Dangerous Driving Nonsense

[predator]

It was funny.. as I was driving along the other day, thinking much the same thing "so, well what makes this speed more dangerous that another".. In that, I travel 100km/hr it's legal, but another 5-10km/hr over its not whether it's wet, dry, or foggy or I'm half asleep, yapping away to the person in the passenger seat, etc. Likewise, what is "safe" in one car, would not be so safe in another. It's such a human thing to stick an arbitary number on something that is never entirely quantifiable.

I really think that is why the victorian model is so flawed.. 3km/hr.. come on! it's barely readable on the speedo, never mind trying to drive at it through a whole city with fixed non-descretionary cameras everywhere.

That said, I don't know how else you stop people going whatever speed they like, so some arbitary figures have to be chosen at some point. If it was like "150" on the highways, the nature of many would be to go 150 at the minimum, and then above and beyond that for some.

Another thing to lookout for is the usual propoganda yada during the holiday "carnage" periods.. Where they say "8 people have been killed on the roads this long weekend". But when you narrow it down, to say, last year x people were killed and divide by that by the number of days, more often than not this "carnage" is no worse than statistically average for any other 3 days of the year. Check into it next time you see it mentioned - it might make you think.

[djr81]

Actually what shits me is that if there is more than the normal amount of carnage it is taken to mean they need enough tougher laws/enforcement.

Ofcourse a less than normal amount is taken to mean their tougher laws are working - hence the need for even more tougher laws...

[mad082]

you haven't driven a crap car till you've driven a morris minor panel van, drum brakes all round, with a leaking master cylinder, and a kinked brake line so that whenever you jump on the brakes the first pump is to the floor, and the second makes it pull hard to one side due to one of the front brakes having a kinked line. it was a work car at the last place i worked. real bucket of snot and the owner wouldn't do anything about it. a few months after i left one of the workers was driving it and something in the front end broke and 1 of the front wheels came of at 60kmh.

[Big Rizza]

My experience is that when drivers in Australia make decisions on the road, they tend to make the assumption that all vehicles on a given stretch of road will be going the same speed. When pulling out in traffic, we will wait for a gap. Generally it is a secondary consideration whether or not that gap is closing or not. Same with changing lanes. Yes, the other vehicle might be 20m behind, but whether that gap is closing is again a secondary consideration, not a major point of focus.

The result is that, whilst you might be able to control your vehicle effectively at 20km/h over the speed limit, it might result in other road users cutting you off, or pulling out into gaps in front of you that really weren't there. So regardless of your vehicle control, the situation has become more dangerous for you and everyone around you.

At nearly double the speed limit, had you not considered that a car might have assumed you to be doing the speed limit, and pull out in front of you? Appropriately, whose fault that accident is also becomes a secondary consideration when you are attending your passengers funeral, or learning to talk again, or confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life.

Or dead.

Speed limits are important. Not just to keep cars from moving too fast, but to keep cars moving at a constant and predictable speed.

Edited June 26, 2006 by Big Rizza

[Sydneykid]

limits are important. Not just to keep cars from moving too fast, but to keep cars moving at a constant and predictable speed.

Then we should have a minimum speed limit as well as a maximum.

cheers

[Tangles]

Then we should have a minimum speed limit as well as a maximum.

cheers

But thats impossible, in the basic sense, it just 'aint workable. (edit: although I hasten to add, that with the right set of laws, properly debated and thought out, could be effective)

ie, how about when granny turns off the 80kmph road onto a 40kmph sideroad, and she pulls off at 5kmph - whilst this may be 'dangerous' (ie her lack of speed on the 80kmph main road), for granny it may be scary and hense deemed dangerous to drive around a corner at the minimum speed limit (whatever that may be, say 20kmph) - barring that, granny might be a completely safe and good driver.

Edited June 26, 2006 by Tangles

[scathing]

ie, how about when granny turns off the 80kmph road onto a 40kmph sideroad, and she pulls off at 5kmph - whilst this may be 'dangerous' (ie her lack of speed on the 80kmph main road), for granny it may be scary and hense deemed dangerous to drive around a corner at the minimum speed limit (whatever that may be, say 20kmph) - barring that, granny might be a completely safe and good driver.

Do you remember what the purpose of the practical driving exam to get your P plates was? Its to demonstrate that you have the ability to drive your car to some kind of minimum standard.

If you're not capable of doing that, or no longer capable, you shouldn't have a license (regardless of your age or sex).

[Big Rizza]

Then we should have a minimum speed limit as well as a maximum.

cheers

I can see it now...

Travelling at 110km/h in a 110km/h zone. Small child leaps out in front of you from nowhere. Slam on the brakes! Slowing... Slowing... Almost Stopped... FLASH! Speed Camera! The child is okay, but you are done for 5km/h in a 90km/h minimum zone. WHAT A HOON! 85km/h under the speed limit! Hoon laws confiscate car. Dangerous driving charges laid. Big $XXXX fine. Jail time. Job lost.

For the record, I have no idea why a small child would be playing on a 110km/h road.

Edited June 26, 2006 by Big Rizza

[Big Rizza]

ie, how about when granny turns off the 80kmph road onto a 40kmph sideroad, and she pulls off at 5kmph - whilst this may be 'dangerous' (ie her lack of speed on the 80kmph main road), for granny it may be scary and hense deemed dangerous to drive around a corner at the minimum speed limit (whatever that may be, say 20kmph) - barring that, granny might be a completely safe and good driver.

Imagine with minimum speed limits. 80km/h road turning on to 40km/h road scenario remains. Minumum speed limits are 60km/h and 20km/h respectively. Granny slows to 50km/h prior to the turn in order to make it safely. FLASH! Speed Camera! Done for doing 10km/h under the speed limit. Makes the turn on to 40km/h road. FLASH! Done for 10km/h over the speed limit.

In fact, that turn would be impossible to make without breaking the law on one of the roads. Unless you can make a step-change in your speed. Which would require an infinite instantaneous force. Which is impossible. So yes, impossible.

Edited June 26, 2006 by Big Rizza

[julion]

Im pretty sure if they had minimum speed laws (which I think is a stupid idea) Speed cameras wouldnt cover them, it would be up to police discretion. Otherwise, what about traffic. Theres a traffic jam....

FLASH!. FLASH! FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!F LASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!FL ASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

your all pwn3d

[dangerous_daveo]

You gotta be joking with our govt right. Anyway to make a buck.

[Sydneykid]

Im pretty sure if they had minimum speed laws (which I think is a stupid idea) Speed cameras wouldnt cover them, it would be up to police discretion. Otherwise, what about traffic. Theres a traffic jam....

FLASH!. FLASH! FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!F LASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!FL ASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

your all pwn3d

Nope, just program the speed camera, if there is a car in front doing the same speed, then the car behind has no choice. Hence no infringement notice issued. Only the first car in the traffic jam gets booked.

cheers

[Crazy G]

Ha ha... wow.... I dont know what to say... but I like the last bit

"Ban Low-Performance Drivers, NOT High-Performance Cars"

Which I think is very true… I have been driving for the past 12 years, I started when I was 15. I have come across so many bad drivers in my life.. I mean I get them everyday on the road when I go to work and back. Some of them are just so dame hopeless and I really wonder how heck did they get the license and who the F*** pass them.

These people can do so much damage to others and them self all the time. I know its bad to say that they shouldn’t be driving … but it just pisses me off so much sometime which I feel like getting out and kick their A**.

EDITED BY MODS - please don't post your street racing stories on here, thanks

I know I did the wrong thing by having my mate in the car and speeding. And also I know if something go wrong its bye bye baby… but I guess I took my chance. Once again I really don’t know what to say about the above topic coz we all love to speed and push our cars to the MAX to see how well we could do. Otherwise why would we all go and bye sport cars and put turbo’s and do all the MODS? Why ? so that we could all spend so much money on them and just drive it @ 60 km/h ? I don’t think so.

So I think everyone whos out there telling that dude off .. I would say u all have done it.. I mean speed. So you should all know how good it feels when you push you car to the limit. So think again and u might change your mind. I know it’s a big risk and we can all get others kills sometimes. But if someone is meant to die he/she will die anyhow when the time comes. But I would say if had no reason to speed then DON’T. but if you have some competition then I guess go 4 it and take a chance. I mean thatz life … u have to take a chance … but dude if u just did 116 Km/h on 60 just for nothing, dude … I just don’t know….

Well that’s what I have to say and once again its just what I think and that just my opinion. Anyways take care everyone and always think again. Well safe speeding even if there is no such thing as that.

*Gihan*

[mad082]

So I think everyone whos out there telling that dude off .. I would say u all have done it.. I mean speed

yes pretty much all of us have sped. the point were are making to this stooge is that if you are going to do nearly twice the speed limit, if you get caught, don't bitch about it. he came on here acting like he did nothing wrong and the cops should've given him a pat on the back and medal, just because he's done a few driver training sessions. i know i've sped, and i've been booked, and the time i did get booked (82 in a 60 zone) i had a reason for it (there was a hail storm coming, not that urgent, but didn't really want to get stuck driving in it) but i didn't bitch cause i broke the law and got caught.

[br3tt]

"Also, making driver education part of the school curriculum would make them better, more experianced drivers, learning advanced trigonometry in yr 12 might possibly save your life, but knowing how to come to the quickest stop in a wet and broken road almost certainly will."

I have thought about this the whole time at school (im still in school - year 11).

I'm not saying we don't need maths and english etc. But more life-essential lessons would be great. As good as it would be, I think the costs of the teachers + resources will never see it happening.

I'm not gonna call this guy a stupid dickhead and just leave it at that.. He had his reasons for doing that speed at that time (if it was a race, or he wanted to feel his car go fast etc). Everyone does something stupid. I bet even now when I'm typing this someone has just pulled out infront of a car at an intersection, or at a round-a-bout.

Everyone makes mistakes. I give the original poster credit for not being a wuss (even though he seems to have taken a 'break') and posting his original speed.

He will probably do it again. Just as we all do. Sometimes it takes a good crash into a pole to make people realise that speeding is bad; (Not in a good way ofcoarse).

Aslong as you can try to remember to play it safe and think about other road users you should be fine. You have a Skyline. It will most probably smoke that commodore next to you at the lights. Don't give the dickhead the pleasure of smashing his ass and just cruise off slowly.

[mad082]

He had his reasons for doing that speed at that time (if it was a race, or he wanted to feel his car go fast etc).

i don't know about everyone else, but i think he's more of an idiot because of the way he came on here acting like he had done nothing wrong. it was sort of a 'how dare they book me. i have done training and i think i'm a great driver, so the law shouldn't apply to me' attitude that he came on with. he didn't say 'i was speeding and i got caught. bugger.'

[The_Paladin]

I've read reports that suggest that advanced driver training for young people would cause more accidents then it would prevent. in my mind the jury was out on that one, but after posts like the ones i've read here, the reports have a really good point.

here's some other interesting points that few would like to realise

1: the demograph of people who think that they are the best drivers on the road (males 17-25) are actually the ones who are most likely to die in a crash.

2: "Ban Low-Performance Drivers, NOT High-Performance Cars"

DRIVING A HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR DOES NOT MAKE YOU A HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER. infact there are many people who drive high performance cars becaue they are insecure or have something to prove, these are really dangerous drivers because of their impulsiveness and aggression.

3: these 'car enthuasts' who keep blaming poor roads for accidents (what a weak as piss excuse) saying the government needs to spend more on them, only to get pissed off when the government actually tries to raise revenue.

4. the death toll from driving is actually comming down. it was higher in the 70's when there where higher speed limits, no cameras and less RBT's.

i could go on.

people like blaming other people because it's way more comfortable then taking resposobility for your own actions

[Thunderbolt]

Yes there may be reasons why advance driver training should not be implemented, but there is no reason why defensive driver training should not be made compulsary. There is a difference. One teaches you how to recognise dangers and help get you out of car crashes (defesensive driver training) and one helps you control the car in extreme conditions (advance driver training).

[(OO_The4door_OO)]

I think the obvious idiot here is you. It doesn't matter what time, that kind of speed is wrong. That area is 60 and not 100 for a reason.

Maybe when your balls drop you will realise that.

You do an advance driving course and think your king shit.. more like king of shit.

Grow up mate.

Let me see your driving record before you start throwing around profanity.

[(OO_The4door_OO)]

yes pretty much all of us have sped. the point were are making to this stooge is that if you are going to do nearly twice the speed limit, if you get caught, don't bitch about it. he came on here acting like he did nothing wrong and the cops should've given him a pat on the back and medal, just because he's done a few driver training sessions. i know i've sped, and i've been booked, and the time i did get booked (82 in a 60 zone) i had a reason for it (there was a hail storm coming, not that urgent, but didn't really want to get stuck driving in it) but i didn't bitch cause i broke the law and got caught.

Mad082 you are one hell of a hot head and I might add not very observant.

In my original post I said "and know what some people on this forum mean when they say don't always point the finger at the driver.",that from reading other threads people like you critisize other people for what ever reason because you may think better of yourself. "So who are to point and say you are a terrible and unsafe driver? When we can't even prove how we would react in an emergency situation, the "speeding" driver could very well be the better." Point being, "He without sin cast the first stone".

My thread was NOT to winge about the fact that I lost my licence, infact I'm loving it, I can't be designated driver untill I get my licence back so I get to drink every weekend, no petrol costs, I sleep in the car when ever I want!!!

My thread was to voice my opinion over Australia's current transport infrastructure and to hear other peoples thoughts, not to get smart ar$e comments from w@nkers who think they're perfect.

I happen to be a very cautious driver in normal driving conditions, and haven't set foot in a drivers seat since the loss of my licence.

So for anybody else who doesn't have anything constructive to add to this topic you know where to shove it.