State Speed Cameras To Be Tested

[Falchoon]

from drive.com.au

Police have ordered tests on all Victoria's speed cameras after another suspect camera was detected and taken out of operation.

In the latest incident, a fixed camera in the Burnley Tunnel recorded a truck travelling at 174kmh in an 80kmh zone on October 23. The Volvo F Series truck has a maximum speed of about 140kmh.

Last month a fixed speed camera on the Western Ring Road at Deer Park came into question after it recorded a small Datsun sedan, almost 30 years old, travelling at 158kmh.

Vanessa Bridges doubted her car could travel that fast and paid to get it professionally tested. Mechanics said the car's top speed was 117kmh.

After that first incident, acting Assistant Commissioner (Traffic) Bob Hastings expressed confidence that there were no problems with the rest of the speed camera network. "There's no evidence to support that any of the other cameras are malfunctioning . . . in any other way," Mr Hastings told reporters last month.

Yesterday Mr Hastings said the latest incident was an embarrassment. "It's embarrassing for everybody," he said. "Technology is technology and I think we have had indications where it doesn't say the right thing."

Mr Hastings said he wanted the community to have confidence in speed enforcement. "Most of our cameras are doing what's required of them and that is detecting speed at the right speed," he said.

All speed cameras in Victoria -including the 65 new red-light/speed cameras now being installed -- are to be tested following the latest incident.

RACV public policy manager Ken Ogden said Victorians were disillusioned with speed cameras. "The public disquiet with speed enforcement has to be addressed and the best way to do that is to put the proceeds from speeding fines back into road safety," he said.

Premier Steve Bracks said yesterday that he maintained full confidence in the speed camera system despite revelations about the inaccuracy of the Burnley Tunnel camera.

"The fact that the police verification system found there was an error and have corrected that and not issued a fine is proof that the system is being monitored . . . effectively and well," Mr Bracks said.

He said Victoria was on track to record its lowest road toll in years and his Government would continue to focus on speeding motorists. The state's road toll is 288, compared to 338 at the same time last year.

State Opposition Leader Robert Doyle yesterday said he would not be surprised if motorists launched a class action lawsuit against the Government over inaccurate speed cameras.

"These speed cameras need to be accurate, their readings need to be valid or else the public will completely lose confidence. I think we're already on the way to that," Mr Doyle said.

"This does nothing to prove up what Steve Bracks is saying about speed cameras being about road safety -- they are not," he said. "Obviously they're about revenue. Why can't they even get this right?"

Mr Doyle said the Government should reconsider the contract with speed camera operator Tenix, given the recent problems with inaccurate readings.

[Guest underpsi]

I'm glad we dont' have those here.

[BlueXR6Turbo]

  underpsi said:

I'm glad we dont' have those here.

You really don't have speed cameras?!?!

Maybe we should all look at moving to Utah!

[Guest underpsi]

We have plenty of Highway Patrol cars, but they are big white Crown Vic's that are usually easy to see.

[plonky]

The American constituency wouldn't allow Speed Cameras and each American State doesn't supply the services that Australian States supply. That's not to say that each American State doesn't have the services we have in Australia, it just means that there is more user pay because:

Income tax rates are much lower and higher thresholds

Health insurance actually works

There is a time limit on unemployment benefits (5 years over a persons working life and a maximum continuous period of 3 years)

Some jobs are low paying however because of the Dole being restricted for a time period, people actualy work and rely upon tips than not work and receive the Dole

Therefore if Australia had less Government supplied health, education etc then they wold require less income to supply these and they wouldn't need speed cameras to raise the revenue they do.

Obviously the American system is something a lot of Australians wouldn't want but the more we get from the Govt. the more they have to tax us and that includes speed cameras.

[MattB]

  BlueXR6Turbo said:

  underpsi said:

I'm glad we dont' have those here.

You really don't have speed cameras?!?!

Maybe we should all look at moving to Utah!

Yeah, but they've got Mormons.

Think I might stick with speed cameras :lol:

[Guest underpsi]

Nothing wrong with Mormons. Some of the hottest sheilas you will ever see!

[ducatijb]

If some politician makes a stand against these revenue raising,government propping contraptions and we all stand behind him/her then maybe we won't have them here either(wakes up realises he's dreaming again )

[hammer007]

There are speed cameras in the US - Poltech - an Australian firm who specialise in providing speed/red light cameras have won contracts in the US.

"Recurrent income from POLTECH’s USA contracts will increase as authorities expand the scope of their traffic enforcement programmes, eg. the City of Medford, Oregon has advised POLTECH of their decision to increase the number of speed vans commencing in March 2003."

check out www.poltech.com.au

interestingly Poltech are seeking compenstaion from the State of Hawaii who had placed an order for speed/red light cameras and then cancelled the order as a result of voter backlash.

[HellionXR6T]

  MattB said:

  BlueXR6Turbo said:

  underpsi said:

I'm glad we dont' have those here.

You really don't have speed cameras?!?!

Maybe we should all look at moving to Utah!

Yeah, but they've got Mormons.

Think I might stick with speed cameras :lol:

And we don't?

:lol: