Driver fined $387 after traffic cameras shoot her holding phone—or a sunglasses case

boing
24

In Soviet Russia, manual reads YOU!

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And the dash cams point the other way!

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… do we have to encourage them :roll_eyes:

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… it’s so unfair that I have no way to disprove that I did the thing we all know I did :sob:

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Actually in most Australian states, although there is no law saying you can’t drive one handed, the law states you should keep both hands on the wheel and be in reasonable control and you can get a fine for driving with one hand.

In NSW (where “Syndey” is located) “Failure to have proper control of a vehicle can incur a fine of $481 and three demerit points”

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if holding such a object is that distracting, perhaps one should take public transportation.

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anyone as creeped out as me? that picture has way too much detail. that is an extreme invasion of privacy. in some areas, there may be less of an expectation of privacy in a car. but i’d say the level rises while the vehicle is in motion.

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The solution is quite simple. Allow the people 2 appeals. The first can be via email. (But they need to have an actual person going over the case and evidence submitted. Sounds like even the current appeal process is handled by AI) If that doesn’t work, the second appeal would be in court with a proper judge.

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I guess it isn’t always possible to comply with the law.

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That must be interesting for stick shift drivers.

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Test to see if an AI is making the judgement call.

  1. Install a non-functioning steering wheel for the passenger seat.
  2. Have an obvious 8 year old child in this seat holding onto the steering wheel and a “cell phone.”
  3. Show resulting ticket to the media.
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Not sure what it’s like in other legal jurisdictions but where I live it’s not expensive to fight automated “photo radar”, etc tickets. You just have to take some time out of your day to show up at traffic court, same as disputing any other ticket. I’d assume the problem the lady in this article faces is probably being mislead into believing that the official (online) “dispute system” is the only way to contest it.

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we all know that laws are inconsistently applied.

The point is, even though the law is an ass, it is still on the books in Australia

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You can go to court to appeal, but the judge can increase the penalty threefold if the judgement is upheld. I guess that is to reduce people doing frivolous appeals.

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A few hundred dollars in lost wages and an annoyed manager is why I usually couldn’t do it.

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