Skaife calls for Speed limit increases on Victorian Freeways...

[Bud Bud]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Hearing that driver attitudes need to change in Australia is a real cop-out as its the low speed limits which cause the current attitudes to begin with! And it is a lame excuse to avoid re-think of the speed limit strategy on our highways.

Two out of two this week for you Brazen. I honestly think that the more they squeeze the speed limits and punish the driver for small indiscretions then the lest effect it is happening on everybody and especially the youth because they are entering a driving environment that is very difficult to implement by seasoned drivers never alone the fresh. It is now no wonder that these attitudes that you mentioned are now so far out of kilter with the current speed restrictions.

Originally Posted by flappist

All good except the mandatory headlights.

No problem DTR lights will be everywhere soon. These are now going to be mandatory in Europe in the future anyway and having already driven from Paris to Munich (which includes the famous open limit autobahn), I think they are fantastic. They really fill your mirror when you are driving at or around 150 kph when an Audi A8 or Porsche 911 closes from behind at over 200 kph. I am also a fan of the low wattage driving lights that are now illegal. These should be aloud during daylight hours when speed limits are up or over 100 kph, especially on the open road. In the 70's when I used to walk through the city to school, I always knew that I would never be run over by a Volvo because they really stood out from the pack with their white indicators constantly on. Good lighting and visibility is finally now in fashion thank god!

Originally Posted by tapeworm

When this was brought up with Brumby for the 1st time he dismissed it instantly, no questions asked

Soon the Victorians will be able to dismiss him instantly no questions asked as well!

Originally Posted by mrbaxr6t

in a decade I forsee it faster to get from place to place on a pushbike due to greater speed than in a car, speedlimits will never ever ever go up, they will tumble in an attempt to maintain the revenue they have now that will dwindle as the masses become programmed to travel at a given speed then the speed drops and the cycle repeats speed cameras save lives and all the other rhetoric they spew whilst they maintain/increase their revenues, the system is a smelly anus.

Me too, except for the smelly bit! But they can’t keep lower speed limits indefinitely can they otherwise we will all end up going into reverse, and that is even harder than it looks on a push bike.

Originally Posted by jrckelley

looking at your speedo as you go through a busy 4 way intersection because there is a chance you might be doing 67kmh not 60

That is exactly what is happening now. People are trained to stare at their speedo because of the heavy handed consequences that awaits them if they mess up. All the while people are still street racing at 140 kph and killing innocent lives in 60 zones. Nowhere have I read that suggests that Mark Skaife advocates these types of speeds on suburban streets. I wish the people in power were not so blind sided by the constant revenue stream that they can't actually see what Mark Skaife is really saying.

[black mamba]

skaife for PM

[TheInterceptor]

skaife on channel 7 at the moment talking some sense

[4Vman]

Gardiner made some good points too... Australia isnt Germany, you cant apply the same methodology for totally different environments...

Teach and enforce road etiquette is the first step...

[TheInterceptor]

but still, simple things like keep left unless overtakeing...

[Franco Cozzo]

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunday-night/...e-information/

There we go, information about EVERY states Road ministers.

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Gardiner made some good points too... Australia isnt Germany, you cant apply the same methodology for totally different environments...

Teach and enforce road etiquette is the first step...

thing is, the time to act is NOW.....
start more extensive training NOW and we could well see higher speed limits in the future......

the govt isnt interested in it though as it'll cost money AND reduce revenue

[SVD]

i still liked the end about the possible (never will happen though) incentives for p-platers who take advanced driving courses...shorter P plate time, its a good idea in my books

[Jim Goose]

Extensinve training wont remove the current generation of rude, dangerous idiots on the road now. Its all very well asking for higher speed limits on the freeway, but this wont change the VERY poor driver attitude out there.

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Extensinve training wont remove the current generation of rude, dangerous idiots on the road now. Its all very well asking for higher speed limits on the freeway, but this wont change the VERY poor driver attitude out there.

of course it "could".... people only develop those habits because, with the current licence test only basically teaching them to point and steer, they're not taught otherwise....

perhaps if people were taught how to merge properly, the reason they should keep left etc, it might change their attitudes....

if they dont change their attitudes (im sure it would be able to be picked in the extensive testing) they dont pass, or have their licence revoked...

just a thought

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Extensinve training wont remove the current generation of rude, dangerous idiots on the road now. Its all very well asking for higher speed limits on the freeway, but this wont change the VERY poor driver attitude out there.

Well, how do you change someones attitude?

[burnz]

Originally Posted by LUXO_8

thing is, the time to act is NOW.....
start more extensive training NOW and we could well see higher speed limits in the future......

the govt isnt interested in it though as it'll cost money AND reduce revenue

reading a packet of smokes:

TOBACCO 19,019
ALCOHOLE 2,831
MOTO VEHICLE 1,731
DRUGS 863
MURDERS 203

yep; lets get worry about the most profitabe. 1, 2, 3.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Gardiner made some good points too... Australia isnt Germany, you cant apply the same methodology for totally different environments...

Teach and enforce road etiquette is the first step...

It is also interesting to note that when asked if any of the "road safety council" members had investigated German techniques Gardner replied NO.

Standard operating procedure for Government funded "experts", fill the advisory group with people who support your agenda and then ensure that any evidence that contradicts your position is ignored.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Extensinve training wont remove the current generation of rude, dangerous idiots on the road now. Its all very well asking for higher speed limits on the freeway, but this wont change the VERY poor driver attitude out there.

All you ever do is complain.

You never have any positive contribution to any subject.

There are "glass half full" and "glass half empty" people.

You are "someone stole half my glass, it is someone else's fault, glasses cannot be half full or half empty any more because if they were someone else would just steal it again, glasses should be banned".

How about some ideas on how to make things better for a change......

[MO]

+1.......

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Well, how do you change someones attitude?

Bingo!

Sorry im not a shrink or hold a degree on how to change peoples attitudes.
But the fact remains everyday on the road you see people who appear hell bent on commiting suicide or killing other people on the road.

Exaggeration? No not really... How many times I have seen people cut others off deliberately or speed through red lights a good 5 seconds after they changed, or drive around boom gates while a train approaches, over take in the bike lane, etc etc etc....

"Driver" education wont change rude and aggressive people..

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by flappist

All you ever do is complain.

You never have any positive contribution to any subject.

There are "glass half full" and "glass half empty" people.

You are "someone stole half my glass, it is someone else's fault, glasses cannot be half full or half empty any more because if they were someone else would just steal it again, glasses should be banned".

How about some ideas on how to make things better for a change......

Still at it i see ... cant help yourself.
Why dont you provide us with some answers for a change?

Tell me how to adjust driver behavour?
Seems to me your one of those with a holier then thou attitude and im guessing you wont ever change that attitude...

Strange how everytime I post on here your the first to open your big mouth, but I dont ever see YOU providing a decent arguement, just the usual same old stuff.

Which part of what i posted is untrue?
Come on you want to shoot me down in flames, tell me what I said is wrong, that the pathetic driver behavour in this country is untrue....

You seem to have some sort of personal vendetta on here to... im shaking in my boots.

[FalconXR6]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunday-night/...e-information/

There we go, information about EVERY states Road ministers.

Nice.

Would anyone be interested in drafting up a template we could all use to forward to our respective ministers to express our concerns and improvement suggestions ?

[mrfordfairmont]

well the kids that are getting their licences are being taught to get the licence not how to drive responsibly.
we don't need more speed as just about everyone drives 10kms over the limit..
yes germany is working but their autobarn is fairly straight unlike out bent highways...

[Eaturbo]

I do agree with Skaife about the speed changing too often. 50,60,50,60,80,60,70,80,90,. I drive along some days and think " what bloody speed is it here" The 70 and 90 ping me off as you dont know if you should be doing 80 or 100 or what. I'm waiting for the 75, 85, 95 speed signs, that will be fun

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by mrfordfairmont

yes germany is working but their autobarn is fairly straight unlike out bent highways...

Yeah your right, theres no straight roads in Australia.

[LUXO_8]

i agree, i wouldnt mind if for example they made the whole road 60 ...not the 50 60 70 60 70 crap
make a uniform speed and stick to it

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by flappist

All you ever do is complain.

You never have any positive contribution to any subject.

There are "glass half full" and "glass half empty" people.

You are "someone stole half my glass, it is someone else's fault, glasses cannot be half full or half empty any more because if they were someone else would just steal it again, glasses should be banned".

How about some ideas on how to make things better for a change......

I agree with what he's saying; the lack of driving skills isn't as much a problem as the lack of decent road manners and the ability to show a little courtesy and patience. Testosterone can be blinding, and until the training can teach that young age group a little of the aforementioned then it's a waste of time.

I missed the first bit of the interview, but that's one thing I didn't hear Snozz mention.

What I don't agree with is how our pirate leaders are doing nothing about either, instead hitting everyone with a blanket law heavily punishing anyone/thing for any little harmless offence.

[Nikked]

WG didn't really have anything of value to add, just lame counter points to skaife...

Skaife is switched on, he should be in parliament

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Skaife is switched on, he should be in parliament

Even if he was in there, I reckon he wouldn't get high enough in the ranks to make a difference anyways, it'd be him with logic versus everyone else with $$$ in mind.

[Keepleft]

Video for you lot, German TV in english; driving fast on the autobahn:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8PQU...eature=related

[MO]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Bingo!

Sorry im not a shrink or hold a degree on how to change peoples attitudes.
But the fact remains everyday on the road you see people who appear hell bent on commiting suicide or killing other people on the road.

Exaggeration? No not really... How many times I have seen people cut others off deliberately or speed through red lights a good 5 seconds after they changed, or drive around boom gates while a train approaches, over take in the bike lane, etc etc etc....

"Driver" education wont change rude and aggressive people..

As you are proving every time you post

[FPV8U]

The question is now we are a week or two down the line, is Skaife's message getting anywhere?

It would seem not, public support is there but in real numbers?

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by mrfordfairmont

yes germany is working but their autobarn is fairly straight unlike out bent highways...

Bent hwys?

There are some brilliant roads here that would be way above autobahn standards. Very long stretches of the hume, Geelong Rd and eastlink for starters ..... don't underestimate many of the roads here and do not overestimate the roads over there. The amount of traffic and the way it flows is why it works with an attitude that is second to none ...... thats the problem. Not the roads

[rodderz]

There will always be that element of a few who won't and aren't willing to learn, but an overhaul and adjustment to our licensing and driver education system is 50% better than what is currently in place. What's going to be better, put up with our current crop of drivers who seem to be getting worse and disrespecting others more, or do something about it?

Pollies won't do anything about it as the revenue from law-breaking drivers makes them a lot of money, but push a lot of pressure on them like what Skaife is doing and they will, particularly if it means votes in an election