To bend over or to fight?

[olev]

Its probably a waste of time to ask a group of pure, law abiding citizens how to fight a speeding ticket, but here goes.
In Queensland, as well as a fine you accumulate points.
Its all good if you can stay under 12 points.
The points hang on for 3 years before they are discarded from your total.
this year I've had some bad luck.
Six months ago someone..(not me) driving our second car (the one I never use) was pinged by a red light camera.
As the car is registered in my name, and no-one would own up, I collected the ticket. (3 points)

A month ago I was booked for speeding in a school zone. (3 points)
Now I have no sympathy for people who speed in a school zone. They deserve all they get.
However.....the speed in these zones changes from 60kph to 40kph from 2pm to 4pm and he got me at 2.02pm.

Last week i was clocked at 74kph in a 60 kph zone. (3 points)
I asked the walloper to knock it back to 72kph (1 point) but he refused.
After having a whinge about this at work, one of our commissioning engineers gave me a spec sheet on the laser gun in use.
The manufacturers spec sheet says the speed accuracy is +- 2kph.
hmmm.. 2kph gets me back to 72kph.(1 point)

Solicitors are $300 an hour. Any ideas? should i have a go at defending myself?
Judges are pretty scarey.
cheers

[orabanda]

Hi Olev,
Recently I was discussing speed limits with a  mate of mine who is a cop over here in Western Australia.

He volunteered the information that the radar gun the WA force uses is a very accurate device, and they are very careful to ensured they are re-calibrated on schedule.

he also said that the accuracy was plus or minus 2 klm/ hr.

Therefore their standard practice is to deduct 2 km / hr off the reading, so if someone is pinged for say 118 km/hr, then the gun reading would have been 120 km/hr.

So, if the charge is contested, the gun accuracy is not an issue.

Maybe the Qld force take the same approach?

BTW, my friend is a die hard motorcyclist! Here is one of his bikes, which I fix up on the rare occasions it has a problem.

[a10gf]

Sorry for your lack of luck regarding these minimal offenses, not to be negative to your endeavor but as orabanda writes, they have 99.99% for sure already deducted the error margin, I guess police in most countries does this automatically to curb any court actions (they do it here, nobody stands a chance).

[lowbrowbsa]

poor luck i say do the crime do the time 

[duTch]

  I'm hearing you Olev, but I feel it'd be like pushing the proverbial up a big hill, I think I recall an announcement a couple of years ago that speeding is now non-negotiable, I know it sucks, and hard not to get cranky, I've been there after coming to town from up the country, where doing mostly open road travel, and now try to be very careful, especially after doing 1 'probationary' point for a year. (got lumbered with that the day before flying to Melbourne to drive back with my young fella, who announced as we left Melbs. that his license expired the previous week-oh joy 1 point between us and 22hrs to do 2000 km )
  On the upside, you've the option to make a quick 300bucks++, by not employ the solicitor, and coppin' it sweet or battle it out yourself. I want to encourage you, though am not over-confident, but good luck however.
   cheers, duTch
 ps And travel carefully..eyes wide open  :<) !

[olev]

Thanks fellas,
Looks like i'm toast.
Orabanda, with regard to your mate, is the 2 km/h taken off automatically in the gun or by the gentleman when he writes the ticket?
There was 2 police who took readings and they showed me the readings on the gun.
One was 74km/h and the other 73km/h. They booked me at 74km/h.
I'm inclined to have a go. as i get older I get crankier.
cheers

[Brian]

I would have a go Olev, you dont have anything to loose.

If one of the speed guns was showing 73 then I would think you have a chance of at least getting it dropped to the 72.

The cops dont really care that you were speeding, they just want to add you to their stastistics plus get some money out of you.

Just keep your fingers crossed you dont get a bike hating judge.

[RichardL]

I think you might have a chance if the ticket does not state the actual reading on the gun or the policy regarding gun error.  I think a judge may give you the benifit of the doubt as long as you're not contesting the whole ticket. Here (the U. S.), fighting and losing usually results in more expense than just paying it,  but your situation is a lttle different.

[orabanda]

Olev,
Our cops' approach is more reasonable; if the gun reading is 120km/hr, then they would show it to you, then fine you for 2 km/hr less i.e; 118 km/hr.

[Rocket Racer]

across the ditch we're a bit luckier, we only (currently) incur demerits if the cop pulls you over, not for camera cars that don't confirm the driver.
Must admit when recently replacing my car I made sure the replacement had cruise control which helps me keep speeds at a fine free level and removes that quiet increase in speed over a journey.
I also don't ride modern bikes because they speed far too easily and my throttle hand tends to keep twisting
Getting involved in (classic) bike racing has also helped reduce my road speeds as I get my fix on the track.
Sadly these days its all about revenue gathering and meeting quota's of fines issued

[KiwiGF]

At the risk of upsetting any plod forum members if a cop is no good at anything else they get put into "policing" traffic.

No one would want their job tho, when it comes to clearing up serious accidents.

[muskrat]

 G'day mate, I don't know if it still works but down here if you pay the $100 fine with a $105 cheque they send you back a $5 cheque. Don't cash it. Points wont be affected till the cheque is cashed and the whole transaction is finalized. It worked for me in the 80's.
Cheers

[bsa-bill]

Six months ago someone..(not me) driving our second car (the one I never use) was pinged by a red light camera.
As the car is registered in my name, and no-one would own up, I collected the ticket. (3 points)

you need to have a serious talk with "someone"

Now I have no sympathy for people who speed in a school zone. They deserve all they get.
However.....the speed in these zones changes from 60kph to 40kph from 2pm to 4pm and he got me at 2.02pm.

It's a school zone - 2 minutes is too near the time kids could be about

Last week i was clocked at 74kph in a 60 kph zone. (3 points)

about 25% over

Olev I don't want to come over all parsimonious because few of us are without fault, especially on the speeding front, but I think maybe you got a case or two to answer there mate

Sorry but I'm with lowbrowbsa on this one

[duTch]

Geez Olev,
       It sucks that they went up on the reading, I thought it should work the other way..?? But we are in QLD.
  As already pointed out, +revenue+ Quotas+ +statistics++= $$=== more statistics, and the more statistics there are they can be manipulated better!!
 I remembered the other bit of my story, but too long here, but took it to court and he let me off after I explained the situation,(that I had to go against a 'no left turn 4-6', to put fuel in) and that I had to have a day off work to go to court, but........nah ,as I said it's too long.., and complicated!!
 But good luck, duTch