Knuckle Head Senator says Drivers Should Decide Speed Limit

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by stinkwheels

Yeah it's strange when you see that. I sometimes wonder if the slower speed limit on the better, multi-lane road is to prevent a bottle-neck from forming where the road goes single-lane. Apparently they program traffic lights in the majors cities to maximize traffic flow through the city and I've wondered if some speed limits play a role.

you are absolutely right. many of these things are taken into account.
German traffic engineers, real engineers with degrees and experience and authority are currently developing systems to maximise traffic flow and speed to minimise fuel consumption through traffic light control, average speed maintenance along major arterials, detailed surveys and modelling of commuter traffic and rigorous assessment is key. Because even the ost efficient engine is wasting fuel while sitting stationary in unnecessary slow traffic.
Ever wonder why there are so many duel lane roads with 3 lanes at traffic lights. Its to move as many cars across the intersection during a cycle as possible to help mediate traffic, butt he average austyralian just blocks the merging traffic in the derby defeating the opportunity and slowing up everyone behind.

JP

[monte.b]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

I drove up to maryborough last weekend, the first thing that struck me was how stupid the speed limits are, first part of the trip, all nice multi lane motorway, speed limit 80/100 Kms, then the road turns to crap, a lot narrower, obviously a lot older and the speed limit increases to 110kmh? Wtf?

I dont know what highway you were on but on the Bruce,its 110kph from just north of Brisbane untill you get to Coroy ,then its 90kph untill you get to the new bit of highway they put in to bypass the dam they never built ,but its a great bit of road ,110 kph too ,nearly to Gympie ,then its 90 kph until the Wide bay highway turnoff ,then its 100 kph until just south of MARYBOROUGH ,there is a few places where roadworks are going on that is 80 ,but not a lot ,we travel this road a lot and when they finish the highway from Coroy to Curra ,no more bloody lights in Gympie

[warpsp33d]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

Ever wonder why there are so many duel lane roads with 3 lanes at traffic lights. Its to move as many cars across the intersection during a cycle as possible to help mediate traffic, butt he average austyralian just blocks the merging traffic in the derby defeating the opportunity and slowing up everyone behind.
JP

and then some smart cookie comes along and turns it into a priority lane for busses, with their own dedicated sequence, only to have the bus take off and be so slow that a few km down the road it slows all the traffic up as the slow people in the left lane pile up behind the bus and attempt to get into the right lane, slowly... and the gumby drivers in the right lane slow down when the bus slows down too. Wonderful traffic flow, absolutely wonderful.

I've also seen a tonne of examples where the traffic lights go green only for the immediate next set, less than a few hundred meters away, goes red. That's very economical and definitely cuts down on pollution and congestion.

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by warpsp33d

I've also seen a tonne of examples where the traffic lights go green only for the immediate next set, less than a few hundred meters away, goes red. That's very economical and definitely cuts down on pollution and congestion.

yeah but we are a back water outpost so will be 20 years before real thinking lands here.

JP

[ozpacman]

I've also seen a tonne of examples where the traffic lights go green only for the immediate next set, less than a few hundred meters away, goes red. That's very economical and definitely cuts down on pollution and congestion.

They must have been set up by traffic engineers who did their training in Cairns Queensland.

That particular system has been operating in our city for years. I think that those who designed and installed them here had such pride in their work that they like you to pause and admire each and every traffic light for a few minutes so you can reflect on what a marvelous thing they really are!

Russ.

[jpd80]

At the moment, bureaucrats see tolls and fines from motorists as an unending supply of money.
Drivers feel aggrieved that all decisions regarding driving faster or slower according to the conditions are taken from them..

Somewhere in between lies the truth.

[my_gxl]

The NT was great with derestricted limits.

Originally Posted by Keepleft

This is a NSW topic, the senator merely joins sitting government members, including ministers, who have called for serious discussions into certain motorway and remote rural highway speed limits.

The NSW Speed Zoning Guidelines will be updated in specification outlaying requirement to set both 120 and 130km/h limits. It'd look at items such as sight distance, U-Turn bay 'gatelock' (to stop fools doing illegal U-Turns), and median barrier for motorway. Crash history, vehicle numbers etc.

Can't see NSW going to 140km/h, above 130km/h you're better off in safety simply setting speed derestriction. (//)

Police, NRMA, RMS, motorcycle and pedestrian groups (Harold), doctors, local government - all get a say on our Guidelines.

NSW continues to push for a safety triangle AND high-vis vest for new market cars and has done so officially since November 2012. All will be part of a wholesome response for a higher limit allowance; adopting the lessons of a high-speed EU.
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Satel...eature-overlay


The Guideline amendments to date would have very, very little NSW inter-city motorway safely capable of accepting 130km/h, BUT action is being taken, and has been a number of years - to get the sections up to scratch.

Patience.


REM - February 1, 2014 see's the start of NT's speed derestriction trial. Idiot speeds and poor manner of driving will not be tolerated.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by jpd80

At the moment, bureaucrats see tolls and fines from motorists as an unending supply of money.
Drivers feel aggrieved that all decisions regarding driving faster or slower according to the conditions are taken from them..

Somewhere in between lies the truth.

and there we have it, govco's unite we cannot afford this "hole" in consolidated revenue..

[ryeman]

If you truly want a distortion of reality keep watching ACA n TT.
They WILL do your head in!

[EVLKNEVL]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

The main point is this: you may be a good driver...and only a fool describes himself as a "perfect driver", as everyone should always be looking to constantly hone and improve their skills..."I can always learn more" should be your philosophy.
But assuming you are a good driver with a good car and can handle it competently, sit in traffic and look around you at the "skills" of the average driver and some of the less-than-average ones. Take a long. Hard. Look.


Then consider that there's a proposal that those people will be deciding how fast you should be driving on the road...

I went for a drive, studied the other traffic around me closely, and came to this conclusion:

The majority of people on the road have good car control, use indicators, regulate speed properly and concentrate on the task of driving. Then I saw an individual merging without an indicator and well below the limit.

The temptation is there to make a sweeping generalisation about the poor vehicle handling skills of everyone besides yourself, based on the actions of a few idiots that stick in your mind, but then your common sense kicks in and reminds you that this is the essence of nannyist reasoning. "These people are all idiots, how can we even think of letting them make a decision for themselves!"

If there is a problem with a minority of drivers who are not up to the task of driving (and there is), Then that's another issue and it should be addressed as such. Painting all road users with the same brush in order to discredit them and overdramatise the issue is not the right way to handle things.