[rustynutz]

By Tim Beissmann
October 15th, 2013

Controversial changes to Victoria’s speed camera rules will allow police to hide behind trees and road signs and position themselves at the bottom of hills in the name of camera operator safety.

A News Limited report reveals the new policy changes – which come into effect immediately – that claim to be designed to protect mobile speed camera operators from motorists by allowing them to hide behind bushes, poles and other fixed objects.

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[Alasama]

Police did this all the time here. It's legal. In addition to hide behind trees and road signs, sometimes the camera even hides in the utility car which look like the car parked along the side of road and maintaining something. 

[Dazzler]

They have done that in Tassie for years..  

I prefer some of the places on the mainland where they are more visible and sometimes post a warning 

[WayneD]

This really doesn't bother me as I don't speed. I always laugh at people who complain about this sort of thing. If you are doing the right thing then it shouldn't matter where they "hide".

[Dazzler]

This really doesn't bother me as I don't speed. I always laugh at people who complain about this sort of thing. If you are doing the right thing then it shouldn't matter where they "hide".

I do the right thing (mostly) 

[Lester]

Called 'Covert Traffic Operations.'  Vicpol have always been a 'leader' in Australian Traffic Enforcement.   They had the .05 PCA level, so NSW followed after we had .08.  The speed enforcement tolerances have always been lower in Victoria than elsewhere in NSW.

Some Traffic Police have been hiding behind trees, roads signs and operating radar speed detection instruments at the bottom of hills for decades.

Sometimes you have to play dirty to catch the lunatics.

[rustynutz]

This really doesn't bother me as I don't speed. I always laugh at people who complain about this sort of thing. If you are doing the right thing then it shouldn't matter where they "hide".

And I laugh when people say they don't speed.... 

With constantly changing speed limits on some roads it's so so easy to think you're not speeding when in fact you may very well have missed a speed limit sign.

Also when descending steep hills it's so easy, especially for auto transmission equipped cars to creep over the speed limit even with your foot off the accelerator which is why previous guidelines stipulated that speed cameras were not to be set up on hills.

They have done that in Tassie for years..  

Same here but now they can do it legally.... 
I remember a few years back police refunded fines to motorists that had been pinged on a down hill stretch in one of our local towns after a public outcry over it all. 

[Lester]

And cruise control does not hold you back too well down hill.

You can gain 10 km/h, enough for the Mexican Highway Patrol to nail you.

[Doggie 1]

The police have been accused of it for years, so nothing new here.
Personally, I'm in favour of more actual police officers on the road as opposed to more speed cameras and also a reasonable and fair tolerance over the posted limit. Time, place and circumstance.
Recidivist offenders are the ones that need to be caught, but as has been said, don't speed, don't contribute.
At least in Western Australia (and I have said this before), revenue raised from speed cameras goes towards road safety which I agree with, rather than just going into consolidated revenue.

[Just Rick]

Like Dave said been happening here for years,but biggest laugh is the police comissioner is an out and out liar,as he has always stated IT DOES NOT HAPPEN here(but hey thats beside the point)like wayneD,I have always said,don't speed and you won't get caught and as rusty said we all speed from time to time.

Like Dave I would rather see far more police on the road,in marked cars,biggest deterent I say,you only have to see how the Yutz's slow down if there's a marked police car on the road,outside lane,sitting twenty K's under the limit,the putz's won't pass it.

Now I'll go off topic(nothing unusual for me)I would love to see them do away with Extrodinary licences over here,what a freakin joke,have enough minor offences,loose all your points,you are unable to get and EL,but hey dileberately go out with the intention of getting drunk,drive your car,or worse drive your car and injure someone,or have multipal drink driving offences and hey yeah you can have your licence back to drive to and from work and drive for your work,great punishment.

[eye30]

Speeding!       Never!

Today i was on a 40 mph dual carriageway doing 39 mph overtaking a slower car in lane 1 doing just over 30 mph.

Car behind me, well i thought the driver was sat in my rear seat as he was so close, was "trying to push me" along.

Let him stay there for a few seconds as i knew this road was a favourite for the police mobile camera as they set up a bit along a straight part after a bend we approached.

Anyway this car wasn't going to wait so they undercut me on the left sweeping bend.

Are you still with me!

Well as i came out if the bend any guesses as to what was parked up!

There i was trying  to help a fellow motorist and now they will have points plus a fine......

[AlanHo]

Serves him right...............especially if it was a BMW

[Dazzler]

Serves him right...............especially if it was a BMW

  My thoughts exactly 

[AlanHo]

I just had a thought about the thread title - you must have some fat trunked trees for one of your cops to hide behind one.....................

[rustynutz]

They're so fat they hide entire cars behind them... 

[Surferdude]

All the usual "human rights" guff.
It's all very well to say you don't speed. Fair enough but I agree most of us do, either intentionally or as a result of a minor loss of concentration.
Either way, if you get caught, cop it sweet and pay the fine.
We've had the discussuon about radar at the bottom of hills before.
It's pretty simple. Go out and try braking from a certain speed on an uphill slope, then repeat the manouvre on a downhill slope.
You and I all know, the downhill will take you considerably longer to pull up. So, if a child runs out in front of you, a car or motorcycle comes out of a sidestreet without checking properly, you are much more likely to clean them up on a downhill stretch.

So, DON'T BLOODY WELL let your speed creep up on a downhill section.
If you do and there's a radar there, well done MR Policeman.

[FatBoy]

Good points by all on here.  I agree, we all speed at some time (whether intentional or not), and if you do and get caught, pay the fine.

We had a local saying in the paper that the speed limit should be increased on a certain street in southern Tasmania, as even with cruise control set he was not able to maintain the 50km/h limit.  BTW, this is a residential street next to a school.  There is a pedal next to the accelerator called "the brake" which you can use; or "knock" the auto transmission down a gear, just like the drivers of manuals do going down a hill.  It's not Rocket Surgery.   

[rustynutz]

You and I all know, the downhill will take you considerably longer to pull up. So, if a child runs out in front of you, a car or motorcycle comes out of a sidestreet without checking properly, you are much more likely to clean them up on a downhill stretch.

Watching the speedo (worrying that you may get pinged) instead of watching the road tends to delay pulling up too...

[Just Rick]

Funny thing is Rusty,I seem to be able to go up hills, down hills.watch my speedo,gauges,mirrors,what is happening around me and maintain a constant speed,funny how some can't do one simple thing at one time,these people shouldn't have their licenses

[eye30]

For local trips, Leave the car at home....and walk

[Doggie 1]

For local trips, Leave the car at home....and walk

Might get hit by a speeding car.

[eye30]

On 1st april stand by the side of the road pointing a hairdryer towards oncoming cars and see the look on their faces........

[rustynutz]

Funny thing is Rusty,I seem to be able to go up hills, down hills.watch my speedo,gauges,mirrors,what is happening around me and maintain a constant speed,funny how some can't do one simple thing at one time,these people shouldn't have their licenses

So you've never looked down at your speedo, then looked up to see the vehicle in front braking? 

[Just Rick]

Funny thing is Rusty,I seem to be able to go up hills, down hills.watch my speedo,gauges,mirrors,what is happening around me and maintain a constant speed,funny how some can't do one simple thing at one time,these people shouldn't have their licenses

So you've never looked down at your speedo, then looked up to see the vehicle in front braking? 

can't say I have rusty,if I am that close that I think it might be a problem,I don't tend to look down,unlike most road users,I tend to leave plenty of room to stop safely,I don't run yellow lights either,another thing many think that yellow means speed up,not prepare to stop.

Can't get it through to many People you have to observe not what is just in front of you,you have to be aware of what is happening well ahead of you and to each side of you,also behind you,I am just stunned how many people these days can't see ten feet in front of their bonnet and have absolutely no clue what is happening behind OR beside them

[Dazzler]

I don't run yellow lights either,another thing many think that yellow means speed up,not prepare to stop.

On the way home tonight a white commodore SS in front of me was about 50 metres away from the lights when they turned orange so he booted it and they turned red just as he reached them (he went straight through) he was slowed down further up the road by traffic and roundabouts but I couldn't catch him to get his number for the cops.. 

[Phil №❶]

It won't be long before all traffic light intersections have cameras, (my prediction), They're popping up everywhere in Adelaide. Sneaky sods, paint the poles tree colour, so you don't notice they're there. I don't run yellows either, now. 

[Dazzler]

It won't be long before all traffic light intersections have cameras, (my prediction), They're popping up everywhere in Adelaide. Sneaky sods, paint the poles tree colour, so you don't notice they're there. I don't run yellows either, now. 

If I'm too close to stop I go through but this guy had heaps of time.. Probably doing 70 kph by the time he went through.

[eye30]

It won't be long before all traffic light intersections have cameras, (my prediction), They're popping up everywhere in Adelaide. Sneaky sods, paint the poles tree colour, so you don't notice they're there. I don't run yellows either, now. 

If I'm too close to stop I go through but this guy had heaps of time.. Probably doing 70 kph by the time he went through.

Is the delay on the other road long or short?

Otherwise a coming together may occur...

[Dazzler]

It won't be long before all traffic light intersections have cameras, (my prediction), They're popping up everywhere in Adelaide. Sneaky sods, paint the poles tree colour, so you don't notice they're there. I don't run yellows either, now. 

If I'm too close to stop I go through but this guy had heaps of time.. Probably doing 70 kph by the time he went through.

Is the delay on the other road long or short?

Otherwise a coming together may occur...

Fortunately it was a T junction so unless someone from the side road jumped the lights a collision would be unlikely