In April this year drivers will be fined for using mobile phones if caught on the M4 mobile phone use detection system. Fair enough, we have some drongos, like the tool who was caught using both his hands to use his phone while his mate in the passenger seat held the wheel, but, seriously, is a camera system dedicated to detecting mobile use really needed? What's next, fun police?
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 04 2019, @07:13PM (5 children)
I guess Australia really is a high-wage country right now. $1200 fine plus driving ban for speeding 133 in a 90 zone. $700+ for supposedly not properly fixing a motorcycle helmet strap. It would bankrupt people in this country, quite possibly impact the local economy, which is probably the reason automatic enforcement coupled with huge fines hasn't been implemented here.
But AFAIK Australia is a democracy, so if they want draconian laws, they must be voting for them.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 04 2019, @08:09PM (3 children)
From what I gather in the news, Australia is almost entirely a bunch of urbanites and suburbanites who are soft and afraid of everything. They need govt protection from all the boogeymen. Steve Irwin, Crocodile Dundee, and those types are as much a novelty to most Aussies as they are to us Americans--relics of a bygone age. Please, somebody correct me if I am wrong.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 04 2019, @10:14PM (1 child)
The real Crocodile Dundee got fucked by the government and tried to live off the edge of the nanny state, but in the end he went out GTA style [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 05 2019, @03:03AM
Wow, that's some story. Thanks for sharing!
(Score: 1) by The Vocal Minority on Saturday January 05 2019, @05:58AM
Like using the word "drongo".
(Score: 2) by Hyper on Saturday January 05 2019, @02:31PM
The message seems to be that if you can't afford the fines you should not be driving. It says a lot about the society.
OTOH they probably figure that if you can't make the fine you can always sell your car.