Book them, and they will come

[Shannow]

New twist on the news last night.

When I got my licence, I was given 12 "points". A demerit event cost a fine, and a specified number of points. 12 months after the event, those points were given back.

They've changed the rules now, so that it takes three years to get the points back. Introduced "double demerits" (and double fines) on public holidays (and increasing periods before and after).Lose 12 points, lose your licence. As my daughter reminds me each public holiday.

"If you are driving this public holiday without your seatbelt, you lose half your licence. If one passenger isn't wearing their seatbelt, you lose your whole licence."

FAQ below.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/penalties/demeritpoints/index.html

Last night it was announced that you can now buy insurance to pay speeding tickets, as well as the costs associated with loss of licence, like public transport, income protection etc.

Usual talking heads carrying on, much as they did with radar detectors (ultimately they were banned).

Create a market, and the market will fill a niche.

Interesting to see how it pans out.

 

[moribundman]

That's rich.

 

[oilyriser]

What is the definition of "demerit" in OZ?

 

[Shannow]

we carry 12 "demerit points" (good point, sounds almost guilty when you are whole).

Certain activities lose one or more points. Two non seatbelts in the car in a double demerit period is more than 12, no licence.

They don't give you a list, so you have to use their search engine
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index.cgi?fuseaction=demeritpoints.form

 

[eljefino]

Apparantly in the US as long as you've still got a valid license you can move to another state and reset to neutral.

Your insurance will still be through the roof, but you can get a bunch more tickets.

A while ago we got doubled speed limit fines for work zones. This wasn't enough so now PA, west of Wilkes-Barre, has an "Accident reduction corridor" or somesuch with doubled fines.

 

[rangerdood]

eljefino- yes, and watch out for that corridor! They'll stop you for 1 mph over if they feel like it.

Granted, it is an incredibly busy stretch of road sometimes, and doesn't always seem suited to its task.

 

[oilyriser]

Shouldn't they be called merit points, if they represent good behavious? When you perform extra well at work, do you get merit pay, or demerit pay?

 

[Flywest]

Shannow,

I have the demerit system beat 100% - they simply can't get me!

P.s.
Quote:
I'm a country member ?


Yes - I Remember! LOL LOL

 

[Aldaris]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Apparantly in the US as long as you've still got a valid license you can move to another state and reset to neutral.

Your insurance will still be through the roof, but you can get a bunch more tickets.

A while ago we got doubled speed limit fines for work zones. This wasn't enough so now PA, west of Wilkes-Barre, has an "Accident reduction corridor" or somesuch with doubled fines.
Yes, there are many such accident reduction corridors in the northeast. I remember a lot of areas on Route 1 in NJ with such signs posted throughout. What a greedy, horrible state to live in.

 

[Shannow]

Flywest, that's an impressive location you've got there. Not many cops.

(you've a good memory)

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Last night it was announced that you can now buy insurance to pay speeding tickets, as well as the costs associated with loss of licence, like public transport, income protection etc.


Found linky
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/insurer-protects-licence-losers/2008/01/09/1199554741724.html

Quote:
Loss of Licence Assistance, offered by Ezy Insure, covers drivers for up to $1000 a month for three months to cover the cost of alternative transport when their licence is suspended.

The new insurance policy covers only minor speeding offences and is not intended to encourage speeding but to assist work and family arrangements.

National Motorists Association spokesperson Michael Lane said the cover would be welcomed by drivers who had been caught unnecessarily.

"This insurance is becoming an unfortunate necessity as a result of the authorities' predilection for inappropriately low speed limits and unthinking automatic enforcement," Mr Lane said.

"If you are driving in the country and overtake a semi-trailer travelling at 90 km/h, it is safer to accelerate even if it is over the speed limit in order to minimise the distance driven on the wrong side of the road."

National Underwriting Agencies spokesman Noel Johns said the policy was designed for good drivers who fell victim to revenue-raising.

"Thousands of Australians are being penalised for minor transgressions each day and the loss of their licence can really affect their work and family life," Mr Johns said.
.
.
.
The State Government and Victoria Police deny speed cameras are used to raise revenue.

The Government expects to reap $843 million in fines and regulatory fees, including speed camera revenue, in 2007-08.


That's not a bad return on only 5 million population.

 

[Silk]

Our system works on 100 points and you are out....and they stay in the system for 2 years.I could list the offences and points for you,but the maximum points you can get for one offence is 50 points - so speeding can lose you your license in one day if you get caught twice.

They have just banned radar detectors,phasing them out over three years....starting with 25 points as of now.You can still have one in your car,but not use it to avoid a speeding ticket.I still use mine,but I have a diesel Pajero and can't really speed.But where I get caught is in rural zones at the edge of towns....some drop from 100kph to 70kph,then to 50kph....some just drop from 100kph to 50kph.And the cops hang out on these change over zones because they know drivers will get it wrong.

 

[Shannow]

Silk the ones that the cops love here are the school zones. Some are on 100km/hr roads, with the school limit 40km/h between 8 and 9:30AM, and 2:30-4:00PM on school days.

ACT the signs only go up on school days (school puts them up). Here the signs are fixed, so you need to know which days are school days (easy now my daughter's at school, not so when we didn't have children), and be cognisant of the time.

You are technically supposed to slow to 40 when a school bus is dropping kids off...even on a highway.

 

[sprintman]

I got booked three times on the same evening driving to the speedway in Sydney. Pre national points system. NSW RTA sent me a letter asking why? In a bloody hurry isn't it obvious? Anywy rx'd a letter withdrawing my right to drive in NSW for three months. Fun times

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: rangerdood
eljefino- yes, and watch out for that corridor! They'll stop you for 1 mph over if they feel like it.

Granted, it is an incredibly busy stretch of road sometimes, and doesn't always seem suited to its task.


They're rarely suited for the task. I went to the Corning/Rochester area of upstate NY via the back way on the state roads. Cutting through those hills at the posted speed limit was "unusual" to a stranger to the road. These are 4 lanes that aren't wide enough and the topography is convoluted enough to make it work (as in fatiguing). Meanwhile the locals are zipping around in bliss. There are lots of those "just post WWII" type roads.

When I got to my friend's place, I said, "I came the back way, on Rt 6." They responded, "Rt 6

" You would have thought that I walking into that diner in [censored]-Wee's Big Adventure and said "Large Marge sent me"

 

[Cycle Freak]

No, you can't runaway from your driver's license problems by moving to and/or trying to get a license in another state, my sister moved from MI to Florida and they won't grant here a FL license until MI gives her license back.

 

[Cycle Freak]

I think the information on drivers records is now shared between states to prevent the kind of abuse mentioned above(getting a license in another state when revoked in one state).

 

[Shannow]

There was a neat little trick that motorcyclists used in this state until only a few years ago.

Get your car licence, then a few weeks later get the cycle licence. They would have different numbers, and 12 points each. Use up the car licence, get disqualified for 3 months, and ride to work (or vice versa). That's been shut down now, however A car licence has 3 years on "provisional" plates. A bike has 12 months. So if they get their bike licence, they can be off "P plates" on both in 12 months.