technacalities to get off penalty points

Anan1

I stand by my point that anyone who feels that it would (or might) take them 2 seconds to react to a hazard has no business being in control of a car.

alias no.9

Anan1 wrote:

Think about it for a minute. 2 seconds? I've just done a quick Google and, as far as I can determine, the generally accepted average reaction time is somewhere in the order of 0.75 secs. Even that sounds long to me.

That would be about right in a test situation. In real life when an event is completely unexpected, it can take longer. When driving in particular, there are a multitude of distractions which will increase this further

- talking to a passenger
- smoking a cigarette
- eating
- drinking
- answering a mobile (even a handsfree)
- changing the radio/cd/tape
- singing along with the radio
- shouting at the ref in the commentary game
- changing the heater/AirCon
- opening/closing a window or sunroof
- wondering why the hell that car coming the opposite direction was flashing you

All of this assumes, of course, that your first action is effective, which may not necessarily be the case, so it can become an itterative loop until you eventually take effective action.

Seth Brundle

Leaving the previous suggestions aside and to answer the OPs question, the only way you will get off is due to admin errors by the gardai (name, date, location, etc. written down incorrectly).
Also, there may be local authority errors here (very very unlikely). Soem local authorities have roads with a certain limit but these limits were not sanctioned by the local authority and are therefore not legal limits (see http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/motoring/2006/0215/267531824MOT15LIMITS.html)
However, as you were doing 118kmph which would only be legal on a motorway, I doubt this could apply to you.

Anan1

"That would be about right in a test situation. In real life when an event is completely unexpected, it can take longer. When driving in particular, there are a multitude of distractions which will increase this further"

I think the figure of .75 secs takes all this into account. If the driver is all ready and expecting something, the figure would be far lower. Just apply a bit of common sense to this. 2 seconds is an awfully long time.

seamus

Anan1 wrote:

If the driver is all ready and expecting something, the figure would be far lower.

But there's your problem. How often are you "all ready and expecting something"? Surprisingly little of the time, even for the most aware drivers. Actual reaction times are hard to examine, since if someone knows their reaction times are being measured, they're both focussed on reacting and are expecting something to emerge which will test their reactions.

A "comfort zone" of 0.5 seconds would be reasonable to add to any average reaction times measured in a testing environment.

Your reaction time is the time between spotting the hazard and taking evasive action, not the time between spotting the hazard and reacting to it (There's a slight difference). Unless you drive everywhere with your hands firmly on the wheel, in the 10-to-2 positions, and observing test-level eagle observation, then you will run the risk at times of having an inflated reaction time.

Ginger83

I would like to add a little tip if I may, I drive a 4x4 for a living so do come up against these situations all the time. I do not wash my vehicle half as much as i used to, dont get me wrong I keep the windows, mirrors and light shades very clean but the body does not bother me as I dont own it.
Between fixed or mobile camera I am not bothered anymore. A mobile speed camera uses an accurate lazer to detect a vehicles speed but must catch the reg plate and speed on a focused still picture, hence my problem solved.
If I am stopped by a garda for speeding he can do absolutely nothing as it is not recorded and he knows he is wasting his time, the only problem I have encountered was being asked to show my vehicle clean at a station within a week or ten days, solution- gf's ma works for a cop, pick up mates clean 4x4 run up to his gaf and say there you are take a note Haven't time to go in myself.
Happy days;)

Our man in Havana

Didn't think they could compel you to wash your car?

Alun

Bond-007 wrote:

Didn't think they could compel you to wash your car?

They can't, but having an illegible number plate, for whatever reason including mud, is an offence.

ninty9er

First of all if it was a 100km/h zone it was probably a dual carriageway, where the limit should be at least 125 in the first place.

On the technicalities scale, not sure if it still exists but;

e.g.

1- fine = €100

2- Write cheque €105.95

3- Garda have to send a cheque for the change

4- don't cash it

5- transaction not complete, points not added

Don't know if this has been rectified, but imho points are a moneymaking scam, not a safety device.

This country has the worlds best Road Safety Strategy document, it's just its implementation is the problem;)

Our man in Havana

Won't work. They will simply return your cheque and the clock keeps ticking.

BTW there is one sure way to beat speeding tickets that are posted to you, but it involves perjury and so I won't go into it here.

Turner

ninty9er wrote:

Don't know if this has been rectified, but imho points are a moneymaking scam, not a safety device.

Will you speed on the same stretch of roadway again though??

I know where i was caught i certainly wont as its a regularly patrolled area.

CrowdedHouse

ninty9er wrote:

First of all if it was a 100km/h zone it was probably a dual carriageway,

You obviously don't drive yourself

dbnavan

zuutroy wrote:

It's purely a money spinner

No its a pure life saver, look at statisics, speed kills. Pay your fine, take ur points and be a man about it.

ninty9er

I really hate the speed kills line.

Autobahn anybody. Among the worlds safest roads. Speed limits = none, restrictions= possibly in rainy weather.

Bad driving kills. Not speed, though bad driving can involve speed.

No its a pure life saver, look at statisics, speed kills. Pay your fine, take ur points and be a man about it.

Thats why road deaths have increased year on year since penalty points were introduced. Doubt it!!

AdMMM

I was told that the driving test in Germany costs thousands of Euro's. Maybe thats why Germany has one of the best records concerning road safety in Europe?

seamus

ninty9er wrote:

Thats why road deaths have increased year on year since penalty points were introduced. Doubt it!!

Actually, they haven't increased, they just haven't decreased by any great amount.

dbnavan

ninty9er wrote:

I really hate the speed kills line.

Autobahn anybody. Among the worlds safest roads. Speed limits = none, restrictions= possibly in rainy weather.

Bad driving kills. Not speed, though bad driving can involve speed.



Thats why road deaths have increased year on year since penalty points were introduced. Doubt it!!

Speed, on roads that are not condusive to speed, kills. None of the irish roads are comparible to the Autobahn

JohnCleary

desbard wrote:

what technacalities can get me off this

Suicide

junkyard

I agree with ninty9er, its bad driving kills and badly designed and badly maintained roads are also a major factor in car accidents. The big problem is the roads just aren't up to speeding on and the government has taken upon itself to blame the motorist and take his or her money for a problem that they haven't the guts to rectify. Look at the billions the government has taken off the motorist in taxes and VRT over the years and look at the pitiful return the motorist got back. I feel more people should make a stand and realise that we are being taken for a ride once again. A lot of the categories for penalty points are just incredible if you break them down, a friend of mine who drives an articulated truck for a living reckons that if he were to abide by the new rules 100% he would break the law everyday or spend 24 hours a day trying to reach his destination. I'm not condoning road safety but I think we have to be realistic, if the government wants people to tow the line they should also play ball and sort out the lethal roads and not just hand them over to some private company to charge us a toll to use a road that we have already paid for.
The standard of driving is also a big problem and the waiting lists for driving tests and the number of learner drivers on the road, I could go on......

Seth Brundle

bad roads don't really kill. It is the drivers that don't drive at speeds appropriate to the roads.

watson.robin

Bad roads
Terrible general driving standard
Ridiculous speed limits in places (both too low and too high)
Over taxation
Synical policing

These are the reasons why its hard to respect the law at times.

I had my own run in this morning.
I over took on a solid white line.

I'd been behind a small lorry (no trailer) carrying gas bottles, doing roughly 25-30 km/h in a 50k zone, id sat behind it going up a very gentle hill (in kilcock while heading towards the Motorway, just before the church) the solid white line continues on down the hill way further than it needs to as i could now see the whole way to a roundabout (200m or so away) so i proceeded to safely overtake the truck all without breaking the 50km/h limit.

As soon as i got along side it, the blue flashing lights came on, there was a cop car parked on the right hand side of the road facing me, that had seen it.

Needless to say he took my licence, said 2 points and the fine will be issued.

Now, if thats not synical, what is.
There should be a double white line on the hill, with it dashed on the down side of the hill in each direction.
I tried to argue my point but he was having absolutely none of it.

Ok, i over took on a solid white line (which shouldnt be there), but there was absolutely nothing dangerous about it, its a money making raquet! :mad:

Gary ITR

This thread is four years old. Please don't bump old threads without good reason