One more point

[FIFO]

O Yeah from today we have been given 1 more demerit point total of 13. in the supreme nanny state NSW

details here
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/penalties/demeritpoints/index.html?hhid=demeritchanges

[Mr.S2R]

so Rob is that a good or bad thing for you guys?

[FIFO]

so Rob is that a good or bad thing for you guys?

I'm sure Betty could give a more cynical answer than me

On the surface it looks good.
But i think its a bit off give and allot more take.
They put out a shit load of speed cameras and generate a heap of revenue.
And try and consol us buy giving us 1 extra point

[Mr.S2R]

I'm sure Betty could give a more cynical answer than me

yeah well admittedly straight off the bat I was pretty cynical too!  It seems to be a bit like giving a gambler that extra credit at the table so he can sink that little bit deeper.......once again education falls by the wayside...

[Betty]

I'm sure Betty could give a more cynical answer than me

When I saw that I thought ... yeah, yeah ... very funny.

Then I read the link ... seriously I haven't even had the chance to put my tin foil hat on this morning ... whoever is responsible for this should be commended

I'll write a proper response when I have the time ... but in the meantime ... have a look at the link for today's message on keeping our roads safe

[monstermick58]

I got 2 extra points













                                               Mmick

[Roaduser]

on average how many $ do u think they earn off a lost point? this move simply opens up 10s to 100s of thousands more revenue to be earned. im not sure i understand the real motive for this..

real solution, mandatory driver training and road etiquette lessons for learners and harsher penalties in the form of community service and compulsary self funded driver training for real serious offenses. ie racing, road rage, and driving excessively under the speed limit.

and dont get me started on drink drivers....

[Roaduser]

on second read, i cant understand why they would want to reduce the points for not keeping left and bad overtaking offences!?! and why remove points from roundabout offences. ill admit i dont quite understand what the not enter roundabout on left and on right rules they are talking about really are.

[monstermick58]

Ok it probably goes like this;

Some years ago in a place called 'Dreary Old England' the Guvmint had a truely wonderful idea, and this idea was to fleece the general public through increase in traffic fines, this pissed the general off no end, well some end actually.

Later the guvmint made heaps of dough from said fines and was happy, verily.

But as butts go the generals lost their jobs as they had no points hence no licence to go to work and formed huge queue's at the dole queue queue and said guvmint handed much monies back to the general (public).

          So the guvmint had a rethink (well thats not really true, as they rarely think in the first or last place) and said to themselves (cos no-one else would listen anyway) that we need to keep our snouts in the trough er..... money coming in, so we will give them more points so we can take more off them, and so it was to be, more points = more fines and the general keeps his licence. They giggled to themselves, sloshed the plonk around and firmly plonked (not the type you drunked) said snout you know where.     







                                Mmick (with apologies to Mr Smith)

[gino]

Nicely said mate 

[monstermick58]

Thunks Gino 






                             Mmick

[Betty]

I'm sure Betty could give a more cynical answer than me

Rob, sorry for the delay … a response is really unwarranted and I’m afraid I cannot possibly live up to your unrealistic expectations â€" your brief interpretation is much more succinct. But I said I'd get back to it so I have - as usual I have created a long, incomprehensible and rambling mess. It probably contains more verbosity, contradictory messages and cliches than a Government press release so skip to the summary once you’re bored or confused ... oh, and my most humble apologies for the language contained herein.

The Grab
In a time poor world it can be difficult to grab people’s attention … but the promise of more demerit allowances on your licence and reduction in penalties for various offences is sure to grab the attention of the down-trodden motorist. Importantly for the policymakers the grab is all that is needed … most will simply cheer the extra point announced in the headline and merrily move along in blissful ignorance.

The Real Offence
If you were bound by the restrictions of the anally retentive insufferable pedant or perhaps simply suspicious of anything released by the authorities which, prima facie, is a ‘good thing’ then you might read a little further. The title of the detailed announcement with the ominous ‘encouraging safe driving’ may well have you reaching for the tinfoil hat.

That alone is enough to have me asking (in the local vernacular) … “What the make the beast with two backs?” You grab our attention by proffering a ‘free’ demerit point but then describe this as encouraging safe driving. Considering the recent and hysterical context, surely this is a joke … checked and double checked the date: no not April Fool’s Day. I couldn’t even find evidence of International Pirates Day although it may have been more appropriate from these regulatory butt pirates.

Clear As Mud
As someone who has often bemoaned the current penalty system and its lack of meaningful impact on the safety of road users, my interest was most definitely piqued. Never one to doubt the authorities I knew I was about to be educated in the ways of safe road practices â€" “at last!” I assured myself, they have finally seen the light.

The Detail
However, as it turns out I had been unwittingly suckered into a land of false hope. But I suppose, somewhat reassuringly, it was all just a bad joke. How dare those moronic make the beast with two backstards try to disguise this change in policy as a means to safer roads and safer driving. In some ways this change is actually consistent with their ‘road safety message’ â€" that is, speeding is the only consideration.

What are they really saying?
Well it’s quite simple … being able to drive, knowing the rules and showing respect and courtesy to other road users is a waste of time. In fact it is so hard to police effectively there is no point in even bothering. Catching people speeding is cheap and easy â€" the problem policymakers have created for themselves is that it is putting too many people off the road.

Do they deem these serial speeding offenders to be unsafe drivers? No! They feel so confident in their ability to re-offend without damaging their ‘road safety statistics’ that they are willing to give them another chance (more points). Brilliant … motorists are happy because they get another chance, policymakers are happy because it won’t ruin their statistics and Treasury is ‘over the bloody moon’ because they will have even more money than before. Lets face it, the things that actually make people better road users (read: safer) do not raise money … and it is too expensive and time consuming to try and educate them anyway. The towel is now well and truly on the canvas with regard to road safety … and in a roundabout way (pun intended) the policymakers are effectively admitting they got it wrong.

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous
Once the euphoria of gaining another point has subsided you are left with the cold, hard truth that this is just stupid. Effectively they are rewarding bad road users. Not only that, the reward is doubled if you are a ‘professional’ road user … how make the beast with two backsing stupid. These are the people that should be setting an example for the rest of us â€" instead they are given license (again, pun intended) to bully their way along with scant regard for others because they have more rights than other road users.

The list of offences which are no longer deemed a sufficient risk to road safety is extensive and baffling â€" further proof that these dim-witted numbskulls have no idea what the problems are and the real effect poor driving has. You may note that there is no mention of changes to fines in this ‘re-structure’ only the demerit points … so fear not, you may still be punished fiscally but they will do their best to ensure you stay on the road in order to extract more of your ‘hard-earned’.

In Short
The ‘powers that be’ have, in their infinite wisdom, realised that their blinkered and ineffective view on road safety is now starting to hamper their real goal … cheap, efficient and exploitative revenue raising. So their solution is simple â€" keep more drivers on the road … and long may they/we/us continue to contribute semi-voluntary taxation to the Government’s consolidated revenue coffers.

[FIFO]

Rob, sorry for the delay … a response is really unwarranted and I’m afraid I cannot possibly live up to your unrealistic expectations â€"

Oh no Betty you have excelled your self this time, A+ go to the top of the class

But I said I'd get back to it so I have - as usual I have created a long, incomprehensible and rambling mess.

True

In Short
The ‘powers that be’ have, in their infinite wisdom, realised that their blinkered and ineffective view on road safety is now starting to hamper their real goal … cheap, efficient and exploitative revenue raising. So their solution is simple â€" keep more drivers on the road … and long may they/we/us continue to contribute semi-voluntary taxation to the Government’s consolidated revenue coffers.

True

[Two dogs]

Slow day at work Mark ?

[Betty]

Slow day at work Mark ?

Nah did it yesterday on the train ... just a copy and paste this morning.