Blatant revenue raising!

[that guy]

I know, I know, another speed camera thread.

I don't post here often, (enjoy reading the threads and someone comes along and posts what I was going to say anyway) but this really annoyed me last night.

I was travelling Greensborough bound on the Western Ring rd last night when there was an excessive drop in the variable overhead speed sign right before the new speed cameras they had just installed. The speed dramatically dropped from 100km/h to 40km/h (enter speed cameras) then went straight back up to 100km/h at the next overhead sign. There were no road works or any accident to speak of in this area. For the record I slowed down immediately, as I am well aware of the new speed cameras installed just prior to the Sydney rd/ Hume hwy exit.

Now in contrast further back up the road near the Tullamarine/Pascoe Vale rd exit on the very same journey, there where road works taking place and the speed on the overhead signs dropped appropriately from 100>80>60>40, as well as road work ahead signs slowing the traffic down in a graceful manner. No speed cameras; that I'm aware of, are located there.

So one has to ask why there was a sudden 60km/h drop in the speed limit to 40km/h. Was there a road hazard I was unaware of? Why was there no buffer zone (the section which slowly reduces the speed limit, ie 100>80>60 etc)?

Honestly I'm getting tired of this speed camera saves live mantra. Every dollar raised from road safety, err sorry speed cameras should go straight back into driver education and better roads, and not a cent less. Better driver education and well maintained roads save lives in my opinion. Sounds like a crazy idea to some.

Well that's my rant for the week.

[poppa smurf]

not only occurs in suburbia but it can take me by surprise when the speed is shown at 110 and then drops straight to 50 for a one horse town out in the middle of nowhere.

makes it damn annoying when towing at 90 and no, or insufficient warning is given for the rapid drop in speed.....3 tonne combinations don't slow that quick.

then of course the build back up to road speed with the excessive use of fuel for a town with maybe 100 people in who only seem to come out on weekends.

[anto]

I hear ya mate, I just got done for outrageously dangerous speed of 57 the other day,...what was I thinking...for shame. The constantly changing speed limits depending on which street or road you take is absolutely out of control.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

not only occurs in suburbia but it can take me by surprise when the speed is shown at 110 and then drops straight to 50 for a one horse town out in the middle of nowhere.

makes it damn annoying when towing at 90 and no, or insufficient warning is given for the rapid drop in speed.....3 tonne combinations don't slow that quick.

Normally here in Vic on country roads where they did have that buffer zone, they now have a sign saying for example '60 ahead', looking the same as a speed limit sign but a black circle instead of red, to warn about the reduced speed ahead.

[that guy]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

makes it damn annoying when towing at 90 and no, or insufficient warning is given for the rapid drop in speed.....3 tonne combinations don't slow that quick.

Yep with that extra weight slowing down does become a lot harder.

For those in other states unfamiliar with the ring road it is actually a freeway, so plenty of B-double (and the odd B-triple heading between Ford C/field and Ford Geelong plants)trucks using it. So one could imagine trying to slow down a 60 tonne truck from 100 to 40km/h in such a short distance before the speed camera nabs you. Or worse the car in front of the truck slows down to quickly for the truck to wipe off the necessary 60km/h.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

Normally here in Vic on country roads where they did have that buffer zone, they now have a sign saying for example '60 ahead', looking the same as a speed limit sign but a black circle instead of red, to warn about the reduced speed ahead.

yep! there are quite a few like that but there are many with little to no warning.
I just came through the centre of NSW from northern SA to broken hill to dubbo then Katoomba to Oberon on to Echuca

followed the murray along to home, I would say maybe 20% of towns and probably more in the middle of new south had no warning.

hard towing a van but I don't know how the truckies get on.

gawler to clare is another bad one, 100 straight down on bends in a few towns and if you are not aware of them then we are easy prey, quite often speed cameras in the little towns.

not sure if it is revenue raising or an over site, but it is damned annoying.

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

not sure if it is revenue raising or an over site, but it is damned annoying.

Funny how any oversight seems to be revenue positive eh!!

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

Funny how any oversight seems to be revenue positive eh!!

no that's a coincidence? LOL!.......
more likely the police simply take advantage of a situation.

[steve.zissou]

i think there is something in the road regs (engineers guidlines or something like that) that says you need to have a stagered reduction in speed and if you took it to court yuou could easily proove it would be unsafe to slow down so rapidly from 100 - 40 kmph.

you might notice in sydney a number of speed zone changes were moved a little further up the road - like the 80 zone at the end of the f3 at hornsby - they didnt do it for fun, my bet is people started winning court cases on a technicality due to insufficient warning - but the majority will just pay the fine

[steve.zissou]

oh yeah - dont you guys have trams in vic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgesAK5H3iU

[MercurySilver]

stupid question but what does the black circle with 80 in it and END written across the top mean?

i was sure it was it ends the 80km limit you were just in and is now the state speed limit, but having a sign like that on a country road before an intersection seems stupid?
it goes to 100km about 600 to 800 meters after the sign

[MAD]

Originally Posted by MercurySilver

stupid question but what does the black circle with 80 in it and END written across the top mean?

i was sure it was it ends the 80km limit you were just in and is now the state speed limit, but having a sign like that on a country road before an intersection seems stupid?
it goes to 100km about 600 to 800 meters after the sign

A road near a friends house has one of these.
It confuses the crap out of me because going one way the road is sign posted 80, but going the other way the only sign I see is 80 END and nothing else until I reach the main road after a couple of corners and about 3km of travel. I have no idea what the zone is prior to the 80 END as I don't travel up that part of the road.

[Dauphin]

that guy, maybe there was a merging onto the freeway you were on in that section? Maybe the surveillance camera operators spotted a temporary hazard that you may not have seen also.

[Jack960]

I'm pretty sure they are still in testing, you mean the new ones just past that fluro blue bridge?

[xisled]

Are you sure the speed cameras book drivers for less than 100 when the speed sign goes to 40.

[that guy]

Originally Posted by xisled

Are you sure the speed cameras book drivers for less than 100 when the speed sign goes to 40.

As far as I know the speed camera at the Keilor Park drive bridge/cross over is in sync with the variable speed limit signs, and that has been there ever since I can remember. So I can't see it being too much of an issue getting these new cameras to work in sync with the new variable speed limit.

Originally Posted by Jack960

I'm pretty sure they are still in testing, you mean the new ones just past that fluro blue bridge?

That sounds like the ones I'm talking about. Hmm quite possible that they may be in testing phase as I have only noticed them in the last two months or so.

[Jack960]

yeah I went through it at 110km/h a few weeks ago, flashed but I never got a fine. Either way its dangerous having it step from 100 to 40, I went through it the other night and almost got rear ended by someone that didn't slow down.

[Ducati888]

We have never been in a better situation to fix this problem. It requires some effort though, so that will exclude most.

Our state is virtually a hung parliament at the moment. Geoff Shaw in Frankston has the balance of power, but will run as an independent in a year's time at the election. All of the seats in the Frankston corridor are marginal. It only takes one seat to change hands and we have a new government.

Now, here's the bit you need to do: write, email, phone and bother your local state member with your concerns. Not just around revenue raising, but all your concerns. Ask them direct questions and demand that they answer. When they do, with some party line drivel, write again, asking them to be more specific. They are obliged to respond.

Get on their Facebook pages and start the dissent. Ask the opposition where they stand, and what they would do. The sitting members are are in a situation where they need to hold on to their jobs. The opposition is in a position where they will do anything to win.

It's never been easier.

Your political persuasion is irellevant in this. Letters, Facebook pages and emails are easy. Write write write! Keep it civil and to the point. No insults, no demands. Just request explanations, and offer a reasoned argument. If there is a sentiment in the marginal seats that the government may lose them, you would be very surprised how quickly they can alter their policy.

Once they start making promises for the next term, hold them accountable.

This is the only way, and we have the best situation for driving change at the moment due to the tenuous state of our government.

It's not hard. It's easy. But it's up to you.

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by Ducati888

We have never been in a better situation to fix this problem. It requires some effort though, so that will exclude most.

Our state is virtually a hung parliament at the moment. Geoff Shaw in Frankston has the balance of power, but will run as an independent in a year's time at the election. All of the seats in the Frankston corridor are marginal. It only takes one seat to change hands and we have a new government.

Now, here's the bit you need to do: write, email, phone and bother your local state member with your concerns. Not just around revenue raising, but all your concerns. Ask them direct questions and demand that they answer. When they do, with some party line drivel, write again, asking them to be more specific. They are obliged to respond.

Get on their Facebook pages and start the dissent. Ask the opposition where they stand, and what they would do. The sitting members are are in a situation where they need to hold on to their jobs. The opposition is in a position where they will do anything to win.

It's never been easier.

Your political persuasion is irellevant in this. Letters, Facebook pages and emails are easy. Write write write! Keep it civil and to the point. No insults, no demands. Just request explanations, and offer a reasoned argument. If there is a sentiment in the marginal seats that the government may lose them, you would be very surprised how quickly they can alter their policy.

Once they start making promises for the next term, hold them accountable.

This is the only way, and we have the best situation for driving change at the moment due to the tenuous state of our government.

It's not hard. It's easy. But it's up to you.

You are 100% correct here. But it will never work. Australians are the most apthathetic bunch on the planet. Most are very happy to sit back and let someone else do the heavy lifting.. Polititicians are aware of it, in fact they bank on it. Thats how all these revenue devices got there in the first place. We get the governments we deserve......

[Gaz]

Only way to solve 'revenue' raising claims is to make all fines $50 (to cover administration of fines/enforcement) and have the demerit points purely as the deterrent.

Wonder if they would go for it?

[burnz]

when I seen this thread, I thought i'd check the data base on road deaths.
shock horror 100% of all fatal accidents (2011/12) were below the posted speed limit.
this normally rides at around 2%.
NOTE: fatal's are up 2.04% year on year.
http://statistics.infrastructure.gov...0Territory.txd

[xxx000]

I'd imagine roadcrews were about to start work or had just finished hence 40 km/h for their safety

[Agent86]

Originally Posted by xxx000

I'd imagine roadcrews were about to start work or had just finished hence 40 km/h for their safety

There are requirements relating to the rate at which speed can be dropped. 200 to 40 is a no go without a warning a certian distance prior to the drop.

A friend dos tree felling with the traffic control guys and got the info for me a while ago, i just dont remember the exact distances he relayed.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by xisled

Are you sure the speed cameras book drivers for less than 100 when the speed sign goes to 40.

They don't.

[STINKY NINJA]

I find it hard to believe the government would blatantly just take money off people with no other thought than to rip people off so they can make lots of money for overseas holidays and expensive suits i dont believe it at all

[noflac52]

Originally Posted by Agent86

There are requirements relating to the rate at which speed can be dropped. 200 to 40 is a no go without a warning a certian distance prior to the drop.

A friend dos tree felling with the traffic control guys and got the info for me a while ago, i just dont remember the exact distances he relayed.

Yeah I reckon 200 to 40 would need a bit of prior warning lol! Especially in a b double.

[Agent86]

Originally Posted by noflac52

Yeah I reckon 200 to 40 would need a bit of prior warning lol! Especially in a b double.

Tell that to th guys who set ip one on the dukes fwy near adelaide who were carrying on at me last week. Brakes copped a flogging.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by Agent86

Tell that to th guys who set ip one on the dukes fwy near adelaide who were carrying on at me last week. Brakes copped a flogging.

200-40.....

[xxx000]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

You are 100% correct here. But it will never work. Australians are the most apthathetic bunch on the planet. Most are very happy to sit back and let someone else do the heavy lifting.. Polititicians are aware of it, in fact they bank on it. Thats how all these revenue devices got there in the first place. We get the governments we deserve......

didn't you post previously that you are about to move overseas?

presumably to escape your fellow Aussies who are so 'apathetic' and make you do all the heavy lifting ?

[BHDOGS]

aff is really just a place to rant and rave the obvious these days speed cameras are for revenue raising no **** really i look forward to next weeks thread on the same issue.