NSW demerit points are the go!

Faced with the prospect of a huge voter backlash as motorists reap their harvest of demerit points for a huge variety of driving misdemeanours, the N.S.W. State government has started to back-pedal on the consequences of their actions. A rumoured 40,000 motorists on Sydneys North Shore have accumulated so many de-merit points that their next indiscretion will cost them either a 3 month’s suspension of their driving licence, or force them into an undertaking to be good for the next twelve months, or double the penalty if they offend again.

The new NSW Minister for Transport says he’ll look into it – he promises.

Regular Sydney commuters know where the speed cameras are, either from the GPS or from local knowledge. What throws their calculations out is when a new camera is installed at a new location. They reap a harvest for the first month, until the grapevine catches up. Pity the poor country motorist who comes to town rarely, and has their hands full already negotiating Sydney traffic. Throw in some rain, or a thunderstorm, or a huge truck blocking your vision, and six points can go out the window in a flash.

Average traffic speed in Sydney is 65 km/hour. Because this is 15 kms over the 50km subrurban speed limit,  it puts the fine bracket up to the next level – $243 dollars instead of the lesser penalty.

But beware, in Queensland, it’s 13 km/h over the posted limit that puts you up to the higher penalty