Geez, I was so upset that I'd misread Brian's instructions and upset him that I forgot how pissed off I am today! Here's a letter that I wrote to the editor of the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper this afternoon:
"I'm as mad as hell. Last year, I fell foul of the notorious Wellington Road speed camera's on Eastlink.
Even though I had my cruise control set on 100Kph and the camera warning buzzer on my GPS didn't go off, I received a fine for exceeding the speed limit by 5 Kph. (actual speed detected was 108 Kph, just like thousands of other Victorians received around the same time)
I went to court (twice) to plead my innocence, wasting the best part of two work days. Finally the magistrate decided that he had to find the charge proved, (he explained that to be found not guilty I had to prove that either the camera was faulty or that I wasn't speeding) but due to my excellent driving record (his words) he released me without conviction.
I was still awarded one demerit point, was made to make a donation of $100.00 to the trauma unit of the Alfred Hospital, and was placed on a 6 month good behavior bond. Fantastic. All because I dared to plead not guilty.
Listening to Neil Mitchell on 3AW, I learned that the only person to be found not guilty was an off duty policewoman, driving her own car. I wondered what it had been fitted with for her to prove that the same speed camera that I was detected by was either faulty, or, that she'd not been speeding?
Now, after reading the article in the HS yesterday, I discover that if I'd just written to the police, due to my "Excellent Driving record", I'd probably have just been issued with a warning?
Gee thanks everyone,I wasted the best part of two days pleading my innocence in court, when was anyone going to get around to telling me all of my efforts weren't necessary?
Did the Police Prosecutor who I spoke to at length on my first visit to court, (who told me to just plead guilty and pay the fine) or the magistrate who put me on a 6 month good behavior bond for exceeding the speed limit by 5 Kph in a 100 Kph zone know that I could have just been given a warning?
And the authorities wonder why Victorians have no faith in our legal system........ "
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/victoria-police-rewrite-speed-rules-to-show-you-how-to-get-a-warning/story-fni0fee2-1226754536213 What will pisses me off more, is that the letter will probably never be printed. Cheers, Terry.