Demerit points overseas

SCMRubix · 14 Jun 2011 at 05:12

I'm currently living/working/travelling in Australia at the moment with my girlfriend.
A couple of days ago we received a not so pleasant letter from the police after my girlfriend was caught speeding by an mobile speed camera at the side of the road.

To be fair, she was only 3 car lengths away from a speed change (going from 60 zone up to 80kmph zone) and was caught just before the sign - seems a bit harsh.

The fine is $150 and 2 demerit points.
My question is, do those demerit points transfer on to a UK license once we arrive back home?

From a small amount of research via the internet the general talk is that she won't get any points on her UK license as Australia and Britain aren't really connected.

Anyone with any overseas speeding experiences?

[FnG]magnolia · 14 Jun 2011 at 05:25

There's no link and no way for the demerit points to translate into UK points.

Bear · 14 Jun 2011 at 06:49

No there isnt a link but if she doesnt pay the fine she will more than likely get a ban from enetring the country again for a set amount of time. That was the threat my brother in law got anyway.

Thrash · 14 Jun 2011 at 07:15

You start with 12 points there and they then subtract points if you get caught speeding etc, until you get to zero and you are banned. So, if there was any transfer (which has been said, there is not) she would end up with -2 points.....result.

Vanilla · 14 Jun 2011 at 07:21

No. I live in Australia and they can't even give me demerit points on my UK license.

I can only be fined.

Edit: If you're still Australia I would recommend paying before trying to leave. I don't know if they have any special systems in place at the border for this but i'd hate to find out.

Cosimo · 14 Jun 2011 at 08:26

You won't get the points on your UK license but they might hassle you on your return. Is it worth further problems for £100?

Kol · 14 Jun 2011 at 08:36

Vanilla said:
No. I live in Australia and they can't even give me demerit points on my UK license.

I can only be fined.

Edit: If you're still Australia I would recommend paying before trying to leave. I don't know if they have any special systems in place at the border for this but i'd hate to find out.

Just out of curiosity, if you are living here why are you still on a UK licence? Iirc there's a max time you're allowed before having to get one. Just interested. I'm from the UK but don't drive over here hence not bothering yet.

[FnG]magnolia · 14 Jun 2011 at 08:41

Kol said:
Just out of curiosity, if you are living here why are you still on a UK licence? Iirc there's a max time you're allowed before having to get one. Just interested. I'm from the UK but don't drive over here hence not bothering yet.

IIRC, it's the same as here and the limit is one year before the UK licence becomes invalid.

As others have said, if she ever intends to return to Australia it's definitely worth sorting out before she departs. I mean, it's worth paying anyway as any decent person would but it is certainly worth it to avoid the hassle she would get if she hadn't.

Vanilla · 14 Jun 2011 at 09:40

Kol said:
Just out of curiosity, if you are living here why are you still on a UK licence? Iirc there's a max time you're allowed before having to get one. Just interested. I'm from the UK but don't drive over here hence not bothering yet.

It depends on your Visa.

If you have permanent residency or an Aussie Passport you must swap your UK license for an Aussie one within 3 Months. Otherwise the fuzz can give you big fines.

If you are on a temporary Visa (457, Working Holiday, etc) then you do not need to get an Aussie driving license as you're a temporary visitor. My Visa is 4 years but a temporary business one, so I don't need to get an Aussie one at all while on this visa.

There is no benefit to me getting an Aussie driving license so I have not got one.

Kol · 14 Jun 2011 at 09:49

Fair enough - coincidentally a friend of mine turned up about an hour ago with his new Aussie drivers licence. All he needed were three forms of ID, no test or anything. I'll more than likely get one as it's a simple form of ID should I ever end up losing my UK licence - simpler to replace once on the system.

Vanilla · 14 Jun 2011 at 10:25

Kol said:
Fair enough - coincidentally a friend of mine turned up about an hour ago with his new Aussie drivers licence. All he needed were three forms of ID, no test or anything. I'll more than likely get one as it's a simple form of ID should I ever end up losing my UK licence - simpler to replace once on the system.

Yes, it's a straight swap. What Visa are you on?

Why bother? There is no benefit to having an Aussie driving license, in fact there are negatives as you now start the whole demerit thing.

If you want local ID you can get one of those Aussie ID cards which the RTA can provide.

megakid · 14 Jun 2011 at 11:27

I just returned from living in Australia for 2.5 years on a 457 visa. DO NOT TRANSFER YOUR LICENSE! Regardless of what people say, you do NOT need an Aussie driving license during your stay there until you are on a permanent visa (i.e. Citizenship or PR visa). I was stopped numerous times and told by several police officers that I must get an Aussie license - it's false and I even resorted to having a NSW RTA website printout (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/visitorstonsw/overseaslicence.html) in my car saying that I didn't require one in case an officer decided to take it further (You have to present this in a polite manner or they tend to get a bit shirty).

There is absolutely no benefit (other than doing things online some of the time - you require a NSW license to use their web facilities) to having one, bars/clubs accept UK licenses as photographic ID and you avoid getting bans/suspensions should you get caught doing something silly (Easier than you think in Australia - they are ridiculously hard on speeding).

I'm not proud of it but I got caught speeding multiple times in my 2.5 years and because of double demerits weekends etc etc I would have been suspended from driving at least once had I have had an Aussie license. Instead I paid the fine and moved along - no lasting effects what-so-ever.

EDIT: To add, I would pay the fine or they can revoke your privilege to drive/any car registration that you have (They threatened this to me when I changed address and didn't get my penalty notice). I've heard that they also keep a tab on your points which can be looked at when/if you ever transfer your license (say you became a citizen and hence were required to do so) and they can suspend you based on those accumulated demerits.

Vanilla · 14 Jun 2011 at 11:36

megakid said:
I've heard that they also keep a tab on your points which can be looked at when/if you ever transfer your license (say you became a citizen and hence were required to do so) and they can suspend you based on those accumulated demerits.

Yes, i've heard this also but not sure how accurate it is. If you rack up loads of points and then want to become a resident you may have some issues.

Just to hone onto the fact that they are very hard on speeders over here.

-- Regularly have double demerit weekends where essentially it's double points (Xmas, etc)
-- Speed cameras do not have to be marked or coloured, they blend in very easily.
-- They are generally harder on speeders with regads to limits, leeway, etc.
-- Speeds are pretty low in general on places you really would like to make some ground. Motorways are between 80 and 100! (50-60mph).
-- Fines are generally very high. Bus lane fine for example as someone at work recently got done - $280!!

megakid · 14 Jun 2011 at 11:46

Vanilla said:
-- Fines are generally very high. Bus lane fine for example as someone at work recently got done - $280!!

I parked in a disabled space across the road from my house (it was dark and I forgot which of the one spaces on my street was disabled!) and got a $422 fine! I rang up, not because I denied the offence but because I thought the amount was a mistake

SCMRubix · 14 Jun 2011 at 11:50

Some of this has gone a little off topic but I really appreciate the replies.

There's no problem with paying the fine, just more of a worry for the demerit points.
My girlfriend is looking in to becoming a Paramedic and they need a clean license to be accepted I beleive.

Another question on the topic:
I'm am an Australian citizen, but have indefinite leave to remain in the UK - quite similar to having dual citizenship.
I have a British driving license and will be planning on staying in Australia for aprox a year. As far as I'm aware I don't have to change my license over as I have no intention for staying any longer.
Am I right in thinking this?

[FnG]magnolia · 14 Jun 2011 at 11:51

megakid said:
I'm not proud of it but I got caught speeding multiple times in my 2.5 years and because of double demerits weekends etc etc I would have been suspended from driving at least once had I have had an Aussie license. Instead I paid the fine and moved along - no lasting effects what-so-ever.

That's absolutely pathetic and you should be ashamed. The rules - laws - are in place to protect other drivers and pedestrians, and to flout them so often is both stupid and dangerous.

Your Brit license wouldn't have saved you if you'd hit someone during one of your multiple speeding incidents.

Vanilla · 14 Jun 2011 at 12:04

SCMRubix said:
Another question on the topic:
I'm am an Australian citizen, but have indefinite leave to remain in the UK - quite similar to having dual citizenship.
I have a British driving license and will be planning on staying in Australia for aprox a year. As far as I'm aware I don't have to change my license over as I have no intention for staying any longer.
Am I right in thinking this?

Hmmm to be honest I think because you are in Australia on the back of an aussie passport and not a visa (which would prove you are a temporary resident) you will need an Aussie driving license within 3 months of entry.

Vanilla · 14 Jun 2011 at 12:05

[FnG]magnolia;19369891 said:
That's absolutely pathetic and you should be ashamed. The rules - laws - are in place to protect other drivers and pedestrians, and to flout them so often is both stupid and dangerous.

Your Brit license wouldn't have saved you if you'd hit someone during one of your multiple speeding incidents.

THINK OF THE CHILDREN

megakid · 14 Jun 2011 at 12:07

[FnG]magnolia;19369891 said:
That's absolutely pathetic and you should be ashamed. The rules - laws - are in place to protect other drivers and pedestrians, and to flout them so often is both stupid and dangerous.

Your Brit license wouldn't have saved you if you'd hit someone during one of your multiple speeding incidents.

Don't want to drag too far off-topic but get off the high horse there for a moment. I had 3 speeding fines over 2.5 years all of which were on interstate multi-lane highways doing ~125kph (less than 80mph) on empty roads. I had done the same speeds in the UK and Europe for over 8 years without a single infringement. Like I said, I'm not proud of it but I was hardly endangering pedestrians or others by breaching the speed limit by 10% on empty highways. Just because in Australia speeds are policed overly hard and they chose to suspend licenses based on those offences has nothing to do with how safe I drive.

[FnG]magnolia · 14 Jun 2011 at 13:00

Vanilla said:
THINK OF THE CHILDREN

Original, edgy and cutting. Well done.

megakid said:
Don't want to drag it too far off-topic but get off the high horse there for a moment.

Don't want to drag it too far off topic either. I'm not on my high horse; you stating that you regularly ignored the road laws in Oz specifically because you have a Brit passport doesn't require any commentator calling you reckless to be shouting those comments from a particularly lofty position.

I had 3 speeding fines over 2.5 years all of which were on interstate multi-lane highways doing ~125kph (less than 80mph) on empty roads. I had done the same speeds in the UK and Europe for over 8 years without a single infringement.

Breaking the law in more than one country doesn't make it ok to do so in another. Am I even following your argument properly? You broke the law in the UK/Europe for over 8 years but never got caught so that means you should never have been caught in Oz?

Like I said, I'm not proud of it but I was hardly endangering pedestrians or others by breaching the speed limit by 10% on empty highways.

Come on man, that's opinion. The rules are there for a reason.

Just because in Australia speeds are policed overly hard and they chose to suspend licenses based on those offences has nothing to do with how safe I drive.

They are policed overly hard compared to Britain YET YOU CONTINUED TO IGNORE THIS BECAUSE YOU KNEW THERE WAS NO COMEBACK.

That isn't being a safe driver. That's being a driver who is ignoring the laws of the roads he's driving on and to hell with anyone else.