Australian automatic speed tickets
Jun 24, 2005, 12:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: SK*G, PC Plat Amb, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 1,874
Australian automatic speed tickets
I got three letters from Australia looking very formal, sent to my company address with my name on top. Since I recently visited Australia and left my opinions at some hotels I presumed that this was some kind of replies.
But no - I got THREE speeding tickets from Victoria Police. AUD$128 for driving 121km/h on 110km/h road was pretty steep! The caught me with these automatic radar/camera stations around Melbourne.
Since it was a rental car they got my address from AVIS (i live in Sweden).
My questions:
- I can send AUD$11 per ticket to the police to get a copy of the pictures with me in the car, but only using check as payment. I dont use checks. Anyone in Australia that could send checks and I could transfer money using Paypal to you. (would be fun to have those copies)
- How can they prove that I am the one in the car, what would happen I claim that its someone else driving?
Or should I just send them the money to save time and problems?
But no - I got THREE speeding tickets from Victoria Police. AUD$128 for driving 121km/h on 110km/h road was pretty steep! The caught me with these automatic radar/camera stations around Melbourne.
Since it was a rental car they got my address from AVIS (i live in Sweden).
My questions:
- I can send AUD$11 per ticket to the police to get a copy of the pictures with me in the car, but only using check as payment. I dont use checks. Anyone in Australia that could send checks and I could transfer money using Paypal to you. (would be fun to have those copies)
- How can they prove that I am the one in the car, what would happen I claim that its someone else driving?
Or should I just send them the money to save time and problems?
Jun 24, 2005, 4:43 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: SYD
Programs: QF Plat & Lifetime Gold, Velocity Gold, SQ PPS
Posts: 247
Originally Posted by Bjornstrom
- How can they prove that I am the one in the car, what would happen I claim that its someone else driving?
Or should I just send them the money to save time and problems?
Or should I just send them the money to save time and problems?
Doing so, and knowing you were the driver, would be like committing perjury - not a good idea.
Although there have been some infamous cases of incorrect speeds using these devices I believe, in general, they're accurate.
If you did the crime, pay the fine and learn from the experience.
Jun 24, 2005, 5:16 pm
#3
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
You'll be seeing a charge by Avis to your credit card soon as well -- their fee for providing the police with your address (typically AUD 50-100 per inquiry, so up to AUD 300 for the 3 tickets). No way around that charge, it is in the fine print of your rental contract. The tickets you can contest, and some percentage are dropped immediately when you request proof (probably for some the film is invalid, has been misprocessed, lost, etc.). However it is generally well organized and you can expect to have to pay if they do find the film. All of the speed cameras are well marked (visible to the driver) but of course you didn't know to look for them. A past thread indicated that they will issue citations for very minor speed infractions (something like 3 km/hr leeway).