Opinion

Why should good drivers have to pay?

Driving on NSW roads appears set for a dramatic change. Next week the state Labor government will be sprinkling hidden speed cameras in white vans through largely urban areas, and in this financial year it will move the combined red light-speed cameras beyond Sydney. Accelerate to make a green light and ching ching, thank you. Exceed the speed limit even for a moment near a white van and ching ching. The Keneally government has budgeted an extra $137 million from fines this financial year, and bear that in mind when its ministers recite the mantra of road safety.

The greatest impact on drivers, however, may be a reduction in the speeding margin that is currently 10 per cent. The Sun Herald newspaper has just reported that the RTA is looking at reducing the 10 per cent leeway to as little as 4km/h, and such a move would make every driver lucrative prey for a voracious state government. The 10 per cent margin has been with us for many years, and I believe it came about because Australian Design Rules allow any passenger vehicle built before July 2006 to have a speed error of plus or minus 10 per cent. That means that if you're driving in a car built before that date at 10 per cent over the speed limit you are within tolerances set by government. There are other good reasons for a significant margin, among them that variations in tyre circumference can change a speed reading significantly, that many speedos are not marked in 1km/h or even 5km/h increments.

The most pressing reason for a substantial margin, however, is that we must drive with our eyes on the road, not on the speedo. Sure, we watch our speed, but the overwhelming priority is to watch for pedestrians, cyclists, children, traffic lights, median strips, school zones, stop signs, RTA signs, lane markings, merge directions ... . And the cars in front and next to us, too.

As well we should watch out for white vans. It's almost as if the Keneally government has decided that drivers like me, and I've not been booked for speeding in almost 40 years, are not contributing enough to its re-election coffers.

The state government sells everything else, so how would you feel about it selling speeding margins? Would you be prepared to pay $100 a year for the 10 per cent speeding margin? Do you swallow the Keneally government line that it's motivated by road safety, not greed?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 13/07/2010 5:00:00 AM | Comments (134)

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first

We wouldn't want those cameras to get too hot in those vans so it only seems right that we protect public property and stop the sun getting in. I will have a newspaper and a roll of tape in my car.

Posted by Mick, 13/07/2010 6:33:34 AM, on The Herald

Victoria has already introduced these changes, with no reduction in the road toll. This is just basically a new tax.

Posted by Rabbit, 13/07/2010 8:17:48 AM, on The Herald

Congratulations Jeff - nearly 40 years of driving and no speeding fines. That's a record to be proud of. You are either a good driver or you've been lucky not to have been caught. I'm surprised by the question, though - Why should good drivers cop a fine? All I would say to that is good drivers don't. I've been driving for just over 30 years and have had one speeding fine. That was 28 years ago. I didn't need a second to learn the error of my ways. So Jeff, only bad drivers get fines, not good ones. I hope you keep your clean sheet.

Posted by Maxwell Smart, 13/07/2010 9:01:34 AM, on The Herald

It will be a sad day for safety and it's even sadder that the NSW opposition has not let out a murmur on reversing the decision which is absolute proof that no party will reverse a cash cow(come on Barry O'Farrell where are you now?) Oh I nearly forgot he will get in anyway. It will not stop the carnage of young exhuberance that litters your pages on a regular basis and regular comuters will suffer. One of the funniest stories I ever heard was when some young larrikins stealthily removed the plates of one of these type vehichles, put them on their car and then spent the rest of the day driving backwards and forwards past it ! I suspect if we follow America much worse may happen then that as I believe these camera vehicles will be manned by non police people and there has been some fairly ugly recorded incidents overseas in relation to them. Ah well I knew there had to be some benefits in living out here in the red dirt, maybe we will be left alone.

Posted by Bush Bunny, 13/07/2010 9:05:29 AM, on The Herald

Unless it promises a reversal as a campaign strategy, the Opposition in government will accept the revenue provided by the outgoing government's dirty work.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 13/07/2010 10:24:51 AM

Mostly greed, I wonder if we could sue the vehicle manufactures or tyre manufacturers, suppliers if we are booked within the 10% or 4% margin, life is getting to be dog eat dog no forgiveness, no grace, do the politicians and state beuracrats get a discount for being caught, they should be charged double, they made up the laws. Every time I get pulled over for speeding I will want to see, the photo to be sure it was me, the speed and the last calibration check of the speed camera, it should be within at least the current 12 month period and don't forget to get the officers ID# and name. There are entrapment laws as well to consider especially where the police/contractor hide.

Posted by jimbob, 13/07/2010 9:07:37 AM, on The Herald

Jeff, I thought you were an intelligent fellow. Speed limit means speed LIMIT. 60kph is not 66kph, nor is 110kph, 121kph. If one needs exceed the limit to make a green light (or more like an amber light), one is speeding. Not very difficult.

Posted by Valet Parking, 13/07/2010 9:47:11 AM, on The Herald

SPEED KILLS - THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!!!!! Haven't you read the RTA gospel? Exceeding the speed limit by 2km/h triples your chance of contracting prostate cancer. 5km/h over will cause kidney failure and hives. 10km/h over will cause your vehicle to spontaneously combust and make baby Jesus cry. No such thing as safe speeding, Jeff! The Guv'mint told me so!

Posted by Scott Hillard, 13/07/2010 10:09:39 AM, on The Herald

This state government can think of so many ways for regional and rural areas to subsidise Sydney. There is no question that this is revenue raising, plain and simple. What you can also be sure of is that any money raised is more likely to go to fund Sydney arts festivals that road black spots, or counter flow systems that may add something back to road safety. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck... it is probably MNSW labour wasting money

Posted by bodman, 13/07/2010 10:12:50 AM, on The Herald

Funny how when there's a tightening of the noose the Labour Gvt blames the RTA for 'acting independently', yet includes the massive cash grab in their budgets. Until new drivers are required to successfully demonstrate emergency braking and cornering in the wet to get their licence, I can never take the safety claims as more than a smoke screen for cash. Another reason to vote out the Iemma, I mean Rees, I mean Keneally govt.

Posted by Kristina's Koffers Tax, 13/07/2010 10:21:15 AM, on The Herald

How can we trust a Labor government now. (not endorsing any other party either).

Posted by old boy, 13/07/2010 10:28:44 AM, on The Herald