Hard Lesson Learned

[RIPGMH]

Very honest and gutsy revelation ,well done for sharing this with others, Self control is so important.when im the first car stopped at a set of lights.Im forever getting cars revving/creeping forward to encourage a run

only though experiece and lots of self control,I avoid temptation ,my years of racing at wsid are very good therapy !

[Sleeper6T]

At the end of the day it comes down to the attitude and the actions of the person behind the wheel, you don't need a heavily modified high performance car to drive like an idiot. If anyone is unsure I would highly recommend they check out the law's so they have a full understanding. I'll be honest I didnt know much about the hoon law or the penalties that came with it. The thing that saved me was the charge.

I was officially charged with "driving at speed over the speed limit", for Jail to come into it the charge would have fallen under the term "speed dangerous" this charge is used when other people are put in direct danger as a result of your actions, e.g. weaving in and out of lanes either at speed or in a hazardous manner, doing burnouts in uncontrolled areas etc.

I too thought jail was a bit harsh but you only need to see pages out of the paper each week or stories on the news about someone that wrapped their car around a tree or colided with another car, and I cant even begin to think how I would be feeling if I had killed or seriously injured someone. The positive out of this is that Im still here, as is anyone of the people I could have impacted on and I now have one of those life lessons that can help others.

Brad

[Ghosti]

Kudos dude.

Thanks for sharing.

[hypnodoc]

Mate a good writeup and open admission, but don't lose sight of the fact that you didn't injure, maim, or kill anybody or smash any property. The laws have gotten so tough and IMHO, in some states, hit a point of pathetism that beggars understanding. You ARE NOT A CRIMINAL OR A POTENTIAL MURDERER, you a just another poor bugger who sped at the wrong time in the wrong place. 20 years ago you would have got a kick up the arse and maybe a $100 fine.

Drivers that have their private drag and burnout parties etc in industrial areas and outside maccas carparks and drive around suburbia like idiots are the real hoons. Don't let the fact that the laws have changed convince you that your some kind of criminal because your not; you just got caught going a good deal faster than what you should have been. These days the reality is that if you want to speed on surburban streets or the open road your gonna get caught. Time will go by fast enough and as long as you learn something from it then it will all become an expensive nerve wracking experience that won't happen again.

Edited 03/08/09 03:15 PM by hypnodoc

[Corzza]

Thanks for sharing Brad!

At least you had support to get you through the whole experiance

[Slymeat]

The laws havn't changed speed itself will not send you to gaol but driving at a speed or manner which is dangerous will. Speed is one of several possible things that will be used to determine manner dangerous along with other to name a couple 45km/hr over the speed limit, BAC over 0.150, Pursuit etc etc and the prevailing conditions of the road or vehicle compared to the speed, eg driving at the speed limit of 100 km/hr with a flat tyre.

[ugy]

Thanks for having the nads to share that mate, well done.

I done a real stupid thing one day that I don't have the nad's to post here. I looked in the mirror when I got home and called myself a BW and vowed never to do that c..p again.

I don't know about Aussie but in NZ it has a big impact when you are trying to get insurance.

All in all this is a big wakeup

Edited 03/08/09 11:38 PM by ugy

[rockafellqeinstien]

Good Approach to the whole episode.

One point I'll make is that I question the value of solicitors/lawyers in these matters. I have seen it time and time again where all a solicitor does is make sure you are prepared. It still comes down to the fact your guilty. All you can do then is plead for mercy (give reasons why they should go easy - family/financial/ect) and give an honest apology. You can start some community service/ driver education off your own bat but the value is questionable. You should also read the section of law that you are being charged under just to be sure it applies

All the cases I have seen, there has been no discernable difference in the outcome besides the $XXXX Solicitor fee.

Also - Don’t risk driving while suspended - this is the biggest risk. too easy to get done when going through an RBT or one of the number plate recognition camera operations.

If you can - I suggest working overseas for a year or two.

[nang3]

well done mate on admitting guilt and taking it like a man!! we all do stuff which is inappropriate for the time and place or are just unlucky to be caught...

because I have jsut read this [ http://www.caradvice.com.au/30280/german-v...an-car-culture/ ] I will add the following haha..

not to open another can of worms but if we had sensible speed limits and a government that looked after its citizens in terms of thorough driver training like Germany and its autobahns, the last 7 months of stress, fiscal penalty and sh*teing oneself over possible jail time would have been avoided all together... but alas here in Oz speeding fines are a major revenue raiser.

[jacob_xr6turbo]

Thanks for sharing mate..

Where did you get nabbed out of interest? You said a camera got you?

Glad to hear it all got sorted..