Are motorists becoming more and more stupid?

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Its not that they dont see it... its that they DONT CARE.
Nealry all the cases are people trying to outrun the train and stuff the boom gates im going through! How dare a train stop my precious life for 5mins making me wait!
The amount of morons i continually see quein across rail lines beggers beyond belief too.
a few months ago a had a good laugh at the Stuart railway crossing, there are signs to say that crossing cameras are in use. It didnt stop one moron from simply ignoring the boom gate as it was coming down, he just drove through. The flash from the camera goes off.....

Same with red light runners.... no difference.

everyone is in a hurry... no one wants to wait.

Now there's an idea... red light cameras on train crossings. Soon as it lights up, camera on.

*runs off to Campbell's house to pitch idea*

[lucas2]

Originally Posted by Kable72

I listen to my music loud all the time, I'm still alert to what's going on around me. You have to be these days with all the pathetic drivers going around these days. Probably going to get flamed here but I see better P plate drivers than those who hold an Open licence. Some people just should not hold one.

I agree, as a P plater I don't hold the attitude that "i'm a better driver" than everyone else..but I do feel that a lot of young drivers I know are more aware of their surroundings, compared to older drivers that have tunnel vision behind the wheel.

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

I won’t single out any particular group but I will say that I have a problem with: young girls in zippy little jap cars, Asians, taxis, VHA hire cars, soccer mums at schools in their 4WDs, tradesman in their work vehicles, old people who are past it, Indian courier ute drivers, Indians who drive trucks, Asians who drive tippers, any truck that has Linfox written on it, any well to do business man in an expensive car who doesn’t think that the road rules apply to them because they are wealthy, baseball cap wearing Commodore drivers who don’t understand that there is a time and place for everything, grey nomads and old people who wear hats while driving.

So basically everyone who's not a 25-50 year old male driving a Falcon?
I just hate all other drivers on the road pretty much, I don't discriminate from one to another. They're all tossers.

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by lucas2

I agree, as a P plater I don't hold the attitude that "i'm a better driver" than everyone else..but I do feel that a lot of young drivers I know are more aware of their surroundings, compared to older drivers that have tunnel vision behind the wheel.

I reckon one area where young people crap all over older drivers is drink driving. People who grew up in the era when drink driving was legal seem to be more guilty of it than anybody else (despite the binge drinking feral stereotype of young people) and they don't understand why it's such a heinous thing to do. Nobody I know in their 20s drink-drives. Just my opinion anyway.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

I merely say Do it...go ahead and drive around the boom gates, ignore the flashing lights and my locomotives blaring horn and bright headlight, and drive right in front of me...go ahead and remove yourself from the gene pool, I literally do not care if I turn your car into a squashed tin can full of strawberry jam (chunky style) because I'll be going home to my family and you'll be going home in a box...a small one. The only thing that would upset me would be if you do it with your family in the car...then I'd be filled with an overwhelming hatred for you and your stupid actions.

Unfortunately, particularly where there's a truck, bulldozer or something large involved, it's train crew and passengers that get killed. The name Kerang may invoke something here. Not long after Kerang I saw a photo published taken by a loco driver showing a big semi trailer crossing the line right in front of him - owner's name emblazoned on the side and all.

But when they build a bridge to replace a crossing at a bad accident site they name the bridge after the idiots who drove the car in front of the train, not after the traumatised loco crew. I've stood beside a former NSW politician who said to me "yes those stupid trains" when talking about level crossing accidents. If that's the attitude from up the top (meaning the nannies are stupid) what hope is there down the line?

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by Rapid_Axe

Now there's an idea... red light cameras on train crossings. Soon as it lights up, camera on.

*runs off to Campbell's house to pitch idea*

Rail crossing cameras have been in QLD for several years now.
It was due to QLD Rail drivers who were sick to death of the near misses that they insisted cameras be installed.

Rail Crossing at Bowen had level crossing camera installed at least 4yrs ago.

[blackf6]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Answer... Yes

A few years ago in townsville a young female driver ran into a train at a level crossing in south Townsville. The newspaper reported that when questioned how she came to hit the train midway through its passing, she said " I didnt see it"!

Cane trains at night are very hard to see if their side reflectors are dirty or missing. But the red flashing lights are easy to see though!

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by teak81

Cane trains at night are very hard to see if their side reflectors are dirty or missing. But the red flashing lights are easy to see though!

This was a very long freight train going through town... well lit area.

I know of a few cane train crashes at night around the burdekin over the years however... they all carry a brake carriage at the end of the cane train these days, which has flashing lights and flood lights all over it so its more noticable.

[irish2]

It is not just driving. Recent works on the Goodwill bridge (pedestrian footbridge in Brisbane) have seen the bridge width more than halved. There are big signs saying "cyclists must dismount", yet most fly past at 40+km/h. One did come unstuck whilst I was walking the bridge however, and after crashing into the temporary fence, he lost a lot of bark.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

I don’t have time to write a long detailed post, but, YES. In my opinion, people are lacking in the true skills of driving more so these days.

I won’t single out any particular group but I will say that I have a problem with: young girls in zippy little jap cars, Asians, taxis, VHA hire cars, soccer mums at schools in their 4WDs, tradesman in their work vehicles, old people who are past it, Indian courier ute drivers, Indians who drive trucks, Asians who drive tippers, any truck that has Linfox written on it, any well to do business man in an expensive car who doesn’t think that the road rules apply to them because they are wealthy, baseball cap wearing Commodore drivers who don’t understand that there is a time and place for everything, grey nomads and old people who wear hats while driving.

Being a truck driver have you ever noticed the VHA/B cars and Taxis in the right lane on the Tullamarine freeway heading towards the airport? They all sit in the right lane, until the very bit where they need to turn off and cut across to the exit on the left.

The best thing I saw was a semi was sitting in the left lane and a bunch of taxis tried to cut across from the right lane to go to the airport, so he blocked them all off, then he gave us the thumbs up as we went past .

[burnz]

Originally Posted by teak81

Cane trains at night are very hard to see if their side reflectors are dirty or missing. But the red flashing lights are easy to see though!

in my time going to cairns/mareeba, on three occasions i have all most cleaned up those cain train and tractors.

only due to moon light did i see those cain trains, no lights at level crossings.
no lights on the train at all, even the engine.
nothing,, just a gray suloette in the moon light.

same with the tractor cain train driving down the bruce at 3am, no lights nothing... driving down the middle of the road doing 40kph,. while you have pull 65 tonne up from a 100kph.. cow cocky's have a death wish, and they do pay from their stupiddity.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Rapid_Axe

Now there's an idea... red light cameras on train crossings. Soon as it lights up, camera on.

*runs off to Campbell's house to pitch idea*

Not as soon as it lights up, if you are 10 metres away you will not be stopping.
Once the gates start to come down the camera should be activated.
I have no idea how they work in QLD.


I have had a few near misses at crossings. Nothing as close as 2011g6's experience, but close enough.

One day an idiot in an old landcrusier decided he wanted to race us to an unprotected level crossing.
He must of been so focused on our train he didn't see the almost 90 degree bend 10-15 metres after the level crossing.
Just before the crossing he spotted the bend. He locked up his brakes and almost put himself through the fence and into the farmers field.
1km ahead the road crossed back over the railway line. But this crossing had gates. Old mate in the landcrusier was sitting there at the crossing waiting for us to pass.

So he almost got hit by a train, almost drove through a fence and still did not get any further ahead. What a complete spanner.

[Jim Goose]

I thought this quote i just found was pretty appropriate when you consider the orginal question...

Every day, man is making bigger and better fool-proof things, and every day, nature is making bigger and better fools. So far, I think nature is winning.

[flappist]

I personally have seen 5 or 6 car vs train prangs and 1 bus vs train. We used to have very few trains here so no one took any notice of the crossings.

As far as the whole "are motorists becoming more stupid" thing, it is not so much stupid as attitude.

It is always someone else's fault, all people are equal and if you fail at something then the test was unfair.

Cars are much easier tor drive and significantly faster that those of even 10 years ago. The major problem is the low performance drivers with delusions of adequacy can get hold of high performance far too easily.

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by EFFalcon

not all crossings have gates etc.

Which means you should approach with caution and check for trains. If you're not willing to do that, then your chances of being scattered all over the tracks in pieces are higher

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

What's with all the 'modern technology/society sucks' threads of late? Howzat and Puberty Blues making people nostalgic?

People have always been dumb and lazy, and they always will be.

Not true , society in general is far far far dumber now that ever before . The tragedy with todays society is people either dont realise they are dumb or wear their stupidity like a badge of honour .

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Not true , society in general is far far far dumber now that ever before. The tragedy with todays society is people either dont realise they are dumb or wear their stupidity like a badge of honour .

And 'those people' assume the same of you and I - hence we are all stupid I guess:-)

I agree with Flap - attitude; we have it like MTV style sub culture.

[BHDOGS]

The world is as stupid as it always has been only diffrence is you can see it all live streamed to your computer instantly before you had to read it in the papers

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by Kable72

People are getting lazier and it's pathetic. No one gives way, no one indicated, no one has patience on the road anymore. Too many people sit below the speed limit holding up traffic for no apparent reason. More often than not, people will slow down at school zones, on weekends, at midday. While it is good that people slow down here, not on the weekend at midday. Too far.

.

Not sure about your next of the woods, but in Adelaide, the signs say, 25KM's when kids are present....I interperate that as being all hours of the day...

All these modern bells and whistles are definately making us lazy.....I'll even go as far as saying it includes ABS brakes too.....Means we can't be bothered concentrating as hard on the task at hand, as we have a false sense of security these modern gadgets will help us drive a car.

[karj]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Not sure about your next of the woods, but in Adelaide, the signs say, 25KM's when kids are present....I interperate that as being all hours of the day...

All these modern bells and whistles are definately making us lazy.....I'll even go as far as saying it includes ABS brakes too.....Means we can't be bothered concentrating as hard on the task at hand, as we have a false sense of security these modern gadgets will help us drive a car.

Your interpretation of that is correct. In SA, school zones apply all hours of every day of the week (including weekends and public holidays) so long as kids are in the area.

[Bucknaked]

Must be a slow day on the interweb.

[ED Classic]

Talking pretty general. There are also some very good drivers on the road, I observe them every day. All too easy to focus on lifes negatives though

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

And 'those people' assume the same of you and I - hence we are all stupid I guess:-)

You can add to that, from the political and bureaucratic angle, that if you treat people as stupid they will act stupid.

[JG34JA]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Not true , society in general is far far far dumber now that ever before . The tragedy with todays society is people either dont realise they are dumb or wear their stupidity like a badge of honour .

Not sure if substance behind this thread is for real, or pop culture; nevertheless:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icmRCixQrx8

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

What's with all the 'modern technology/society sucks' threads of late? Howzat and Puberty Blues making people nostalgic?

People have always been dumb and lazy, and they always will be.

This could well be the most sensible response to any thread in ages.

[Brazen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQmwCTSoj-0

[duaned]

Some serious crashes in that link! Just confirms how stupid people really are!

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by duaned

Some serious crashes in that link! Just confirms how stupid people really are!

Makes me appreciate Australia and our car culture, we travel two to three times the distance of the average European and our drivers are a lot better and have a better attitude. Nothing scarier than a European who takes public transport all year then jumps in a car and does 160 on ice on a motorway. Like pilots who improve with hours in air, so do car drivers who spend more time on the road.

[prydey]

this amused me somewhat.

Originally Posted by Kable72

no one has patience on the road anymore.

first you say this ^ and then follow with

Originally Posted by Kable72

Too many people sit below the speed limit holding up traffic for no apparent reason. More often than not, people will slow down at school zones, on weekends, at midday.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Where was that study from some years back in, I think, a Swedish city where they removed all road signs from the roads...and accidents went down, and road speeds were pretty much as they always were, evening out to suit the area? It showed that the majority of people were always going to "drive to the conditions", and be careful at intersections. The people that couldn't cope with the new environment with no signs to prompt their slow brain every five seconds seemed to leave the car at home and take public transport, perhaps being afraid to venture out and trust their meagre driving "skills" in the new traffic environment.

Wouldn't work in WA because people just ignore the road signs and traffic lights anyway

On the subject of trains v cars...I've had the misfortune to sit through WAPOL post-crash assessment videos (for educational purposes) that showed all the gory detail from a few car v urban passenger train crashes here in the early 1990's...some things cannot be unseen and will stay burnt into your memory forever