21 August 2008

ACT traffic laws??? [And red light cameras]

| brenda85
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Hi everyone I was wondering if anyone who knows anything about ACT traffic laws could help me out with a problem. I was recently sent a red light camera speeding fine “reminder” notice in the mail. My problem is that this letter clams the offence was from 10 months ago…. last October.

Now thats almost a year gap between the time the camera supposedly caught me to when they have sent me a letter….. they never sent me an actual offence notification. This letter claims to be a “reminder” notice. Is there a time limit in which an offence can be issued??

Why has the ACT government allowed registration of my vehicle twice since this offence when they say it was clearly on their records and that non payment of the offence would result in me being unable to register my car????

The other issue is that I’m fairly sure I was turning a corner at the time and I’d like to see anyone try to take corner at 91km/ph…. I come from NSW and have moved to the ACT, I feel like I have fallen down a rabbit hole and nothing in this strange new territory makes any sense. Everything seems backward and no one I talk to can seem to help me out. I love it when the government authority you ring about these issues, has the power to issue fines but when questioned, they know nothing of the laws regarding these fines?!?! Who the hell is running this place???????

Confused

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peterh said :

Liberally apply one angle grinder….

to the transport minister…

add one speeding steamroller borrowed from GDE duplication..

No sympathies from me if you were in fact doing 91km/h in an 80 or 60 zone.

The first thing to understand is that you have, in fact, fallen down a rabbit hole.

The second thing to understand is that the reason that you are in this situation is because of some bungling wally.

Unfortunately your only hope of sorting it out is to find someone helpful in the department who is not a bungling wally. If you persevere, as recommended above, you will probably get it sorted out eventually; but I am afraid the residual sense of impotence and frustration may stay with you for the rest of your life.

Worst case scenario: you can go to court and contest the fine. I don’t think they will have much of a leg to stand on, even in an ACT court.

: )

Best of luck with it all. You have my sympathies.

You don’t even need to go to TAMS – they provide an email address on the infringement sheet and post you the photos for nix.

I was in a similar situation. I got busted by a camera van, guilty as charged. I waited patiently for the fine to arrive. I live in the ACT but I have a NSW licence and address (to keep my NSW plates and rego). The only notice I received was the second reminder. Not to mention they upped the fine because of it! I think they may have a problem with their system where any NSW resident doesn’t get the initial notice. A call to canberra connect fixed the problem and they reduced the fine to the original amount.

I’ve had a similar thing happen, though it was only a few months and not 10 before I got the reminder. In my situation however I knew for sure it wasn’t me as I’d never even been up that particular road. It took a couple of phone calls but in the end I was told it wasn’t unusual and they actually seemed in a hurry to get a letter from me stating my case and the whole thing went away. So, like others have said, I’d state your case in a letter and see how you go.

To clarify, the notice is sent to where the car was registered at the time of the offence. If your address is different to where your car is registered that is your problem, not theirs

Is there a time limit? Yes, for a summary offence they must take action within 1 year and 1 day, which they have done.

Was the address your car was registered to different to where you actually lived at the time? The notice will be sent to where the car is registered to.

The way it runs here is exactly the same as NSW.

Go down to TAMS and ask to see the photo. When the photo shows you committing the offence then pay the fine or nominate to go to Court.

I would suggest that your recall of going around the corner 10 months ago won’t really float anything. The general course of events in these things are:

1) People get sent a fine
2) People write a letter back with an excuse that is not necessarily the truth
3) TAMS (or whoever) writes back saying they have read the letter and will allow you to explain yourself in Court in relation to the matter, whilst giving the option to pay the fine prior to Court
4) Person gets that letter and vows beneath their breath to fight this to the death
5) Person pays the fine prior to the Court date as they realise that their porkies may well be exposed

Not saying that this is your scenario, and not saying that the cameras and arrangement is infallible, but the highest likelihood is that they are right and you can’t remember.

Good luck with it though

Request the photo.

I’m sorry but I honestly fail to see how, if it was 10 months ago and you only just heard about, how you could remember you were turning a corner.

You could register your car twice because restrictions have not yet kicked in… it doesn’t happen straight away.

Get the photo, details of the original notice and to whom you can write a letter stating your case. Make it assertive, polite and factual and you should be reviewed fairly.

Mælinar - *spoiler alert* I've seen S04E1312:26 pm 21 Aug 08

Take it through the extent of the revolving door process. There is nothing to fear from the Canberra court fraternity.

At least when you are given any punishment at all, you can plea that for more grave offences the revolving door process let them off scott free, and you’ll be shot out of the system so fast the door may push you out its spinning so fast.

Liberally apply one angle grinder….

to the transport minister…

…and a copy of the original infringement notice.

…and go down to TAMS in person rather than wasting your time on the phone to Canberra Connect.

request the photo?

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