takahashi

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!

Ezza

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.

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

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.

dbb

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.

Haddock

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).

timbo

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

dbb

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 ....

Wildcard

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.

dbb

The Victorian Propoganda machine
(http://www.operationcountdown.com.au..._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?

takahashi

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

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.....

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

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

takahashi

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

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

Wildcard

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

DMRH

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

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.........

takahashi

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

How about those reflective spray that whiten the plate

Wildcard

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.

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.

takahashi

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

takahashi

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!

Wildcard

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.

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

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.

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). 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!

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

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