Fines and what they want to do to get you to pay

NZ · 25-05-2005, 11:17 AM

I heard on the news thismorning that the state goverment is looking at ways to get people with fines to pay up. They are throwing around ideas like, not renewing vehicle registration, suspending your licence, wage deductions and so forth. They have 600 million in outstanding fines and 30,000 people have over 10 unpaid fines.

I don't know what my fines are up to at the moment but it was over 2k the last time i rang. I don't know what they class as a fine, but if it includes the city link, and parking fines as well i must have over 25 by now. It might be a good time to call them and arrange payment scheme.

BJ · 25-05-2005, 11:28 AM

The thing that gets me is the fact that people dont pay. Then when this sort of thing is being looked at they all feel guilty. Any fine i get i pay weather it be parking or speeding or what ever it is. It just shits me that other people dont seam to think it is a big deal, well it is now because thay arent thinking about it they are going to do it. They will be taking it from the first fine you got and will be taking what ever steps they need to recover the amount owed. The last bit is that if payment isnt meet within a time frame it will double in cost. And yes i will admit i was a parking officer in a passed life, so shoot me.

Kryton · 25-05-2005, 11:38 AM

well if you get the fine you should pay it. if you cant afford it you can make arrangements so theres no reason why you shouldnt be paying them.
someones gonna say 'its all just revenue raising' and thats a load of crap. if you werent doing anything wrong in the first place you wouldnt have got a fine.
i think the best way would be to not allow vehicle rego if you have fines.
if you have insurance you have to tell them about each and every fine you get, and if you havent paid theres a good chance you havent told them, so you may find you dont have insurance when you need it anyway.
also maybe when its time for rego you should be made to prove that you have insurance before your rego can be accepted.
im not one that believes in wage garnishing (as it can become unfair on the person) and your license shouldnt cop it cos you didnt pay.

neb · 25-05-2005, 11:45 AM

i hate parking officers :P this has happened twice to me i bought a parking ticket but not thinking i just left it sitting in the centre console instead of on the dash... and bam $50 fine both times. i wrote them a letter explaining what happened, and sent them the original copy of the ticket i bought, and also did a stat declaration and went to a police station and got it signed by them. But the council still wanted it paid.

also in the last 2 years it started at $2.50 per day, then increased to $3.00 and then increased to $3.50.

anyway thats my rant about parking :P i've now got a parking deal with a local club so i don't have to give the council any money for parking and only paying $2 per day.

Psycho Chicken · 25-05-2005, 11:56 AM

Half the time you organise a payment plan and never hear anything back.

FRDXR6 · 25-05-2005, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neb

i hate parking officers :P this has happened twice to me i bought a parking ticket but not thinking i just left it sitting in the centre console instead of on the dash... and bam $50 fine both times.

I have done this before as well i put it in the centre console while i took off my headunit and forgot all about it

but theres not much you can do even though you know it was an innocent mistake. To them you could have just got a mates ticket and showed it to them whilst making up the story, ah well

**Polyal** · 25-05-2005, 12:37 PM

holy crap 2k in fines, how did you manage that!

Parking fnes are the worst kind of fine!
The last one I got was after I went to the Le Parisine (sp?) in Geelong. I was so happy that the GF's parents paid for dinner; its an expensive place.

I go back to my car and low and behold there is my main course in a parking fine. Not happy Jan. And all because I didn't put two bloody dollars in the machine.

Casper · 25-05-2005, 12:43 PM

Well, all I can say is SCREW EM! If they want me to pay my fines that I feel were unjust, they better set a court date as thats the only way its going to happen. I've already paid the ones I deserved...no fuss. Its the bullshit ones that I'm not budging on.

**Polyal** · 25-05-2005, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Well, all I can say is SCREW EM! If they want me to pay my fines that I feel were unjust, they better set a court date as thats the only way its going to happen. I've already paid the ones I deserved...no fuss. Its the bullshit ones that I'm not budging on.

Not having a dig at you casper, but can you tell us what fines where "unjust".

NZ · 25-05-2005, 02:46 PM

I wonder what they would do if you parked in one of those pay and display type parks, then unbolted your plates and pulled your reg sticker off?

but seriously it is a bit of a joke. i mean they send you the letter saying that the sheriff will take some of your posessions etc, etc nothing ever happens! maybe i've just been lucky and slipped through. but yeah i will pay them off at the minimum they will take. its interest free so wgaf how long it takes. i'm not paying them quicker so they can put up more camera's quicker.

Casper · 25-05-2005, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Not having a dig at you casper, but can you tell us what fines where "unjust".

well, 2 parking fines that were issued for "double Parking" and sent in the mail without any proof apart from their word I did it. Any speed camera fine that is for abour 4kph over the limit (I sure as hell doubt that a speed camera mounted in a vehicle driven on Vic roads is going to stay within that tight of a calibration for longer than the first pothole....nor the operator/monkey skilled enough to set it up within such tight parameters....nor any cars speed perfect enough to tell them EXACTLY how fast they are going).

Oh, and one recently where I had a valid parking reciept but the **** of a parking officer had decieded my car looked familier and booked me anyhow for parking longer that 2 hours in one spot...regardless of the recipt displayed in my front window. He was wrong, I had moved my car....but the money hungry ****wits who act like parking nazi's want to play like they are real cops and not retards in dressup. If that offends any current parking inspectors or speed camera operators...tough, get a real job and stop being a leech on society.

klawsterfobik · 25-05-2005, 02:57 PM

The only time i have put money in the meter the other day, and i came back and i had a parking fine! Its how it works isnt it.. the only day im feeling generous enough to put money in the meter and it runs out and i get a fine. ohh..

and how are parking meters not revenue rasing? the land is there for parking... it doesnt cost the council anything to have them there. If the removed the parking spaces, and extended the shops out into them, noone would have anywhere to park, and the shops would lose a whole lot of money, and go bust. So the council wouldnt make any money off the shops for rates or whatever. IMO the council needs to provide parking spaces to make money...

merlin · 25-05-2005, 03:03 PM

Is this only a VIC thing or something, I was under the impression that if you didnt pay in NSW the sherrif payed a visit to you or you were taken to court.

Pilch · 25-05-2005, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Oh, and one recently where I had a valid parking reciept but the **** of a parking officer had decieded my car looked familier and booked me anyhow for parking longer that 2 hours in one spot...regardless of the recipt displayed in my front window. He was wrong, I had moved my car....but the money hungry ****wits who act like parking nazi's want to play like they are real cops and not retards in dressup. If that offends any current parking inspectors or speed camera operators...tough, get a real job and stop being a leech on society.

you got ripped off there mate, but labelling all parking officers with that manner is very harsh. Your just stereotyping all parking officers even though the majority would make every effort to enforce parking rules in a fair and just manner. How would you like the police stereotyping all Ford drivers as hoons based one or two bad experiences and giving every Ford driver a hard time from a few bad experiences? It wouldn't be a fair judgement, would it?

XplosiveR6 · 25-05-2005, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Any speed camera fine that is for abour 4kph over the limit (I sure as hell doubt that a speed camera mounted in a vehicle driven on Vic roads is going to stay within that tight of a calibration for longer than the first pothole....nor the operator/monkey skilled enough to set it up within such tight parameters....nor any cars speed perfect enough to tell them EXACTLY how fast they are going).

i think in victoria anyway, they knock 3kms off the speed you are caught at because of variations or whatever, so in them giving you a fine for 4kms over, they prob caught you actally doing 7kms over.

Casper · 25-05-2005, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilch

you got ripped off there mate, but labelling all parking officers with that manner is very harsh. Your just stereotyping all parking officers even though the majority would make every effort to enforce parking rules in a fair and just manner. How would you like the police stereotyping all Ford drivers as hoons based one or two bad experiences and giving every Ford driver a hard time from a few bad experiences? It wouldn't be a fair judgement, would it?

no, but based on my experiance, I have yet to meet a parking inspector that I would classify as anything but a try hard rent a cop. Sorry, one day I'm sure I'll meet one but, up til now, they have all been less then human. I can only base my opinion on my experiances.

You will also notice that I have not referred to police in any of my posts. With 1 exception (Bendigo must get all the rejects

: ) EVERY SINGLE cop I've ever met and been booked by has been polite, fair and generally a decent person. Same cant be said for parking inspectors I've been unfortunate enough to encounter.

Casper · 25-05-2005, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF_Dave

i think in victoria anyway, they knock 3kms off the speed you are caught at because of variations or whatever, so in them giving you a fine for 4kms over, they prob caught you actally doing 7kms over.

Its revenue raising, simple as that. It is not an effective deterrent, it is not an effective solution. Infact, based on their own stats, it has not decreased road deaths 1 pecent...if anything it has raised it.

I will never accept that it is anything but revenue raising and will treat all speed cameras and their operators with pure distain...something similar to dog shit.

Pilch · 25-05-2005, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

no, but based on my experiance, I have yet to meet a parking inspector that I would classify as anything but a try hard rent a cop. Sorry, one day I'm sure I'll meet one but, up til now, they have all been less then human. I can only base my opinion on my experiances.

You will also notice that I have not referred to police in any of my posts. With 1 exception (Bendigo must get all the rejects

: ) EVERY SINGLE cop I've ever met and been booked by has been polite, fair and generally a decent person. Same cant be said for parking inspectors I've been unfortunate enough to encounter.

well just stay open-minded to the possibility of a "human" parking officer, 'coz trust me they do exist. unfortunatley a lot of people out there (not referring to you here Casper) give parking inspectors a really hard time because they don't understand the importance of parking laws. it's hard to comprehend how dangerous their job can get in some cases where they have to confront the owner of a vehicle with a parking fine on it!!!

4.9 EF Futura · 25-05-2005, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

tough, get a real job and stop being a leech on society.

That's a bit harsh... they just trying to pay the bills - like each and every one of us. Prey tell, what career have you chosen?

**russellw** · 25-05-2005, 05:04 PM

Let's keep this on track guys.
Russ

4.9 EF Futura · 25-05-2005, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russellw

Let's keep this on track guys.
Russ

Sorry Russell... In all the excitement - i forgot my question!!

Just wondering why they need to bring these measures in? As noted by a NSW person before - in SA, if you dont pay your fines - the sherrif comes a knocking and you are required to explain yourself to a magistrate, of course with all court expenses coming from your pocket... why do they need to implement these "incentives" in Victoria? How can you sit on $2k worth of fines?!? Are you not automatically dragged before a court of law?

T_Terror · 25-05-2005, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Its revenue raising, simple as that. It is not an effective deterrent, it is not an effective solution. Infact, based on their own stats, it has not decreased road deaths 1 pecent...if anything it has raised it.

I will never accept that it is anything but revenue raising and will treat all speed cameras and their operators with pure distain...something similar to dog shit.

IM with you.

Still got 2grand owing according to them. But they wont ever see a cent, screw them they can go work for a living just like everyone else.

This new scheme is just government backed extortion. Whens the next bloody election already.

T_Terror · 25-05-2005, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.9 EF Futura

Sorry Russell... In all the excitement - i forgot my question!!

Just wondering why they need to bring these measures in? As noted by a NSW person before - in SA, if you dont pay your fines - the sherrif comes a knocking and you are required to explain yourself to a magistrate, of course with all court expenses coming from your pocket... why do they need to implement these "incentives" in Victoria? How can you sit on $2k worth of fines?!? Are you not automatically dragged before a court of law?

Theres that many people sitting on fines they refuse to pay that there is a massive backlog which will take forever for the local sheriffs to visit each and every person.
Its not as simple as an officer jumping in your car as payment either, court processes are lengthy and expensive.

Phil · 25-05-2005, 05:50 PM

well, this lovely system of taking away your license for unpaid fines has been in west aust for a few years now. I have been "caught without a license" half way between Perth and Kalgoorlie a few years ago. License checks in the middle of no where, not even at a town, 20 mins drive to the nearest town. I got a multinova camera fine in perth and the priks sent it to my old address, i didnt even know i got it, sent all the follow up letters etc to old address. Before you ask, yes i changed all my license details with the rego and coppers. So when i was pulled over, the cop said my license was suspended for unpaid fines. Told him didnt know about them, signed an afridavid , but couldnt drive till the fines were paid. $150 blew out to just under $1000

: . The coppers drove me and my car back to Merriden and I had to call a couple of friends to come and get me. Not impressed. Tryed to make a complaint, it was all my fault of course......They take your drivers license and if you still dont pay they wont let you re-rego your car

ing_sm .
Pretty much agree with Casper....cameras-revenue raises, F@#k em