Point-to-point Speed Camera Makes First Mistake

[f-wolf]

23 Jul, 2007

Victorian residents beware, the State government?s latest and most expensive speed camera has been proven wrong, by a bus driver. Victoria Police admitted last week that the new point-to-point speed camera system recently installed on the Hume Highway had issued a ticket to an innocent man.

The new system works by photographing a vehicle as it passes between two camera stations, it then calculates the time taken and works out the average speed of the vehicle! At least, that?s what it?s suppose todo.

The system recently caught a bus belonging to Seymour Coaches driving 123km/h in a 110km/h zone. Although the $250 fine didn?t bother the driver, Seymour Coaches managing director Peter Louchnan wasn?t going to admit fault, especially when all his buses are speed limited to 100km/hr!

After indicating the company was going to fight the fine, government inspectors came and verified the limiter prevented the bus from exceeding 100km/h and the charge was dropped.

Victoria Police Superintendent Shane Patton was quick to put the blame on human error and not the camera equipment. Mr Patton told reporters two similar buses with similar number plates were traveling on the road at the same time. Mr Patton blamed the ticket on human supervisors who are supposed to verify the automated ticketing process.

Source: The Age

[F6TEEN]

sad thing is that regardless of how wrong they are they just keep blaming something else and continue to fine ppl using faulty cameras...

[AzMahoony]

that cartoon pic is so true, lol

[EZ2CME]

They'll use anything as an excuse

[Evil F6]

I know this will be deleted but who cares:

to the Vic police and government you are all a bunch of :tosser:

[Slymeat]

that cartoon pic is so true, lol

God I wish then the police would actually have the money to fight crime, the reality is that the money from all fines goes into the state government coffers and probably pays dole payments.

[Phoontastic]

God I wish then the police would actually have the money to fight crime, the reality is that the money from all fines goes into the state government coffers and probably pays dole payments.

You're not wrong Sly. They also use it to fund pre-election give aways and half-arsed election promises.

They should be using the money to improve road infrastructure such as dual carriage ways on the main highways, wire rope barriers on dangerous road edges, improved signage and warning lights at level crossings, etc etc

[XR6T8080]

I was fined a couple of months back, I was driving down the highway, and a partrol car pulled me over to give me a speeding ticket, I was right beside a scooter as well, so I have no idea how he could tell between me and the scooter.

I think it was 72 in a 60, I was ok with the fine if it was legit, but then I notice the police car parked in a clearly marked 'No Standing' area, further down the road there was a sign that said No Standing - Police Vehicles Excepted, but not here.

I asked the guy, how the hell can he issue me a ticket while hes breaking the law himself, he told me he was exempt from such a sign.

I got my camera phone out and photographed the police car with the two officers writing me the ticket. Shortly after he said 'your a dickhead mate' to me - couldnt believe it !!! so I sent the whole thing in to the police and they wrote back telling me that I had to take it to court.

I just paid the fine and put up with it. But after I pointed it out to the policeman, he packed his sh*t up, did a U-turn across double white lines and drove off in the opposite direction. So he must have been breaking the law.

How is this justice?

You're not wrong Sly. They also use it to fund pre-election give aways and half-arsed election promises.

They should be using the money to improve road infrastructure such as dual carriage ways on the main highways, wire rope barriers on dangerous road edges, improved signage and warning lights at level crossings, etc etc

[fang]

They'll use anything as an excuse

Sigh..I just keep waiting for graffiti artists to get down and dirty with my license plates

but they must be law abiding citizens at heart..

Steve

[Iconic Bionic]

I was fined a couple of months back, I was driving down the highway, and a partrol car pulled me over to give me a speeding ticket, I was right beside a scooter as well, so I have no idea how he could tell between me and the scooter.

I think it was 72 in a 60, I was ok with the fine if it was legit, but then I notice the police car parked in a clearly marked 'No Standing' area, further down the road there was a sign that said No Standing - Police Vehicles Excepted, but not here.

I asked the guy, how the hell can he issue me a ticket while hes breaking the law himself, he told me he was exempt from such a sign.

I got my camera phone out and photographed the police car with the two officers writing me the ticket. Shortly after he said 'your a dickhead mate' to me - couldnt believe it !!! so I sent the whole thing in to the police and they wrote back telling me that I had to take it to court.

I just paid the fine and put up with it. But after I pointed it out to the policeman, he packed his sh*t up, did a U-turn across double white lines and drove off in the opposite direction. So he must have been breaking the law.

How is this justice?

You were most likely detected by radar which hones in on the larget metallic object. With a scooter along side of you, there is really no issue there. A different story if it was a road train next to you.

Them issuing you a speeding ticket while parked in 'no standing' at whatever point is really unrelated to you getting pinged for speeding and although I can see how it would add to your frustartion.

Most of the time, police would infact be required to exceed the speed limit in order to stop other speeding drivers, so obviously an exeption for them to do this must apply. They can speed all they want and break whatever laws exist if my homes getting broken into and will always be supported for such actions.

What outcome did you expect by photographing them? It would take alot more then a camera phone to get them to not write tickets out.

Very little to do with justice, and more to do with community expectation towards road safety and the integrity of police to do the thankless job such as enforcing the traffic laws of the repsective states.

Take the ticket to court and have the matter independently determined if you feel harshly done by, otherwise pay it and get on with life.