40km/h over speed limit

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Personally if it cost me my licence I wouldn't care. Sorry but someone I love is more dear to me than my licence.

I'm guessing this was on the Tuggeranong Parkway? Guys, 140 is nothing on this road.

Unless you're Dr House, what did you achieve getting there 30 seconds quicker?

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by Rodp

Unless you're Dr House, what did you achieve getting there 30 seconds quicker?

Like I said before you do not think in these situations. You act on emotion.

If your wife/GF/mother etc rang you in a distressed state would you sit on the couch while having a meal watching TV and think "God golly what would be the right legal thing to do or the safest?"

[jabba]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

Tell him to get over to that police station, he may have found an understanding copper if he's lucky.

Exactly.. I was in a similar position years ago. But my girlfriend (Now my wife) was in the car chundering.... I was given a ticket for 50 over the limit ($350 and 6 points, 13 years ago). the cop also provided his contact number and told me to call him the following day... I did call him and he set up an interview with him.. I was packin it, big time... Had the interview/meeting with the Sargent, and all was sweet.. The fine was reduced to a mistermeener which cost me no points and fine reduced to $50........

The reason he gave me the fine in the first place(Besides the fact I was speeding) was to put the fear of God into me and make me think about the consequences if something did go wrong and caused a horrible accident....

tell you mate to relax, take a chill pill.. All will be OK

[jabba]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Like I said before you do not think in these situations. You act on emotion.

If your wife/GF/mother etc rang you in a distressed state would you sit on the couch while having a meal watching TV and think "God golly what would be the right legal thing to do or the safest?"

That is correct.. Last year I got a call from my wife telling me that my 1yo was in hospital with a fever and a rash, and the doctors were doing test for meningococcal....

Mate, I dropped my nail bag were I was standing, didn't put a single tool away and drove extremely friggen fast getting to my boy. A 40 minute trip only took me 25....

[BPXR6T]

Interesting, I've had a lot to do with the federal police over the last five years. I know some of the traffic cops and typically they are not very forgiving.

I'd say its more likely your friend will get dragged off to the impound for a look at some trashed cars or for a tour of the lockup. Enjoy dude, let us know what happens.

Me personally. I've been done for over 40kph over the limit by vicpol. They were not very forgiving at all.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by XRCISM

What's his proof? A doctors certifiacte saying she was unfit for work or something??
Unless he was rushing her to the hospital - why speed? Like it was mentioned before, if she was that ill an ambulance should have been called.
I don't think it's going to work in his favour that he only has 1 point left .... that kind of says something about his history.
I think he should just cop it sweet - if he gets a break then I hope he learns from it and doesn't lose that last point next month ......

I would be really interested to know what was wrong with her if that's not too personal. Or at least what he thought was wrong with her? I guess that would help with peoples opinions as to whether or not it warranted 40km over the limit!!

Good Luck to your mate

The day my wife died, August 29 2003, I was woken by the phone in a hotel in melbourne. I was told she would not last the day. In shock, I went out to Tulla in a taxi, jumped on the fiist jet I could find to Brisbane and then got in my GT-P and drove to the Hervey Bay hospital.
I do not remember the trip at all but I do know from later that the time on the parking slip was 3:10pm and I was at the hospital 320km away just on 5pm.
I have no idea how fast I was going but I was not pulled over so I was at least a little bit lucky.
If I had stuck to the limit I would have not been there when she died. Shock is a very scary thing.

Looking back it was VERY dangerous. Do you think it should be punished?

There are sometimes situations that call for extenuating concideration. Until you have been there you cannot understand.

Too many people jump on the bandwagon with half the story and espouse their "Truth, Justice and the politically correct Australian way".

The problem with common sense is that it is not all that common.

[MITCHAY]

flappist is a well respected member of this forum and you heard it straight from his mouth. Sorry for your loss by the way mate.

Remember a lot of people do these sorts of speeds for shits and giggles rather than something that could be as flappist put it "situations that call for extenuating concideration"

I find it hard to believe that anyone would act in a calm and collected matter if placed in the same circumstances.

[chevypower]

i think there are times, like Flappist says, which are understandable. But 99.9% of the time, the excuse comes later, and a barrister told me he had not ever heard of "necessity" ever being a reason in court to get anybody off speeding. We can try to convince ourselves and each other on the forums how we are really innocent, but the fact is, we would be breaking the law, which means you gotta face up and live with the consequences of doing so whether you agree with the law or not. I think they are a bit nazzi like these days, but i do see it does some good. Better driver training would be nice.

[nikos]

Sounds to me like the cop is just scaring some sense into him - I seen it before.

[Aeron]

Originally Posted by davway

not even going to bother

Same.
Sounds like the roads would be safer without him on them, that’s for sure.

Last Easter I came across a multiple fatality. It had happened 10 seconds before I pulled up. I tried to help the people in the 2 cars, but 3 of the 5 people involved were dead. All because one of the cars was speeding, and the driver (who had no points left, but hadn’t received the letter from the RTA yet saying so) lost control. Once you see first hand what can happen, and you see the dead bodies in the cars and you cant stop looking at them, trying to figure out what just happened, it’ll change the way you drive. It’s always in your mind. When I go on a car cruise now, I make sure im the last car, and I stick to the speed limit. I don’t want my parents to have to lay flowers at my roadside vigil.
Im not saying I don’t speed. I do 60 in a 50 zone every day on my way to work, but 40km/h over is just silly. That’d be like me doing 90 in a 50zone on my way to work. Its just crazy.

[nikos]

Aeron - I kinda know how you feel. I was cruising at 100 on a highway a coupla wks ago and all of a sudden, from the other side of the road, a sideways hilux is coming head on straight for me in my lane. I managed to break and swerve to the right, narrowly missing it and another oncoming car. Turns out he had just pulled out from a side street and was rear ended by a speeding p plater who was changing a CD, eyes off the road. Fortunately there were no dead bodies for me to see, but I was only a split second away from being killed myself, the hilux driver also.

After being involved in something like this, speeding to me seems plain stupid in most cases. HOWEVER, if there are absoulutely no cars in sight, or trees, and a good road surface, I would forgive someone doing 140kmh, but not much more.

[XRCISM]

flappist - I'm sorry for your loss
That is an example of the 1% that is an extenuating circumstance.

I wish the guy luck in getting off - but I do wonder about the validity of the excuse when they only have 1 point left on their licence and run red lights all the time coz they judge it's safe to do so. That yells out to me as a bit of a reckless driver.

I can understand rushing to the hospital - I've had to do it with the patient in the car (meningococcal - hits quickly). And yes - I sped (but I didn't run red lights!).

Somehow I don't feel like we are talking about the same kind of circumstance with this thread .... my opinion anyway.
If this guy can get out of it then good luck to him.

[private9]

Originally Posted by fiery

If the officer hasn't written a ticket for the offence already then maybe he is just making him sweat it out a bit to realise how close he actually was to loosing his licence.

Just a possibility. I am not sure what the case would be like if the officer wrote a ticket this long after the incident to be honest. Also, if the officer does go to give him notice after hearing and seeing the proof, tell him to make sure that the date of the offence is correct and the date of the notice is correct.
Not to sure if he could then make a complaint about the whole situation, always possible.

The above is if the ticket hasn't already been written out and handed (you weren't really clear, but I figured nothing had been given out as yet).

If he already has the ticket, kiss the licence goodbye.

Good luck

It is certainly possible that he's trying to make him sweat it out for the week - that feeling for a whole week, will probably straighten him out more than any fine could!

Back in my more stupid days as a youngster I was busted doing much much worse than 40 over the limit and I'm lucky I didn't kill anyone. Anyway, got busted, the police scared the crap out of me, had a stern talk with me for about 15 minutes, and then phoned my parents with me and told them exactly what I had been doing! I walked away with my license intact and only a minor fine and a few points. However what I went home to that night was much worse than any license suspension.

I learnt my lesson from that particular experience more than the previous fines and license suspension I had received.

[prydey]

i'm going to take a stab in the dark here and assume that all the comments saying there is no excuse for speeding (which there isn't) etc etc etc are all made by single people.

if you have a wife or kids or both (which i do) and you are informed of some misfortune to one or more of them, then all you are thinking about in your head is that person that is very dear to you. i know if i was in a situation like that i would speed. thats not to say its o.k. you just wouldn't be thinking about whats right and wrong.

obviously there are a lot of assumptions going on in this thread. we are not told the nature of the sickness of the person in question's girlfriend. the situation was dire enough to cause the 'friend' to speed.


on topic - he has nothing to lose by fronting up at the cop shop.

[merlin]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Personally if it cost me my licence I wouldn't care. Sorry but someone I love is more dear to me than my licence.

I'm guessing this was on the Tuggeranong Parkway? Guys, 140 is nothing on this road.

Totally agree - whilst its not the smartest thing to do and I am in no way condoning it, I can certainly understand it. I remember doing speeds (cough) similar (cough) to that to get to the hospital when someone I knew was in a very bad way.

[desGT]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

Tell him to get over to that police station, he may have found an understanding copper if he's lucky.

Yes, they are human and can be understanding. I had the same situation in Victoria where I had to take my Mum from Geelong to Melbourne (Dad on last legs). Got hit with a camera fine, Police withdrew it.

Originally Posted by AUIIForte

Man i'd be feeling really really sick in the stomach with suspense!

YES YES!!! GOOD!! Hopefully (1) lesson about a little more control (growing up) and (2) hope he gets off this time.

[Xitdxr]

Im sorry, but if u had a loved one who was ill, and u get fed information that they are ill, u would probably be going faster, because u just wouldnt give a **** about road rules when it comes to a loved one. I know i would be flat to the floor where i could to get to them. I have never been faced with my family in that situation but i have driven a friend who found out her mum was in hospital critical after an accident, and i didnt drive slow to get there thats for sure. I can only imagine how fast i would have gone if it was someone who was dear to me.

Your mate must go and talk to them. Dress nicely and explain the circumstances of the event and what he knew and didnt know at the time. The police are probably just trying to scare him, but just in case, get someone else to drive him there.

[AUIIForte]

To clear up another thing, my friend doesnt cross the light in his manner 'all the time' as in every light he stops at, just this one every morning when he is going to work because its always completly empty at 4am...

Sorry for the confusion!


BTW: He's making his way down to the department today, he's a little worried though that he's getting set up into a trap. He thinks the officer might suspend his liscence and impound his car and he'll have to find his own way home.

[EA2BA]

If someone is that sick call an ambulance, and don't speed, for all the speeding you do then what you call an ambulance anyways, life is precious, better to pay for an ambulance then spend to money on a fine and loss of license.

Yes I am married before you ask.

[EA2BA]

Originally Posted by merlin

Totally agree - whilst its not the smartest thing to do and I am in no way condoning it, I can certainly understand it. I remember doing speeds (cough) similar (cough) to that to get to the hospital when someone I knew was in a very bad way.

Big difference between driving them and going to see them/pick them up.

[merlin]

Originally Posted by EA2BA

Big difference between driving them and going to see them/pick them up.

It really does depend on the specific situation though. People are not good with dealing with serious illnesses or death and emotions can get get way out of control.

[EA2BA]

Originally Posted by merlin

It really does depend on the specific situation though. People are not good with dealing with serious illnesses or death and emotions can get get way out of control.

I wont argue with that, but the law does not have exception clauses written into it for such events, we have to own up to our actions then appeal the stupidity of it in court, thats the way the system works right or wrong.

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by flappist

The day my wife died, August 29 2003, I was woken by the phone in a hotel in melbourne. I was told she would not last the day. In shock, I went out to Tulla in a taxi, jumped on the fiist jet I could find to Brisbane and then got in my GT-P and drove to the Hervey Bay hospital.
I do not remember the trip at all but I do know from later that the time on the parking slip was 3:10pm and I was at the hospital 320km away just on 5pm.
I have no idea how fast I was going but I was not pulled over so I was at least a little bit lucky.
If I had stuck to the limit I would have not been there when she died. Shock is a very scary thing.

Looking back it was VERY dangerous. Do you think it should be punished?

There are sometimes situations that call for extenuating concideration. Until you have been there you cannot understand.

Too many people jump on the bandwagon with half the story and espouse their "Truth, Justice and the politically correct Australian way".

The problem with common sense is that it is not all that common.

Very sorry for your loss Mate. This post has made me sad.

Steve

[Scott]

Originally Posted by prydey

i'm going to take a stab in the dark here and assume that all the comments saying there is no excuse for speeding (which there isn't) etc etc etc are all made by single people.

lol @ that post.

I think you will find that people making comments like that are doing so because speeding is illegal and if they were to suggest that it isn't that bad they would be open to ridicule by the masses.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by JG66ME

Very sorry for your loss Mate. This post has made me sad.

Steve

Thank you and the others as well but the point of my post was to highlight that not all situations are the same and there can be times when the decission making process is impaired by stress or shock. The whole story needs to be heard before making judgement and it appears the copper in the beginning of this thread is going to do just that. This is good comunity policing and should be applauded.

As far as "call the ambulance", yeh good one city boy.....

Another personal experience. November 11 1979 I hit a cow on a motorcycle breaking my right leg in 7 places. A car stopped and was going to give me a lift to hospital about 40km away. A second motorist stopped and talked him out of it and they decided that an ambulance should be called. This took ages and due to the 6 hours it took me to get to hospital my leg had swelled so much that it was 4 days before they could operate on it. Even on morphine the pain was incredible and I did not sleep for the whole period. I had a broken leg, I did not even fall off the bike, I did not have major injuries but they were scared that I would sue or die or both and they would be blamed. It was one of the worst times in my life.

One of the things that is sorely lacking in modern society is the ability to make judgements based on common sense. Too many are afraid to break the rules that are set for general situations. Even more are too worried about legal problems at a later date than solving the problem facing them at the time.

So to all the do gooders and wowsers, there are very very few situations where the word NEVER applies. Think before you act, we are supposed to be sentient beings, that means we can make decissions and learn. Things that always follow instructions and rules regardless of the consequences often have the word "Windows" on them.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Like I said before you do not think in these situations. You act on emotion.

If your wife/GF/mother etc rang you in a distressed state would you sit on the couch while having a meal watching TV and think "God golly what would be the right legal thing to do or the safest?"

Been in that situation, several times. I guess the thing that goes through my mind is get there as quickly and as safely as possible. There's no need for me to be in the hospital bed beside them because I was in a rush to get there 30 seconds earlier and missed a bend.

[4.9 EF Futura]

Originally Posted by prydey

i'm going to take a stab in the dark here and assume that all the comments saying there is no excuse for speeding (which there isn't) etc etc etc are all made by single people.

.

Hahaha... yes, disgusting/pathetic subesction of society that we are....

[EA2BA]

As far as "call the ambulance", yeh good one city boy.....

Assuming this is aimed at me, I would have taken you to the hospital assuming you could make it to the car, yes in the middle of no-where I would not hesitate much, but as to then speeding like a bat out of hell to get you to the hospital well thats a hard call.

[merlin]

Originally Posted by flappist

So to all the do gooders and wowsers, there are very very few situations where the word NEVER applies. Think before you act, we are supposed to be sentient beings, that means we can make decissions and learn. Things that always follow instructions and rules regardless of the consequences often have the word "Windows" on them.

Totally agree with that, I can't stand people who don't think for themselves.

EDIT - I love the way this poor guys thread has turned into a philosophical debate about life and death situations :voldar02:

I would risk losing my licence if a family member or my girlfriend was on thier deathbed and had not long to last.

I haven't heard of a copper writing out a ticket to a driver while their wife whos in labour is in the passenger seat.