I heard that if this is your very first ticket (i.e., you were not booked before), you can get someone to write to [not sure which authority] and ask for a warning and a waiver of the fine. They normally will grant it if this is speeding in excess of less than 10Km. This may not apply to your case. Try Kate Davey of TUU, tel: (03) 6226 2855 and see if she can give you any advice.
This is a lesson to learn for all. Next time, do not unbuckle unless the police tells you to. I have heard stories about police targeting Chinese students. If you are being unreasonably targeted, ask the police for his/her name and police number. Use your mobile phone to audio or video record the conversation. You may make a complaint to a senator or, if you think this is a discrimination case, to the Discrimination Commissioner.
The daughter of a friend of mine studying at UTAS Hobart and her boyfriend (they are locals) left Coles, drove away forgetting to buckle up. They were each fined $750. It seems that Coles is a black spot for students not wearing seat belts. |