Fined for Driving in The Right Lane

Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:11
Last edited 31/01/2020 - 09:22 by 1 other user

Hi,

I was driving from Sydney to Brisbane and was pulled over. Was fined for going 129 in a 100, driving excessively in right lane and not displaying P plates. First ever offence, thankfully, the cop waived the P plates so I kept my licence. The cop car had a full orange bonnet I’ve never seen before and I think was hiding as I did not pass on highway.

At that speed, from a parked position, how long could the officer see I was in the right lane for? Not even a minute, which I feel is ridiculous haha.

I understand the law is keep left unless overtaking but was taught that the left lane is the slow lane and right lane is the fast lane. As I was going basically 30 over the speed limit, I was not going slow and impeding traffic at all.

I will obviously just cop the fine but do you guys think the punishment is excessive? Speed limits are lower here than other countries, fines are higher, starting to believe the revenue raising spiel.

Automotive

closed Comments

  • loulou1 on 31/01/2020 - 09:14
    +19

    Was there anyone in the left lane? Why did you need to be in the right lane?

      • k-rokfm on 31/01/2020 - 09:51
        +17

        If there was nobody in the left lane when the police office caught you then there was no need to be in the right lane. Just cause youre not holding anyone up isnt a reason to be in it

          • CocaKoala on 31/01/2020 - 11:22
            +31

            @Emerald Owl: The right lane is for passing. Think about it like it's a toilet. You don't sit there all day, but get in and out as required.

      • Mik on 31/01/2020 - 10:23
        +12

        "I believed it was reasonable to use the right lane as long as you’re not slowing people down"

        You may have believed that, but it is not correct.

        "keep left unless overtaking"

        Be thankful he was as lenient as he was, and that you still have your licence.

      • Ratmuffin on 31/01/2020 - 12:10

        My reasoning for the "keep left unless…" law is that there should be fewer accidents with greater physical separation of the cars on one side of the road from the other. By virtue of unnecessarily driving in the right lane, you are driving closer to the oncoming traffic. If either you are or a car on the oncoming side drift where they shouldn't, there is a much higher chance for an accident than if there was a lane separating the two vehicles.

        To me, this is a perfectly valid rationale for that specific law.

        • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 12:13
          -3

          I’d agree in some cases. But this was a large highway where different directions were well separated/protected from oncoming traffic.

          • Ratmuffin on 31/01/2020 - 12:21

            @Emerald Owl: Perhaps for those few highways, it won't make too much of a difference with respect to increasing your safety.

            However, it is much easier to remember the rules when they are applied consistently, even if that means there are a few exceptions where it perhaps doesn't make as much sense, but still doesn't otherwise compromise safety.

        • oO0Dam0Oo on 31/01/2020 - 12:53

          I agree in most circumstances however where I live I often opt to drive in the right lane on occasion particularly at night due to the kangaroos that jump out from nowhere.

          • Ratmuffin on 31/01/2020 - 13:03

            @oO0Dam0Oo: Fair call, I tend to do the same as well, or at least sit on the right-edge of the left lane much more after dark. I'll still move back to the left when there is oncoming traffic though.

    • Tvsupaguru on 31/01/2020 - 11:56
      +6

      The fine is not excessive. Road rules and fines are well published. You broke em. You were fined accordingly. It is not excessive. Be gratefull he let you off for your P's. You shouldnt be asking if it was excessive. Your post should be about your gratitute that you didnt cop a fine for not displaying P's as well.

  • Ryanek on 31/01/2020 - 09:15
    +62

    Low effort troll post.

      • Ryanek on 31/01/2020 - 09:17
        +55

        You broke three laws and you're asking if punishment was excessive? Get off it mate.

          • pegaxs on 31/01/2020 - 09:32
            +3

            @Emerald Owl:

            Speed limits are too low

            FFS, it was a 100 zone, not a 50. :D

          • ronnknee on 31/01/2020 - 09:57
            +21

            @Emerald Owl:

            I will obviously follow the laws

            Obviously you didn't. You broke 3 laws.

          • dogboy on 31/01/2020 - 10:10
            +2

            @Emerald Owl: Agreed. It is un-Australian to say otherwise.

          • slow on 31/01/2020 - 10:15
            +2

            @Emerald Owl: Did you tell them this at the time?? I am sure they would have let you off if you had pointed out these facts

          • wozz on 31/01/2020 - 12:27
            +1

            @Emerald Owl: You already said you had passed lots of people.. If you're going that speed and other motorists are not expecting you to, then you may well cause an accident… sure other people should be careful, but the reality is not many people are expecting you to be going that fast so may be unable to react accordingly. If everyone was driving at 130 then probably no big deal, but the fact is it is dangerous - sometimes there may be trucks etc limited to 80km/hr, that means you're driving 50km/hr faster then other traffic.. doesn't take a genius you figure out this is asking for trouble. Be thankful you didnt cause an accident, and be bloody thankful the cop let you off. Not sure i would have, considering the horrific accident scenes they have to attend to

          • tebbybabes on 31/01/2020 - 13:16

            @Emerald Owl: Whether we agree or disagree with a law or policy is immaterial. We are equally subject to it.

            Fines could be 10x higher but if the offence wasn't committed, it wouldn't matter.

            Are you actually saying a law or regulation should selectively be unenforced?

      • pinchies on 31/01/2020 - 09:28
        +12

        • Don't come here to post about the rules being unfair after the fact, they're posted online, you can look them up - you're certainly not a victim here, you're just getting the consequences of your actions to drive at that speed.
        • The fact that you're a p-plater means that you're one of the least experienced drivers on the road - and yet you think you're experienced enough to give an opinion on changing the road rules?
        • Don't like the speed limit rules here? Always welcome to move to other countries if you would like, no-one is stopping you. Or become a politician and campaign to change the rules.

        You're lucky you're not in Vic
        • In Vic the fine for the excessive speed alone would have been 454.
        • At 129 you're 2/3 of the way to 145, which in Vic would get you a bonus hoon law immediate vehicle seizure.

          • k-rokfm on 31/01/2020 - 09:52
            +1

            @Emerald Owl:

            I am basing my opinion off of journal articles and crash statistics across countries

            Did you tell the cop thats why you were speeding?

          • mbck on 31/01/2020 - 09:54

            @Emerald Owl: Please quote or list all those youve found, so we can all review the same article.

            Ps what works in other countries wont work here due to thr many differing conditions and factors

          • pegaxs on 31/01/2020 - 10:04
            +5

            @Emerald Owl:

            but there is no victim to me driving in the right lane.

            No officer, I was not driving, I was travelling, and that is my sovereign right to travel in my carriage.
            Please officer, show me the victim. For this to be a crime, there needs to be a victim.
            I am a free man on the land, that is not my name, that is my corporate ID card, issued by the NSW state corporation. Did you know the NSW Police Force is a Corporation. They even have an ABN.
            Am I being detained, or am I free to go??

          • RockyRaccoon on 31/01/2020 - 10:06
            +5

            @Emerald Owl: You broke 3 laws.

            The cop fined you for 2

            You are complaining that one of these doesnt make sense to you the one about driving excessively in right lane. That is 2 points

            The one he let you off on as you also acknowledge you were wrong, was for 2 points (drive without P's being displayed)

            So why not tell the cop, he should let you off on the drive in right lane etc, and ping you for the no P plates. Same result, but you will be happy.

            BTW I am assuming you are a P2 driver not a P1 otherwise you would have lost your license.

            I know it sucks, but we all make mistakes, you got caught, now you can be bitter about it, or move on. You cant change the facts after the event. Some unfortunately learn this with physical pain (after a mistake causes an accident) and higher costs (damage to car)

            Drive carefully.

          • CocaKoala on 31/01/2020 - 11:35

            @Emerald Owl:

            I would like to move, working on it.

            Excellent decision, just don't put it off for later! Feel free to post here should you require any help with that.

            For us, the roads will be better off with one less p-plater who thinks it's OK to sit on the right lane all day and 30 KM/H over the speed limit.

          • singlemalt72 on 31/01/2020 - 12:12
            +1

            @Emerald Owl: There is no victim if you drive through a red light when there are no other cars, there is no victim when you don't quite stop at a stop sign, there is no victim if you are sitting stationary in your car texting, but they are all also against the law.

            • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 12:16
              -1

              @singlemalt72: I agree. However, it could be argued that those offences sometimes have a victim depending on context. The keeping left law never has a victim unless you consider annoyed people who want to drive faster victims.

              • singlemalt72 on 31/01/2020 - 12:24

                @Emerald Owl: Anything can have a victim depending on context, you are in the right lane and impede a police pursuit……

                The thing is that the law is there for a reason, the reason is that without it, people will stay in the right lane and impede the flow of traffic, by having the blanket rule it ensures (to a degree) that traffic flows smoother. On the open highway it may not seem to make sense, but it makes up for itself by ensuring a majority of people do the right thing when the traffic is thicker and less people are inconvenienced.

                I just got back from the land of the worst drivers in the world (QLD) where every day I would encounter people on freeways driving two or three abreast at 5-10km below the speed limit - infuriating to the extreme.

          • gromit on 31/01/2020 - 14:07

            @Emerald Owl: So I gather you don't stop at red lights or stop signs if their are no other cars coming? you cross double lines to overtake if no cars are coming? you think it is fine drive the wrong way down a one way street as long as you see no one coming?

          • gesco on 31/01/2020 - 14:11

            @Emerald Owl:

            I would like to move, working on it.

            off of

            Suggest America - you already speak the lingo.

  • apsilon on 31/01/2020 - 09:15
    +32

    You were taught wrong. Keep left unless overtaking isn't a suggestion. Above 80km/h it's the law.

    Punishment excessive? No, you got off lightly. Should've done you for your P's as well and lost your licence so how can you think what you got was excessive?

      • Archi on 31/01/2020 - 09:40
        +12

        right you live in a bubble and apparently no one else

        • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 10:47
          -3

          So I ask who is it hurting and you say I live in a bubble. How about answering who is it hurting?

          • pegaxs on 31/01/2020 - 10:49
            +5

            @Emerald Owl: "A crime needs a victim! Show me who is the victim here…"

            That's some top notch sovereign citizen garbage right there…

          • Archi on 31/01/2020 - 10:55
            +1

            @Emerald Owl:

            Who is it hurting? It’s not affecting anyone.

            to think that what ever you are doing has no apparent affect on anyone is delusional.

            you may not have hurt anyone on this occasion, this doesn't discount the "what if scenario"

      • apsilon on 31/01/2020 - 09:48
        +4

        That's not the way laws work.

        • mbck on 31/01/2020 - 09:55
          +1

          The law needs to work for me.

      • abb on 31/01/2020 - 10:00
        +3

        Consider it a reading comprehension test, and you failed.

      • dizzle on 31/01/2020 - 10:00
        +6

        It's always the case of "It doesn't hurt anyone" until it does.

        Honestly I probably would have waived the driving in the right hand and penalised you for speeding on your P's. I would say going almost 30km over on a P-platers experience is very reckless. If you're doing it do it because you think you know better than the law, then you should have your licence taken off you.

        Depending on the state you live in, age and the length of time you have had your Ps, you can loose your licence for being 10km over the limit on Ps. Some states limit speed to 90/100. This is done because of inexperience of P platers.

      • John Kimble on 31/01/2020 - 10:22
        +1

        You can say that about a lot of road rules…

        Eg "Yes I ran a red light officer, but I checked first and there were no other cars on the road"

        • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 10:23

          If a tree falls down and no one hears it, did it really fall down?

          • Teasea on 31/01/2020 - 11:54
            +1

            @Emerald Owl: Oh my deity, yes it really fell down/made a noise. There does not need to be humans around to validate the existence of a consequence (we're not the centre of the universe). Your argument is a kids' riddle at birthday parties.

            I was initially glad you were grateful for leniency on one of the offences, but now I wish you would stuff up again so they can take you off the road. Then I would look forward to your new thread, "Which country does not have nanny states, revenue-raising authorities or laws? Asking for a friend"

      • matt_will_fix_it on 31/01/2020 - 11:24
        +3

        Who is it hurting? It’s not affecting anyone.

        You were stopping the people behind you doing 140 from overtaking you :)

  • orangetrain on 31/01/2020 - 09:17
    +14

    Guys, I got punished according to the laws. Was it too much? Thanks for listening to my personal story.

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:20

      We do live in a country where laws and fines can be changed. Perhaps this can be discussed on an internet forum. I hope your sarcasm added joy to your day.

      • one man clan on 31/01/2020 - 10:40
        +15

        It's being discussed and everyone thinks you're an idiot

      • That Guy on 31/01/2020 - 12:54

        No-one is going to agree to watering down the keep left rule because you think you are a race car driver.

  • bobbified on 31/01/2020 - 09:22
    +7

    I understand the law is keep left unless overtaking but was taught that the left lane is the slow lane and right lane is the fast lane.

    Nope - The law is simple and literally "Keep left unless overtaking". So regardless of how "fast" you are going, get back into the left lane if you're not overtaking.

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:25

      Yes I understand the law is keep less unless overtaking.

      • Archi on 31/01/2020 - 09:42
        +3

        so were you overtaking? or just driving fast in the right hand side lane.

        FYI if you were driving the same speed in the left lane you will be fined as well

        its not a matter of whether you were in the right or left side of the lanes but rather how fast you were going.
        just because you were driving on the right side doesn't mean you don't need to adhere to the speed limit

        • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 10:31

          I passed a lot of cars in the left lane, I guess I was overtaking them. I wasn’t focusing on going back into the left lane though so not in the standard understanding of it though.

          • DingoBilly on 31/01/2020 - 12:31
            +2

            @Emerald Owl: So the answer is - yes, you also broke this law as well.

            What more are you looking for? Again, you got off lightly - you should have lost your license. Sadly, you don't seem to be learning from this experience either, just looking for excuses why the punishment is unfair/is the officer's judgment impaired etc.

  • Hithere on 31/01/2020 - 09:23
    +20

    do you guys think the punishment is excessive?

    Not enough. Entitled drivers who think they are above the law should lose their licence as a warning to others.

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:29
      -1

      I do not think I am above the law, I will accept the punishment. Are you telling me you never spend more than a minute in the right lane?

      • Hithere on 31/01/2020 - 10:15
        +9

        The only time I spend in the right lane, unless turning right, is when I'm overtaking. Is following the law too hard for you?

        Booked doing 129 in a 100 zone means your speedo was showing at least 140.

        I do not think I am above the law,

        Obviously you do.

        First ever offence,

        First time you've been caught would be more like it.

        • elcap on 31/01/2020 - 12:55

          Not every speedo is over by 10%.
          My digital speedo reads 1-2kmph over what the gps shows.

          Or are you saying u think the cop dropped it to 29 over to stop op from automatically losing their licence?

    • mbck on 31/01/2020 - 09:56
      +4

      Agree, police person should have done op for all three. Kindness just gets run over nowadays.

  • pegaxs on 31/01/2020 - 09:25
    +16

    The cop car had a full orange bonnet… I think was hiding

    A well known camouflage technique.

    how long could the officer see I was in the right lane for?

    Long enough to know you were travelling in the right lane. It doesn't have to be long if you were the only car on the road.

    was taught that the left lane is the slow lane and right lane is the fast lane.

    Yeah, that's not how it works. What part of the road users handbook said that?

    I understand the law is keep left unless overtaking

    Soooooo you understand the law, but believed something else?

    do you guys think the punishment is excessive?

    I don't think it went far enough. How you did all this and got that many tickets as a P plater and still managed to keep your license, amazes me

    starting to believe the rEvEnUe rAiSiNg spiel.

    You were doing 129 in a 100 zone, in the wrong lane, without your P plates on. How the (fropanity) is this rEvEnUe rAiSiNg? You are the very definition of why the highway patrol do their job.

      • pegaxs on 31/01/2020 - 09:44
        +12

        You're not the King, and a King could not impose that rule any more than the Queen could. And the other two are not crimes and are not criminal acts. They are traffic offences.

        And most people cant drive at the speed limits already posted, so raising them would certainly help to thin out the morons.

        If the speed limit on that road was 130km/h, you most certainly would have been doing 160km/h and still coming here to make the same stupid "If I was King…" comments.

      • tomsco on 31/01/2020 - 09:48

        OK, so how are you going to go about enacting change. This certainly isn't the forum to achieve it.

        • HighAndDry on 31/01/2020 - 10:01
          +1

          Didn't you hear, he's going to be King….

          • abb on 31/01/2020 - 10:04
            +6

            @HighAndDry: Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

      • MS Paint on 31/01/2020 - 09:49
        +3

        If I was King

        I'm thinking jester would be the correct title

    • mbck on 31/01/2020 - 09:57
      +1

      Ok now this is guy is really something else. Lol this is so hilarious

  • [Deactivated] on 31/01/2020 - 09:27
    +2

    If you weren't doing 29km/h over the speed limit perhaps the cop would have ignored the right lane offence.

    He/She should have pinged you for the p plate offence as well.

    Did you make it as the '(profanity) of the day' onto their Facebook page?

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:30
      -1

      Yea, the cop said I had two offences before he caught the p plate thing, I’m guessing he may have been intending to waive the right lane thing if I passed the attitude test.
      I understand people are anal about speed limits in this country but having a more open mind to better systems such as Germany’s and paying cops salaries to post on Facebook would be a good idea.

      • Caped Baldy on 31/01/2020 - 09:51
        +5

        I think we need higher speed limits but you're treating the roads like your own personal race track making it a danger for others. You were fined for going 129 but I'm certain you would have been going faster.

      • CocaKoala on 31/01/2020 - 11:46
        +2

        having a more open mind to better systems such as Germany’s

        Which makes me wonder if you've ever driven on German roads?! The autobahn is engineered for such high speeds. But our roads are not! And don't get me started on the skills of our average driver.

        Besides, I have no doubt that most people think the speed limits on our roads need to be higher. But not all of them go around constantly driving past the speed limit, because it's not too hard for them to understand that their personal opinions do not trump the legislation.

      • gromit on 31/01/2020 - 14:12

        LOL, Germany is far more strict on speed limits and road rules than Australia. Guessing you have never been there let alone driven there.

  • pantsparty on 31/01/2020 - 09:30
    -7

    To be honest I don’t fully understand the keep left unless overtaking rule. If I am driving in the right lane and sitting right on the speed limit I don’t understand why I should receive a fine. Anybody who wants to overtake would be speeding. If I was driving 100 in a 120 zone in the right lane than I understand of course.

    From my experience most people in the right lane want to speed like OP. Slowing them down is doing my part for safety!

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:33
      -2

      Lol. I agree.

      • floppy on 31/01/2020 - 09:40

        i wonder if it also has something to do with keeping a lane more open for safety reasons? for example if there was a bus that wasn't able to slow down

    • John on 31/01/2020 - 09:43
      +1

      Yeah but most people do it when there's no cops or speed cams around. Basic common sense, really. Unfortunately for the OP, he didn't see the cops. Which is tough sh*t, I would whinge as well, maybe not in a forum but if I do I'd probably expect the same exact reactions from comments here.

      Apart from meeting quotas, cops have to enforce traffic law nevertheless. Otherwise some stupid driver will start abusing it and start treating the freeway like an Autobahn and before we know it, people get killed. So while it sucks, you can't blame the cops for doing the right thing.

    • Flying Ace on 31/01/2020 - 09:43
      +6

      It's not your prerogative to police the speed limit by sitting in the right lane.

    • abb on 31/01/2020 - 10:13
      +1

      If I am driving in the right lane and sitting right on the speed limit I don’t understand why I should receive a fine. Anybody who wants to overtake would be speeding.

      • it's not being job to enforce the road rules (but if it is, please start fining people for not indicating and doing lane changes with inadequate gaps)
      • if someone is speeding (or your speedo is out of calibration), they have to weave around you, increasing the hazard
      • emergency vehicles are permitted to go faster than you, and you don't want to complicate any such interaction

      Note that the keep left rule only applies to speed limits over 80km/h (or if signposted)

    • redvaldez on 31/01/2020 - 10:30
      +3

      Two things come to mind.

      Speedos are never accurate. My speedo was out 7km/h compared to my GPS enabled dash cam. It's also why you see so many trucks overtaking cars on 100km/h highways, because they are sitting on a 'true' 100km/h.

      Also, many drivers are woeful at keeping a constant speed. If you drop 10km/h because you're playing with your radio or because there's a hill and you're reluctant to push harder on the accelerator, where does that lead the other drivers around you if you're camping out in the right lane?

    • [Deactivated] on 31/01/2020 - 11:24
      +2

      Slowing them down is doing my part for safety!

      What you're doing is incredibly irresponsible. You are not entitled to block a lane to feel like a hero.

      You will never know the circumstance for someone needing to overtake. Perhaps it's a hoon, perhaps it is a traumatic and unexpected birth, a stroke, someone bleeding out.

      Perhaps someone is late to work and their work is saving those people above.

      The fact that you feel validated from passing such judgement is a terrible thing.

      The second terrible thing is to have people's circumstances being at some self-entitled self-righteous person's mercy.

    • rickxs on 31/01/2020 - 11:36

      & do a bit of brake checking too? that will slow them down—- you upright DICK

      ,.

  • oscargamer on 31/01/2020 - 09:37
    +12

    You got 2 tickets when you deserved 3 and then you whinge…… Entitled much ?

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:49
      -2

      Ofc

      • oscargamer on 31/01/2020 - 09:57
        +5

        OFC
        Orphan Fight Club
        The OFC is an underground fight club that takes place in a basement. In the basement is a cage where mutilated orphans battle it out to get adopted by people who are betting money on them. The Orphans have razor sharp teeth and have nails of broken glass and are fed cans of meat and orphan tongue sandwiches. If one orphan wins, then they get to go home with the person who bet the most money. However they must wear shock collars and take pills to go to sleep. For the orphan that loses, he or she gets sent back into a crate among with a million other orphans in a factory. Also just for fun, you can give weapons like knives and crowbars.

        OK…….

        • Oz8argain on 31/01/2020 - 13:07

          OP is a sick man. Lock him away.

  • onetwothreefour on 31/01/2020 - 09:42

    Punishment is overly harsh but I would rather people pay sin taxes than income tax.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/515336?page=2#comment

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 09:49

      Couldn’t have said it better myself.

  • Bid Sniper on 31/01/2020 - 09:44
    +3

    do you guys think the punishment is excessive?

    No your stupidity was however, got caught doing 3 crimes at once, win stupid prizes….

    • Emerald Owl on 31/01/2020 - 10:01

      Yea, if I wasn’t speeding, probably would have gotten away with the right lane thing and he never would have pulled me over for the p plates. Things certainly snowball.

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