An NSW highway patrol officer has reportedly been caught blocking and hiding in a cycle lane in an unmarked vehicle to book and fine people behind a concrete wall, causing uproar from citizens.
According to motoring journalist David McCowen, the unmarked police BMW was allegedly seen sideways in a "hidden" location on the southwest Alfords Point Bridge in Sydney on Sunday.
Over the weekend, Mr. McCowen shot the car, at which time speeding infractions in New South Wales carried double demerit points.
(Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images) A policeman pulls over a car caught speeding during a city-wide police action to catch people for speeding and other traffic infringements on April 16, 2013, in Berlin, Germany. Police launched a city-wide effort that included stationary speed cameras, police cars with video equipment, and police teams with radar guns to raise public awareness of respecting traffic laws.
After a vision of a NSW Police Highway Patrol car parked behind a barrier along the Alfords Point Bridge in Sydney's Sutherland Shire went viral, opinions among Australians were split.
Some called the officer's action "a parking violation," while others insisted the incident was "non-issue."
The video, taken on the weekend of Anzac Day, has garnered tens of thousands of interactions, with people from around the nation contributing their perspectives.
Many were not impressed that the automobile had blocked access to the cycling path, even though some replying pointed out that police and emergency vehicles are free from halting and parking limitations under NSW road rules.
Others criticized the police for what they saw to be "sneaky" behavior.
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Speeding Cameras in Australia
Australia continues to strictly enforce against speeding strictly, even though highway patrol officers may be sneakily enforcing the same infraction.
However, in November 2023, a mobile speed camera fined some Australians about $300,000 in two weeks, leaving them in dire financial straits.
Situated 114 km southwest of Cairns, the unexpected spike in fines in September of that year even prompted some people to consider legal action.
Only 811 homes comprise the 2,800-person hamlet in which the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads revealed that a mobile road safety camera will operate there from September 7 to September 21.
Remarkably, at this time, 94% of drivers who passed the camera escaped fines.
The camera recorded 342 vehicles breaking the permissible speed limit by more than 20 km/h, with eight breaking the limit by more than 40 km/h. One notable incident included a driver who was observed traveling at 124 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.
Australia on Speeding
The department underlined that only "valid infringement notices" were sent out and underscored the importance of obeying speed restrictions to avoid fines. It is thought that the best defense against infractions is to obey the speed limit.
The department also mentioned that data from using mobile road safety cameras throughout their deployment shows a decrease in infractions.
This implies that drivers might modify their driving behavior when they come across a speed camera, possibly preventing infractions before they happen.
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(Photo: Tech Times)
