Infringement Notice - Bendigo

[HotRod]

The thing I do every time I get a new can or have new tyres put on a car is calibrate the speedo.

Normally do this with a GPS on a smartphone which is accurtae enough.

On my cars (both BMWs) the speedo is about 4km/h fast, that is it it shows I am doing 64km/h, I am actually doing 60km/h.

Also confirmed with those worksite speed displays used at some worksites.

My wife always wonders why she gets stern looks when she never exceeds the speed limit on the odo.

 

[Ideo]

The thing I do every time I get a new can or have new tyres put on a car is calibrate the speedo.

Normally do this with a GPS on a smartphone which is accurtae enough.

On my cars (both BMWs) the speedo is about 4km/h fast, that is it it shows I am doing 64km/h, I am actually doing 60km/h.

Also confirmed with those worksite speed displays used at some worksites.

My wife always wonders why she gets stern looks when she never exceeds the speed limit on the odo.

I do the same thing. And the ADRs have changed to mean that a speedo can only over read. However, plenty of older cars still have under reading speedos. That is where the Victorian issue becomes troublesome.

In my Golf the speedo at 117 is 110 on the GPS. Cruise along at 117/118 and get disapproving tongue clicks from the won't you think of the children brigade whilst still being legall!

 

[AlmostBob]

medical dose, 15mg
deadly dose 20mg
take 21mg, its only just over where's the problem

the limit is X
the responsibility to remain at or below X is the operator's
exceed X, not a problem do the crime cop the fine.
Fining somebody for operating their vehicle in a lawful manner, the speedo of their vehicle being older than 2007 where 5% variance is permitted by design, and there is no way for anyone to know whether it is reading high or low shouldnt happen. Camper(2000) speedo shows 73, GPS sat nav shows 76
Fining the owner because somebody drove the vehicle fast somewhere somewhen, and the owner has to prove they DIDNT is an obscenity

With the OP, I commisserate, I was at Bendigo in April, and ended up parked just right of the no entry sign, because a large van was parked just left of it, I couldnt see the sign. I would be really PO-ed if I had been fined for that 12 feet of travel down a one way street, the bacon boys werent out in force (and we didnt buy the ear-rings)

 

[Ideo]

steal a dollar, its ok its only a dollar
steal 2, its ok its only a dollar more
continue,
steal a million its only a dollar more

medical dose, 15mg
deadly dose 20mg
take 21mg, its only just over where's the problem

the limit is X
the responsibility to remain at or below X is the operator
exceed X, not a problem do the crime cop the fine.

Fining somebody for operating their vehicle in a lawful manner, the speedo of their vehicle being older than 2007 where 5% variance is permitted by design, shouldnt happen. Camper (2000) speedo shows 73, GPS sat nav shows 76,
With the OP, I commisserate, I was at Bendigo in April, and ended up parked just right of the no entry sign, because a large van was parked just left of it, I couldnt see the sign. I would be really PO-ed if I had been fined for that 12 feet of travel down a one way street, but the bacon boys werent out in force

Actually prior to July 06 it was 10% +/-. The speed limit is 100. Your speedo is showing 100. You may be doing 90. You may be doing 110. That it is a huge variation and would potentially get you a fine. That is where the issue is.

I am not concerned about speeding fines. I am concerned about low tolerances which do not take into account what the majority of cars on Australian roads were approved under.

Look at it this way. You don't get find for not being compliant with the current BCA is you were compliant with the BCA when you had your approval and you haven't changed anything. So by the same principle, that 10% rule should continue in operation.

I know what my speedo reads against GPS readings because I care about cars. The average joe might not realise, think they are doing bang on the speed limit, when in reality they are exceeding it by a level that used to be deemed perfectly fine, but now, suddenly, in order to raise revenue, is not.

 

[Spades]

I love revenue raising

 

[wobbycarly]

Actually prior to July 06 it was 10% +/-. The speed limit is 100. Your speedo is showing 100. You may be doing 90. You may be doing 110. That it is a huge variation and would potentially get you a fine. That is where the issue is.

I am not concerned about speeding fines. I am concerned about low tolerances which do not take into account what the majority of cars on Australian roads were approved under.

Look at it this way. You don't get find for not being compliant with the current BCA is you were compliant with the BCA when you had your approval and you haven't changed anything. So by the same principle, that 10% rule should continue in operation.

I know what my speedo reads against GPS readings because I care about cars. The average joe might not realise, think they are doing bang on the speed limit, when in reality they are exceeding it by a level that used to be deemed perfectly fine, but now, suddenly, in order to raise revenue, is not.

Good point about the GPS. I was in an unfamiliar vehicle on the weekend, and had a GPS (I don't normally use GPS). The speedo was showing 105km/h (110k zone) but the GPS was 100km/hr. So I pushed up to 115 on the speedo and the GPS was showing 110.

So there is a reasonably large error in the speedo - although I know I can do the limit and if anything it'll be under.

 

[House_Keeper]

hi All,

Inspired by the members inclination towards Bendigo as investment spot, I decided to checkout the place myself on the weekend.

Lined up some inspections on Sat and drove to Bendigo from Melb (130 kms one way). Inspected 6-7 houses on Sat and one agent suggested since I am visitng Bendigo for the first time, should go and visit some tourist sites.

His suggestion was to visit
-Sacred heart Cathedral
-Central Deborah Gold Mine

Checked out the first site and then visited the second.

Call it bad luck, entered the lane adjacent to the Gold mine and parked the car.

When I stepped out, there were cops behind me and asked me to provide my license.

They told me I did not see No Entry sign and entered the lane which was ONE WAY only. They also did breath test but I had not consumed alcohol.

Believe me it was only 10-20 mts inside the lane and parked the car in 3rd bay

I received the notice today and it was staggerring 248$ with 3 demerit points.

Australia is a lucky country and its FAIR GO for everyone...

I am thinking why did I go to Bendigo....

Is there a way I can get away with the fine (either a fee waiver or reduction in demerit points).


Regards,
TV

I feel sorry for you. something similar happened to me recently as well. They also insisted on a breath test that was completely irrelevant. An insulting presumption of guilt.

There are too many cops with nothing useful to do, so they go out doing easy tasks like fining people for ignoring useless rules. They call it an "offence" in their bureaucratic linguo, even though nobody was offended, and nobody was affected.

The police is becoming more like a random tax collection machine. There are so many obscure rules that they can nab almost anyone. When the state govt is running out of money, they can send the police to collect revenue, like recently in NSW. It's a flexible tax-collection mechanism.

How to get out of it? Take it to court. Dress well & plead your case as best as you can. Hope you get a sympathetic judge. You will probably have to take a day off for this.

For most people, it's not worthwhile. It's only a few hundred dollars, it's a hassle, and they have to take a day off work. It's a modern form of highway robbery, run by the state.

 

[Risky Business]

I feel sorry for you. something similar happened to me recently as well. They also insisted on a breath test that was completely irrelevant. An insulting presumption of guilt.

There are too many cops with nothing useful to do, so they go out doing easy tasks like fining people for ignoring useless rules. They call it an "offence" in their bureaucratic linguo, even though nobody was offended, and nobody was affected.

The police is becoming more like a random tax collection machine. There are so many obscure rules that they can nab almost anyone. When the state govt is running out of money, they can send the police to collect revenue, like recently in NSW. It's a flexible tax-collection mechanism.

How to get out of it? Take it to court. Dress well & plead your case as best as you can. Hope you get a sympathetic judge. You will probably have to take a day off for this.

I thought you were joking when I started reading this. Unfortunately you weren't. I'll give you a heads up. It is an offence in QLD to crack or use a whip on a road in a manner that would annoy any person or frighten an animal. It's a big earner for the QLD government. We'll be in surplus shortly.

 

[BayView]

And the impact of those couple of kms would be the death of every small child in a 500km radius, right?

Of course not, but they have to set a line at some point that dumb humans won't cross who can't work out what is a most likely a dangerous practice.

Most pedestrians get hit in low speed zones in built up areas. An extra 5km's could mean the diff between quadriplegic and badly injured but will be ok.

 

[BayView]

I feel sorry for you. something similar happened to me recently as well. They also insisted on a breath test that was completely irrelevant. An insulting presumption of guilt.

They're allowed to do random tests.

Especially if they see someone do something which stands out that they might not be fully in control of their faculties.

Going down a one-way street the wrong way would give them cause no doubt, or a few swerves down the road, etc. Maybe totally innocent and accidental, but there's always that chance that they could be drunk or stoned.

And I reckon it's a great thing; I'd hate to be a parent who gets the knock on the door one day to say their child was killed by a drunk or stoned driver.. I personally know of one guy here in our little town who has lost his licence for .05, and yet still drives to work, and still gets very *****ed a lot of nights, so would probably be over the limit the next morning when he heads off to work early (he's a tradie). Don't worry; I've done my civic duty and informed the local cops.

I much prefer to see cops out and about catching offenders than speed cameras, because the cops can use their (hopefully; good) judgement in every individual case, and catch drunks and druggies at the same time which a camera could not.

Not only that; a more visible police presence is a very good deterrent against all types of traffic offenses and crimes;

For example; everyone slows down for speed cameras, but as soon as they are 100 metres past it, they speed up again....but if you are driving down the road being followed by a cop, you will sit on the speed limit for as long as they are still behind you. Seen it happen a million times in both cases...human nature.

But plenty of drivers get let off with warnings when they get a cop in a good mood and the driver is polite to them.

Not saying the original poster wasn't polite; just unlucky.

But we don't know the circumstances either; maybe there has been a lot of these incidents, and someone complained, so the cops started to do some regular surveillance on the spot?

For example; slightly different but similar; we have a laneway directly behind our workshop, which services building deliveries on both sides. We use it to access our back hoist for car repairs etc, and we need our entrance clear so we can get cars in and out. The delivery vans stick to one side or the other to allow through traffic, and every so often will park in front of our entrance, but this is no prob as they are usually gone after a few minutes.

On our side of the lane there are "No Standing" signs with arrows pointing in both directions, spaced around 25 metres apart, on the other side there are right angle parking spaces. It is very obvious that you cannot park on our side of the lane.

In recent months, there have been an increasing number of people parking in the no-standing areas, and sometimes all day; blocking through traffic if there is a delivery truck stopped in just the wrong spot. It annoys me because it affects me with longer hold-ups for the deliveries or people stuck waiting directly in front of our driveway - we can't get in or out, and sometimes customers are waiting for their car..

It all came to a head not long ago when there was nearly a punch-up between a delivery driver and an impatient car driver trying to get through the laneway - all because some @-hole parked in the no-standing zone, and had been there most of the day.

So, I complained to the Council, explained the situation, and now; they have random Ranger patrols of the lane and have fined a good number of these selfish pr!cks.

This maybe the sort of thing that has happened with the original poster.

Incidentally; I reckon the cops would view going down a one-way street the wrong way similar to going through a red light? - potentially as dangerous.

In any case; he entered the one-way street the wrong way, and was illegally parked (facing the opposite direction to street traffic), so not much of a leg to stand on with that one I'm afraid.

 

[Aaron_C]

I love revenue raising

Well the State Governments don't seem to earn enough these days through stamp duty so they gotta turn up the infringement notices. I live in the CBD and I've seen a lot more vehicles getting clamped these days - definitely a strategic move by the govt.

 

[jusnliz]

Considering I have lived in Bendigo all my life, I reckon I would have been nabbed my the men in blue for the same offence. I wasn't aware that there was any one way road there. Mind you I think I have only done the Central Deborah thingo once in all my life. As it is very much a tourist thing and the Cop Shop is only a few doors up the road, the boys in blue have obvioulsly found this to be a Goldmine for a very different reason. I would have driven off with a very foul taste in my mouth .

 

[House_Keeper]

I thought you were joking when I started reading this. Unfortunately you weren't. I'll give you a heads up. It is an offence in QLD to crack or use a whip on a road in a manner that would annoy any person or frighten an animal. It's a big earner for the QLD government. We'll be in surplus shortly.

I thought you were joking when I started reading this. Unfortunately you weren't. I'll give you a heads up.

Every year, more and more useless and obscure legislation is quietly passed in parliament. Most people don't pay attention to it. Most of it is never enforced as it is impractical. In practice, it's as if it never existed.

However, the police can stop you, harass you, and fine you for breaking one of those obscure rules. They can pick whoever they like, using some obscure law as an excuse.

This form of arbitrary use of force is not what was intended by the rule of law. Whether it is used to raise revenue, or whether it is used by a police officer to discriminate against somebody they don't like doesn't make much difference. The state is abusing the power granted by its citizens.

 

[Risky Business]

However, the police can stop you, harass you, and fine you for breaking one of those obscure rules. They can pick whoever they like, using some obscure law as an excuse.

This form of arbitrary use of force is not what was intended by the rule of law. Whether it is used to raise revenue, or whether it is used by a police officer to discriminate against somebody they don't like doesn't make much difference. The state is abusing the power granted by its citizens.

Your comments remind me of a funny email I once read.

Recently, the Chula Vista, California Police Department ran an e-mail forum (a question and answer exchange) with the topic being, "Community Policing."

One of the civilian email participants posed the following question, "I would like to know how it is possible for police officers to continually harass people and get away with it?"

Sgt. Bennett, obviously a cop with a sense of humor replied:

"First of all, let me tell you this...it's not easy. In Chula Vista, we average one cop for every 600 people. Only about 60% of those cops are on general duty (or what you might refer to as "patrol") where we do most of our harassing.

The rest are in non-harassing departments that do not allow them contact with the day to day innocents. And at any given moment, only one-fifth of the 60% patrollers are on duty and available for harassing people while the rest are off duty. So roughly, one cop is responsible for harassing about 5,000 residents.

When you toss in the commercial business, and tourist locations that attract people from other areas, sometimes you have a situation where a single cop is responsible for harassing 10,000 or more people a day.

Now, your average ten-hour shift runs 36,000 seconds long. This gives a cop one second to harass a person, and then only three-fourths of a second to eat a donut AND then find a new person to harass. This is not an easy task. To be honest, most cops are not up to this challenge day in and day out. It is just too tiring. What we do is utilize some tools to help us narrow down those people which we can realistically harass.

The tools available to us are as follows:

PHONE: People will call us up and point out things that cause us to focus on a person for special harassment. "My neighbor is beating his wife" is a code phrase used often. This means we'll come out and give somebody some special harassment.

Another popular one is, "There's a guy breaking into a house." The harassment team is then put into action.

CARS: We have special cops assigned to harass people who drive. They like to harass the drivers of fast cars, cars with no insurance or no driver's licenses and the like. It's lots of fun when you pick them out of traffic for nothing more obvious than running a red light. Sometimes you get to really heap the harassment on when you find they have drugs in the car, they are drunk, or have an outstanding warrant on file.

RUNNERS:
Some people take off running just at the sight of a police officer. Nothing is quite as satisfying as running after them like a beagle on the scent of a bunny. When you catch them you can harass them for hours.

STATUTES: When we don't have PHONES or CARS and have nothing better to do, there are actually books that give us ideas for reasons to harass folks. They are called "Statutes"; Criminal Codes, Motor Vehicle Codes, etc... They all spell out all sorts of things for which you can really mess with people.

After you read the statute, you can just drive around for awhile until you find someone violating one of these listed offenses and harass them. Just last week I saw a guy trying to steal a car. Well, there's this book we have that says that's not allowed. That meant I got permission to harass this guy. It is a really cool system that we have set up, and it works pretty well.

We seem to have a never-ending supply of folks to harass. And we get away with it. Why? Because for the good citizens who pay the tab, we try to keep the streets safe for them, and they actually pay us to "harass" some people.

Next time you are in my town, give me the old "single finger wave." That's another one of those codes. It means, "You can't harass me."

 

[wobbycarly]

I thought you were joking when I started reading this. Unfortunately you weren't. I'll give you a heads up.

Every year, more and more useless and obscure legislation is quietly passed in parliament. Most people don't pay attention to it. Most of it is never enforced as it is impractical. In practice, it's as if it never existed.

However, the police can stop you, harass you, and fine you for breaking one of those obscure rules. They can pick whoever they like, using some obscure law as an excuse.

This form of arbitrary use of force is not what was intended by the rule of law. Whether it is used to raise revenue, or whether it is used by a police officer to discriminate against somebody they don't like doesn't make much difference. The state is abusing the power granted by its citizens.

Back to the OP, since when is driving the wrong way down a one way street an 'obscure' rule or law?

 

[Mooze]

Is that the one way lane next to the Tafe and primary school? (from memory there's two old headers in Bendigo - one on the way in from the south and one just a block outside CBD - one near CBD is next to a primary school/tafe/aquatics centre/cricket oval/velodrome)

If it is (we ran a kids tryathlon there) must say there were quite a few cops around most of the time we were there - mainly for the kids though not for traffic.

 

[House_Keeper]

Your comments remind me of a funny email I once read.

Recently, the Chula Vista, California Police Department ran an e-mail forum (a question and answer exchange) with the topic being, "Community Policing."

One of the civilian email participants posed the following question, "I would like to know how it is possible for police officers to continually harass people and get away with it?"

Sgt. Bennett, obviously a cop with a sense of humor replied:

Ha!

Nothing like a ridiculous joke from a police officer to divert the attention away from the dangers of giving too much discretionary powers to the police.

Let's see if you laugh just as hard when you are the victim of the police abusing their broad powers.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/police-face-integrity-commission-over-attack-20120506-1y76l.html

 

[House_Keeper]

Back to the OP, since when is driving the wrong way down a one way street an 'obscure' rule or law?

According to tvadera who reported the incident:

Call it bad luck, entered the lane adjacent to the Gold mine and parked the car.

When I stepped out, there were cops behind me and asked me to provide my license.

They told me I did not see No Entry sign and entered the lane which was ONE WAY only

It was a lane, not a street.

The No Entry sign was not easy to see. The cops seem to be familiar with the pb. Probably not the first time they catch somebody in that situation.

If the cops know there is a recurring problem there, why don't they arrange for a more noticeable sign to be put there? That would be the right thing to do. To treat the poor unfamiliar people who fail to see the sign as a criminal is not the right way to behave IMHO.

I think the comments from jusnliz are quite relevant

Considering I have lived in Bendigo all my life, I reckon I would have been nabbed my the men in blue for the same offence. I wasn't aware that there was any one way road there. Mind you I think I have only done the Central Deborah thingo once in all my life. As it is very much a tourist thing and the Cop Shop is only a few doors up the road, the boys in blue have obvioulsly found this to be a Goldmine for a very different reason. I would have driven off with a very foul taste in my mouth .

 

[AlmostBob]

but if you read any posts, you can't spout conspiracy theories

 

[BayView]

Ha!

Nothing like a ridiculous joke from a police officer to divert the attention away from the dangers of giving too much discretionary powers to the police.

Let's see if you laugh just as hard when you are the victim of the police abusing their broad powers.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/police-face-integrity-commission-over-attack-20120506-1y76l.html

I think you are a victim mentality type. Are you? because this smacks of it.

How about we have no cops then; would you be happy with that?

If anything, the police are now toothless tigers, and have far less discretionary powers than ever before.

People now openly swear and verbally abuse the cops when they are confronted about crimes/infringements and the cops can do nothing.

In the old days, people had respect for the cops.

Incidentally, I have had two occasions in the distant past where I was over the speed limit by a little bit, and was pulled over. I was very polite and apologetic to the boys in blue, and they let me off with a "slow down" warning.

Thankfully they have some discretionary powers...