I Live out West Melbourne (Inner West I believe if we get technical) and visit a friend who lives further out along same "freeway".  Problem is, there appear to be "roadworks" (lights, signs, no work though) and now the speed limit has been reduced to 80 PERMANENTLY and rumour has it that speed cameras are being installed in middle of freeway (it's a split road with trees in center divide).  So now not only are they NOT increasing access to West (which is largest growing area apparently) but they are dropping speed limit to catch more peolple/fines (as from experience where the cameras are on alternative roads are now well known to motorists).

I also see that the Opposition Party in SA is saying that speeding fines are being used as revenue gathering.  Is there ANY state left in Aus that isn't.  Does your state have same problem, and have they also got to the pointwhere they are decreasing limits just to gather extra revenue.

No problems here.  Get caught speeding, expect to pay, end of story.

Between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast there are always road works happening. Even in the absence of workers and movement I obey the speed limit signs. The area is rife with temporary speed cameras and police, always. I have never been one to speed or go over what the limit says. I always mind what the signs say. I have no sympathy for people who get caught doing over the limit. Even family members get no sympathy. The law is there to protect us and if we flout the law we deserve to suffer the consequences.

Im with you Sbro, these cameras are revenue based, but they like to tell the public that they are there for the safty reasons.

But we seem to forget that, todays cars are a lot quiter and do handel the road better than the old EH or Ford Falcon of the 60s,

SO I feel that we need to move with the times. YES 40ks in schools zones, but now days 60 and (who invented 50k/h) is too slow. IMHO  

a NRMA survey recently had peak hour drivers doing an average of 22k/h  

high speed broadband ,I want it now, but lets drive as fas as we walk  

40k in a school zone?  You have got to be kidding!  Or is that a typo?  I sure hope it is.  It's not about how a car 'handles' the road, it's about stopping in time, before you kill someone!

Should be 30ks in a school zone IMHO or even 20ks. Revenue raising? Even if that were the case, obey the damned rules or pay the fine. Don�t justify speeding and breaking other laws with crap theories. Take your foot off the peddle.
Back to school zones, children do silly things like run out in front of cars. I saw, first hand, a large teenage girl get hurled over a car once that was doing no more than 40ks, thank goodness. The girl ended up with a fractured leg in 2 places, a smashed pelvis, a broken arm, cuts and abrasions to her head where it hit the windscreen and was hospitalised for several months and most likely will carry some of her injuries through adult hood. The driver of the car, a lady in the late sixties was shattered by what happened. I became a witness for the driver with her Insurance. The girl diced with death of her own accord. A car is a huge weapon if it has contact with someone. It is just as well this girl was a big hefty strong girl as her little slim waif of a girlfriend who did NOT run across the road, would have been dead, IMHO, if she had run also.

It's 25 kmph in school zones here in SA.  I assumed it was everywhere else.  

It depends Paula some school zones have like emu crossing or wombat crossing or something like that, which allows people to go 40kmph where children are around. But I think it should be compulsory 25kmph around Australia anywhere near a school.

I haven't gotten pinged yet by a speed camera... thank god, if I had I would need til wait til I'm 20 to get my full license, I'm on my P2's now and gotta be on them til my 19th birthday. I know in other states, you can't get your P's til you're 18. Let alone full license.

Quoted from Matt

It depends Paula some school zones have like emu crossing or wombat crossing or something like that, which allows people to go 40kmph where children are around. But I think it should be compulsory 25kmph around Australia anywhere near a school...

I've never seen any crossings more than 25 kmph, not even in the country.  

I agree with the compulsory bit.

In Queensland, yes, it is compulsory between 8am and 9am (or 9:30) and again at 2:30 to 3:30pm. The speed is 40ks. Disgusting and people going to work past Maroochydore High which is on the main Maroochydore Road, get impatient and speed ALL the time, especially in the morning time bracket. When I had a car I drove just under the limit and was passed and tooted at!
I always have a satisfied grin when I hear the police patrol car hit the siren, heheh!

Quoted from Paula

No problems here.  Get caught speeding, expect to pay, end of story.

My problem is that they seem to be "reducing" the speed limit to intentionally catch people.  The road I was talking about used to be 100kmh (it was after all a freeway/motorway and I believe is still supposed to be), now they have added another lane but reduced it to 80kmh.  I have no problem with speed camera's when they are used correctly (ie in real black spots) and even perhaps should be like UK where they are not hidden.

And how would you feel if you were pinged doing 62 in a 60 zone (my friend copped this).  This is below the tolerence of the speedo to be that accurate.  My feeling is that there are intentionally dropping limits because they have had reduced revenue (as not many people speed down here).

And again, the road works seem to be done in speed camera areas more frequently, yet are completed by workman who are never seen (perhaps we should use these workers to find Osama seeing they are so invisable).

I hate myself.  Yesterday I was driving along and my phone started ringing.  I didn't want to answer it while driving.  The light ahead was green so I put my foot down so I could get through and around the corner to park my car and answer the phone.  FLASH yep, I got caught.  Guess the ticket will be here sometime in the next two weeks.  

Why do I hate myself, well I did the wrong thing and got caught now I have to pay the price.  Now I think most of my wages for the week are gone.  I only work 20 hours a week and to think of most of it going towards a fine really makes me cross with myself  

Bugger. Where abouts was it?

Quoted from Paula

40k in a school zone?  You have got to be kidding!  

In NSW its 40kph in school zones,  

Which I do agree with 100%

Yes 40km for school zones in WA also. The thing about getting caught by a speed camera here is, it take up to six months for it to be processed and the ticket being sent to you. I think I might have got caught about 4 months ago after driving 70 in a 60 zone. It is so easy to speed on this particular road which is a major double lane road.