Wake up call for all

[merchant]

I don't know about anyone else around here but i for one am sick of seeing bloody dead people as a result of people believing they are bullet proof when they get into a car.

Last Boxing Day i attended a fatality in 45 deg heat which should have been a quad fatality. The deceased was the lucky one. The rest were that messed up they will never forget the day it all happened. Plus we nearly lost a couple of firies to heat stroke

Hopefully, there won't be a repeat this year, but something tells it's almost certain. Sad really!

One day the WA Government will get serious with drink drivers. I hope?

 

[justAL]

+1 ScottyB.

Good on ya AJZ....now don't let it go to your head!

 

[WIR35]

"Speed" in and of itself does not kill. If that were true, then why are not all racing car drivers dead?

The reason is because they are well trained, drive safe vehicles, surrounded by equally well trained drivers in equally safe cars, and they spend every second concentrating on the job at hand.

I am not for a moment suggesting we should all race around the streets, however, it helps me make my point. Speed doesn't kill, it is the combination of several factors that contribute to most traffic incidents. Lack of concentration, risky maneouvres, drink driving, fatigue, and not driving to the conditions would make up the majority of those. Combining speed with any of those things will increase both the risk and severity of an incident, however it would never be the sole cause. In fact, i would argue that spending 1 in every 5 seconds behind the wheel checking your speed is far more dangerous than being, say, 10% above the speed limit - but people are so shit-scared of being fined or being condemned to hell for speeding that they will do the former.

Obviously street racing and driving outside of a "reasonable" tolerance of the speed limit is stupid and incredibly dangerous and I certainly don't endorse people speeding, however i believe that focusing all of the media & police attention at fining people for speeding and telling people speed kills is a seriously misguided and condescending policy. They are simply "dumbing it down for the people." If you choose to buy into that falicy, then you're insulting your own intelligence.

As for young blokes taking stupid risks, to be honest, that will never change. I see myself to now be a very responsible and mature young (mid 20's) guy, however I did some remarkably stupid things when I was a teenager. I would not even think about doing those things these days, and I actually think that I play down the stupidity in my own mind to make myself feel less stupid. Good people do stupid things, it is a very sad truth, but I honestly don't think that will ever change, it is a chemical imbalance in a young male's brain. The difference between being young and foolish, and just plain stupid, is that everyone makes mistakes, the smart people learn from them and grow up, the truly stupid continue making them... The heart wrenching reality of it all is that some will never get the chance to learn from their mistakes.

 

[AJZ987]

no way it wont, im talking from experience, a driver needs to realise that if they want to drive stupid then its not only their life at risk its innocent people around, its the families of everyone involved aswell, bystanders, and as most of you boys have said the police firies, ambos, etc, my accident really made me wake up and realise that driving fast does not make you a hero, and the Australian government needs to step in an sort this s*^t out.

 

[maddogrc]

just a random thought...

australia has all these ADR's for cars that are either made in australia or imported into australia, and all the cars are built/modified to be within the ADR's.

australian roads are 110km/h max, is NT still 130?, so how come we have plenty of cars which have speedo's going past 200km/h?

i say speed limit cars to 140km/h, plenty to allow for over taking caravans and slower drivers.

like the navara is rated to 180km/h, but fk driving the ute itself at 180, it'd chew through fuel like theres no tomorrow and we have no dedicated freeways like the autobahn where people could do those speeds safely.

thats just my thought though...

 

[Old.Tony]

"Speed" in and of itself does not kill. If that were true, then why are not all racing car drivers dead?

The reason is because they are well trained, drive safe vehicles, surrounded by equally well trained drivers in equally safe cars, and they spend every second concentrating on the job at hand.

Absolutely. It's a controlled environment, with well-trained attentive drivers, and we don't have that on public roads. We won't get that either.

i believe that focusing all of the media & police attention at fining people for speeding and telling people speed kills is a seriously misguided and condescending policy. They are simply "dumbing it down for the people." If you choose to buy into that falicy, then you're insulting your own intelligence.

We could just be forgetting that Joe Public isn't a skilled, professional driver, they see their vehicle as just something that gets them from one place to another and they don't particularly care much for the rules.

The difference between being young and foolish, and just plain stupid, is that everyone makes mistakes, the smart people learn from them and grow up, the truly stupid continue making them... The heart wrenching reality of it all is that some will never get the chance to learn from their mistakes.

There's the crux of the matter. There are a large number of people out there that ARE stupid. They ARE making mistakes and because of the vehicle's speed, those mistakes are not easy to recover from and become disasters. The higher the speed involved, the worse the disaster becomes, and it's not because of YOU or YOUR skills, it's the average person's LACK of skills.

The speed limit is not there for those that have the skills to handle the speed. The speed limit is there for the lowest common denominator, who make up the larger portion of the population and are the most dangerous people on the road.

Just because you and 5 of your mates have the skills to handle 10km/h or 20km/h (or even more) above the speed limit with ease doesn't necessarily extend to the rest of the population. An idiot in a 110km/h zone can cause just as much havoc at 40km/h trying to u-turn across the freeway as they lose grip of the steering wheel.

My contention is that the speed limits in place are there because the government has to cater to EVERY driver, not just those of us that (rightly or wrongly - because a drunk driver will say they can too) can manage a vehicle at a higher speed.

 

[Ridgie]

"Speed" in and of itself does not kill.....

Speed doesn't kill, it is the combination of several factors that contribute to most traffic incidents. Lack of concentration, risky maneouvres, drink driving, fatigue, and not driving to the conditions would make up the majority of those.

I agree mate...it is a combination, a combination that more often than not is created by the driver. BUT make no mistake, it is the high speed that creates a situation that can't be controlled, it is the severe impact that kills people, it is the high speed that increases the severity of the impact that kills people. Speed kills. Drivers kill.

 

[FISHOLOT]

In another life I was a copper for nearly 30yrs, and like some members on here, have seen all there is to see as far as collisions go and heard all the excuses as to why they happen. All the causes depicted in the video are common unfortunately and in a lot of cases can be minimised if people use common sense, which seems to be lacking in a lot of areas these days. Unfortunatley you can't legislate against stupidty. If you are pissed don't drive. Concentrate and be aware of what you are doing re speed, road and traffic conditions and other road user movements. There are many theories out there why collisions occur, some i agree with, some I don't. There is nothing worse than having to knock on someones door at 3am and tell them a loved one has been killed in a collision. They know the coppers are not there at 3am to tell them they have won lotto, the look of horror and disbelief on their face as you try and break the news to them that their husband/son/daughter has been killed, sometimes through no fault of their own but the actions a pissed/careless/speeding driver. What I am trying to say is take care, be responsible and stay alive, this applies to all drivers, young and old . Everyone have a safe and merry xmas.

Cheers John

 

[scottybobcat]

Cheers John you to.Speed does kill.Race car drivers are in a controlled enviroment all with the same safety gear.Your average Joe blw doesn't have roll bars in their cars.
Race drivers have a whole track to drive on and the cars all go in the same direction.
It is like all the idiots that come to Healesville every weekend to race the black spur on their road bikes thinking they are Stoner when they have a lane that is 3.5 m wide not 10 or more on a race track and they kill themselves or innocent people coming in the opposite direction.People ride or drive way past their capabilities and it is only a matter of time before they are or someone else id dead.

 

[user 4231]

DRIVER EDUCATION is one point that stands out to me.

There is none. The road from getting your L's to getting your P's is worthless. The majority (and I say the majority, because there are some driving instructors that do not just teach to pass a test) of driving instructors teach the young'ins of today to only how to pass the test. They are taught no real driving skills in different conditions which is a real worry. We can all think of times whilst driving when we've seen the younger crowd (for example) in the wet, belting past you at twice the speed limit sitting on somebody's tale.

I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a 3 day defensive driving course when I was 19. After performing certain maneuvers in the wet and other conditions, it scared the crap out of me. By the end of the 1st day, I had changed my driving style dramatically.

Although expensive, I'd like to see mandatory driving courses for all persons trying to obtain their license. I believe the lessons learned in these courses would help drop the road toll, and maybie scare a lot of people into safe driving.'

As the start of the holiday seasons dawns upon us, drive safe and enjoy the time with the family.

 

[WIR35]

I think it's a fairly universally held thought that driving at excessive speeds on public roads is dangerous and stupid. I never tried to say anything to the contrary.

My point is that the policies of all governments whereby pretty much all they do for "road safety" campaigns is send the poor coppers out there to book people for speeding, and install speed cameras. OBVIOUSLY they are flogging a well and truly dead horse. The road toll isn't going anywhere but UP. Now, I have no problems with people being booked for speeding, but I do have a problem with them NOT being booked for all manner of other dangerous driving practices. Likewise, I also have a problem with the lack of education of road etiquette and basic common sense practise.

All I am suggesting is that MAYBE governments could try a different approach... I think they owe it to all of the good drivers out there to introduce some genuinely thoughtful and effective road safety campaigns.

Here's an interesting thought;

A well-signed speed camera is installed on stretch of road. In it's first 6 months it catches *X* amount of speeding motorists. The government say what a great success the camera is because it has punished *X* amount of motorists.

I would challenge that statement by saying that surely if the camera did not catch one single speeding motorist, only then could it be labelled a success because it has stopped people from speeding. Or perhaps if over the following months the numbers gradually decreased - but NO, all of the figures indicate that the numbers are growing - what gives?

Am I a conspiracy theorist? No. But I do firmly believe that speed cameras are the government's "easy way out." They get to say to the public that they are serious about road safety, and as a fantastic coincidence, they also get millions of dollars in revenue! How bout that! If it wasn't the government doing it, it'd be illegal!

 

[Aussie Frontier]

The sad part is everyone slows down for the camera then speeds up again.
My daugher has just done all her driving lessons and there is a few things I dont agree with. things like not using gears to help slow down.Handbrake used at traffic lights. Simple stuff we were taught when we learned they now say is wrong.
I do think they should make the kids do a proper driving course with defensive driving etc.
How many times do you see drivers on the phone while wombling all over the road. I hate to say it but seems like females are worst at this.
Guys use the phones just as much but they appear to be more in control of the car.

 

[WIR35]

Yeah I agree with that, the difference is that the women concentrate on the phone conversation, and men concentrate on driving. Basically just a reflection of everyday life where the bloke focuses on the job at hand and the woman just wants to yabber on all day while he goes "yes dear, yes dear" etc etc. That said, I am a good boy when it comes to not answering phone calls on the road. $300 is a bloody expensive phone call....

 

[maddogrc]

from MY observations, girls always text text text text text text on the phone when driving.

i always see guys talking on the phones, occasional text however.

both are bad, but with texting you're taking your eyes off the road a shit load more.

 

[Old.Tony]

My daughter can text without looking at her phone, I think it's just a familiarity with the technology that I simply don't have.

What I've taught her to do is this: while she is still nervous around the car, turn the phone off when she enters it to drive somewhere. When she gets to where she's going she can turn it on and read her messages.

Once she's comfortable in the car, use a hands-free kit with a single-button answer (we have a Blue Ant ready for her).

 

[maddogrc]

i dont know what the laws are like over there, but over here even handsfree kits are illegal for P platers...

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm not sure, to be honest, I haven't bothered looking it up. I told her it's best not to be distracted while driving unless you are completely comfortable with the vehicle and there's a good chance (with her) that she won't be for many years to come. I will make a point of finding that legislation.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I have the Galaxt S and if I need to make a call or txt I can pretty much do it all via bluetooth with voice commands.
I agree technology is moving ahead but the basics of the sudden stop still applies. I tell my daughter she is driving a weapon and it will either kill her or someone else if she abuses the priv of driving.
Her friends already know my thoughts on drink driving. I dont care who's car or who they are.If I see them drinking and driving I will take the keys and tell them its either walk home or call their parents cos I wont give over the keys.

 

[Old.Tony]

From 1 July 2007, NSW law specifies that learners and P1 Provisional drivers are not allowed to use a mobile phone in any fashion while driving (including waiting at traffic lights or signs). The penalty is a fine and 3 demerit points (4 points if it occurs in a school zone).

Here's the full text of the passage:

It is illegal to drive or ride a vehicle while using a hand-held mobile phone. The penalty is a significant fine and three demerit points.

This means that talking, sending or receiving text messages, playing games or taking photos are illegal when using a hand-held phone. It is also illegal to perform these activities when your vehicle is stopped but not parked, for example when you are waiting at traffic lights.
Policeman

A hands-free device can reduce the physical effort to make and receive calls but it doesn't necessarily make it safe to use a phone while driving. It is illegal to use a hands-free phone while driving if it causes you to lose proper control of your vehicle. The penalty is a significant fine and demerit points.

If you must talk on a hands-free phone while driving:

* Make sure it is a hands-free phone that is set up and working before you start driving.
* Keep the conversation short. Don't engage in complex or emotional conversations.
* Tell the person on the other end that you are driving and may have to end the call.
* Never text message (SMS) while driving.
* End the call if it is distracting you from driving.

Remember, if you don't have proper control of your vehicle because you are talking on a hands-free mobile phone you are guilty of an offence.

No mobile phone use by learner and P1 provisional drivers and riders

From 1 July 2007, learner and provisional drivers and riders must not use a mobile phone while driving or riding.

This includes phones in the hands-free mode or with loud speaker operating, sending or receiving SMS messages, playing games or any other function on your phone.

The penalty for mobile phone use is three demerit points (or four if the offence occurs in a school zone) and a fine.

Learner and P1 drivers and provisional riders are developing their vehicle control, hazard perception skills. Mobile phone use can distract the novice drivers and riders from the driving task. Studies have found that using a mobile phone while driving is dangerous as it slows reaction times and interferes with a driver’s perception skills and increases the chance of having a crash.

 

[AJZ987]

Speed cameras yeah they book u but u don't get the fine until 2 weeks later so how does that slow people down. It's all about revenue first for the government. And with mobile phones if you pull over to take a call and you don't have your handbrake up it's 2 points and a $300 fine I know someone who has been done for it.