speeding ticket from Australia, should I pay it?

[Buck Nasty]

So about 6-7 weeks ago I took a work trip to Australia. Stayed an extra day with a coworker and rented a car to go explore. She rented the car and I drove. Today she got a speeding ticket in the mail. Apparently they have automatic cameras.... 73 in a 60 zone, ticket is $280. I'm talking km/h so this is incredible BS.

What's my play here? I can pay for the whole ticket, pay half (she already offered to pay half), or I could say screw it. I'm not sure what would happen if we didn't pay it, the Australians might be smart enough to stop her for this if she enters the country again.

[Dan Druff]

So about 6-7 weeks ago I took a work trip to Australia. Stayed an extra day with a coworker and rented a car to go explore. She rented the car and I drove. Today she got a speeding ticket in the mail. Apparently they have automatic cameras.... 73 in a 60 zone, ticket is $280. I'm talking km/h so this is incredible BS.

What's my play here? I can pay for the whole ticket, pay half (she already offered to pay half), or I could say screw it. I'm not sure what would happen if we didn't pay it, the Australians might be smart enough to stop her for this if she enters the country again.

I don't know much about Australian traffic laws, but I find it highly unlikely that the Aussies will detain her when entering the country.

You should pay nothing and wait to see what happens. Ignore any threats from the Aussie government that they might send you.

It is possible they can bill the rental car company and they can bill you, but only if tickets in Australia can be against vehicles rather than drivers. In the US, moving violations are only against drivers, so this could not be done. It's possible the law is different in Australia, but definitely wait to see what happens.

In general I would never pay a ticket from a foreign country once I'm back home.

Believe it or not, prior to about 20 years ago, you could even toss away tickets from other STATES without consequence. The various DMVs did not cooperate with each other back then. Today that isn't true, and your license can be suspended for not paying tickets from other states. However, these agreements do not cross international lines.

[zealanddonk]

I am not a lawyer and I'm definitely not your lawyer.

Each state is different, so you'd have to say which state it was.

From the looks of the numbers you got done in New South Wales (but Western Australia and Queensland appear similar) looks like they'll send some more notices and either you or the co-worker would get their license suspended. She will have an option to name you as the driver so that can give you some more time.

Those states will add fees/fines onto your debt though if you don't pay and they can "in theory" send a garnish order to your employer or bank but given the hassles from Australia to America (timezones if nothing else) it probably isn't worth it for them.

I cant find anything really obvious about not being able to travel back to Australia because of a suspended driver's license.

Hopefully Phantom and Fluffer can give more input.

[Dan Druff]

I am not a lawyer and I'm definitely not your lawyer.

Each state is different, so you'd have to say which state it was.

From the looks of the numbers you got done in New South Wales (but Western Australia and Queensland appear similar) looks like they'll send some more notices and either you or the co-worker would get their license suspended. She will have an option to name you as the driver so that can give you some more time.

Those states will add fees/fines onto your debt though if you don't pay and they can "in theory" send a garnish order to your employer or bank but given the hassles from Australia to America (timezones if nothing else) it probably isn't worth it for them.

I cant find anything really obvious about not being able to travel back to Australia because of a suspended driver's license.

Hopefully Phantom and Fluffer can give more input.

How will they get their licenses suspended?

You do realize these are American citizens, and not Australians, right?

The United States does not have a reciprocal traffic violation agreement with Australia. Australia is powerless to touch an American's license.

The only thing Australia could do is detain them next time they come to Australia and demand payment of the fine (and a penalty on top of it), but from what I've read on forums discussing the matter, this never happens.

[zealanddonk]

You still need a valid license to drive in Australia, either an Australian one, or an international one. They'll just "suspend" your international one and it'll flag if you either try and hire cars in Australia or get pulled over.

Again, its very unlikely it'd be a problem given the other remedies. Buck didn't state however if his co-worker was Australian or not (assumedly not but again, unclear).

[Buck Nasty]

You still need a valid license to drive in Australia, either an Australian one, or an international one. They'll just "suspend" your international one and it'll flag if you either try and hire cars in Australia or get pulled over.

Again, its very unlikely it'd be a problem given the other remedies. Buck didn't state however if his co-worker was Australian or not (assumedly not but again, unclear).

The ticket is from Victoria, both myself and my coworker are American.

If the consequence was just that she couldn't drive in Australia that would be ok. She doesn't want to do that anyway which is why she asked me to do all the driving. I just don't want her to get stopped at the border the next time she enters the country.

[Sloppy Joe]

I would pay it if you ever want to go back to Australia.

The information places keep on you is crazy these days. My girlfriend recently applied for another student visa to complete graduate programming in the US. She saw the file they had on her; credit reports, bill statements, locations she had been while previously in the USA etc.

I'm still uneasy about having to give my fingerprints to enter the UAE.

[phantom]

i wouldnt pay it.
ive never heard of anyone being refused entry to the country because of an outstanding fine, i doubt immigration cross check outstanding fines when accepting visitors.
and even if a few years down the track you did come back and they questioned you just play dumb and say you never received any letter.

i doubt even the rental car company would have any issue with you. here when you get an automatic camera fine in the mail that is posted to the registered owner of the vehicle there is a form on the back of the fine you can fill in and sign to nominate someone else as driving the car at the time of the offence. so the rental car company would fill it in and nominate you as the driver and thats the end of it for them.

side note: above system is abused by aussies. here each time you get a traffic fine it comes with a loss of demerit points (usually 1 to 4 points) and if you lose 12 points in a 3 year period you will get you license suspended. if youve had too many fines and are in danger of having your license suspended next time you get a mailed fine just nominate your mate as driver and give him the $ and they will reissue fine to him.

[Walter Sobchak]

I am not a lawyer and I'm definitely not your lawyer.

Each state is different, so you'd have to say which state it was.

From the looks of the numbers you got done in New South Wales (but Western Australia and Queensland appear similar) looks like they'll send some more notices and either you or the co-worker would get their license suspended. She will have an option to name you as the driver so that can give you some more time.

Those states will add fees/fines onto your debt though if you don't pay and they can "in theory" send a garnish order to your employer or bank but given the hassles from Australia to America (timezones if nothing else) it probably isn't worth it for them.

I cant find anything really obvious about not being able to travel back to Australia because of a suspended driver's license.

Hopefully Phantom and Fluffer can give more input.

How will they get their licenses suspended?

You do realize these are American citizens, and not Australians, right?

The United States does not have a reciprocal traffic violation agreement with Australia. Australia is powerless to touch an American's license.

The only thing Australia could do is detain them next time they come to Australia and demand payment of the fine (and a penalty on top of it), but from what I've read on forums discussing the matter, this never happens.

I find it amusing, and not surprising, that you have participated in discussion forums focused on this topic.

[Walter Sobchak]

i wouldnt pay it.
ive never heard of anyone being refused entry to the country because of an outstanding fine, i doubt immigration cross check outstanding fines when accepting visitors.
and even if a few years down the track you did come back and they questioned you just play dumb and say you never received any letter.

i doubt even the rental car company would have any issue with you. here when you get an automatic camera fine in the mail that is posted to the registered owner of the vehicle there is a form on the back of the fine you can fill in and sign to nominate someone else as driving the car at the time of the offence. so the rental car company would fill it in and nominate you as the driver and thats the end of it for them.

side note: above system is abused by aussies. here each time you get a traffic fine it comes with a loss of demerit points (usually 1 to 4 points) and if you lose 12 points in a 3 year period you will get you license suspended. if youve had too many fines and are in danger of having your license suspended next time you get a mailed fine just nominate your mate as driver and give him the $ and they will reissue fine to him.

Lowdown on Martha nude please

[Crowe Diddly]

i wouldnt pay it.
ive never heard of anyone being refused entry to the country because of an outstanding fine, i doubt immigration cross check outstanding fines when accepting visitors.
and even if a few years down the track you did come back and they questioned you just play dumb and say you never received any letter.

In countries that like screwing their tourists and the like, they do things in the reverse way. They 100% let you in, but then they take your passports and don't let you leave until the fines are paid.

[Belly Buster]

10 years ago I would say don't pay, but info can pass much more easily between agencies now, so unless you want to be looking over your shoulder at any passport check or car rental booth, it might be better to pay up.

Speed cameras are a bullshit way of collecting extra taxes from easy targets.

[BeerAndPoker]

I know some can't help it but for me I'd do everything possible to watch so I'm not speeding in a foreign country because I don't know what they will do.

In this case I think I'd either pay it if I intended to come back otherwise I wouldn't but if somehow it gets reported where it comes back to haunt you in some way or another I guess you could try to clear it up at that point.

[Hockey Guy]

Take responsibility for your actions. If you know you're guilty then pay the fine & be done with it. If you feel you're not guilty & want to appeal it, I would get in touch with the authorities there & see what can be done. At least by getting in touch with them & admitting it was you driving you'll get your friend off the ticket so it won't affect her if she returns. Once this is done & your actions won't adversely affect someone else, you can decide to pay the ticket or not.

Good luck.

[yaahello]

i went to australia on working visa stayed for 8 months came home and went back 2 years later on working visa and i was denied and send back home because i didnt do 2 months of work on their fruit or any kind of farms. they are pretty stricked when it comes to entry that way.
as for fine my friend had a 1200$ ambulance bill that he was billed. he left and returned on workin visa(he did farm work) and he never any troubles coming in.

[Dan Druff]

i went to australia on working visa stayed for 8 months came home and went back 2 years later on working visa and i was denied and send back home because i didnt do 2 months of work on their fruit or any kind of farms. they are pretty stricked when it comes to entry that way.
as for fine my friend had a 1200$ ambulance bill that he was billed. he left and returned on workin visa(he did farm work) and he never any troubles coming in.

Welching on conditions for working visas is a very different story than failing to pay a traffic ticket.

One is an immigration matter between you and the government of Australia, while the other is a state matter between you and the state of Victoria.

Obviously it's not surprising that Australian immigration -- who oversees whether or not you can come into the country -- would not allow you entry because you welched on your previous agreement with them.

However, the state of Victoria likely has no presence in Australian immigration, meaning that it's very unlikely that they would give a shit if you have unpaid traffic tickets in Victoria.

From the forums I've read, nobody has ever been hassled when returning to Australia with unpaid traffic tickets.

I think it's a much smarter play to gamble here, and just make sure you have the money on you to pay it if you ever go back. Since they can't prove you received the letter, just tell them you didn't know about it and pay it if you go back. Most likely you will never have to pay a dime, as you're unlikely to hear anything about it.

I think this is just a Hail Mary attempt by the state of Victoria to get some extra revenue, hoping you will be scared and pay the ticket, despite being a foreign citizen.

[BeerAndPoker]

[Buck Nasty]

So my coworker went ahead and paid the ticket and ask me to pay half, which I did. She wasn't comfortable not paying and since I work closely with her I paid half because I didn't want her to think I was screwing her over.

[Baron Von Strucker]

Probably best she paid it, it's not that big of a number and it would really suck to be denied access to the country or detained there at a later date. Photo speeding tickets generally don't award points against your license as it can be difficult to prove the drivers identity, I got one once driving through Edmonton pretty good picture I have to say even though it cost $150.