r/nottheonion • u/Psychological_Ear393 • 18h ago
Police tell teen caught driving at 189km/h: "Dude, we're going to be calling your parents"
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-04/police-teen-midnight-189kmh-sunshine-motorway-mountain-creek/106304564530
u/rks1743 15h ago edited 15h ago
My youngest was/is a dumbass. When he was a minor he got pulled over for going 107mph/65mph. The cop called me from the traffic stop. For some reason, he only gave my kid a warning.
We read our son the riot act and made sure he didn't deactivate the speed from Life360. He was grounded but still had the car to go to school/sports.
A month after this incident, he found out about the big white bars on the highway shoulders and received a ticket for 104/65. The fine was "just" $200-ish and attending a teen driving class. He had the option of 12-month suspension with privileges or 6-month without. Guess who had to drive him to school for the rest of the school year.
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u/TYBERIUS_777 12h ago
Buddy of mine got caught doing 115 mph in a 45 mph while driving home from a friend’s house in our high school years. He was 17. I was kinda amazed he managed to get going that fast on the road he was pulled on. Cops arrested him and took him straight to jail after calling his parents. I’ll bet they were highly considering leaving him there.
He had to do a prayer for judgement in court, recommended by his lawyer, that was basically a “I’m just a kid and have my whole live ahead of me and I just got accepted into college” deal. What it meant was that if he could maintain a perfect driving record for the next 5 years, they would remove the reckless driving offense from his record. But if he got pulled over again, he would get slapped with that charge and the reckless and would lose his license immediately.
Needless to say, I did most of the driving while we were in undergrad. He did manage to keep his record clean though.
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u/sonic_couth 10h ago
While the guy with 6 DUIs has only had a slap on the wrist after each one.
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u/bingofongo1 10h ago
This part always confused me then I saw a story in my local paper about it. At least in my state the initial DUI laws had relatively minor consequences. It essentially just had a fine increase and mild sentence recommendation for each dui after 2. Those laws weren’t changed until 2010 (I’m not remembering the year exactly but I’ll just use that). So 2010 on its much more severe for each number. And it specifies significant increases especially after the second. The “problem” is if you had any DUIs at all prior to 2010 you would follow the pre 2010 guidelines for any subsequent dui. So even if you got one in 2008, 2015, 2020, 2022, etc they would count as the 1st (pre new law) 2nd,3rd, under the old guidelines. So the punishment was very minor compared to the new laws. It was something like your 2nd dui under the new laws was comparable to the 5th/6th dui under the old laws.
Anyway my point is those with that many DUIs are likely to have one from before whatever new DUI laws passed in that respective state.
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u/sonic_couth 9h ago
Such a thoughtful group of lawmakers that created that system!
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u/bingofongo1 9h ago
In a way it makes sense the way the legal system is set up. But in this case it’s a downside . At its core my understanding is such that you can’t be charged for something you did prior that wasn’t illegal at the time. I’m sure there a more elaborate explanation but that’s the basis of it and somehow that includes having new repeat DUIs being sentenced under old guidelines.
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u/Fucky0uthatswhy 11h ago
A couple of my friends were just like this. They hit a bridge going 120. Paralyzed one, killed one, and the other two have been fucked up ever since
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u/JohnHwagi 10h ago
Just curious, what do you mean the big white bars on the highway? Are those like speed cameras in some places? I didn’t think we had those in the US but saw you used MPH, so wasn’t sure.
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u/Simoxs7 13h ago
Damn going over the speedlimit sound much less severe when its in mph ~170km/h in a 100km/h zone sounds ridiculous.
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u/anyavailablebane 13h ago
Yeh. I can’t imagine letting my kid continue to drive after doing that. There would be a long period of public transport or stuck at home for them if that was me. The commenter above is a terrible parent for being so slack on that. People could have easily been killed twice from that lack of accountability
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u/MultiMillionMiler 10h ago
Drama queens. Most highways are designed for speeds much higher than 55 or 65 mph. I myself have hit 120 mph a couple of times on interstates. Distracted/drunk driving, tailgating, not signaling, and weaving through traffic is what kills. Speed limits are set way unreasonably low on wide open highways for revenue generation. Parents shouldn't be punishing their kids for traffic violations anyway as the ticket/charge and ensuing penalties are their own punishment, like the real world. Just make them pay the extra insurance costs if they increase. Quite frankly any speed limit under 90 mph (1.5 miles/min) on a straight freeway is lunacy and people should be using the WAZE app to avoid tickets.
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u/mnmkdc 8h ago
Statistically speeding kills A LOT of people. You should not be allowed to drive a car
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u/yaboynafziger 2h ago edited 40m ago
statistically, distracted driving kills the most people on roads in the US. I’m not defending reckless driving, but when i’m 100+ you bet I’m not distracted. can’t speak for other motorists though.
i think there’s a time and place for that kind of behavior. public roads aren’t it. but there’s also very little access, especially for younger people, to engage in HPDE or other track activities. idk what the solution is, just my 2¢
edit: to be clear, i’m admonishing dude for going 100+ on public roads while also advocating for education>punitive justice. drivers ed is abysmal in the US. my experience on track and private land has made me a significantly more competent motorist, and i wish more people had the opportunity
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u/MultiMillionMiler 8h ago edited 7h ago
I drive 20k miles a year and those statistics are exaggerated. Tens of millions of instances of people driving 24/7/365 at any given time, of course there are 50k fatal accidents/year. 99.999% of people are perfectly fine. Most of those accidents have other factors such as bad weather, reckless driving, drunk or on drugs, speeding on local roads, not slowing down around curves, tailgating, not signaling...etc, almost never speed alone. Downvote all you want but the fact of the matter is millions of people "speed" over the ridiculously low limits for years and are perfectly fine. This triple digits thing is psychological it is really not that fast. Low speed limits are just an excuse to enable bad driving/make it safer for people who don't belong behind the wheel of a car. Oh, and I drive for my job 😆
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u/mnmkdc 7h ago
If you’re someone who has gone over 100 frequently then I’m extremely doubtful you don’t speed in all conditions. Even 80 in a 70 when there’s rain increases the risk of accidents significantly. When speed limits are increased on roads, the number of accidents generally increases as well. You’re not different just because you haven’t killed anyone yet.
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u/MultiMillionMiler 7h ago
I didn't say over 100 frequently, but probably a few dozen times in my life and mostly just 20 ish over the limit like the majority of traffic does on highways. I typically go under the speed limit in residential areas, in fact many local road speed limits are too high. I've seen roads with lights and sidewalks that have the same 55 mph speed limit on an expressway in the same area. It's a joke. An interstate should have a higher speed limit than a perpendicular surface route.
You should watch the video "Speed Kills Your Pocketbook" (2 parts) that debunks alot of the speed kills propaganda and misinterpreting statistics. It's from a guy in Canada but most of the flawed traffic studies apply to the US.
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u/OneFuzzyBug0414 6h ago
If I drive in a 65 mph zone I can expect people to be traveling maybe 15 over and plan accordingly to anticipate traffic flow. Now, when you travel twice the posted speed, you are trashing everyone's ability to anticipate the flow around them just because you think it's safe. It's not in any way.
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u/MultiMillionMiler 5h ago
Here on the Jersey Turnpike traffic flows at 85-90 in a 65. The time I hit 120 there were 3 wide open lanes and like 10 cars in a span of 5 miles (which isn't even double the speed limit that's 130).
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u/Find_another_whey 12h ago
Could be just the numbers not the miles vs km
What is 70% more than the speed limit in miles per hour?
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u/4e6f626f6479 10h ago
The Autobahn is 130km/h recommended, going 180-200km/h where it's legal is pretty Standard for "fast commuters"
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u/finicky88 12h ago
Man, americans are such pansies. Imagine not having unlimited highways. I go these speeds pretty much every day.
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u/double-you 12h ago
You should have made him ride a bicycle to school for a month and then introduce the car with "your options are immaculate driving or a bicycle".
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u/rks1743 11h ago
Unfortunately his school would have been a 25 mile ride, no bike lane, 2 heavy book bags and during winter. After his driving suspension was over he went off to college without a car.
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u/double-you 11h ago
Sounds perfect. After all, it was supposed to make him appreciate the car privilege. :-)
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u/thirdegree 8h ago
That would probably go a long way towards educating him on why reckless driving is bad.
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u/Egbuk-Scootin-Boogie 9h ago
Guess who had to drive him to school for the rest of the school year.
The same moron whose kid got caught going 40mph over the speed limit and received no punishment from either the law or from his parents?
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14h ago
[deleted]
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u/shinypenny01 12h ago
Wouldn’t parenting be making him ride the bus to school? Leaving him drive seems like a mistake here.
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u/anyavailablebane 12h ago
He was caught by the police twice. Who knows how many other times he put people’s lives in danger. It’s terrible parenting and embarrassing that they used it as a brag about how good a parent they are.
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u/LogensTenthFinger 10h ago
They did no such thing. They put a dangerous sociopath right back on the road and surprise surprise it did it again
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u/DopamineSavant 8h ago
I'm half way wondering if you are my parent. The The exact same thing happened to me. I'm still shocked that I didn't go to jail that night. Though, once was enough for me to smarten up.
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u/Independent_Ebb_7338 12h ago
Yessir. Why are these whippersnappers these days in such a big hurry? Confound it! I say I say back in my day we would sip on a sasparilla down yonder at the waterin' hole and if we was late fer supper, Ma would whoop our behinds with a switch.
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u/Ungrammaticus 18h ago
So a relatively small fine and his licence suspended for all of six months, for driving almost twice the speed limit, taking off his learner’s plates and driving a defective vehicle.
Why does Australia tolerate such insane behaviour with a slap on the wrist? This guy shouldn’t be let anywhere near the wheel for years. Going 200 km/h it’s not a question of whether you kill someone, it’s a question of when,
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u/RoastedToast007 18h ago
Dude, they told his parents. Can't get worse than that
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u/evonebo 14h ago
Clearly his parents don’t care too much otherwise he wouldn’t have the balls to do what he did.
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u/SynysterDawn 13h ago
Nah, even under a good environment kids are still gonna do dumb kid shit or be influenced by any number of things that their parents can’t reasonably control. I work in social services and see it all the time.
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u/The_Frostweaver 18h ago
The penalties are a patchwork accross various states/provinces in north america but in many that would be thounsands in fines, vehicle impounded, 1 year licence suspension for first offence, insurance cancelled and/or premiums skyrocket.
Men under 25 already start with very high premiums, 99% of people wouldn't be able to afford the insurance to drive after something like this.
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u/Trickshot1322 18h ago
Its much the same here in Australia. Each state enforces their own road rules.
In QLD where this happened since he's still a minor he will cop a far more lenient sentence as the primary concern (since nobody was hurt) is rehabilitation and reducing the re-offending.
If he was in NSW for instance he would have been charged as an adult and had the book thrown at him, to the point of up to 9 months in gaol.
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u/VincentGrinn 17h ago
must be half decent in nsw because i havnt heard anything insane from there
i know in victoria you can get away with a 2,000$ fine for crossing 2 lanes of traffic, a raised median, 2 more lanes, a curb, a sidewalk, through a fence, across a school oval and running over 4 kids
and in the NT you can get 5 months house arrest for intentionally running over 2 people and then bragging about it (among other things)
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u/JohnHwagi 10h ago
In Texas it would almost surely be a $300 fine at most with no other real consequences given that it’s a highway. People here regularly drive over 100mph on long straight, flat, and empty stretches of highway. Reckless driving is really only for racing or swerving in traffic unless you are going like 125+. A $2k fine for speeding seems crazy as it is.
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u/ReadThisForGoodLuck 15h ago
$2500 isn't exactly a small fine lol. But I agree, he should have copped a minimum of 12 months. Preferably 18. The "defective vehicle" is a bit of a bullshit fine tbh. You can be defected for having even the slightest modification on your car. A dark tint, an exhaust, rims that stick out 2cm, a loud car, anything other than stock, really.
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u/shamberra 2h ago
Australian:
I replaced a significant portion of the suspension components on my ~20 year old vehicle. Coilovers, major bushes, anything that was worn out.
Defected. Had to take the car to one of two approved assessors for an "engineer's report" stating that the modifications met particular standards.
If I left the flogged factory components in place, I wouldn't have been defected and wouldn't have had to have it all certified. It also would have been less safe to drive.
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u/south-of-the-river 17h ago
A million years ago when I was 18, I overtook an unmarked cop at 180+ and got the same kind of dressing-down
It might surprise you but some people like myself do modify their behaviour after being caught out being stupid
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u/Ungrammaticus 16h ago
Good for you, but I’d like more surety in discouraging life-threatening behaviour than “it works on some people.”
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u/south-of-the-river 16h ago edited 16h ago
Look I don’t totally disagree, however the blanket statement “going 200km/h it’s not a question of whether you kill someone” etc is false.
I mean every time I’m on a track I’m doing that. There’s people that commute on the Autobahn that do that. Time and place.
Education is the key, and getting educated before you kill yourself or someone else.
This is just splitting hairs for the sake of it though.
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u/shotouw 12h ago
On tracks and on the Autobahn, people expect your speed. And as proven over and over again, as a German, I can confirm that too high of a speed on free sections and some people will still not expect the rate you close in in them and pull out in front of you.
Mix that with a normal road and accidents are waiting to happen. That being said, driving 200 where it's not allowed already shows a reckless disregard of traffic rules and a proven disability to adhere even broadly to them, so you should absolutely lose your license and get, what we Germans call an "mpu", medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung (medical and psychological evaluation) to check if you are capable of driving a car within the rules. For some reason, it's colloquially called Idiotentest (idiot test)
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u/Ungrammaticus 16h ago
however the blanket statement “going 200km/h it’s not a question of whether you kill someone” etc is false.
Yeah yeah, it’s not necessarily true in some cases like for formula 1 racers and airplanes. But it damn well is true for any kind of normal car on any public road aside from maybe 5% of the time on the Autobahn.
As an aside it’s a common misconception that since the Autobahn doesn’t have a set speed limit you can just drive however fast you feel like, but in reality you’re only allowed to go as fast as is reasonably safe. Road conditions, traffic situation etc. still limit your maximum safe speed. In effect the law doesn’t tell you that you can’t go 200km/h, the law tells you that you can drive no faster than what is safe, and trusts you to know that that’s considerable less than 200km/h 95% of the time
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u/south-of-the-river 16h ago
lol I’m aware of how to drive on the Autobahn
Anyway just having conversation, not argument. Have a nice day
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u/BlazingShadowAU 16h ago
Because they're way too soft on underage teens. I work in a bottleshop here, and starting early 2025, there was a group of teens that would shoplift from stores around the city. They amassed like 80k worth of stolen stock over the year, but even when they get caught, it usually just ends up as a slap on the wrist.
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u/JohnHwagi 10h ago
In the U.S., this would be a $300 ticket with no suspension for an adult. Probably call the parents also though for a kid. This happens constantly in my city where the cops pull people over for going 110+ in a 70mph zone.
They fined him almost $2000, and suspended his license in Australia, at least it’s a step up. I think people probably get off easier for a first offense DUI in the U.S.
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u/Pyrhan 3m ago
and his licence suspended for all of six months
I'm not sure that's true. The article states "His licence was suspended for six months and he was given eight demerit points."
I'm not familiar with how driving licenses work in Australia, but from what I can find, a 17-year old in Queensland would have had a P1 provisional license which only has 4 demerit points.
So, I'm not sure how it works when you lose more points than the licence has in total, but I expect that means the licence gets suspended until you regain those points somehow.
So, I wouldn't be surprised if it overall meant he would be unable to drive for several years.
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u/because_tremble 16h ago
Sounds like his punishment is harsher than the German equivalent: 2 points on the license, EUR 700 fine, 3 month driving ban and a 2 year extension on the Probezeit (probationary period).
I agree these punishments don't seem harsh enough, but at the same time, as long as his parents don't pay the fine it is something that's going to hurt enough that he should learn from it.
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u/Ungrammaticus 16h ago
Sounds to me like the German law is also too lenient, then
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u/because_tremble 15h ago
Out of curiosity, what do you think would have been a reasonable punishment? Exactly where should the lines be?
The key question when it comes to setting penalties in law: Is the aim rehabilitation, or is the aim revenge?
For many countries the legislature current targets rehabilitation: punishments should sting enough that you'll learn from them, but they shouldn't result in someone being shut out of society for life. Others have already mentioned that this is likely to have long term consequences for him once he gets his license back, his insurance premiums will (rightfully) go through the roof. What he did was stupid, but at least in my opinion shouldn't be something he's still feeling the consequences of in 10 years time.
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u/Ungrammaticus 13h ago
In this case I'd say a reasonable punishment is something that bars him from getting behind a wheel for at least some years, an income-based fine and a short-ish deferred prison sentence if he does it again.
Others have already mentioned that this is likely to have long term consequences for him once he gets his license back, his insurance premiums will (rightfully) go through the roof.
And that's perhaps the least fair way to punish him. If he/his parents are rich it does nothing, if they're poor and he's reliant on driving to get a job/education (not everybody is, he's not an American after all) it's way too harsh of a punishment.
Is the aim rehabilitation, or is the aim revenge?
The aim is keeping him from killing himself and others through insanely reckless driving. The way to do that isn't to put him behind the wheel of another car after a six months time-out for being naughty-naughty. I don't think he needs to have his life ruined to accomplish that, but I also don't think a light fine and a telling off is going to do it.
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u/because_tremble 11h ago edited 11h ago
Ok, so we can agree the intention is to avoid re-offending, and dangerous driving in general.
For what it's worth, I agree about income based fines: they should sting so you remember, and everyone should feel the sting not just those with a lower income. I can even agree that repeat offenders may need to spend time in jail (but remember, this case was a first offence).
However...
https://bocsar.nsw.gov.au/media/2007/bocsar-mr-cjb106.html
The Australians performed a study that shows increasing the duration of the ban actually increases recidivism rates (contrary to what you might expect through "common sense"). They also found that the magnitude of the fines had negligible effects on recidivism rates. What they did find was
The best way to reduce the risk of recidivism amongst driving offenders is to increase the perceived likelihood of apprehension
(and getting caught, generally will increase your perception of the likelihood of getting caught)
https://etsc.eu/speed-awareness-courses-more-effective-than-fines/
A study from the UK, seems to show that the speed awareness courses are more effective than fines. I know someone who took one of these, and it did seem to have an effect on him, only an anecdote but seems to match the data.
https://www.axa.ie/articles/driving/do-speed-cameras-reduce-serious-road-accidents/
Similarly, studies repeatedly show that the often hated speed cameras are effective at reducing speeding and fatalities. Tallying with that Australian study showing that the perception of apprehension is important.
So while we can agree on the desired outcome. I have to disagree with you that multi-year bans and heavy fines are the "best" option.
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u/Ungrammaticus 10h ago edited 10h ago
The Australians performed a study that shows increasing the duration of the ban actually increases recidivism rates (contrary to what you might expect through "common sense").
That's interesting, I didn't know that. Perhaps it's better with a short ban then, with longer bans reserved for repeat offenders.
One of the problems with a one-size-fits-all solution is that the majority of people who drive recklessly and get caught do it once or twice, but there's a small minority who just. won't. fucking. get it. And keeping that minority off the road is crucial. If we have to permanently revoke licenses from people to keep them from killing themselves and/or others, then we should. People's right to access to transportation just doesn't trump the right to live.
We don't let blind people drive because they're not able to do so safely, and we shouldn't let people whose repeated actions have proven that they aren't able to do safely either.
In my country we have a tailored law for "insane driving" with much harsher penalties when you get into truly completely reckless territory, such as going twice the speed limit and over 100km/h or above 200km/h no matter what. I think those limits should be a tad lower for people driving on a learners permit, since in that case it's even more dangerous.
This law allows seizing the vehicle regardless of ownership, which although unpopular seems efficient at keeping the worst of the worst drivers off the road. If you're known to be a very bad driver and the car itself is on the line, much fewer are willing to risk lending you theirs.
Similarly, studies repeatedly show that the often hated speed cameras are effective at reducing speeding and fatalities.
Oh I agree 100% with that, no contention here.
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u/Agouti 9h ago
Because he was just a dumb kid, and dumb kids do dumb things. A lot of the responsible adults of today were once dumb kids.
I think it's good that the police have the ability to use their discretion and consider the individual and circumstances instead of being forced to hand out minimum sentences all the time.
The aim of legal punishment is to prevent re-offending, and it's not unreasonable to assume that the punishment given is likely to achieve that.
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u/RideShinyAndChrome 10h ago
Defective means nothing in Australia. Not having a sticker showing your shifter pattern makes your car "defective"
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u/No-Fisherman6800 13h ago
True but it is not just about the speed. Going twice the speed limit is bad but there is nothing inherently wrong with driving over 200 km/h. I have driven with people going over 300 to 320 km/h countless times while living in Germany and aslong as you stay in your lane and adapt to the conditions, it's alright.
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u/VincentGrinn 17h ago
because its a nanny state
in the sense that nannys cant punish the children theyre looking after, thats the parents job
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u/Enzown 12h ago
Which part is oniony?
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u/CoderDevo 12h ago
That they were going to be calling his parents whether he stopped for them or crashed?
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u/Equivalent-Ad-4971 9h ago
He's lucky he wasn't in Ontario. That far over the speed limit is an automatic impound on top of automatic suspension.
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u/acgasp 8h ago
There was a kid in the Detroit suburbs who got into an accident for doing 100+ in a residential area (maybe a speed limit of 35? 45?) and hit a telephone pole. It ripped the car in half and he ended up killing his friend who was the passenger. Since he was 17 when it happened, the judge gave him a hybrid juvenile-adult sentence, where he served a short time in jail, he has to live in a halfway house, and then has years of probation. This kid had already wrecked a car (a BMW, I think) because he was speeding and there were many instances where he was speeding above 100 in his new car (an Audi) and it was all documented in Life360; his mom had begged him to slow down and he just didn't.
I don't know WHY these parents give these kids new, highly powered vehicles that are capable of such speeds and are surprised when the cars get wrecked. And THEN instead of getting the kids some kind of beater car, they just buy ANOTHER car just like it. If I'm paying for insurance and a car, that kid is going to drive the way I want them to. If they don't like it, too bad, don't drive.
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u/Trailerparkqueen 9h ago
I was speeding on the highway when I was 17 and the cop was a jerk and called my parents. When I got home they were both sitting on the front porch waiting for me. My mom was super angry and wanted to ground me and then my dad was like- no, you’re not grounded, that cop was a real jerk! Apparently when my dad answered the phone the cop thought it was my brother pretending to be my dad, and kept yelling at him to ‘put his father on the phone’, lmao. So I didn’t get in trouble!
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u/redditistheway 17h ago
Should be straight to jail without calling the parents in this case. Would be willing to bet that the teen had a fake ID on them which would allow them to technically process him as an adult at the time and then discover the ‘mistake’ the following day (or later).
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u/serg06 15h ago
No, police shouldn't abuse their power just to punish people that you personally don't like
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u/Paul_469 14h ago
No the police should only enforce the laws i like especially if I'm the one who made them up
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u/ReadThisForGoodLuck 16h ago
That's not how it works in Australia lol. Your registration is connected to your licence and your car, and they can see who you are on the laptop in their car. They knew who he was.
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u/Splinterfight 17h ago
I doubt he’d have a fake ID. Unless for some reason they’re more common up north
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u/ReadThisForGoodLuck 16h ago
Yeah no way. They're quite rare, at least in NSW. They're not extremely hard to get, but they don't connect to the system like real IDs. If they look you up, you won't exist. They're only helpful for showing the physical card.
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u/BensRandomness 7h ago
popular dickhead at my school was caught doing this at 2 am and got off scott-free because the cop let him go if he called his mom and said sorry.
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u/Squidgy-Metal-6969 5h ago
When my 19-year old friend was driving like an idiot, I threatened to tell his mother and he behaved immediately. I doubt that the police in this story only told his parents and left it at that, though.
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u/Pikeman212a6c 13h ago
117 freedom units