- <LI class="byline first ">Matt Schulz, Elissa Hunt <LI class="source ">From: AAP, Herald Sun
- January 20, 2010 12:26PM
Sam Newman leaves the Magistrates' Court today. Picture: Darryl Gregory
Source: HWT Image Library
UPDATE 12.20pm: SAM Newman says Victorian speed limits should be increased amid his court battle to dodge a fine.
Yesterday,
The Footy Show host won a court appeal for extra time to fight the 2008 speeding fine, after being allegedly spotted travelling 72km/h in a 60km/h zone.
The former Geelong great - who is reportedly on a three-year $3 million contract with Nine - says he is fighting the $227 penalty notice "on principle".
He said outside Melbourne Magistrates' Court that he was contesting the case because points had been taken from his licence before he had the chance to challenge the fine.
Speaking with Eddie McGuire on Triple M this morning, Newman said speeding fines were a “man revenue stream” in Melbourne and that authorities were “bending over backwards to keep people off the road”.
“The rules and speed limits are so confusing and ridiculous.
“I know this will stir people up and they’ll say it’s not responsible, but why you would have to drive 100km/h down to Geelong on a four lane highway is ridiculous, why you couldn’t drive 120km/h up the Hume Highway and stop trucks tailgating you, why you wouldn’t limit trucks to 100km/h and why you would not let trucks driving in the right hand lane.”
His comments come as police pleaded for more responsible driving after the dead teen driver of a horror high-speed crash saw five young people killed was revealed to have recorded a 0.19 blood-alcohol reading.
Victorian Premier John Brumby said in the wake of that horror that he would consider anything to stop speeding drivers, including crushing their cars or installing speed limiters in the wake of the tragic accident.
"I don't think more demerit points is going to solve this problem with the type of driver who is flagrantly disregarding the rules and driving at high and irresponsible speeds," he said yesterday.
Deputy Commissioner for road policing Ken Lay, who was recently fined for speeding, has said no-one is exempt from the system.
But speaking today on Triple-M, Newman recalled how he took former Roads Minister Tim Pallas on a ride in his Lamborghini to point out the inconsistencies in speed limits.
“I took Tim out on the Calder where it goes from 100 to 80km/h on a three-lane dual highway and said, why would we drive at 80 here for five or ten km?
"Someone got injured or maybe got killed coming on an on-ramp. It’s a tragedy, but because some people don’t drive their cars properly, I’m not sure why everyone in the community pays for it.
“You should drive that road and see how ridiculous it is, it’s a knee jerk reaction from someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing."
Meanwhile, Newman said he was “excited” about Channel Seven’s decision to broadcast competition to Nine’s The Footy Show on Thursday nights.
“We’re very excited about that because at last Seven will show us how to do a footy show, we’ve been struggling with it for the last 17 years,” he said, tongue firmly in his cheek.
Brakes on Sam's speeding fine
Challenging the old adage that those who represent themselves have a fool for a client, the
Footy Show's outspoken star yesterday acted for himself as he faced the court over a speeding ticket.
The magistrate adjourned the case for a contested hearing after asking Newman if he understood what was happening.
Newman, 65, was fined for doing 72kmh in a 60kmh zone in a car bearing registration plates 07PURR.
The offence is alleged to have happened on the Monash Fwy just before entering the Domain tunnel at Richmond soon after midnight on 5 September 2008.
He claims he did not get the penalty notice in time to fight the fine and only found out he had lost demerit points when notified by VicRoads.
The case returns to court on February 23.
It's the latest court appearance for the star after Newman was interviewed at an alleged road rage incident outside a Middle Park café in July last year.
He was accused of verbally abusing a woman motorist and slamming his classic car door into hers.
The alleged victim claimed Newman had parked his car across two car spots.
The ex-Geelong Cat has been through a tumultuous few years.
In 2008, he provoked outrage with crude on-air remarks about former Tasmanian MP Paula Wriedt.
And in May, Nine was found to have breached TV's code of conduct in an incident with Newman and a mannequin on
The Footy Show, which he claimed represented a female football journalist.
“I know this will stir people up and they’ll say it’s not responsible, but why you would have to drive 100km/h down to Geelong on a four lane highway is ridiculous, why you couldn’t drive 120km/h up the Hume Highway and stop trucks tailgating you, why you wouldn’t limit trucks to 100km/h and why you would not let trucks driving in the right hand lane.”
Does anyone agree with this loser?
