Expat American stunned to discover Australia has speed cameras after being caught exceeding 20km limit: ‘Apparently there are signs everywhere?’
- Sophia is an American expat who moved to Sydney
- She says she got her driver’s license but didn’t know the traffic rules
- Was fined for driving over 100 km/h in an 80 km/h zone
An American woman says she was stunned when she received a speeding ticket after being caught by speed cameras she didn’t know existed.
Sophia, who is known on TikTok as @sophiainsydney and is originally from Los Angeles, shared a video explaining that on May 18 she was doing cross-country at 101 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. City Tunnel in Sydney.
“As an American, I got my driver’s license here without taking any exams. “I didn’t know there were speed cameras in tunnels,” she said.
“I’ve been so focused on driving while trying to navigate where I want to go.”
“Especially when I’m driving across the street for the first time… I’m really surprised that happened.”
American expatriate Sophia (pictured) has expressed shock when she was fined for using a speed camera she didn’t know existed in Australia to break the speed limit by more than 20km/ h exceeded
The American expat says she attended fashion week events and thought she’d save money by driving instead of Ubering, but ended up being fined $295 instead.
“I thought I’d save money if I drove instead of Ubering,” she said.
“I wonder if I should fight it because it’s my first time going through the tunnel.”
“The thing is I can drive better when there are other cars around me because then it shows me what speed I should be driving.”
‘I have a pretty hard time realizing which side of the road I should be on and I don’t even look at the speedometer because I’m concentrating on the road because I don’t want to hit walls, you know what I mean.’
Sophia has been fined $295 for exceeding the speed limit by more than 20km/h at the Cross-City Tunnel in Sydney
The American expat says she attended fashion week events and thought she’d save money by driving instead of Ubering, but ended up being fined $295 instead
Online users were puzzled by the American’s confusion, even pointing out that the tunnel images appeared to show that she was driving in the middle of two lanes.
“You should get a ticket.” “Not knowing the traffic rules or not paying attention is no excuse,” said one.
“She even stands in the middle of two crappy lanes like I’m in my L lanes and even I can drive better,” said another.
Whilst a commenter said: “Not accelerating then?” to which Sophia replied: “K Karen”.
The emigrant has had a turbulent time Down Under and previously shared on TikTok that she was kicked out of her apartment for not revealing she had a dog.
“My life has been more unstable than ever in the past few weeks,” she explained. “I didn’t register my dog because I think the rental market is so ridiculous — and now I have to move out,” she said.
A woman has been evicted from her Sydney rental home after failing to disclose her dog after failing to say she would be living with a pet when she signed the lease
At the time, the LA influencer also revealed she was missing over $2,000 worth of jewelry since she last moved, and urged her followers to make sure their valuables are secured in a box, rather than in one place which an untrustworthy mover could reach.
She admitted to feeling extremely lonely and lost — especially being so far from home and family.
“In times like these, I just feel lonelier and ask myself: What am I doing here?”
The LA influencer revealed that she’s been missing over $2,000 worth of jewelry since she last moved, and urged her followers to make sure their valuables are secured in a box and not someplace where they’re kept an untrustworthy mover could get there