Are you at risk? Aussie tourist slapped with $600 fine for this common driving mistake
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We’ve all had those moments where the wind in our hair and the open road ahead make us feel a little bit like movie stars.
But as one Aussie woman recently discovered, channelling your inner Kate Winslet on the roads can come with a hefty price tag—and a stern warning from the boys and girls in blue.
Picture this: you’re cruising through the stunning alpine scenery of Mount Buller Road in Merrijig, Victoria. The air is crisp, the views are breathtaking, and you’re feeling on top of the world.
For one car passenger, the temptation to recreate the iconic 'I’m flying!' scene from Titanic was just too strong to resist.
With arms outstretched and head poking through the open sunroof, she was living her cinematic fantasy—until reality (and the local highway patrol) came crashing in.
Victoria Police, who were conducting routine speed checks in the area, couldn’t help but notice the Jeep zipping along at 100km/h with a woman standing upright through the sunroof.
While the scene might have looked straight out of Hollywood, the officers were quick to point out that the road is no place for such theatrics.
'Her arms were spread wide in the air as the Jeep was travelling,' police reported, adding a cheeky nod to the Titanic reference but making it clear that the situation was anything but romantic.
The officers wasted no time pulling the vehicle over. Both the passenger and the driver were handed fines of nearly $600 each, with the driver also copping three demerit points.
That’s a total of almost $1,200 for a few seconds of movie magic—enough to make anyone’s heart sink faster than the Titanic itself.
Also read: New rules for drivers! Fresh fines, slower speeds—starting any day now
Why is this so dangerous?
While it might seem like harmless fun, standing through a sunroof while a car is moving is incredibly risky.
Not only is the passenger completely unrestrained and exposed to the elements, but any sudden stop, swerve, or collision could result in catastrophic injuries—or worse. The driver, meanwhile, is responsible for the safety of everyone in the vehicle, and allowing such behaviour puts everyone at risk.
Police were quick to remind the public that, 'Everyone knows how things ended for Jack Dawson, and all jokes aside, this had the potential to end just as badly.'
Also read: Road authorities slam driver with 22 demerit points in one go! What did the driver do?
A growing crackdown on dangerous driving
This incident isn’t an isolated one. Across the country, police are ramping up efforts to target dangerous driving, with new cameras and stricter penalties coming into effect.
From mobile phone use to speeding and not wearing seatbelts, authorities are determined to make our roads safer for everyone.
In fact, new cameras are now officially targeting drivers for a range of offences, and millions of Aussies have been warned about changes to speed camera operations.
There’s also an urgent warning about a deadly trend on our roads, with authorities urging all motorists to think twice before engaging in risky behaviour—no matter how tempting it might be to chase that movie moment.
Read next: Fines soar to $30 million as Australia cracks down on mobile phone while driving—are you next?
Have you ever witnessed risky behaviour on the roads, or had a close call yourself? Maybe you’ve got a story about a time when a bit of fun turned into a costly mistake. We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences—share them in the comments below!
But as one Aussie woman recently discovered, channelling your inner Kate Winslet on the roads can come with a hefty price tag—and a stern warning from the boys and girls in blue.
Picture this: you’re cruising through the stunning alpine scenery of Mount Buller Road in Merrijig, Victoria. The air is crisp, the views are breathtaking, and you’re feeling on top of the world.
For one car passenger, the temptation to recreate the iconic 'I’m flying!' scene from Titanic was just too strong to resist.
With arms outstretched and head poking through the open sunroof, she was living her cinematic fantasy—until reality (and the local highway patrol) came crashing in.
Victoria Police, who were conducting routine speed checks in the area, couldn’t help but notice the Jeep zipping along at 100km/h with a woman standing upright through the sunroof.
A woman in Victoria was fined nearly $600 after she stood through a car’s sunroof in a pose inspired by the Titanic film while the vehicle was travelling at 100km/h. Image source: Ethan Hu / Unsplash.
While the scene might have looked straight out of Hollywood, the officers were quick to point out that the road is no place for such theatrics.
'Her arms were spread wide in the air as the Jeep was travelling,' police reported, adding a cheeky nod to the Titanic reference but making it clear that the situation was anything but romantic.
The officers wasted no time pulling the vehicle over. Both the passenger and the driver were handed fines of nearly $600 each, with the driver also copping three demerit points.
That’s a total of almost $1,200 for a few seconds of movie magic—enough to make anyone’s heart sink faster than the Titanic itself.
Also read: New rules for drivers! Fresh fines, slower speeds—starting any day now
Why is this so dangerous?
While it might seem like harmless fun, standing through a sunroof while a car is moving is incredibly risky.
Not only is the passenger completely unrestrained and exposed to the elements, but any sudden stop, swerve, or collision could result in catastrophic injuries—or worse. The driver, meanwhile, is responsible for the safety of everyone in the vehicle, and allowing such behaviour puts everyone at risk.
Police were quick to remind the public that, 'Everyone knows how things ended for Jack Dawson, and all jokes aside, this had the potential to end just as badly.'
Also read: Road authorities slam driver with 22 demerit points in one go! What did the driver do?
A growing crackdown on dangerous driving
This incident isn’t an isolated one. Across the country, police are ramping up efforts to target dangerous driving, with new cameras and stricter penalties coming into effect.
From mobile phone use to speeding and not wearing seatbelts, authorities are determined to make our roads safer for everyone.
In fact, new cameras are now officially targeting drivers for a range of offences, and millions of Aussies have been warned about changes to speed camera operations.
There’s also an urgent warning about a deadly trend on our roads, with authorities urging all motorists to think twice before engaging in risky behaviour—no matter how tempting it might be to chase that movie moment.
Read next: Fines soar to $30 million as Australia cracks down on mobile phone while driving—are you next?
Have you ever witnessed risky behaviour on the roads, or had a close call yourself? Maybe you’ve got a story about a time when a bit of fun turned into a costly mistake. We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences—share them in the comments below!
