Americans defend female driver after she was fined for driving at 20 km/h speed limit in Australia: ‘What’s the big deal?’
- US driver fined for speeding in Australia
- Colleagues came in to defend her
Americans are dumbfounded after a driver was fined for exceeding the speed limit in Australia.
American expatriate Sophia Kim said she was shocked after being fined $295 in Sydney on May 23 for exceeding the 12 mph limit.
She said in a TikTok video that she was too “stressed out” to have noticed the signs warning her of the speed limit and cameras in the Cross City Tunnel.
Ms Kim received comments on social media as she questioned whether or not she could challenge the fine as it was her first time driving through the tunnel.
Americans defended her when the video was shared on Twitter, questioning the use of cameras and how seriously the speed limit was taken.
Americans come to defense of an expatriate Sophia Kim (pictured) who pleaded ignorance for driving 12 mph over the speed limit in Sydney
Several claimed that police in the United States were more relaxed about speed and said the signs were more like “suggestions.”
“Discovered Australia loves to generate income,” one wrote.
“We have speed suggestions here. Everyone usually does five to 10 above,” wrote a second.
“A speed limit in the US is more of a suggestion,” a third added.
Other Americans were embarrassed by Ms. Kim’s behavior.
‘Good God. She makes me ashamed to be American,” one user wrote.
“We also have speed cameras at home and you can’t drive too fast.”
Ms Kim claimed she was unaware that Australia had more speed cameras than her home country.
“(I) didn’t know you guys have cameras for speeding in the tunnels,” she said.
“If you run a red light in America, there might be cameras.
Ms Kim received backlash from Aussies for breaking the traffic rules and wondering if she could get rid of the $295 fine as it was her first time driving in the country
“But when it comes to speeding, it’s like a cop with the little device that tells the cop if you’re speeding or not,” she said, referring to hand-held radar speed guns.
After pleading ignorance and questioning whether she could get rid of the fine, Australians criticized her for not obeying traffic laws.
“Just don’t speed, but think of others along the way,” one TikTok user wrote.
“Yeah, unfortunately they won’t do anything on appeal if it’s just because you don’t know the rules of the road,” wrote a second.
“Simple, read the signs and don’t drive too fast and the signs are clear, you can’t miss them,” a third added.