Avoiding traffic fines (& rail fines too!)

Here is an interesting article I saw on drive.com.au (from the sydney morning herald).
Linky

I saved the guts of the text here... [I figure this should be ok, since they swiped it from AAP].
Reasons to avoid traffic and rail fines
AAP, June 11, 2008

People with a clean driving record of 10 years or more in NSW can simply write a letter to have most parking, speeding and negligent driving fines invalidated, a news report says.

Rail commuters, too, can avoid fare evasion penalties by showing proof of past ticket purchases and no fare evasion history for five years.

The State Debt Recovery Office (SDRO) has made public a set of Review Guidelines which details when it can be lenient with fines and what documentary evidence is needed.

The review was posted online at www.sdro.nsw.gov.au last month, News Limited reported.

The 10-year clean driving record provision applies to parking, speeding, traffic light, seat belt, T-way, bus lane and negligent driving offences, but not to speeding in school zones.

An examination of the guidelines shows it is likely thousands of motorists pay fines they could avoid.

"The SDRO acknowledges there are times where extenuating circumstances may not necessarily be known to the issuing officer when the fine is issued," a SDRO spokeswoman told News Limited.

A driver who leaves their vehicle to get change for a parking meter, or who is unfamiliar with the ticket machine, or the machine is faulty, can claim a waiver.

If stopping or parking a vehicle is necessary for medical purposes, or for a medical emergency, a parking ticket can also be waived.

First-time rail users have a valid reason for fare evasion under the review, as do travellers who commit an offence "as a result of service disruptions".

The spokeswoman cautioned that the guidelines were "not meant to be a list of excuses to get out of a fine".