Darn it. I just copped a speeding fine on Springvale Road tonight near Glen Waverly. Most of the road is 80km but on that section its 70.

Before the cop stopped me, there was this SUV behind me whose lights were blinding me. I hate all SUVs because their freaking big lights are perfectly positioned to blaze into my rearview mirror in my VW Beetle and it blinds me (as it does many other standard vehicles).

The driver was tailgating me and I decided to speed up and get ahead.

As I drove faster, there was this car on top of the hill and I thought he was waiting for me to pass to do a u-turn.

I should have realized it was a cop car - anyhow the SUV must have spotted it and slowed down.

Copped a speeding fine. My first one in 9 years.

I could imagine the SUV driver laughing himself silly as he passed me by as the cop was writing out the infringement notice.

Afterwards - as I was driving home another SUV tailgated me. Same problem- he's blinding me in my rear view mirror. This time, I just turned the rear view mirror sideways and drove 5km below the limit, and tried not to think about the speeding fine. I'm going to drive like this from now on. If the morons rear end me I don't care.

Sucks to hear. But was it a Prado suv? There the main culprits then when they get pAst you and are in front they slow down.

You're going to hate my Touareg with Xeon's then ...

This just proves that dickheads can drive any car, a SUV or a VW

That sucks

I decided to speed up and get ahead.



I should have realized it was a cop car - anyhow the SUV must have spotted it and slowed down.

I could imagine the SUV driver laughing himself silly as he passed me by as the cop was writing out the infringement notice.

Either the suv slowed right down to almost walking pace or you really cracked on to be pulled over, time for cop to get out of his car & writing you a ticket then the suv drives past

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Quote: Originally posted by donn yeah I hate that one, so I wait till there is a good opportunity to pass them again and box them in for a while. you know which 2 group of drivers that I notice constantly tailgating and dangerously cutting people off and just being general bullies on the road? SUV for sure but the worst I recon is tradies with their stupid utes. Just another reason I want to know when and where you are driving, so I can avoid another dick head on the road.

I call it realy dumb

If its your first fine in 9 years there's this clause that allows good history drivers to get a waiver
Read this
"Each application for an official warning is judged on a case-by-case basis. For example, if you recently received a speeding fine but have had a good driving record in the past you may receive an official warning. For more information, Victoria Police has a Good Driving Record ."

Goto this page for more info
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=10369 
To qualify the following must be met:

Hold a current driver's licence, including probationary, or current learner driver's permit. 
Have not been issued with a speeding, other traffic fine or official warning within the previous two years.
Were caught doing less than 10 kilometres per hour over the speed limit.
Do not deny that you committed the offence.

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Originally posted by vlad01 thats why you slam the brakes when they tailgate. works every time! they go back into there place quick smart. or if they keep persisting, just slow down and box them in so that can't pass. I really don't give a shit about tailagaters, they can kiss my ass.

I drive a little plasic bodied car that weighs 850kgs (the Manx SR) and when I'm being tailgated by anyone (especially a 2 tonne steel 4WD),I do something eratic, like drifting a bit into the other lane and then sharply correcting myself, or weaving about in my lane, or speeding up and slowing down randomly. The tailgater usually backs off in a hurry because I've been classified by them as a dangerous idiot or a drunk.

One of my favourites is to drive exactly on the white lines (not cross them) or over the little bumps between lanes. Especially if the road winds a bit. Then they realise that I'm doing it on purpose and they back off because I'm being stupid. That they were tailgating is not, to them, an act of stupidity.

Try it. It often works.

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Originally posted by Blue65 Quote: Originally posted by vlad01 thats why you slam the brakes when they tailgate. works every time! they go back into there place quick smart. or if they keep persisting, just slow down and box them in so that can't pass. I really don't give a shit about tailagaters, they can kiss my ass. A friend of mine taught me a good trick. He told me to turn on the rear fog light switch (which I have on my Volvo 240 ) if the dude behind me is tailgaiting me. He'll see my rear red lights suddenly glowing and then he'll think I'm braking hard - and that would cause him to brake hard as well. It works btw! I did it once to do SUV that was tailgating me on the Eastern Freeway. He braked so hard it looked like someone threw a pie into his windscreen. He wasn't too pleased about it though as he could tell I hadn't actually braked at all. I had to put up with his antics later on when he rode alongside me to give me his piece of mind. Pity I don't have such a nifty switch on my Beetle. I SFH tailgaters, esp. when I'm on the left hand/slow lane and there is an open lane on the right for them to overtake me. Its there! Overtake me FFS. To be honest it drives me a little batty.

my friend who works as a security guy all over Melbourne has caused a few tailgates to crash without even hitting his own car lol


Yeah, funny as shit, and if the bloke crashed into someone elses car and injured or killed some innocent person it would be even funnier. The road is no place to play games Goose

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Originally posted by donn my friend who works as a security guy all over Melbourne has caused a few tailgates to crash without even hitting his own car lol Yeah, funny as shit, and if the bloke crashed into someone elses car and injured or killed some innocent person it would be even funnier. The road is no place to play games Goose

Easy fix!

Slowly speed up to about 63 (60 zone) then ease off to about 50 then speed up to 63, then ease off etc. etc.

It certainly annoys them. (and is not dangerous)

yep the go slow treatment always works ,they eventually back off or go round,but slamming the brakes onjust gets road rage and can be more than your life is worth these days

I'd like to get a few things into persepctive for drivers and police.

For drivers- gone are the days where a couple of kms over the limit is acceptable. In Vic there is a "flying squad" (my words) operating out of several outer metropolitan stations that go far and wide. They book anyone at all over the limit. I was near a Murray river town when this guy got me. 109 in a 100 zone. When he stopped I immediately alighted, produced my license before he could alight himself. He told me rightly to move to "off the road".

Whenever a policeperson says "anything you do say etc" then from now on I'll shut the ...k up!! because he gave me that warning then asked me why I was speeding. I told him the truth. My speedo on my 12 month old Proton Jumbuck was reading 5kms slow. Meaning I though I was near or just over the limit. (standard issue tyres etc). I also mentioned I was focussing on the road ahead- not my speed generally.

"I'll just do some paperwork and be back soon" another bunch of words for "I'll write out a speeding fine". He presented it and I fronted him at his drivers door and gave him a spray. At that period I was driving 100,000kms a year. That I beleive I wasnt the sort of driver he should be booking and why didnt he take into account my speedo reason? To his credit he listened and was composed.

I rang his sargent and discussed the matter. This bit is ofr the police. You wonder why you are hated by Mr and Mrs average out there.

His Sargent explained they were now under strict instructions by the Vic Govt to get the road toll down even further hense their operation. AND....you should not walk up to the policeman to offer your license to him- that would be seen as intimidating. Secondly you are driving an unroadworthy car. If your speedo is reading lower than actual speed as of 2006 any new car put on the road cannot be roadworthy if the speedo reads low.

So I replied' "What you are telling me Sarg, is that police prefer the driver to remain seated in the car...like the escaped prisoner (Reid) did in the 1980's on the Hume Freeway when stopped by a motorycle cop. He remained in his seat and when approached shot the cop in the head without warning. Also are you telling me that if and when you buy a new car yourself, you dont drive it one millimetre on the road before you get it towed to a instrument technician to get the speedo checked? And thirdly honesty in answering any questions put to the police gets you nowhere now."

His reply was even more stern and firm. I knew I was wasting my time.

The trend has moved over the years. Rarely it seems that careless driving for example is being used to prosecute idiot drivers. It's speed and non hands free phone use.

So when I read that vehicles being sold new in Australia soon might be slapped with a 140kph maximum speed I laugh. The police make it very clear.....ther eis not one reason to speed. If you have a perosn beside you having a heart attack or severe asthma attack eithe rdrive at the limit to get to a hospital or ring an ambulance.= there is no excuse- ever!. so why isnt the Govt going to make the cars speed limited to 110kph? I'm talkign speed limited not power limited.

I was speeding that day. I was aware of my speedo and how low it was reading. My error. My fine. But there is no leniency now and I expected a little.

So when you have an SUV up your backside dont speed up. Let them pass, turn you mirror on nighttime, but there is no excuse for speeding. I get why the police act the way they do but stand by my argument- they are targetting the wrong people- hard working mums and dads that dont intend to speed...and expect a speedo of a new car to be accurate.

Now they have a driver in me that will no longer be obliging, courteous, friendly of trusting of the police. The police should realsie that is not a good thing.

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Originally posted by pod yep the go slow treatment always works ,they eventually back off or go round,but slamming the brakes onjust gets road rage and can be more than your life is worth these days