how much fine for driving without headlights on?

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Reply # 516495 4-Sep-2011 16:52

I have auto lights in my Audi, I love it, never have to worry about it again, and never have to worry about battery going flat (Self Monitoring, switches everything off when battery gets to 20% from memory, and you have to manually override.

Shame about the circumstances. Pay it, move on.

freitasm

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Reply # 516500 4-Sep-2011 17:05

I always drive with lights on, regardless of time of the day. Sometimes get some other driver flashing to let me know my lights are on, I just wave back (no, not the "cops ahead" type of flashing).

I don't worry about leaving lights on - my car beeps loudly if the lights are on when the key is removed and door is opened.

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John2010

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Reply # 516519 4-Sep-2011 17:32

I trust that the ones who are lighted up during the day are not among the many drivers who drive around illegally with their fog lamps on

timmmay

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Reply # 516613 4-Sep-2011 23:10

I always drive with my lights on. It makes it easier for stupid people to avoid crashing into me, and we all know how many stupid people there are around.

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robbyp

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Reply # 516616 4-Sep-2011 23:35

It is very easy to forget, especially if you are getting into the car in a well lit street at night. I guess the safe thing to do is drive with the headlights on the whole time. You get a lot of old people who do that.

networkn

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Reply # 516619 4-Sep-2011 23:49

It's actually the recommended way to drive according to the AA

Hobchild

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Reply # 516621 4-Sep-2011 23:52

My previous car had automatic lights so I never had to worry about it, however when I got my new car I was repeatedly forgetting, took me quite a while to get back in the habit. Fortunately no tickets though.

savag3

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Reply # 516633 5-Sep-2011 03:57

I quite like going to the source for this kind of question. All of this kind of info can be found if you know where to look...

The offence is created by 8.3(3) of the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004. The penalties are set out in schedule 1 of the Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999 - search for 8.3(3) to find the correct entry. The offence is not listed in schedule 2 so there are no demerit points.

scuwp

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Reply # 516651 5-Sep-2011 08:23

The infringement notice can be posted out afterwards. In my case that took over a week and so over a quarter of the 28 days mentioned below were lost.

When a notice is posted out officers adjust for the date of issue allowing a couple of days for postage, so you should always have 28 days more or less from the day you receive the notice (personal experience from a past life)

I only commented that the situation was "odd" as IME officers who intend to send out noticed later (quite common) will typically fully explain the situation to the driver including the penalty, 28 days period etc, so the driver leaves fully informed of what's coming...at least they are meant to!

Personally I am a 'headlights on' kinda guy, when on the highways. Around town though I don't bother. I do like the new LED driving lamps that are on new cars and retrofitted to existing cars, they work real well in daylight. I have some on my work car.

As for forgetting to turn them on, I can see how that may happen on some cars. For example the wifes Mazda has the dash light up the same regardless of if the lights are on or off. Around town with all the street lighting (especially in the city) it can be really hard to notice if they are on or not.

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Reply # 516810 5-Sep-2011 13:45

iapple: JUst been to a family doctor this evening due to a bad flu...I drive my car back home and I forgot to turn it on.. when I turned on then it was too late cause I got pulled over by a police....he said will send me the fine receipt to my mail box.Anyone have any idea how much will it be?thanks

Why you soo worried about the cost? Count your lucky stars that you did not cause a serious accident. You lucky you getting a fine!!

John2010

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Reply # 516822 5-Sep-2011 13:51

scuwp:
The infringement notice can be posted out afterwards. In my case that took over a week and so over a quarter of the 28 days mentioned below were lost.

When a notice is posted out officers adjust for the date of issue allowing a couple of days for postage, so you should always have 28 days more or less from the day you receive the notice (personal experience from a past life)

I only commented that the situation was "odd" as IME officers who intend to send out noticed later (quite common) will typically fully explain the situation to the driver including the penalty, 28 days period etc, so the driver leaves fully informed of what's coming...at least they are meant to!

Interesting information scuwp.

In my case, this year so recent, although the officer said he was going to post it out he made no other explanation.

The infringement notice when I received it had all dates on it (2 places for dates as I recall, one for the offence date and another for the date written) as being the date of the claimed offence but it was posted 5 or 6 days after that date. I received the reminder only day or so after the 28 days was up - can't recall exactly now but at the time thought to myself 4 weeks (28 days) turned out to be less than 3 weeks.

I actually wondered at the time if the officer was a new one as he seemed pretty inexperienced but when I got all the data from them it turned out that he had been around for quite a while.

iapple

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Reply # 517076 5-Sep-2011 19:05

savag3: I quite like going to the source for this kind of question. All of this kind of info can be found if you know where to look...

The offence is created by 8.3(3) of the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004. The penalties are set out in schedule 1 of the Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999 - search for 8.3(3) to find the correct entry. The offence is not listed in schedule 2 so there are no demerit points.

Thanks,Have looked on the info and will prepare to pay $150 or will try to appeal first and then pay:)...thanks for the answers

mattwnz

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Reply # 517088 5-Sep-2011 19:20

BraaiGuy:
iapple: JUst been to a family doctor this?evening?due to a bad flu...I drive my car back home and I forgot to turn it on.. when I turned on then it was too late cause I got pulled over by a police....he said will send me the fine receipt to my mail box.Anyone have any idea how much will it be?thanks

Why you soo worried about the cost? Count your lucky stars that you did not cause a serious accident. You lucky you getting a fine!!

I think you are more likely to hit a pedestrian, that doesn't see you, than have an accident with a car when you don't have your lights on. Also it depends on how much street lighting there is. Obviously if it is dark and there is no street lighting, you can easily tell if you don't have your lights on, but sometimes when you are in the CBD which is well lit, it can be difficult to notice whether your lights are on or not, and other cars can easily see you.

Klipspringer

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Reply # 517261 6-Sep-2011 07:48

mattwnz:
BraaiGuy:
iapple: JUst been to a family doctor this?evening?due to a bad flu...I drive my car back home and I forgot to turn it on.. when I turned on then it was too late cause I got pulled over by a police....he said will send me the fine receipt to my mail box.Anyone have any idea how much will it be?thanks

Why you soo worried about the cost? Count your lucky stars that you did not cause a serious accident. You lucky you getting a fine!!

I think you are more likely to hit a pedestrian, that doesn't see you, than have an accident with a car when you don't have your lights on. Also it depends on how much street lighting there is. Obviously if it is dark and there is no street lighting, you can easily tell if you don't have your lights on, but sometimes when you are in the CBD which is well lit, it can be difficult to notice whether your lights are on or not, and other cars can easily see you.

Agreed. But see it as a warning to dangerous driving. Not an inconvenience of a fine. Hopefully next time you will make sure your lights are on!

bazzer

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Reply # 517547 6-Sep-2011 14:51

iapple: Thanks,Have looked on the info and will prepare to pay $150 or will try to appeal first and then pay:)...thanks for the answers

Appeal on what basis? Didn't you admit that you ddin't have your lights on? If the bad flu affected turning on your lights then I would suggest you shouldn't have been driving!

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