Comments on: Government to erase demerit points scheme

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:48:09 +0000

IIRC in Finland they have to prove that they can control a vehicle in a slide BEFORE they get a drivers license. Why can’t we have the same deal here. Our drivers and riders are poorly trained to begin with, why not improve driver training and make the tests much harder! IMHO most accidents are just that accidents, however many could be avoided with better driver training. Also some folk who don’t quite make the grade will be on the bus, a safer option for all of us on the road.

By: Joey

Joey — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:46:44 +0000

I totally agree with you Ron & Rick. This zero tolerance that the Vic Govt has introduced is nonsense and was only introduced as a revenue stream. The problem we now have is that the Vic Govt is so reliant on this income stream that it’s virtually impossible to change without it affecting the Govt Bureaucracy and incompetent wasting of money. Their only other option now is to lift taxes to compensate should they decide to change the system in any way which I can see them changing because it will affect their chance of re-election. . I am currently without a License and have been for 3 months already. All I am trying to do is to earn a living to support my family. I drive approximately 70,000km per year for my job in a sales capacity so as you said it’s all a numbers game. In 3 months being off the road the revenues in the business have dropped significantly to the point that now there are 8 other people’s jobs at risk and not only mine. Well done to the Govt. With the exception of one speeding fine which I was doing over 15km over the speed limit which I was in the wrong (having said that the speed limit sign was discolored to such an extent that Vic Roads verified that the sign was replaced 3 days after my incident – But once again the laws are written so tight that you don’t have a chance of contesting it) all the others have been for 53 in a 50 zone, 103 on a freeway and 105 on the same stretch of freeway two hours apart, 63 in a 60 zone and the list goes on. Please give me a break. Spend your efforts catching real criminals not the innocent trying to survive.

Don’t get me wrong I personally lost my brother to a road accident 13 years ago so I know the dangers of driving on the road. I also agree with the fine system because I saw the benefits that my brother’s wife and children received from TAC after his death but lets face it zero tolerance is not the solution nor is sending drivers off for training. As you said we are all human and not machines which can be programmed to never go over the speed limit. As it is now drivers spend more time concentrating on their speed and not what is happening around them. Which do you think will reduce the toll more concentration on the road and the surroundings or concentrating on the speedo? Oh yes that don’t call them speed camera’s any longer, they are now call safety camera’s. Do they really think we are idiots?
My sister lives less than 3 km from my place. When I drive to her place the speed limit changes 5 (FIVE) in less than 3 km. What hope have you got to comply with zero tolerance?
It’s the Hoons that need to be stopped. A few weeks ago I was travelling on a 110km zone with my wife and a hoon on a motor bike came past us at approx 160km per hour doing a mono on his back wheel. The Police should concentrate their efforts on these guys not on individuals who have been driving for 28 years without an accident.
The Govt is now so reliant on the revenue stream that their only solution is to introduce even more fixed cameras. It will not be long before the Police Officers themselves will be loosing their licence so I guess they need more camera’s so that they don’t need to leave the comfort of their office because they soon want be able to.
As one other person above wrote…….why do we continue to vote this Govt in?

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:27:09 +0000

I agree Rick you only need to drive in another country to truly accept the downfall of a scared driving culture and its consequences on safety and common sense.
For example i’ve been behind semis going downhill and slamming their brakes on in the rain, people speed up to not allow you in or not let you pass due to frustrating changing road speeds and multitude of speed cameras. It seems the only way to aviod this madness is to speed up and pass the frustrated neurotic drivers. A luxury it seems the rich can afford. Tradgedies such as the ones mentioned above, will occur regardless and certain people will not change no matter what, i have heard stories of the same individuals doing drink driver courses for the 5th and 6th times. But why not put it into perspective, if you are travelling 25000klms a year compared to 2500klm there is a very good chance you will incur more fines, humans are not perfect, but treat them like children and they will certainly act accordingly. I am saying they should be given more concessions because the system is biase, based on revenue raising and not saving lives. Cmon get real!!!

By: rick

rick — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:59:30 +0000

Australian is out of control.
We are no longer a free country
There are too many laws
Cops or parking inspectors lurking behind every corner ready to book you for the smallest mistake …they take your money ,take your licence or put you jail…(for minor traffic offenses)
Its getting ridiculous….Its no wonder people snap and go on killing sprees.

By: danny

danny — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:21:34 +0000

Demerit points should not take 3 years to clear, that is unfair! Bad drivers/hoons should be penalized I agree. To all those good drivers out there that have been pinched a scattering of demerit points over this period, is unfair. The greater crime is to take a license away from someone, especially the person that has a family and mouths to feed and needs his or her license. Education is very important.

For our government $147,000,000 and then you’ll take someones license completely away…! SHAME ON YOU, to not support the greatest good for the greatest number of people! This is Australia not some damn 3rd world country.

By: idg

idg — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:36:51 +0000

What a load of … When the money collected from speedimg fines go to government directly one would never had a fair go. Miss Nixon had just had enough of pushing the limits and is now out to get a rest after collecting AS Required to keep her job. Some people tried to do treason (like on a Queen) to get rid of her unsuccessefully but now she knows that ANYONE including Queens ARE disposable. Would be nice to tell us how she did the job to stay in power . . . JUSt CURIOUS.
WHEN you claim that is safer to keep your eyes on the speedometer and on cameras and other collecting obstacle while driving instead of concentrating on the road than I can answer that stupidity kills . . .(oops sorry, speeding, overeating overrunning over … but we don’t pay but for speeding stuff)

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:56:58 +0000

John S . Quoted “…reckon all L and P platers should first pass some driver education course before receiving their license.”

It’s called getting their license, you idiot. They did their education in order to get their L & P’s.

There’s no pattern for idiocy on the roads. Every gender, race and age these days are all equally as useless as each other.

The shear STUPIDITY and lack of basic mentality astounds me constantly on the roads. 2000kg of steel travelling at high speed. Morons forget they’re in a machine.

By: Mitchell Oke

Mitchell Oke — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:19:51 +0000

Gotta say, I think AAMI’s free driving course for under-25′s is a great idea. They give you a free day driving course AND 10% off your insurance till your 25, all insurance companies should offer something like this.

By: Mitchell Oke

Mitchell Oke — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:08:11 +0000

Ah, I see! Erase some points so they have extra opportunities to re-offend and pay fines before they loose their license!

Great idea guys…

By: Flying High

Flying High — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:44:26 +0000

Primo! All these people doing advanced driving courses so they will learn how to drive to the conditions rather than to an arbitrary speed limit. Then we can get rid of speed limits all together. I wish.

Unfortunately, for every decision ever made by the government you can be certain someone somewhere is making money from it and this will be no different.