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Originally Posted by svo supporter
So your saying I can get suspended from driving and not worry about copping any further penality if a copper pulls me up again, whilst driving suspended?
Don't think so.
Coppers suspend you until the courts determine what, if any term of disqualification is put in place. Hence the reason they have a charge driving whilst suspended and another driving whilst disqualified.
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No, I'm not saying that at all. What I am saying is that, in Victoria, the automatic, mandatory, speeding suspensions are not
immediate.
So you get caught speeding, doing 25km/hr over. A copper pulls you over and gives you a ticket. This offence in Victoria has a 1 month suspension attached to it and the ticket will advise you of that. However, you are currently not suspended as it's effect is not immediate (the ticket also advises that, as will the copper who gives it to you). Your license is not suspended until you a) Attend court and lose. b) Pay the fine.
It effectively gives you a 28 day grace period. You can drive away from the copper that day, and for the next few weeks just fine. If you get pulled up in the next few weeks for anything else, your license won't show suspended and you won't be committing the offence of driving whilst suspended.
Now, this is not the case for drink or drug driving. In the right circumstances (ie. not low-range drink driving, as that is just a demerit point offence) the police have the power under Section 51 of the Road Safety act to immediately suspend your license. They will issue you with a notice on the spot, fax a form immediately to Vicroads and take your license off you.
I'm a police dispatcher, I deal with this stuff every day I go to work and I know it inside out and back to front.