FFS... when will it end?

[balthazarr]

I'm all for road safety, and getting idiots off the road. But at the same time, reducing speed limits, imho, will only serve to further dumb-down the skill level, attention-span etc. of drivers, increase road-rage incidents, etc.

Here's an extract from a recent MUARC report:

"Recent research suggests that there are still large benefits to be gained by introducing an “across the board” reduction of speed limits to 50 km/h on all types of urban and metropolitan roads that presently have a 60 km/h speed limit.
...
As a first step in this direction, the default urban speed limit on residential streets in Stockholm, Sweden has been reduced to 30 km/h. ... a growing interest can be noticed in Australia for similar speed limits to be introduced in order to meet the designated targets of the national Safe System approach and State and Territorial road safety strategies and action plans."

30 km/h? I drive over 70kms to and from work every day... maybe I should start walking.

More info here: http://www.monash.edu.au/muarc/reports/muarc276.html

[Mont5.0]

my car would stall at those speeds lol.

[GTP owner]

ride a bike? Then we could all get fit, lose weight, stop greenhouse emissions, save the planet, and crush our cars - because we are hoons doing 60km/h in a 30km/h zone. I love this place....

[Plugg3r]

This is all ..

If I had to do 30km/h in streets im not even BSing you i'd be smoking tyres all the way up them.. Out of sheer boredom... Even Dihatsu drivers would be bored shitless.

What about us people who drive 60km each way to work everyday.

[HLC]

my travel to work is entirely through suburbia!

it would increase my bloody travel time from like 1 minute 30, to 2 minutes 30 easily.

that just isnt on.

[TUF270]

besides the fact its ridiculous, it would take forever to get anywhere and majority of people speeding dont take the speed limit into consideration now so why would they then?......

[Hunter]

LOL time to go back to 2 spd autos!!!

30 km/h is farking ridiculous. 50 km/h in what are already 60 km/h zones is farking ridiculous too.

Leave it as is. My Falcon seems to be configured to 'slot into' 60 km/h and travels best at that speed. I guess this makes sense since it was designed and built before they reduced the limits to 50 km/h in built areas...

[FPV8U]

30km/h... God sake, what is wrong with these people...

[Keepleft]

The Australian 'built-up area' default held in ARR will not reduce from 50km/h. Our 50km/h default IS the EU norm and its widely used throught the world.

If it does somehow replace the existing the existing ARR via the reform process, then NSW will opt out with certainty, guaranteed. Sweden has nearly always been known as 'the Victoria of Europe', in this case, the initiating advocate for the Monash study is Vic's TAC.

The rural default as a topic is another matter, and is not covered atm.

It could be these folk are aiming for a third tier of 'default' speed-limit, say 'inner CBD default speed-limit' that sort of thing.

* The Monash push is from the same folk who successfully introduced speed-limits to the NT, it will be likely be supported by Harold Scruby in his role as Pedestrian Council something-or-other.....

Another possibility is that such a limit might be recognised as 'prima facie' limit, you could exceed it legally, but IF you crash and whatnot, could face additional legal charges/action. I doubt this will be the adopted example.

[FalconXR6]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

The Australian 'built-up area' default held in ARR will not reduce from 50km/h. Our 50km/h default IS the EU norm and its widely used throught the world.

If it does somehow replace the existing the existing ARR via the reform process, then NSW will opt out with certainty, guaranteed. Sweden has nearly always been known as 'the Victoria of Europe', in this case, the initiating advocate for the Monash study is Vic's TAC.

The rural default as a topic is another matter, and is not covered atm.

It could be these folk are aiming for a third tier of 'default' speed-limit, say 'inner CBD default speed-limit' that sort of thing.

* The Monash push is from the same folk who successfully introduced speed-limits to the NT, it will be likely be supported by Harold Scruby in his role as Pedestrian Council something-or-other.....

Another possibility is that such a limit might be recognised as 'prima facie' limit, you could exceed it legally, but IF you crash and whatnot, could face additional legal charges/action. I doubt this will be the adopted example.

Prima Facie limit?

First I've heard of it, but I love the idea!!!

How about that? The limit is posted at 100km, but if you crash at 120km you face additional legal charges / action. Would be good to see the statistics from this Prima Facie limit after 3-5 years vs the current "fine the motorist for travelling at 103 in a 100 zone".

[RATT]

Mention the C02 output at those speeds to them and see whether they will change their mind....

[Keepleft]

Funny thing Monash, each State and Territory, and the Commonwealth road agencies often initiate 'studies' from this group, and so often the 'results' are the same..... Might be time for some studies to be contracted to OS experts directly.....:-)

Falcon XR6, prima facie limits are okay, but in order to hop around legal compliance issues, I would suggest instead a 'recommended maximum' speed limit application, in particular for the ARR 'rural default'. This would not be a legal prima facie application, so 'enforcement' is then the responsibility of police who detect unsafe speed (etc), at any given speed, rather than relying on a 'prima facie guide which becomes the point they'd enforce at. (A la NSW history of (//)).

[S3SR]

at least make it 40kph so cruise control can work

[john3136]

I can think of at least 1 wide, straight road in Victoria that has a permanent 40K limit <edit>for part of the length</edit> already.
Great Ryrie St in Ringwood/Heathmont. (not 100% on the spelling)

I think it is to do with having schools on both sides of the road, but still...

[Fev]

whom ever wrote that report is a bloody moron. im assuming they didnt take into account the fact that those 30 kh/hr roads are most probably 1.5 lane cobbled streets which stretch for maybe 1-2km's?

someone shoot the beurocrats please! PLEASE SUPERMAN! SAVE US!

[Fev]

Originally Posted by HLC

my travel to work is entirely through suburbia!

it would increase my bloody travel time from like 1 minute 30, to 2 minutes 30 easily.

that just isnt on.

you have a 2 min drive to work! lucky you!

[Ruger]

lol canterbury road and hume hwy around bass hill may aswell be cobbled

[RATT]

Originally Posted by HLC

my travel to work is entirely through suburbia!

it would increase my bloody travel time from like 1 minute 30, to 2 minutes 30 easily.

that just isnt on.

Do you work in St Clair?

[LTDHO]

didn't they prove in Europe somewhere that the raod was safer at a higher speed?

[Bobman]

Too much focus on speed, not enough on the real and large causes of preventable death, such as smoking, alcohol and drugs.

[FalconXR6]

Originally Posted by Bobman

Too much focus on speed, not enough on the real and large causes of preventable death, such as smoking, alcohol and drugs.

Spot on!
I'll take it further;
How many times do you hear about someone being pinged for a few kms over the limit on a flat, straight, dual lane highway with clear visibility, yet how many times do you see the following but never see or hear about convictions;
* No turn signal
* Excessive deceeding of the speed limit (more dangerous than exceeding it IMO)
* No headlights or only one headlight
* Erratic driving
* Smoking / using mobile while driving
* Tailgating
* Using the right hand lane while not overtaking
* Cyclists who don't wear helmets
* Cyclists who don't have lights fitted to their bicycles
* Cyclists riding dangerously (which, IMO is every time they are on the road!!!)

The list goes on!!!

[Deech]

30 km/h? I totally want that to happen!!!

Only so I can make it one of my goals in life to be able to exceed the speed limit on foot, and deliberately get a ticket to prove it. (I reckon it's possible)
After that, the novelty will wear off sooner than my Fairlane's brake pads, and I'll hate it as much as everyone else.

[Supercharged]

as it is since the introduction of 50 KM/h all the oldies do 50 or less everywhere now even in the 60 zones, if it went across the board 50 KM/h they would be down to like 40, good thing I don't have a bull bar or I would give them some help.

[troppo]

When will it end? It won't.
As long as your posterior points to the ground there will always be some do-gooder (read: clown who thinks he knows more about how to keep you safe than you do) heading up an 'independant body' (read: government sponsored) who spend their time and taxpayers money coming up with 'studies' (read: figuring out how to spin the statistics to support a foregone conclusion) and publishing 'reports' (read: making it look like the conclusion came after the study)

Or I might just be a cynic...

[Supercharged]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

didn't they prove in Europe somewhere that the raod was safer at a higher speed?

Research on open road speed limits indicates when lower limits are imposed accident rates increase as a result of driver basiclly going to sleep with eyes open from being bored, when driver is travelling at higher speeds they stay alert and drive the vehicle rather than going into auto pilot mode.

[troppo]

I think we are in the process of proving it yet again in the NT. 2007 saw the introduction of speed limits and the worst road toll for a decade. The 2008 road toll is up significantly on 2007, at one stage a couple of months ago, it was 50% higher than for the same period last year.

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by GTP owner

ride a bike? Then we could all get fit, lose weight, stop greenhouse emissions, save the planet, and crush our cars - because we are hoons doing 60km/h in a 30km/h zone. I love this place....

Then get fined for cycling too fast.

[balthazarr]

I've always been of the opinion that this emphasis on speed - or, more accurately, the emphasis on increasing revenue by reducing tolerances of speed detecting devices to below that of your average speedometer (and installing more and more of them) - is reducing safety, not improving it.

To me, it encourages drivers to 'watch the speedo', and not what's happening around them.

Sure, Monash Uni look at Stockholm and report that they've reduced limits to 30km/h across the city... but do they also report that the area of Melbourne is over 8,800 km^2, compared to Stockholm's less than 380 km^2?

[GTP owner]

Originally Posted by xbgs351

Then get fined for cycling too fast.

hahaha, true - i haven't ridden for that long so i forgot. Maybe they want us all on public transport - saves the cost of building decent roads, and then they can divert all of the police resources currently used in traffic areas for the good of society, like catching thieves, and building community relations that have been soured by speed cameras.....nah it will never happen.

[T-BOOST]

Originally Posted by RATT

Mention the C02 output at those speeds to them and see whether they will change their mind....

AGREED