Obtained my Driving Licence 1965.....51 years later almost to the day...I got my first 'speeding' fine...
From the Infringement Notice I received today and just paid...$311....as I'm guilty....
My offence after 51 years of blemish free driving?...Alleged Speed 60 km/h...Permitted Speed 50km/h...2 weeks ago helping my daughter shift home...towing my horse float early morning along the outskirts of the Industrial Estate in White Hills Bendigo....no houses...parallel to the train line which is behind those trees in photo.....no signs indicating permitted speed....however its 50 unless signposted 60 even in Industrial areas I'm told.......what a great spot to hide their camera early morning along a deserted rail line....
This is not a 'woe is me' post as I'm dead set guilty as charged, I was doing 60 in what I believed would be a 60 Zone....so $311 it be, Your Honor..Guilty as Charged...if you wait/contrive long enough you can make Law Breakers out of anyone...Road Safety?..maybe....Gov't Revenue?..certainly..no doubt..
Hell, I'm glad I'm playing in the last quarter of my life......we Grey Nomads/Baby Boomers had the best Australia is likely to ever offer....I think it is best summed up...
.....in the 1950's as a kid I lived in Nambour Qld....Dad would set up our Birkmire 12 x 12' tent at Xmas Holiday time, on the foreshore at Mooloolaba and leave it up for a fortnight...with similar other' tenter' family's...we would pay token fee and small annodised disc would hang at the front noting same, and Dad would lace up our tent containing Esky, Tilley Lamps, Stretchers and our clothes/togs etc together with leaving his small trailer, and we would come and go from Nambour as we pleased for shared family and friends times......never had anything pilfered/destroyed/painted graffiti..no syringes to stick us........we all enjoyed the best of all worlds, security, the Pub was across the road for Dad and the sea/rocks/fishing beckoned us in front..we could play safely on the beach and swim all day....no perverts we were ever aware of.....perhaps the most amazing thing was how we used to live with a block of ice in a small Esky and still had room for our flavoured milks.........compare all this to today,,family tenting on the foreshore?..I think not..,... what we would have found upon our return to our tent location?
It's our grandkids I feel most sorry for....they'll never know what we experienced for FREE.......Hoo Roo
-- Edited by goldfinger on Monday 15th of August 2016 06:30:28 PM
-- Edited by goldfinger on Monday 15th of August 2016 06:34:44 PM
-- Edited by goldfinger on Monday 15th of August 2016 06:36:55 PM
I am a average driver, my brief in court told the judge trying to save my lience. Yes he average a fine each year, now a days every 2 or 3 years I score another one but they do it easy now take a photo and send it to me not tge old days they woud burn a gallon of petrol to pull me over and ask stupid question, like do you really need me to answer that. "Why were you speeding".
We lived at The Entrance on the Central Coast of NSW, each holiday time visiting crowds were amazing, tent cities everywhere, maybe to young to know about police activities looking for criminals and bad things, sure our grand kids are never enjoy the freedom we had growing up.
Mums rule, "when the lights come on be home quick smart" no ifs or buts. We had the lake and the ocean as our playground, a short walk either way.
Sorry to learn about your blemish. My Dad was the same with years of him handing in his drivers license he got caught in a similar area.
NEVER pay a speeding fine IF you haven't attracted one for more than 4 years.
Simply write a letter to the 'authority' that issues the fine, explain that your driving history is excellent - ie you haven't been issued a fine for X years - and you will find they will 'review' the fine, and if your claim of 'good driving history' is confirmed, the fine will be withdrawn. If you actually read the documentation within the fine, they tell you the options you have regarding the fine.
It is wise, prudent even, to challenge EVERY fine etc that is issued - at minimum definitely obtain the circumstances and confirm you did actually transgress.
It is the policy (perhaps not widely stated) of all states to encourage excellent driving ... hence their willingness to show 'leniency' to infrequent transgressors.
Cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
NEVER pay a speeding fine IF you haven't attracted one for more than 4 years.
Simply write a letter to the 'authority' that issues the fine, explain that your driving history is excellent - ie you haven't been issued a fine for X years - and you will find they will 'review' the fine, and if your claim of 'good driving history' is confirmed, the fine will be withdrawn. If you actually read the documentation within the fine, they tell you the options you have regarding the fine.
It is wise, prudent even, to challenge EVERY fine etc that is issued - at minimum definitely obtain the circumstances and confirm you did actually transgress.
It is the policy (perhaps not widely stated) of all states to encourage excellent driving ... hence their willingness to show 'leniency' to infrequent transgressors.
Cheers - John
X2,I received a first fine also after 50yrs of good driving.Wrote a letter and they reviewed the fine and let me off.Worth a try.
50 years of good driving ,that won't help these days,everyone will drift over the limit a bit sometimes,we're not bloody robots , on our trip to Victoria they had unmarked cars on the side of the road with cameras in them no signs to warn you like Nsw . All you have to do is turn your head to speak to your misses drift over for a second bingo caught like a rat in a trap.
speak about revenue gathering what you will need to rack up fift years in the future without being fined will be cruise control with sensors to completely take over the driving. It's only a matter of time until you take your eye off the speedo these days for a second and your gone....
Methinks I was too quick to pay....each through road at either end of that road it's 60kmh and no signage whatsoever on the road I was 'snapped'.....its parallel to a railway line which goes through disused gold diggings on the edge of Industrial area.....I see the unmarked car is there again today ...dark windows...camera hidden inside.....that little secluded stretch must be a great Lottery Machine for the State Government...'their Official word is : unless specifically marked 60kmh then it must be assumed to be 50kmh notwithstanding no signage to indicate'....... obviously nothing whatsoever about road safety...and everything about'show me the money'....
I'll write to the Department and throw myself on their mercy as suggested...do they refund?....?..Hoo Roo
__________________
'The secret of happiness is not in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less'.Socrates BC399.
'Be a Cheerful Nomad, not a Grumpy Gromad, it's the Surly Bird who catches the Germ'!
G-day goldfinger. 3 or 4 yrs ago got a fine ,road had been 80kms for yrs changed down to 60 did not look at signs as I thought it was still 80.rang up when the fine came in the mail,was told to pay the fine and send in a letter explaining why. About 6 wks later received
A cheque back with a letter telling me not to do it again. Best luck
Hell, I'm glad I'm playing in the last quarter of my life......we Grey Nomads/Baby Boomers had the best Australia is likely to ever offer....I think it is best summed up...
.....in the 1950's as a kid I lived in Nambour Qld....Dad would set up our Birkmire 12 x 12' tent at Xmas Holiday time, on the foreshore at Mooloolaba and leave it up for a fortnight...with similar other' tenter' family's...we would pay token fee and small annodised disc would hang at the front noting same, and Dad would lace up our tent containing Esky, Tilley Lamps, Stretchers and our clothes/togs etc together with leaving his small trailer, and we would come and go from Nambour as we pleased for shared family and friends times......never had anything pilfered/destroyed/painted graffiti..no syringes to stick us........we all enjoyed the best of all worlds, security, the Pub was across the road for Dad and the sea/rocks/fishing beckoned us in front..we could play safely on the beach and swim all day....no perverts we were ever aware of.....perhaps the most amazing thing was how we used to live with a block of ice in a small Esky and still had room for our flavoured milks.........compare all this to today,,family tenting on the foreshore?..I think not..,... what we would have found upon our return to our tent location?
It's our grandkids I feel most sorry for....they'll never know what we experienced for FREE.......Hoo Roo
Bit of bad luck about the fine goldfinger and would agree on location as revenue raising.
I Like your story from back in 1950
As a kid in the 1960's we lived at Cardiff (NSW) and did virtually the same as your holiday at Stockton it was an great time to be really free from dangers that lurk around today.
It's an experience kids today will never know of....shame.
