Ask Ponch

[plonky]

The car that runs into the back of another is generally the 'negilgent' one.

The brake ke like question could be raised but I would suggest that you would get the ticket.

I know it's wrong but try to prove otherwise with the Court.

Anyway, best of luck.

The law (made by lawyers) is different to justice (made by the majority)

[aniken]

Is it illegal to park the opposite way to everyone else? What I mean is, you are on the left side and there are no parking spots, but just over there on the other side of the road, there is a nice big space you could pull into - either by U-turning and reverse parking, or by going in front first from the left side (across the right 'lane'). Or, to put it another way, can you park driver side to the kerb when everyone else is parked the normal way?

[plonky]

A car must be parallel parked in the direction of travel where there are no signs. If there are signs then you must park at the angle indicated (45 degree nose to kerb or 135 degree rear to kerb or at any other angle designated on the sign such as 60 degree)

[sixfan]

Hey Ponch,

Bit of a serious one from me;

One of the blokes who works for me was out on a bit of a camping / fishing trip, they all got drunk (except for him) and drove back to the camping ground, problem is the other car had broken down, so they piled into the back of a ute.....One bloke was so drunk they had to carry him.... Thing is the very drunk bloke fell off and has been very badly hurt (head injury, on intensive care.) The driver (who works here) was breathalized and blew 0.00 and the police said they did not consider alcohol or speed as a factor..He's going in for an interview tomorrow and they have told him the charges will depend on the condition of the poor bloke who fell off the ute, is this so? what can he expect?

[JB]

Hey Ponch, the ongoing missunderstanding of FOG LIGHTS.

Can you clarify. They are classed as both Fog and driving lights, where do we stand? Some people say it's illegal others not.

Some more luxury cars have the relevant fog light come on when the indicator is applied (I.e Fairlane, statesman etc) If it is illegal then where do the car companies stand providing something that illegally operates itself.

Hopefully you get my drift?

[plonky]

JB

A fog light is a light that is lower than the centre of the low beam.

The lights that you are referring to are called daytime running lights or turning lights. They are activated with the indicators. Because they cancel with the indicators they are not a foglight.

A foglight is independantly operated from the main lights (seperate switch to turn them on and off)

[Mr X]

Plonky check out cruises SA to see the wreckage.that's my sons handywork,17 years old on P,s in SA. Question;plod at scene did not breathalyse the lad but a blood test was done at the hospital some 2.5 ours later reading 0.034.Naturally the insurance won,t pay out (0.0 for P platers)so will there be some charges laid for DUI in the next few weeks,accident occured 30April thanks for your reply.

[slapnut]

Ponch

In the FFFFFFccccckkkkknnnnnggggg foglight thread, I raised the point if being unaware of this particular regulation.

The front foglight bit is not stated directly in RTA Guides, which is what NSW drivers have to study to get a licence.

I concede that "...following all driving regulations..." may be in this guide, however, how is the average motorist (me) supposed to know about laws and regulations (fog lights in particular) that are not in the RTA guide?

The law has been quoted already in the fog light thread. The link is to be UTS/tertiary eduaction site that I did not know existed and woulod be hard pressed to find.

The law may have been around since 1909 and all NSW Police may know of it's existance.

How am I supposed to know?

How can I be fined for something so obscure?

Are the "fog lights" on XR's only fog lights by definition? Should they be defined as *beep* lights to get arounf this bizare regulation?

I have not driven in fog in the last year of XR ownership and have therefore not needed to use the foglights. Should FORD MO CO give me a refund for the fog lights because they are a useless item and against the law to use? - you don't have to answer this one....

Are traffic police taught to be lenient with these obscure laws?

Hoping you can help.....

XR6-T-9 (SLAPNUT)

[Slymeat]

Hey Ponch,

Bit of a serious one from me;

One of the blokes who works for me was out on a bit of a camping / fishing trip, they all got drunk (except for him) and drove back to the camping ground, problem is the other car had broken down, so they piled into the back of a ute.....One bloke was so drunk they had to carry him.... Thing is the very drunk bloke fell off and has been very badly hurt (head injury, on intensive care.) The driver (who works here) was breathalized and blew 0.00 and the police said they did not consider alcohol or speed as a factor..He's going in for an interview tomorrow and they have told him the charges will depend on the condition of the poor bloke who fell off the ute, is this so? what can he expect?

When an accident involves death or serious injury, it is investigated in an entirly different matter. And if the passenger is seriously injured, ie- GBH then the matter is investigated by the Crash Investigation Unit. I think we would be remiss in giving advise on a current investigation being conducted by the CIU. I myself have worked in the CIU and would look down on a police officer giving any advise pre the interview in such a public forum as it may hinder the investigation. Sorry but due to the obviously serious nature of this one the advice should be sought from a solicitor, or the officer in charge of the matter.

[ZAP]

Poncho (Plonky),

One of my staff was booked in the T3 lane on Millitary Rd in Neutral Bay. The problem was he was in a car that could only carry 2 people. He had 2 in the car, but was told that he must have 3. I thought that motorbikes and Taxi's could travel in this lane without the required passangers, I also thought that if the car could only carry 2 people that it was OK. I was shocked to find this is not the case. Your View ?

The other thing, when you are doing mobile radar in your car, does the radar (when active) measure the car's roadspeed as you drive via radar, or is it off the car's speedo.

Thanks