be referred to a Federal Member. Secondly, whilst the communication would be passed on to the relevant State Minister for response, there is significant value in making your feelings about such matters known to your local Member as well as the local opposition candidate and or State Leader of Opposition.

MPs act on their perception of the mood of the electorate, if we say nothing they assume we do not oppose what they are doing, if enough people react and express their views MPs start thinking self preservation.......no MP likes the idea of losing their seat.

There is a State election in NSW in less than a year, this Government is on the nose and they know it, apply pressure now for best results.

**roccodingo** · 19-07-2010, 11:08 PM

Here in the west the "independant road safety committee" is funded by....you guessed it, infringement fines !!, Yes they get a percentage of the takings to pay for their BS, So basically they say what the government wants them to..

**Rocket36** · 19-07-2010, 11:46 PM

How about the easiest solution in the world? OBEY THE LAWS!

**Banzai** · 20-07-2010, 12:42 AM

It is one thing to obey sensible laws, it is another thing to have to obey stupid laws or laws that make no sense. It also seems that the fine-revenue addicted governments are happy to accept that the lowest skilled drivers should be getting less skilled. Longer periods on P-Plates, Learner log books, ill thought out lists of cars restricted to P-platers (I support the concept, not the execution), lower open road speed limits and longer demerit point periods haven't done much to reduce road tolls.
Safer cars have done a hell of a lot but they also give people a false sense of security.

When I look at that list of speed camera locations I see danger spots for fatigued drivers and cars with poorly maintained brakes and tyres/suspension. In some where speed was an accident factor it wasn't people going 10 or 20% over the limit, it was people going double the limit. The biggest killer however is inattention. Answering the phone, lighting a ciggie, disciplining the kids and a whole lot of other things stop drivers concentrating on the task of driving. With such low open-road speed limits many people, myself included, find it difficult to maintain the correct level of concentration. Roads designed to be travelled at 140km/h should have limits close to that.

**cube_3** · 20-07-2010, 03:24 AM

This is an optional tax. It's quiet simple, if you don't speed you don't have to pay it.

It irritates me when some people try to find ways to justify speeding and I have issue with some of the "style/statements" of article from roadsense.

Things like: "speed does not kill - collisions kill." Well yes ... but the speed at which you collide will govern the extent of damage and death(Simple Physics). If we all travelled at 10Km/h we could collide with eachother all day and its unlikely death would result.

"The reality is the vast majority, over 98%, occur below the speed limit." Well ok it is statistics ... but if the speed limit it 100Km/h and you collide at 90Km/h your're still in a pretty dicey situation. I would want more info on how many of these collisons caused serious injury or death, at what speed and by "collison being under the speed limit" do they mean the actual impact speed or the speed before braking was applied?

"FACT 1 - Speed cameras are causing the road toll to rise."
How can speed camera's cause road tolls to rise. If someone is spending all their time worring about speed camera's and watching their speedo what does that say about them? Do they know they always speed? Are they bad drivers? All the people I see speeding everyday are definitely not looking at their speedos. They are also not looking at the large roadsigns with the big numbers that they fly past (maybe they are a bit blurry at that speed?). Surely other factors are more likely to be causing road tolls to rise e.g. poor driver skills, condition of roads, cars etc. It's scary the number of cars I've seen on the Perth roads with no working brake lights. (Its great that there is no Pink Slip in WA ... hmmm)

I personally never worry about speed camera's because I drive to the speed limit. I concentrate on driving safetly and being aware of my
surroundings. Maybe its difficult for new drivers but as an experienced driver you get to know your car. You know by the sound of the engine and the gear you are in what speed you are genearlly doing.

Obviously the standard of driving skills in Australia is relatively poor to many European countries and a higher standard of driver education is needed. Following the methods of Germany, Sweden and Finland would be the best place to start. Yes in Germany they have no limit on the Autobahn, but thats because they are taught how to drive properly. But the majority of the German Roads do have speed limits and surely the majority of the drivers there stick to them.

You know that we could easily get rid of speed cameras. If the majority of us just stuck to the speed limit, the revenue would dry up and speed camera viability would come under question as it would start costing money. The government may just then turn their attention to other forms of safety, maybe even put more police on the road to try and raise revenue by fining the unsafe cars on the road. This is something in our hands that we can do now instead of whinging about a tax that we charge to ourselves. Vote with your feet and don't put the pedal to the metal!

**bombsquad21** · 20-07-2010, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Rocket36

How about the easiest solution in the world? OBEY THE LAWS!

Predictable rubbish from the bionic man here...seriously is it especially tiring being so perfect all the time?

**DubSteve** · 20-07-2010, 09:04 AM

I got so bored reading this after the first sentence I just I'd add absolutely nothing hear apart from another post to my post count

**Speed** · 20-07-2010, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by cube_3

Surely other factors are more likely to be causing road tolls to rise e.g. poor driver skills, condition of roads, cars etc. It's scary the number of cars I've seen on the Perth roads with no working brake lights. (Its great that there is no Pink Slip in WA ... hmmm)
I concentrate on driving safetly and being aware of my
surroundings. Maybe its difficult for new drivers but as an experienced driver you get to know your car. You know by the sound of the engine and the gear you are in what speed you are genearlly doing.

Obviously the standard of driving skills in Australia is relatively poor to many European countries and a higher standard of driver education is needed. Following the methods of Germany, Sweden and Finland would be the best place to start. Yes in Germany they have no limit on the Autobahn, but thats because they are taught how to drive properly. But the majority of the German Roads do have speed limits and surely the majority of the drivers there stick to them.

I can only agree with the above portion of your post. The rest I will agree to disagree.
Maybe drivers in Perth are better overall then the morons we get in Sydney.

In Finland you have to pay a percentage of your wage if fined for speeding. Not sure if that would be good here.