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This is an optional tax. It's quiet simple, if you don't speed you don't have to pay it.
It irritates me when some people try to find ways to justify speeding and I have issue with some of the "style/statements" of article from roadsense.
Things like: "speed does not kill - collisions kill." Well yes ... but the speed at which you collide will govern the extent of damage and death(Simple Physics). If we all travelled at 10Km/h we could collide with eachother all day and its unlikely death would result.
"The reality is the vast majority, over 98%, occur below the speed limit." Well ok it is statistics ... but if the speed limit it 100Km/h and you collide at 90Km/h your're still in a pretty dicey situation. I would want more info on how many of these collisons caused serious injury or death, at what speed and by "collison being under the speed limit" do they mean the actual impact speed or the speed before braking was applied?
"FACT 1 - Speed cameras are causing the road toll to rise."
How can speed camera's cause road tolls to rise. If someone is spending all their time worring about speed camera's and watching their speedo what does that say about them? Do they know they always speed? Are they bad drivers? All the people I see speeding everyday are definitely not looking at their speedos. They are also not looking at the large roadsigns with the big numbers that they fly past (maybe they are a bit blurry at that speed?). Surely other factors are more likely to be causing road tolls to rise e.g. poor driver skills, condition of roads, cars etc. It's scary the number of cars I've seen on the Perth roads with no working brake lights. (Its great that there is no Pink Slip in WA ... hmmm)
I personally never worry about speed camera's because I drive to the speed limit. I concentrate on driving safetly and being aware of my
surroundings. Maybe its difficult for new drivers but as an experienced driver you get to know your car. You know by the sound of the engine and the gear you are in what speed you are genearlly doing.
Obviously the standard of driving skills in Australia is relatively poor to many European countries and a higher standard of driver education is needed. Following the methods of Germany, Sweden and Finland would be the best place to start. Yes in Germany they have no limit on the Autobahn, but thats because they are taught how to drive properly. But the majority of the German Roads do have speed limits and surely the majority of the drivers there stick to them.
You know that we could easily get rid of speed cameras. If the majority of us just stuck to the speed limit, the revenue would dry up and speed camera viability would come under question as it would start costing money. The government may just then turn their attention to other forms of safety, maybe even put more police on the road to try and raise revenue by fining the unsafe cars on the road. This is something in our hands that we can do now instead of whinging about a tax that we charge to ourselves. Vote with your feet and don't put the pedal to the metal!
It irritates me when some people try to find ways to justify speeding and I have issue with some of the "style/statements" of article from roadsense.
Things like: "speed does not kill - collisions kill." Well yes ... but the speed at which you collide will govern the extent of damage and death(Simple Physics). If we all travelled at 10Km/h we could collide with eachother all day and its unlikely death would result.
"The reality is the vast majority, over 98%, occur below the speed limit." Well ok it is statistics ... but if the speed limit it 100Km/h and you collide at 90Km/h your're still in a pretty dicey situation. I would want more info on how many of these collisons caused serious injury or death, at what speed and by "collison being under the speed limit" do they mean the actual impact speed or the speed before braking was applied?
"FACT 1 - Speed cameras are causing the road toll to rise."
How can speed camera's cause road tolls to rise. If someone is spending all their time worring about speed camera's and watching their speedo what does that say about them? Do they know they always speed? Are they bad drivers? All the people I see speeding everyday are definitely not looking at their speedos. They are also not looking at the large roadsigns with the big numbers that they fly past (maybe they are a bit blurry at that speed?). Surely other factors are more likely to be causing road tolls to rise e.g. poor driver skills, condition of roads, cars etc. It's scary the number of cars I've seen on the Perth roads with no working brake lights. (Its great that there is no Pink Slip in WA ... hmmm)
I personally never worry about speed camera's because I drive to the speed limit. I concentrate on driving safetly and being aware of my
surroundings. Maybe its difficult for new drivers but as an experienced driver you get to know your car. You know by the sound of the engine and the gear you are in what speed you are genearlly doing.
Obviously the standard of driving skills in Australia is relatively poor to many European countries and a higher standard of driver education is needed. Following the methods of Germany, Sweden and Finland would be the best place to start. Yes in Germany they have no limit on the Autobahn, but thats because they are taught how to drive properly. But the majority of the German Roads do have speed limits and surely the majority of the drivers there stick to them.
You know that we could easily get rid of speed cameras. If the majority of us just stuck to the speed limit, the revenue would dry up and speed camera viability would come under question as it would start costing money. The government may just then turn their attention to other forms of safety, maybe even put more police on the road to try and raise revenue by fining the unsafe cars on the road. This is something in our hands that we can do now instead of whinging about a tax that we charge to ourselves. Vote with your feet and don't put the pedal to the metal!
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