My story for others to learn from...

[blk6t]

Hi all,

I wanted to write this story up so that hopefully it will deter others from driving dangerously or ever thinking about driving dangerously in the future. It is VERY easy to drive in a dangerous manner in our high HP vehicles without even being aware of it. I write this story knowing that I will be criticized etc...but if it slows down or changes the driving habits of at least one member I will be happy.

I recently was driving my car and decided to overtake a slower vehicle, this was in a 80km/h area along a road that I am very familiar, a country road. I had a blood rush to the head and held into the acceleration a little longer than what I knew, before I knew it a copper came running out behind the bush and angrily flagged me in. I didn't know what to think or what was going to happen.

I got out and was approached, he showed me the radar and it was flashing a very staggering speed of 155km/h, the copper indicated that I was going faster and was slowing down when I was on radar. I still didn't know what to do mentally, I was numb. My license was taken away on the spot and I was charged with "speed dangerous to public", a very serious charge, comparable to high range DUI. Penalties include a standard 3 years off the road (min 12 months), max fine of nearly $3k and / or 9 months in prison for first time offenders.

Between losing my license and the court appearance I was going crazy, expecting to go to prison etc. I was facing a VERY real risk of losing everything, job, house, life and ruining the next 5 years of my life trying to get everything back that I lost. All this for one quick over take...

All this was going through my mind for a month, any way court appearance came and I stood before the judge with my lawyer trying to paint a pretty picture of me before the judge. My wife I kept looking at each other expecting me to go behind bars.

Fortunately this is my first major driving offense, never lost my license, never a DUI, no criminal history and my last speeding ticket was 3 years ago. Along with this I have a very credible job and glowing references with a very emotional, heart felt letter from myself after going to meet victims of car accidents, extremely traumatic experience but done voluntarily plus completing the Serious Offenders Traffic Program. The judge knew that I was never going to do this again, he cut my hearing in half for a community service assessment. I was assessed and passed for community service, went back before the judge and he gave me 100hrs community service, 12 months off the road back dated to the date of the offense and $1000 fine + court costs etc. Then add on my $1500 legal costs.

Again all this for one quick overtake...literally seconds of speeding and all this! oh and if your a P plater, expect to be off the road longer and locked up, the case at court before mine ended like that!

I met some drivers at the program who are repeat offenders, gone to prison etc yet they are still offending and believe me, prison is not somewhere you want to end up! Staggering!

I know people on these forums speed, have done similar speeds to me even faster on public roads and won't admit it, or have hooned, drag raced on public roads, done a burnout on a public road and its very easy to do in our XR6 Turbos, XR8's, FPV's etc, very easy! Believe me.

Keep in mind that the courts are getting tougher and tougher because the public want harsh sentences. If your caught drag racing even for a few seconds, expect to go through exactly what I did, harsh but needed. So think about that before a SS commy pulls up next to you revving his engine.

Not only that but the victims I met and the photos I saw were traumatic, literally couldn't sleep for days, and to think that more people have died on our roads that all of our war casualties combined is staggering...its not worth it, not for a second!

I just want readers to know that before you drive again and ever consider to overtake and speed or do anything illegal on the roads, remember what I have been through and what could have happened!!!!

The judge told me if I do the same again, I am heading straight to prison...scary!

I have been through hell, literally hell since getting caught, fortunately I will be back on the road soon and all will be history and even better, most of my friends and family have changed their driving habits because of me.

Any way that's my story and I hope it slows some people down out there because speeding, drink driving, hooning etc is just not worth it!

I am not a hoon, 98% of the time I am a grandma driver but with power comes responsibility and we all get urges with having serious power at our feet.

Cheers guys.

[stang65]

Good on ya mate, The only safe way to play is on the track.

[Cashie]

Good post, sounds like you have really manned up on this and learnt a valuable lesson.

[marksxr8]

good read

[EB#]

Good one mate...
Nice write up.

[bodgyvr]

Great post mate - well done.

[bingoTE50]

Mate you are not alone in what you did . I have done the same thing in the past , in fact, probably worse many years ago . With modern performance vehicles it is so tempting to give them a squirt. I had a GT and overtaking B doubles heading to Roma ,give a bootfull to get around and would see similar speeds.Perhaps a bit different to you I know, you were passing one car , not a B double , but it happens .

[Poetic Justice]

No need to criticise, there wouldn't be too many people on this forum that could honestly say they haven't done what you were busted for.

Your story is relatively similar to mine in a way, however I was done for an actual hooning offence. A victim of the dob-in-a-hoon hot line I was reported doing burnouts on a Saturday evening and was promptly followed up by an officer.

Similar thing, I was charged with driving in a manner dangerous to the public which is a criminal offence, carries similar penalties as you described and like you I was soiling myself for months leading up to a court hearing thinking that the only outcome would be jail, life without license, extreme things etc. Given I had a good driving history and glowing references from both my parents and my boss I was able to have my charge downgraded from the manner dangerous to careless driving which reduced it back to a traffic offence. The result being I kept my license but lost 3 demerit points and was fined $600.

The end result.. if you have your head screwed on is probably something similar to myself. I have not owned another personal car since then, I have a work vehicle which I 100% respect. Whilst I speed on occasion, I don't drive like a tool. I'm not even sure I've performed a burnout legal or illegal since all of it went down. Working in the car industry I could kiss my career goodbye if I were to be in a position to be without my license for a considerable period of time and I'm too proud of myself to want to be considered a criminal.

All in all, you learn some lessons in a hard way. This all went down when I was 23 and I'm now 26.

[sneaky]

my wife's idea to buy a diesel suv instead of an fg xr6t seems like a good one after reading that post.

wouldn't have thought giving the car a bit of a squirt would have had that much of an impact on things..

hope you can move on from this and it doesn't impact on future jobs/life

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by sneaky

my wife's idea to buy a diesel suv instead of an fg xr6t seems like a good one after reading that post.

Funny you should say that, I've focused for years now on trying to drive 4x4's and SUV's as opposed to performance vehicles. You don't feel as much temptation to sink the foot into them as you do with performance sedans, naturally.

[sneaky]

Originally Posted by SCUD

Funny you should say that, I've focused for years now on trying to drive 4x4's and SUV's as opposed to performance vehicles. You don't feel as much temptation to sink the foot into them as you do with performance sedans, naturally.

even though the turbo diesel goes better than the AU falcon i used to have, the noise of the rattly diesel slows you down

[GTP owner]

I don't think you are an idiot - you just made the same kind of mistake most of us make when we are young and full of testosterone.

It does illustrate a point though - and that is: Why did you stop? Given the punishment is so harsh, i could understand why someone would do a runner. Now, don't take that i am advocating doing a runner, but I think that the harsher the punishment is, the more extreme the measures people will take to avoid being stopped.
The next part of that problem therefore becomes : How do you stop people doing a runner? Does a harsher penalty actually work? I know that they have just increased the penalty for failing to stop, but does this actually encourage someone to try even harder to get away?

So I think your post is great, and raises some interesting points. Namely that you learnt your lesson, and have come to appreciate the damage caused by crashes in cars. I just wish we could get the same message out about suicide, (which take double the number of lives per year that MVAs do)

[blk6t]

Originally Posted by GTP owner

I don't think you are an idiot - you just made the same kind of mistake most of us make when we are young and full of testosterone.

It does illustrate a point though - and that is: Why did you stop? Given the punishment is so harsh, i could understand why someone would do a runner. Now, don't take that i am advocating doing a runner, but I think that the harsher the punishment is, the more extreme the measures people will take to avoid being stopped.
The next part of that problem therefore becomes : How do you stop people doing a runner? Does a harsher penalty actually work? I know that they have just increased the penalty for failing to stop, but does this actually encourage someone to try even harder to get away?

So I think your post is great, and raises some interesting points. Namely that you learnt your lesson, and have come to appreciate the damage caused by crashes in cars. I just wish we could get the same message out about suicide, (which take double the number of lives per year that MVAs do)

Thanks for the replies all, and good to hear i'm not alone. The reason I did not run is because in NSW there is a new law call Skye Law, based on a young girl who died at the hands of a man trying to evade police in McGraths Hill NSW some years back. Under Skye's Law you get an automatic jail period for running from the cops, then you go to court for your other offenses so expect a bigger jail term. Quite harsh and not worth it.

[Brazen]

A while back my dad sold his Falcon and bought a Mazda 3 after getting done overtaking too fast. First 4 cylinder and first non-Ford.

This is the same guy back in the 1970s in a Fairlane raced my uncles Mercedes back from Port Pirie horse races to Adelaide completely drunk with all us kids in the car. We were often sitting on 200kmh. Probably would of got a slap on the wrist back then...amazing how times have changed.

To the OP, we all make mistakes and I personally appreciate you telling your story for others to learn from.

[ltd]

There would be very few people here who have not done something similar when overtaking, mate thanks for your honesty and the reality check that we all need.

[DJM83]

Top post mate
Almost exactly the same thing happened to me, decent fine and some time off the road.
Long as you learnt your lesson

[JC]

Country road, well maintained, clear day, no other cars around except a slower car holding you up - I reckon you're just unlucky to be caught.

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by JC

Country road, well maintained, clear day, no other cars around except a slower car holding you up - I reckon you're just unlucky to be caught.

Yep. I agree.
Another interesting point it raises.
What does it say about our society when you can get locked up for exceeding a speed limiton an open road while people who commit real crime get suspended sentences, and why are we so much harsher on speeding here than in some other countries?

[JC]

Originally Posted by Craiginmackay

Yep. I agree.
Another interesting point it raises.
What does it say about our society when you can get locked up for exceeding a speed limiton an open road while people who commit real crime get suspended sentences, and why are we so much harsher on speeding here than in some other countries?

Or you own a dog that kills a child and the worst you can expect is a $4k fine?!

Had the 155 been in a school zone, or a built up area, I would have said good that the OP got caught. But on a road where 10 years ago the limit was probbaly 100, and another 20 before that may have been no limit, it's just plain unlucky to be done, IMO, and the punishment is worse than the crime. However, had he hit and killed someone, the punishment wouldn't be enough, so I guess that's why we have these speeding laws, fines and loss of license - to stop us all from possibly killing someone (law of lowest common denominator).

[Zero_PSI]

Don't mean to sound like an ***. But how do you accidently hit 155km/h?

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Zero_PSI

Don't mean to sound like an ***. But how do you accidently hit 155km/h?

I just re-read his post and I must admit I scanned over it so I might have missed what you're referring to, but I'm not sure I saw anywhere where he said it was an accident.

[Grunter]

Originally Posted by Zero_PSI

Don't mean to sound like an ***. But how do you accidently hit 155km/h?

Squeeze the pedal for a couple of seconds when you are doing 80kph+ in a current F6 or GT and you'll be amazed how quickly the speed jumps up. Both these cars can do 80 to 120 in 2.5 seconds, you only need to hold it for a second more and your up over 155.

Count to 4 in your head and then imagine your giving it some to pass a car. It's very, very easy to do if your not paying attention.

Well done on the OP's post.

[blk6t]

Originally Posted by Zero_PSI

Don't mean to sound like an ***. But how do you accidently hit 155km/h?

No all good mate, when I overtook I honestly thought I was doing just over 100km/h. Given the acceleration of my car is quite brutal, I didn't take my eyes off the road to check my speed, then I began to slow down and then Mr Policeman jumped out.

A big bonus for me was my speeding was done over a very short distance, no one was in the car with me and the copper got me slowing down. All three are major points against you in court. If I had a passenger in the car, was speeding over a large distance and the copper got me accelerating, I would have gotten a longer suspension period, the judge made that clear.

Yes it was unlucky that I got caught but also lucky I didn't hit anything because at 150km/h its certain death.

But all good, I am keeping my job, I get my license back in January and life will go on. But when you consider what you can lose just by doing one little stupid act it scares you.

[Scott]

When I read your thread title I thought "here we go, another twit beating his chest and hunting for brownie points".

When I read your post I thought "been there, done that, better be more sensible next time".

Good job, well put.

[JamesR]

one thing that people also need to understand is that you dont need a 'high horsepower monster' to speed.
my escort with 60kw at the wheels with a 3sp auto has gone over those speeds. it was a realllly long road though.
it was pretty scary due to bad road and poor handling, so i wont be doing that again!

[TheInterceptor]

Yeh im goin agaisnt the grain.
If mr copper wasnt there, you would have pulled back in and slowed back down. Life goes on.

To me its very much an overeaction and ties in with the same old mantra which is a total toss.

Yes people are going to disagree, call me an idiot and whatnot but i dont care, im not a do gooder and i know my limits and my vehicles limits, im not sucked into this speeding garbage.....unlucky that you were caught, very unlucky...

And how can i reserve speed for the track when i drive what i drive? Slower than anything else on the track and higher center of gravity....yeh good thanks.

Least you learnt something...Happy trails.

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Yeh im goin agaisnt the grain.
If mr copper wasnt there, you would have pulled back in and slowed back down. Life goes on.

To me its very much an overeaction and ties in with the same old mantra which is a total toss.

Yes people are going to disagree, call me an idiot and whatnot but i dont care, im not a do gooder and i know my limits and my vehicles limits, im not sucked into this speeding garbage.....unlucky that you were caught, very unlucky...

And how can i reserve speed for the track when i drive what i drive? Slower than anything else on the track and higher center of gravity....yeh good thanks.

Least you learnt something...Happy trails.

I'm with this ^

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Yeh im goin agaisnt the grain.
If mr copper wasnt there, you would have pulled back in and slowed back down. Life goes on.

To me its very much an overeaction and ties in with the same old mantra which is a total toss.

Yes people are going to disagree, call me an idiot and whatnot but i dont care, im not a do gooder and i know my limits and my vehicles limits, im not sucked into this speeding garbage.....unlucky that you were caught, very unlucky...

And how can i reserve speed for the track when i drive what i drive? Slower than anything else on the track and higher center of gravity....yeh good thanks.

Least you learnt something...Happy trails.

I agree with this post as well.
Although you should definitely should be punished for breaking the laws, jail time is a bit harsh for first time speeding offense on a quiet country road passing a car.

Fine, loss of license and community service seams fair. Even though most drink drivers and other idiots get off easier then that.


Reading that stuff makes you think. Works as a better deterrent then the government putting up one of there pathetic attempts of an ad.

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by Ben73

I agree with this post as well.
Although you should definitely should be punished for breaking the laws, jail time is a bit harsh for first time speeding offense on a quiet country road passing a car.

I would go further and say that jail time is much too harsh for speeding full stop.

I am refering to speed on opened roads, not in built up areas, through school zones or through school grounds.

We are talking about a victimless act here, that has been vilified by the whole 'speed kills' campaign, which lets face it, is only about taxing us more of our hard earned.

Now if in control of a car you hurt or kill someone regardless of the speed at which you travel, then perhaps jail should be on the table as a suitable punishment if you are at fault. But for simply pushing a little metal pedal to the floor too far for too long should not mean jail time when there are no consequences from this action other than travelling at a velocity greater than some arbitrary limit imposed by an incompetent government department catering to the lowest denominator.

[blk6t]

I agree totally but unfortunatly that's what you could face which IMHO is way too harsh, jail destroys peoples lives.

When I was at the traffic offenders program, one of the speakers goes around to the jails and does a similar program, the reason being is that for the majority of medium to low security jails in NSW, 60% of the inmates are traffic offenders (speeders, DUI's etc), the majority again are first time offenders.

Consider my charge for example "Speed Dangerous to Public", I still consider it to be a stupid charge, any speed can be a danger to the public, but it highlights the extremity that if I hit another vehicle or person, there would be a certaintly of death.

Read the page on my solicitors website and see just how harsh the punishments are especially for first time offenders...

http://www.armstronglegal.com.au/web...nner_Dangerous

It wasn't until i got home after being charged and I looked up my charge soon realising that I was facing jail time.

Its all for deterrance, that's the main reason so when people hear about stories like mine they realise just how heavy the penalities have become and expect them to get alot worse.