Mrs Kiwi

In the 10 weeks I have lived in Queensland I have got 2 speeding tickets with a total of 7 penalty points attached.

One speeding fine was mine, one was hubbies but I claimed it as mine. I know, stoopid, stoopid, but it seemed like a good idea at the time as I have not got a Queensland licence and hubbie has, so I thought the points would be dismissed after I'd paid the fines as I have no Queensland licence for them to allocate the points to.

However, I have now received a letter from Queensland Transport asking me to come and see them - the letter says as I have no Queensland licence I am now banned from driving for 3 months - although it also goes on to say if I have a licence that is the equivalent of a full Queensland open licence ( which my UK licence is ) then the ban will probably be dismissed.

Has anyone experienced this? I'm now extremely scared & nervous in case they make me do my practical driving test again or something!! I was planning on going in and being extremely humble & sorry and hoping for the best.

Also, I'm only a temporary resident and on arrival in Oz I got confirmation from Queensland Transport that I can drive on my UK licence for the full 5 year duration of my visa, so can they make me do my test again??

What is the likely outcome of my meeting with Queensland Transport - planning on going in next week but wanted advice first. Thanks.

moneypenny20

Some people have managed to get let off by claiming they are new and didn't realise and apologise and grovel etc etc etc. You may be lucky, you may not. However, I wouldn't take responsibility for your husbands points again. Both of you slow down a bit.

ABCDiamond

My guess is that they will view your current overseas licence, and if it is one that has an automatic conversion to an Australian licence, for PR's, then they will deem it as valid, and allow you to continue driving until you reach 12 points.

If it was a licence from a country where a PR would need to take a test before driving after 3 months, then I am sure they would enforce the ban.

I believe you now have 5 points left, but will still be allowed to drive after your interview.

alipally

What a nightmare for you!
Back in Blighty, I was the speedy Gonzales in the family. Hubby, 23 year clean licence. We arrive here and it's speeding tickets and infridgement notices galore for him

We were even followed to our front door by an off duty 'PIG' who informed us that we'd crossed a solid white line and would be 'round in the morning with the paper work'!!!

IMO Aussie police are as bad as the Starsy!!!

ABCDiamond

Yes, definately do that.

ABCDiamond

Did they come back ?

alipally

Oh yeah! I gave him coffee, he gave OH a fine for $210 and 3 more demerits!!

BigH68

how about slowing down and stop speeding....just an idea

sonlymewalter

The police in Aus seem a lot more keen than I remember in the UK and the speed limits seem less. Could just be my perception though...:

For 20 years in UK I never got a single ticket. I got 2 in Aus in my first year. Both for driving early hrs of the morning on a public holiday when the roads were clear. I was just over, but over non the less.

Serves me right for speeding

Been good since.

Beware, they're keen.

alipally

forgot to mention, I went on one of those advanced driving courses here a couple of weeks ago...
Apparently, in Vic it's NOT illegal to cross solid white lines in the middle of the road..... like it is in the rest of Australia (he said something about opting out of Federal Highway laws/Code?)

The cops are keen to book you for speeding but it appears that it's OK for them to tailgate you down the freeway, for no reason and not pull you over either...... Very disconcerting, it's no wonder the death toll on Aussie roads is so high if that's the example that's set.

MartinLuther

It wasn't so much an opt out but when they tried to unify the driving rules in the late 90s this was one of the points of contention that couldn't be resolved. There were some others. In the end they decided to unify as much as possible.

The main reason the death tolls are higher here are: 1) higher urban speed limits and 2) more dangerous intersections.

ABCDiamond

Not that much higher:
Road deaths per 100,000 people:

• 3.9 Australian Capital Territory, Australia
• 5.4 Great Britain
• 6.6 Victoria, Australia

or
Road deaths per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled:

• 0.4 Australian Capital Territory, Australia
• 0.6 Victoria, Australia
• 0.6 Great Britain

Sally Simpson

Do you have figures for QLD ABC, as they seem to be going for a record death toll this year?!

ABCDiamond

These were from the the International Road Safety Comparisons 2006 Report.

some more examples...

Road deaths per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled:
0.7 Queensland, Australia
0.8 New South Wales, Australia
0.8 France

Sally Simpson

Wonder what 2009 will show?