Advice about riding in Europe

About 25 years ago ... 165kph clocked in a 100 zone (empty urban freeway - the Eastern) at 1.30am. Had just put the bike back together after one of its major mods and was returning from the country roads where I'd been dodging wombats. Saw the cop car, knew I'd been done, pulled over and had my helmet off and licence out by the time he pulled over. Gave me a ticket for 125, saved my licence, rode home.

Said he appreciated that I didn't try to do a runner like other fuckwits he's had to apprehend. 65kph over is court, disqualification and 12 months before reapplying and maybe temp confiscation of the bike. Nice cop - I thanked him.
 
The Sock said:
Whatever happened to cops with discretion?
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They still exist, in Tasmania at least.

In the last several years or so, I've been pulled over 3 times for speeding, but nothing more than about 15kph over the limit (last time was only a few weeks ago). On each occasion I was just given a warning to slow down. No ticket or fine.

It pays to be civil to the cops and not be caught doing anything too stupid. A few kph over the limit seems to be tolerable in Tassie if your driving record isn't too shabby. I can't remember the last time I was actually booked for something. It must be at least a decade ago.

That's not to say I never did anything stupid. I'm just glad I never got caught. I don't reckon they'd show the same level of tolerance for doing 220kph!
 
Over the last 40-plus years I have had 3 very unprofessional experiences with Cops, before I said anything it was nasty, luckily only one resulted in a fine. I managed to keep my mouth shut on the other 2 times but it was really hard not to defend myself. Dickhead Cops are about, just like the general population except they are armed and have pretty unlimited assets to power. Over the same time, I have had about the same number of great experiences I guess people become Cops to either help others or intimidate and bully.
 
Honestly Vince having done 30 years in the job you find most Cops are just doing it to pay the mortgage . They are neither bullies nor overly interested in helping people. In my case i joined as it had become obvious i was a terrible mechanic..
 
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A few years ago I did some contracting jobs for a guy, big bloke, very quietly spoken, polite, listened to advice, paid his bill without question, also a policeman and when I got to know him a bit better he sometimes dropped some very insightful comments into a conversation.
I mentioned him to my cousin who's a cop, "Oh yeah, I've worked with Don, once I watched him walk in to the middle of a brawl and ask everyone nicely to calm down, AND THEY DID! Never met anyone with so much presence". I asked him how you can have that much confidence, he said "It's a trick mate!"
Normal people, hard job. Same number of ratbags as any other profession.
 
Perry said:
Honestly Vince having done 30 years in the job you find most Cops are just doing it to pay the mortgage . They are neither bullies nor overly interested in helping people. In my case i joined as it had become obvious i was a terrible mechanic..
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Hang on- when I got nicked for “exceeding 115mph” I went to Haywoods Heath magistrate court…wasn’t you was it?
You’d have been diving a white Vauxhall Carlton!🤣
 
Andy said:
A few years ago I did some contracting jobs for a guy, big bloke, very quietly spoken, polite, listened to advice, paid his bill without question, also a policeman and when I got to know him a bit better he sometimes dropped some very insightful comments into a conversation.
I mentioned him to my cousin who's a cop, "Oh yeah, I've worked with Don, once I watched him walk in to the middle of a brawl and ask everyone nicely to calm down, AND THEY DID! Never met anyone with so much presence". I asked him how you can have that much confidence, he said "It's a trick mate!"
Normal people, hard job. Same number of ratbags as any other profession.
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It is a trick. If Don was anything like me he may have looked calm but his arsehole was going ' Sixpence, half a crown '
 
motoddrob said:
Cameras don't have discretion, a couple of kays over your done and you only find out a couple of weeks later
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True, but the system is still administered by humans who do have discretion.

It might not work in other jurisdictions, but on a couple of occasions when I've been pinged on cameras, I've written them a nice letter offering some plausible excuse with a request that the fine be reduced to an official warning. It's worked for me on 3 occasions over the last 20 years or so.

It helps if it was only a few kph over the limit and you have an otherwise clean driving record. If you were doing 40kph over the limit and have an appalling record, don't bother.

The last time it worked for me I'd actually been caught somewhere in the suburbs of Melbourne (Australia) for doing 62 in a 60kph zone. I got on Google street view and found the applicable speed limit sign where it reduced from 70 to 60. It was half obscured by a tree branch, so I included a snip of that photo in my letter. You can get lucky sometimes!
 
That's available in NSW IF you have a 10-year clean record and if it's not in a School zone. Small offence only and one chance to use it for every 10 years.
 
Dellortoman said:
True, but the system is still administered by humans who do have discretion.

It might not work in other jurisdictions, but on a couple of occasions when I've been pinged on cameras, I've written them a nice letter offering some plausible excuse with a request that the fine be reduced to an official warning. It's worked for me on 3 occasions over the last 20 years or so.

It helps if it was only a few kph over the limit and you have an otherwise clean driving record. If you were doing 40kph over the limit and have an appalling record, don't bother.

The last time it worked for me I'd actually been caught somewhere in the suburbs of Melbourne (Australia) for doing 62 in a 60kph zone. I got on Google street view and found the applicable speed limit sign where it reduced from 70 to 60. It was half obscured by a tree branch, so I included a snip of that photo in my letter. You can get lucky sometimes!
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I got busted in NSW on a driving charge that required a Court appearance. Duly paid the fine the judge felt appropriate.

Had to get a license record for ten years from the Qld issuer a few months ago. Not a mention of it, presumably because I had a Qld license, not NSW, where the ‘crime’ took place 😅
 
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