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2:11PM Wednesday 03 December, 2008

Boulevard speed limit a trap for the unwary

12:00a.m. 21st August 2008

| By Toby Walker

Boulevard speed limit a trap for the unwary

Maroochy Boulevard bridge over the Sunshine Motorway at dusk. Photo: Brett Wortman/170327s

Taxi driver Chris Law has hit out at late night police stings for speeding on Maroochy Boulevard, labelling them blatant revenue raising.

But police say Mr Law only has himself to blame and have backed the 60km speed limit on the busy road.

Mr Law’s frustration at copping a fine during his shift last Saturday will no doubt resonate with countless drivers who think the same thing to themselves every time they spot a roadside speed camera or a radar-toting police officer, that each flash of the camera, each fine issued and each point deducted is all to justify budgets and keep the money rolling in.

In Mr Law’s case, he had been driving heading towards Plaza Parade from Wises Road just after 1am when he was pulled over by an officer who had clocked him with the radar for doing 78km/h in a 60km/h zone.

The Caloundra-based taxi driver claimed two of his cab-driving colleagues were also booked at the same spot that night.

Mr Law conceded those caught speeding have only themselves to blame but complained that the year-old road, which briefly widens to three-lanes at the end of Wises Road to allow traffic to enter the Sunshine Motorway, represented “expressway-like conditions” which gave the impression of a permissible speed limit above 60km/h

He did not believe the signs indicating the speed limit were of an adequate size to warn drivers not familiar with the road.

Acting Inspector Peter Flanders denied police were targeting the area.

“Since (Maroochy Boulevard) opened we’ve noticed that any time of day there’s people speeding there and the primary reason is because the road allows such convenient access to the motorway people come along Plaza Parade for instance in a hurry so they treat it like a racetrack rather than treating it like the speed zone it’s meant to be,” he said.

“I reckon (the 60km/h speed limit) is completely reasonable when you look at all the associated infrastructure works going on around there.

“All you’ve got to do is travel at the speed limit and you won’t get a ticket.”

Recent Comments

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Posted by Icarus from Sunshine Coast
on 21 August, 2008 at 5:58 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Unabashed revenue raising.
Posted by coastres72 from Nambour
on 21 August, 2008 at 7:18 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
boo hoo hoo , a taxi driver observing the speed limit? what a joke !!!! whether the police were targetting taxis or not,its about sweet time a few were rounded up for driving like idiots(reguarly on mobile phones-passengers or not,illegal turns,cutting people off etc etc). Complaints to the taxi company about their drivers driving habits reguarly fall on deaf ears and have for a very long time.
Posted by The_Supervisor from Nambour
on 21 August, 2008 at 7:22 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
On that stretch of road, I think the speed limit could be bumped up to at least 70 k's without endangering too many lives!

However i have no sympathy for those caught out...you broke the law,Too Bad, Boo Hoo for you!
Posted by daball from Buderim
on 21 August, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
i agree that the speed limit on that section of road is a joke and I have noticed that it is targeted more than most similar roads. Pity the police dont spend more time in 50kph side streets where the hoons congregate doing burnouts. riding unregistered motor bikes, motorized scooters on the wrong side of the road, no helmets, no licence etc. They might also target the local buses who regularly exceed the speed limit in these streets.
Posted by Cooroy_Kid from Cooroy
on 21 August, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I agree with the police that it is a speedway, with most people ignoring the 60 signs.

I personally think it should be an 80 zone, but because it is signposted as 60, I drive at 60.

If you don't want to get caught, don't speed. Simple.
Posted by LilMissSunshine from local
on 21 August, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
If the Acting Inspector Peter Flanders acknowledges that people speed on that section, what sort of action is being done to rectify the situation?

He states: "primary reason is because the road allows such convenient access to the motorway people come along Plaza Parade", so if this is a known fact to the police force, maybe the road needs to be looked at, speed limit signs erected in more visible spots.. etc.

Having a speed trap/radar isnt going to solve the problem. People who are speeding will go the limit there, but speed either prior or after that particular known section where the trap/radar is.
Posted by rossop from Glass House Mountains
on 21 August, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
It's a 60 zone. I go down there at least weekly, and when I'm travelling at 60 I get passed all the time. That also includes having others up my butt, as if they don't understand why I'm travelling 'so slow'.

What's the hurry? You only end up at lights at either end of this road with traffic backed up on all of the roads surrounding the Plaza anyhow.

R.
Posted by justmysay from maroochydore
on 21 August, 2008 at 11:03 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I get so fed up of people complaining about getting booked for speeding. If you don't speed you don't get booked SIMPLE.
Posted by LJ_Turner from Marcoola
on 21 August, 2008 at 12:08 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Quote 'police prefer not to enforce 50km suburban streets because they get more complaints per booking'. Hobbs Rd, Kunda Park 2006.
Posted by jane_buderim from Buderim
on 21 August, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
What a stupid saying - revenue raising. If people were doing the right thing, there would be no revenue to raise. If you do the wrong thing you pay the consequences. There's no such thing as revenue raising when it comes to road rules.
Posted by MammaBear from Chancellor Park
on 21 August, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I agree, if you don't speed, you don't get done, nobody has to pay anything. If you do speed, hell you might have to pay with your life, or worse still, someone elses! Don't speed, its just that simple.
Posted by nathan from caloundra
on 21 August, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
i found this quite funny - 'some drivers seem just plain stupid' headline on left page, old mate's photo nice and big on the right... yup, more than a little stupid.

you cant speed the complain when you get a ticket. its like smoking then moaning about the cancer
Posted by Electro from Caloundra
on 21 August, 2008 at 5:24 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
From what I understand, the gentleman was booked due to the sign being too small to catch his attention as he entered the zone - thus the confusion over the speed limit.

I doubt he was deliberately exceeding the speed limit - in fact, he probably thought it was an 80km/h zone, thus actually travelling at an acceptable speed (78km/h)
Posted by Darkknight from Sippy Downs
on 21 August, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Seems to me that if he didn't know the speed limit because the signs weren't 10 ft x 10 ft (or perhaps because he was going too fast to notice them) that he should have still been travelling at 60.

It's a built up road...system of street lights. Open your eyes.
Posted by Cooroy_Kid from Cooroy
on 21 August, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Oh please, 'Electro from Caloundra'.

The driver involved is a taxi driver.

The speed signs are the standard size.

Stop making excuses.
Posted by amarina_ssc from Mooloolab
on 21 August, 2008 at 7:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
How sad, another creep got caught ignoring well posted speed limits. The rules are there so we can all live in harmony and safety. Those who have no regard for others, deserve the full impact of the law.
Posted by daball from Buderim
on 22 August, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
most comments although right do not answer my question> where are the police when they are needed most ie booking the hoons in the side streets.
Posted by Bob_Bates from Warana
on 25 August, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
“But police say Mr Law only has himself to blame and have backed the 60km speed limit on the busy road.”

Busy, busy, did the man say ‘busy.’

At 1.00 am????


“In Mr Law’s case, he had been driving heading towards Plaza Parade from Wises Road just after 1am when he was pulled over by an officer who had clocked him with the radar for doing 78km/h in a 60km/h zone.”

What on earth was this copper doing there? I guess he was not alone, and he had an enforcement asset, his vehicle sitting idle.

Sheer opportunistic revenue raising.


“I reckon (the 60km/h speed limit) is completely reasonable when you look at all the associated infrastructure works going on around there.”

Is this man blind…?

What work?

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