speeding ticket in victoria - pay or not living abroad?

Question

my wife came back with speeding tickets from australia where she was for holidays.

actually there was the name of her girlfriend (travelling with her) mentioned on the speeding ticket, but sent to my wife's address.

anyway, should she pay or not?

yes, she may plan to go back to australia ... her girlfriend for sure plans to go back to australia.

or how long to wait for the statute of limitation?

Answer 1

speeding fines are total revenew raising and have nothing to to with road safety,its just a brain washing campaign by the government that they save lives-there's ne evidence they do and the road toll hasn't dropped at all.i just send it back with return to sender especially if your wife's name is not on it,you'll have no worries,her friend may have trouble if she comes back to Australia though and she hasn't paid.

Answer 2

I live in Victoria. If the fines are in your wife's friends name, then it has nothing to do with your wife. Either put return to sender on it (saying that the person does not live at this address), or send it back with your wife's friends address so they can forward it to her. It has absolutely nothing to do with your wife.

If her friend chooses not to pay it, that's up to her. Yes, speeding and red light fines are a big revenue raiser, but there are way too many deaths on our roads, which is why people get fined. It's to help to stop them.

How would you feel if your wife didn't come home because some idiot was speeding and she died? You'd hope the person paid for it, right? Well while your wife's friend didn't kill anyone, it is possible. The fines are a preventative measure. Too many tickets and you could lose your licence (not sure how that works for overseas drivers), or after paying too many fines, you'll get sick of it and try to do the right thing.

Your wife's friend should pay. She was in the wrong and did break our laws.

Answer 3

Speed limits control traffic and save lives. A driving licence is not a right, it is a privilege. When you get a licence you agree to obey the road rules in Australia, it is part of the deal.

If you choose to break the law, you must expect to be fined. People who stay within the speed limit do not collect speeding tickets. In NSW, fixed speed cameras are placed in known black spots. They are well signposted and slow the traffic through the dangerous area which is what they are designed to do.

People who complain about speed cameras and red light cameras and pour scorn on those operating them are the hoons who are running red lights and speeding. They are breaking the law.

The fines are sent to the owner of the car or the hirer of the car. It is up to the person receiving the ticket to pay or to advise the Department of the name and address of the driver. If the tickets are in the friend's name, the friend is responsible and should pay.

If you are returning to Australia and you have outstanding traffic fines you could have difficulty renting a car as your licence could be cancelled for failure to pay. You would also be in trouble should you be pulled over for a random breath test or licence check.

Your wife or her friend or both broke the laws of Australia. You would expect Australians to obey your laws, we expect you to obey ours. Pay the fines.

Answer 4

If I were her, I would send a letter to the moneygrubbers out there (speeding tickets are nothing but a revenue stream, no matter where you go) and just say, "look, I'm not coming back to go to court, so eat me, however, here is my check, I now consider this matter closed"

I've fought the law myself. It's not worth it half the time. Just pay the fine, and go and rip and rag and namecall these moneysuckers to friends and the internet. It's just not worth leaving these things unresolved. While she may not have any troubles where she's at now because of it, things like this have a way of coming back and biting you in the rump at the worst time.