I will be the slowest RX8 driver from now.

That bastard, who remain nameless, gave me 3 points on the weekend. 15 m in front of 100 zone when I was doing 85 in a 70 zone. Bastard!

the new speed laws are just stupid, it's obvious it's revenue rasing by the government. all these speed traps and cameras now. would understand if they are positioned near blackspots, schools or near housing surburbs.. but not on the damn freeways >:( , bad luck about the speeding fine and points takahashi. but guess it happens to all of us.

15m before the 100 zone? I'd mention that to the media.

What a joke. You would hope they would have something better to do.

Cheers,
Hymee.

The current wheels magazine has some good info / statistics on this - about how it is making us dumber and riskier by forcing us to concentrate on our speed rather than on the road.

It's like the pokies and MP's wages/super - it's all about the money.

Soz to hear that Taka. On a similar note, I got 2 points and a $240 fine for 'making noise.' 9am on a Sunday morning on a main road, no traction control, wheelspin coming out of right turn (no traffic).

Yes it's a little silly and lairy, but the copper was a younger 'ucking jobsworth looking to nab one of those 'flash' motors. If only I'd been driving a Falmodore I'd have disappeared in the crowd :)

Oh well.

Haddock (also given 4points for speeding on Mt. Nebo road, 6 points lost in 3 months makes a trackday a necessity me'thinks).

Ahem, have nothing to add! I got pinged on the widest, straightest bit of dual carriageway between Canberra & Sydney at 6:45am on a Tuesday morning. Taxation not road safety! (but I do have to acknowledge the conscientiousness of the cop for getting up early) :D

At least the Hay plain is still available for high speed tests. You can see a small dog hiding behind a bush 10 klicks away. Just have a quick look for spotter planes and then try and chase down the little blip of a road train on the horizon ....

At 10km over the limit a competent and aware RX-8 driver is still safer than 95% of other traffic on the road.

Do I exceed the speed limit sometimes? Yes.

Do I ever exceed the capabilities of my driving skills, the road conditions at the time or the capabilities of the car I am driving? No.

Grrrrr. :mad: :mad: :mad:

The Victorian Propoganda machine
(http://www.operationcountdown.com.au/brake_distances.htm)
thinks that it takes 80m to brake from 100kph. Of this, 60m is mechanical (the car).

Hmmm ...

The RX8 (according to the hardcover book we got with the car) is 37m from 100kph. A Ferrarri 360 is 46m from 113kph and a Porsche GT3 is 47m from 113kph.

Even a Ford Explorer is about 55m from 100kph. So where did they get the 60m from? A Holden Suburban or an old LH Torana?

A Datsun perheps... and they clocked a lady in the Western Ring Road at 170 kmh!!! Top speed of that Datsun was tested 103kmh! LOL

Now the fixed camera is off. The cops are out there catching everyone, eating their meat pies, chatting up the blonds on the street.

A birdie told me today that if I pay more than penalised. They will refund the money in cash cheque. If you don't clear the cheque, the VICROAD (or RTA?) may not register your demerit point! ;) I wonder if this works

Check out this option.

Ever noticed why there are signs stating that the speed limit is changing ahead. They are usually placed a certain distance from the actual sign.

There is a state??? or is it federal law that says you can't be booked within either 200m of a change of speed sign or visible sight of that sign. Its one of those.....:cool:

I know this is suppossed to be valid in NSW, check out for VIC.

Originally posted by takahashi
A birdie told me today that if I pay more than penalised. They will refund the money in cash cheque. If you don't clear the cheque, the VICROAD (or RTA?) may not register your demerit point! ;) I wonder if this works

I have heard this before too. Since I don't have a cheque book though and pay everything by VISA, I think we should start up an RX-8 forum cheque account so that we can all pay our tickets. Since Hymee is our moderator, he can look after it and we can all send him our money and have him pay our tix for us. Anyone like to second that nomination? :D :D

Originally posted by Wildcard
I have heard this before too. Since I don't have a cheque book though and pay everything by VISA, I think we should start up an RX-8 forum cheque account so that we can all pay our tickets. Since Hymee is our moderator, he can look after it and we can all send him our money and have him pay our tix for us. Anyone like to second that nomination? :D :D


eh.... you can now pay via postbillpay with VISA now. :)

Originally posted by DMRH
Check out this option.

Ever noticed why there are signs stating that the speed limit is changing ahead. They are usually placed a certain distance from the actual sign.

There is a state??? or is it federal law that says you can't be booked within either 200m of a change of speed sign or visible sight of that sign. Its one of those.....:cool:

I know this is suppossed to be valid in NSW, check out for VIC.

I rather not agrue,,, it is not very defensible since you are still in the 70 zone...

The way I see it is that you are not suppose to do 100 before the 100 zone sign. In court, the lawyer just have to bring this up and you will lose. Not worth the risk even if the police policy stated not to book driver that way

In NSW at least you can pay your speeding tickets online at the RTA website with a credit card.

Tried the "overpaying" issue. Been there, done that. Didn't work........:mad:

The Gov. issue plates are very reflective to LIDAR (deliberate). The NSW premium are the worst of all.

In testing with a commercial laser I found the plates from worst to best followed the natural pattern of reflection. I.E. Worst = white... Best = black.

As you can't legally change your white premium plates colouring, you can disguise it & get away with it I feel.

I will be paint stripping my front plate this week & repainting the same colour combination. Only this time, its going to be a full "matt" white with matt black figures.

I am expecting the result to be a noticable reduction in reflected light. This should have a "direct" result on the LIDAR range.

Example, if the cops could get a fix on me at 200m, I am hopeful that it will now reduce to 150m. This will mean I have 50m grace compared to the next guy to react & slow down.

In my case, I am expecting my detector to be buzzing away as he tries to get a fix on me all the while I am slowing to a safe speed.

Shall post pics if they turn out.........;)

Originally posted by DMRH
Tried the "overpaying" issue. Been there, done that. Didn't work........:mad:

The Gov. issue plates are very reflective to LIDAR (deliberate). The NSW premium are the worst of all.

In testing with a commercial laser I found the plates from worst to best followed the natural pattern of reflection. I.E. Worst = white... Best = black.

As you can't legally change your white premium plates colouring, you can disguise it & get away with it I feel.

I will be paint stripping my front plate this week & repainting the same colour combination. Only this time, its going to be a full "matt" white with matt black figures.


Enlighten me... why number plate is the issue... you mean the fixed speed camera...

How about those reflective spray that whiten the plate

A good theory, but your licence plate only makes up a very small part of the frontal radar (laser) cross section of your car. Anyone who has used a camera with zoom lens or a rifle with a scope will attest to how hard it is to maintain a stready track on a moving target more than 100m away. No way is that laser dot going to be on your number plate and no where else. Even with the cop doing his best job to keep it steady, the laser spot is going to be continually moving over entire front of your car and reflecting energy off everything from the bonnet, headlights, number plate, rear vision mirrors, bumper, your hymee grill, etc, etc.

Does anyone know the mils divergence of a police laser? I don't but I'd be interested in finding out.

Also, even if the cop was capable of zeroing in on your number plate and nothing else, I don't think a slight reduction in reflectivity will make a difference over a range of 200m. 2,000m or 20,000m - maybe.

I'm not trying to be a downer, but I wouldn't want people to get a false impression here and all rush out to Bunnings on the weekend to buy paint stripper and two tins of matte paint. I'd happily be proven wrong though. Just my thoughts.

Originally posted by takahashi
Enlighten me... why number plate is the issue... you mean the fixed speed camera...

How about those reflective spray that whiten the plate

No, he's talking about the hand-held police laser guns. Fixed speed camera's use sensors in the road anyway, not laser or radar to detect speed.

Originally posted by Wildcard
No, he's talking about the hand-held police laser guns. Fixed speed camera's use sensors in the road anyway, not laser or radar to detect speed.

I should let you look at the VIC fix camera. They are opearated with laser or radar

Wildcard... so does that mean it is harder for cops to detect black car with black background 4 digit small number plates?

I have to add I was driving my father's old Camry when I got booked recently!

Originally posted by takahashi
I should let you look at the VIC fix camera. They are opearated with laser or radar

Okay... :o I probably don't know enough about how fixed speed camera's work to be making claims like that. (Note to self - better do some research).

I still stand by what I said about repainting the plates though.

Originally posted by takahashi
I rather not agrue,,, it is not very defensible since you are still in the 70 zone...

The way I see it is that you are not suppose to do 100 before the 100 zone sign. In court, the lawyer just have to bring this up and you will lose. Not worth the risk even if the police policy stated not to book driver that way

That is correct - never even admit to doing more than the speed limit, as you have just admitted guilt, no matter where the trap is located. Heck - it could have been turned off for all the Judge cares if you admit to doing a higher speed.

Cheers,
Hymee.

I recently got caught driving in excess of 100km/hr (I think about 130) in a 60 zone in the early day light hours. Got pulled over and told the cop I was evading a road rager (truth was it was a drag). They pressed me to give them a speed, all I admitted to was that I was not doing 60km/hr. They had no speed dection method available to me so couldn't get me for speeding. Dangerous driving was my concern, but my pager went off and told the cop I am now in a rush to see a patient for emergency treatment. He let me go. Pheew!

Saved by the profession!

I got booked years ago on an "estimate". Bastards.

Heck

Yellow RX8 must have stealth modes i very rarely stick to the speed limit , have been stopped 3 times , but never booked .

It must be my natural charm , and i do mention to the officer that i have contacts in high places . HYMEE , WILDCARD etc.

My worst captured times was a supposed 175 km in a 70km zone however after re: reading his speed laser he suggested that it may have been misreading my speed by 105km ha.ha.ha. and gave me smile and a suggestion of slowing down .

My natural charm worked once again .

HAddock good to see you come out of hybernation.

michael

Guys, the brighter the car, the more reflective it is to radar & laser.

In the case about the rego plates, I am talking laser detecion as thats the 1st point the cop aims at for a signal.

If your in VIC & change the paint of your front plate from its gloss black background to a matt black background. You will reduce your (laser) detection range by a noticable amount. (radar by a lesser amount)

In NSW, the white background plates (talking NSW premium design here) despite changing the glossy white backgrond to a matt white will not reap the same reduction in detection range that the VIC plates will get.

I agree that the cops can't hold a steady (pencil like) laser beam on your plate but its the plate that gives the best reflections back to the laser gun. A quick pan across the front of the car & before you can blink its picked up a signal from plate relections before any other part of the car reflects.

This is why the reflectivity of the plate has to be brought down to where it equals the rest of the car. Thus giving a reduction in detection range.

Example........ a Black RX-7 (sleek, low, pop up lights) with Vic rego plates is much harder to detect meaning its laser range could be just 150m

Example......... a yellow RX-8 (fatter, taller, exposed lights) with NSW regos plates is much easier to detect meaning its laser range could be 300m

(dont quote me on those ranges, there educated estimates)

The 150m difference could be enough time to spot the cops & slow down to a normal speed before they can get a fix on you.

Originally posted by AMG
I recently got caught driving in excess of 100km/hr (I think about 130) in a 60 zone in the early day light hours. Got pulled over and told the cop I was evading a road rager (truth was it was a drag). .... Dangerous driving was my concern, but my pager went off and told the cop I am now in a rush to see a patient for emergency treatment. He let me go. Pheew!

Saved by the profession!

Dental emergency... oh wow. Just kidding. :)

To DMRH

I feel much better now....

Hey, the cop doesn't know any better, and for the sake of emergencies, have you heard of ludwigs angina!

Submandular abscess.. I have my Merck manual next to me. If they die with airway obstruction I don't think even your RX-7 is fast enough!

Hey I also found this page re: radar detector
http://www.radarlaser.com.au/hist9750.htm

130 kph in a 60 zone is way too fast. The cop should have taken your licence away for 6 months.

They couldn't determine the speed. They were not behind me, and no speed detection method used. They saw me from a side street.

This too is dangerous driving:

"If you are travelling east down Melbourne st, and then turn left into Mann Tce at 60 kph with the foot down, in third gear, with DSC and TC off, it takes about 5 seconds before the back end kicks in after a massive fish tail. I have reliably proved this after my third test."

Yes, it is. But there was no cop to see it.

well then, lets not judge.

:)

have a nice new year all!

That's not the point. You were doing double the speed limit, and a cop saw you. So he might not be able to get you for speeding, but he could for dangerous driving.

I don't care if you are doing that speed, personally, unless it is down my street or you hurt someone I know if you crash.

But the cop has a job to do and he should have done it.

Now dbb, I don't want to get into a slanging match. But lets get things staright, the situation was: Dequetiville Terrace, 6am Sunday morning, No cars on the road, let alone pedestrians or bikes.

My car: 1989 MX5, modified everything including brakes and suspension. At 100km/hr can out brake a commodore doing 60km/hr. At 130km/hr can out brake many "road worthy" registered cars doing 60km/hr, including old beetles, kingswoods, datsun 120y's, corollas, etc. I am not reckless and would not speed down a side street. My driving skills, I believe, are very good. Yes I was above the limit, but the circumstances were safe.

You think I should have lost my licence. You are judging me!

However you turn corners at 60km/hr with the tail hanging out.

It is my opinion that 130km/hr in a straight line is safer than fishtailing a croner at 60km/hr. More cars and pedestrians are dmaged around corners than in a straight line. You believe that because there are no cops around what you are doing is OK. I do not judge you.

People that come to my emergency department is not driving fast but driving drunk... or just can't drive.

I have been the trauma registrar for 6 months at one of the major trauma centre in Melbourne and have not seen a person with highly modified / or even sport car that come in badly injured.

The worst are the old commandore drivers.... no offense but when I saw them with smashed pelvis and cracked skull. I doubt their courage to go even 20 kmh over the limit let alone they are also drunk.

Isn't repainting your number plate illegal? I am fairly sure that it is in queensland anyway...

Cheers,
Max

Originally posted by MadMAX
Isn't repainting your number plate illegal? I am fairly sure that it is in queensland anyway...

Cheers,
Max

Motor traffic law is more powerful than criminal law. Picking your nose in a car is probably illegal. as would be scratching, burping, farting & looking sideways at the hot blonde with the tits........:eek:

Its a question of what you can get away with.

At a glance, a matt white background instead of a gloss white background is not going to attract the attention of anyones eye unless oyu point it out & have another plate for them to directly compare to.

The aim is to reduce the reflective coating & gain some range in your favour against the LIDAR.

REgards

Why not try Lock & Loads idea and remove the front number plate completely and replace it with a sticker on the front bumper? Is that legal to do?

why? you can still see the number plate

The repainting of the plate is intended to reduce the detection range of a handheld laser gun by reducing the reflectivity of the plate. It's not designed to make the plate unreadable to speed cameras and the like. Replacing the plate with a sticker on the bumper would reduce plate reflection to zero - but it's the extreme solution!

So if we painted the car with non laser/radar reflective paint???

Or what about a bumper bar that was shaped like a strealth fighter? The 'Hymee stealth kit'. You could package it with the grill.

Oh yes, did a little searching on the net. A typical police laser has a dispersal of 3 mils. That means the dot is 3ft wide at 1000ft.

Originally posted by Wildcard
The repainting of the plate is intended to reduce the detection range of a handheld laser gun by reducing the reflectivity of the plate. It's not designed to make the plate unreadable to speed cameras and the like. Replacing the plate with a sticker on the bumper would reduce plate reflection to zero - but it's the extreme solution!

Hooray..........

Seems someone finally understands what I have been saying.

I think a "sticker" of the plate instead of the actual thing would attract to much unwanted attention.

The idea here is to get about un-noticed.

what sort of "sticker" are you referring to then?

As per L&L's 'show and tell RX-8' thread.