Germany is banning fixed speed camera alerts provided on most GPS units and many mobile phone apps in a worrying trend that could be replicated in other countries.
In most Australian states, fixed speed cameras are sign posted, but safety nannies are always looking for new ways to clamp down on speeding and could start pushing for this German ban.
However, this ban will not just catch habitual speedsters, but also affect those who inadvertently drift over the speed limit.
Safety alerts
And instead of motorists watching the traffic and relying on alerts to tell them of a fixed speed camera, it will lead to them monitoring their speedos and looking at the side off the road for cameras.
We are not sure how Germany expects to enforce their €75 (about $A125) fine as it would require police to pull over motorists to check their satnav devices and phone apps.
In some jurisdictions, that would require a search warrant.
Garmin and TomTom satnav companies have emailed their registered users to advise them of the law change in Germany.
TomTom says on their website that the feature can simply be deactivated while in Germany.
It also notes that all speed camera warning systems are illegal in Turkey, Switzerland, Cyprus and Macedonia where the service is disabled.
It seems strange in a country that has some roads with unlimited speeds and many autobahns with very high posted speeds.
However, if you have ever ridden in the country you will know that the speed limits are enforced and local motorists comply.
On one occasion, I saw an overhead electric sign suddenly flash a warning of a coming storm and reduced the 130km/h speed limit to 80km/h. Immediately the traffic around me slammed on the brakes and settled at 80km/h.
Germany uses a lot of fixed speed cameras in tunnels and around the entries and exits of villages and have already banned the use of speed camera and radar detection systems as in Australia, except Western Australia.
However, WA Police Minister Michelle Roberts has added a section to the Impaired Driving and Penalties Bill that allows police to ban any “device” they deem fit.
Those devices could include helmet cameras, intercoms, radar detectors (legal only in WA), dashcams and even phones being used for sat nav or music.
Rather than police applying the law, it would make them creators of the law in a dangerous precedent for other states