I have noticed recently more and more people warn oncoming drivers of speed camera by flashing the headlights. I am not sure it is legal in Australia but if you caught there must be a fine and demerit points. Did any oz bargainers receive a fine for this?
Is it legal to warn drivers of a speed trap?
WXYZ on 29/03/2014 - 13:03
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or (unless you are 44-45 years old) personalised number plates containing "69"
These traps there to raise the revenue, not to save lives. I have been warned a lot by fellow drivers, I have done same myself to others. Who wants to hand out their money for driving couple of kms over the speed limit when you are struggling to make living yourself.
Who wants to hand out their money for driving couple of kms over the speed limit
lots of people want to, it would seem…..
Yet, if people weren't speeding then no revenue would be raised.
Whilst the car technology is far superior than in the past, the humans driving the vehicles have not evolved at the same pace, nor have pedestrians (rather with the constant distractions drivers and pedestrians now face [phones, music, etc], there attention may have indeed decreased).
Further, isn't life more enjoyable and less stressful when you aren't in such a hurry.
Yes, it is legal in Victoria.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/new-rules-allow-s…
'POLICE say they are happy for drivers to flash their lights to warn other motorists about speed cameras.
Traffic Superintendent Dean McWhirter today said he was happy for motorists to flash their lights to warn other motorists they were approaching a speed camera.
"If that occurs I am comfortable with that because it means actually people are getting the message," Supt McWhirter said today.'
Wow, that completely takes me by surprise. Police in Victoria often issued infringements for drivers flashing their lights (fail to dip headlights) as it is technically the same offence as driving with high beams on. It is designed to prevent other drivers being dazzled and distracted. The courts have upheld those fines too. So for a Superintendent to come out and say that and fly in the face of years of prior practice astounds me.
him saying it doesnt stop you from getting a ticket, nor does it save you if you need to take it to court
I've seen so many people crazy speeding recently that I'd be happy to see them fined.
Just flash your lights at them and watch them slow down to a sensible speed for a non existant speed trap.
This.. is genius.
(until you get pulled over by an unmarked police car you've inadvertently flashed lol)
Don't know about you, but I get the sense of gratification watching first-hand a reckless/speeding driver getting caught red-handed. If you're willing to take the gamble, the odds don't always stack up in your favour.
you roll the dice but the reality is its more stacked towards the driver now since it seems that theres a lack of police car presence (due to costs) and there isnt that much roadside camera activity (at least here in nsw)
my supposition is that if EVERYONE is going 10% over and people arent dying en masse well then isnt that basically a money raising exercise
if the so many people break the law every day then theres a fault with the law
Don't know about you, but I get the sense of gratification watching first-hand a reckless/speeding driver getting caught red-handed. If you're willing to take the gamble, the odds don't always stack up in your favour.
Then you'll appreciate this:
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/karma-never-tasted-so-good-w…Karma's a bitch!
I warn people. Usually use high beam while moonlighting though :P
In Queensland High beam headlights:
A driver must not switch headlights to high beam if another vehicle is closer than 200m in front of the driver's vehicle.
A driver may flash the headlights briefly before overtaking another vehicle.
Drivers must ensure that they do not dazzle other road users.
Sections 218 and 219 of the Queensland Road Rules apply.
Source http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Queensland-road-rules/Road-…
I find it interesting that despite changes in recent years to a more consistent Australia-wide set of road rules, there are still state-to-state differences that even residents of the state don't understand fully, and that there are so many rules that almost nobody seems to understand.
A few I recently discovered in NSW, two because of Ozbargain posts, are:
A driver must not stand a motor vehicle on a road during a period of darkness with its headlight lighted while the vehicle is not actually engaged in dropping off, or picking up, passengers.
All "No Standing" zones in NSW were re-designated "No Stopping" zones. There's no such thing as a No Standing zone any more, in spite of signage.
It's illegal to park within 10m of an intersection unless parking is explicitly permitted by signage. So if you see a No Stopping sign 5m from the intersection, and park on the correct side of it, you're still breaking the law unless there's a sign there permitting parking. The same sorts of rules apply to anywhere parking isn't permitted by a road rule. eg. parking within 3m of an unbroken centre line.
Knew the Australian Road Rules concept would only work for, like, 2 weeks, before States change the rules!
Why?
Because States have their own population to appease and will always change whatever is required to stay in power. They care not for any so-called 'agreements' with the Commonwealth!
Not wanting to be rude here but I believe the so called "speed trap" is designed to save lives. I always set the speed limit to my car so that it won't eat anymore gas if it has hit the speed limit. At which time I observe that a lot of other drivers are overspeeding. Not by much for most of them however I did see fair amount of cars overtaking me at at least 20 kmh after I hit the speed limit. This happens even in school zones when they are in operation. How hard could it be to limit the speed to 5 km below the limit and give yourself some margin before being captured by the camera? Plus, there are signs in front of any speeding camera that says something like 'red light speeding camera ahead', at least in NSW where I live, which is already a sufficient warning from the police. Also, it's strictly prohibited to flash your headlight in NSW unless there are emergency circumstance. The only time I have flashed the head light is after someone ran pass a redlight and almost ran into my car when I'm turning right at an intersection.
Most modern car speedometers are set conservatively at the factory to read up to 10% under the actual speed. As a driver with an older car, but with a tested and calibrated speedo, I am probably one of those drivers that passes you, confident that I am travelling at the speed limit. Driving 5km/h under the indicated speed just makes you go even slower and makes me seem like I am going faster. Not to excuse those actually speeding, but excessively slow drivers actually annoy me in that they interrupt the smooth flow of traffic, add to congestion and prevent me from travelling from A to B in a timely and safe manner.
Indeed. Even my GPS navigator shows a lower speed than what my car shows (car has digital Speedo). So maolin95, your really going ~52-53Km/hr. In my driving test to get my P`s from learners, my driving instructor even said going 45 in a 50 zone is too slow, need to go at least 47, other wise you're blocking traffic flow.
its illegal to flash your high beam on on-coming traffic, but you can turn your lights on/off and claim it was nessasry, testing ect, just dont say it was to inform oncoming drivers as they might book you anyway…
Ive noticed flashing has gone out of favor with drivers, its rare to be flashed and ive not flashed anyone even though i know how to do it and not get fined because bad drivers deserve being caught!
Apps like 'Trapster' allow users to alert each other of speed cameras, when it was first released Vic Police were not happy!
Of course the police don't want you to warn people because they want them to speed. I've seen police sit on peoples tails to try and provoke them to speed. They don't care about anyone elses safety they care about money.
And I've also seen police who were there to pull over a reckless tailgater to avoid any accidents to everyone else.
the above never happened just like how police never pull over right lane hogs
I wonder why govt's allow car manufacturers to make car that go well above the speed limit. Wouldn't it be easier to create a mechanism/regulation ( say speed limiter) that allows you to get permit when you need to go above the speed limit …say in a track. Why do they then worry about road legal modification stuff. I can understand when there is an emergency. Maybe we should support a legislation that make the revenue from speeding must be spent only for the education and safer roads, not to councils and govt coffers then let's see if govt has any interest further. I strictly oppose the involvement of private parties. Maybe i am silly.
its actually very trivial for car manufacturers to make the car read the local speed limit thru GPS and then make the car only travel up to this speed
however it would make the govt. unhappy because where would they get all their money from?
The problem would be speed limit is not fixed. And technically there are some roads without speed limits.
But I do not understand that a regular car's speedometer is marked upto 240/280 km/h, while my regular marks for less than 80kmph is lost in first quarter of speedo. This is just tempting me for speeding.Except NT is there anywhere you are allowed to ride in excess of 110 ? Usual roads ..not tracks or private land.
I've been driving 17 years and have always warned other drivers, as far back as I recall my dad done the same thing. Its nothing new.
Logic and reason, what the law is supposedly based on, says that it is legal to warn others they are committing a crime.
Wikipedia says it's illegal only in QLD and NSW.
I sometimes flash in the country but never cars with personalised number plates such as XLR8 or TRULYBLESSD. They deserve to waste more money.