American woman on TikTok did not know there were speed cameras in Sydney’s Cross City tunnel
American expat stunned to discover Australia has speed cameras after she was caught 20km over the limit: ‘Apparently there are signs everywhere?’
- Sophia is an American expatriate who moved to Sydney
- She says she had her driver’s license but didn’t know the traffic rules
- Was fined for exceeding 100 km/h in an 80 km/h zone
An American woman says she was stunned when she got a ticket after being caught by speed cameras she didn’t know existed.
Sophia, who uses @sophiainsydney on TikTok and is originally from Los Angeles, shared a video explaining that on May 18 she was caught driving 101 km/h in an 80 km/h zone in the Cross City tunnel in Sydney.
‘As an American, I got my driver’s license here without taking any test. I didn’t know there were cameras for speeding tunnels,” she said.
“I was so focused on driving as I try to navigate where I’m going.
“Especially when I drive on the other side of the road for the first time… I’m really surprised this happened.”
American expat Sophia (pictured) is shocked when she was fined for exceeding the 20km/h limit by a speed camera she didn’t know existed in Australia
The American expat says she attended fashion week events and thought she was saving money by driving instead of Ubering, but was fined $295 instead.
“I thought I was saving money by not driving with Ubering,” she said.
“I wonder if I should fight this because it’s the first time I’m driving in the tunnel.
“The point is I can drive better when there are other cars around me because then it shows me what speed I should be going at.
“It’s kind of hard for me to register which side of the street to be on and I don’t even look at the speedometer because I’m focused on the road because I don’t want to crash into walls, you know what I mean.”
Sophia was fined $295 for exceeding the speed limit in Sydney’s Cross City tunnel in excess of 20 mph
The American expat says she attended fashion week events and thought she was saving money by driving instead of Ubering, but was fined $295 instead
Users online were baffled by the American’s confusion, even pointing out that the tunnel photos appeared to show her driving in the middle of two lanes.
“You should buy a ticket. Not learning traffic rules or not paying attention is no excuse,” said one.
“She’s even in the middle of two goddamn lanes like I’m on my L’s and even I can drive better than that,” said another.
While one commenter said, “Don’t speed up then?” to which Sophia replied, ‘K Karen’.
The expat has had a turbulent time in the country below, before taking to TikTok to say she was kicked out of her apartment for not revealing she had a dog.
“My life has been the most unstable it’s ever been these past few weeks,” she explained. “I didn’t report my dog because I think the rental market is so RIDICULOUS — and now I have to move,” she said.
A woman was evicted from her rental home in Sydney after failing to disclose her dog after failing to reveal she would be living with a pet when she signed the lease
At the time, the LA influencer also revealed she was missing more than $2,000 worth of jewelry from the last time she moved and urged her followers to make sure their valuables are stuck in a box rather than somewhere a unreliable mover can enter.
She admitted to feeling extremely lonely and lost, especially being so far away from her home and family.
“At times like this I just feel alone and what am I doing here?”
The LA influencer revealed she was missing more than $2,000 worth of jewelry from the last time she moved and urged her followers to make sure their valuables are stuck in a box rather than somewhere an untrustworthy mover can come in.