What is it with Drivers and Holidays?

[falcon91]

Jeez, I just drove from Adelaide to Gawler today to visit some rels' for chrissy( 'round trip of 110k) and was nearly sideswiped, rear-ended, t-boned ect,ect! about 25 bloody times.
I know Christmas can be stressful but bloody hell, you think with all the "Stay Safe" stuff on TV, these people would learn. Every holiday period it's the same thing. Does anyone else notice this or is it all in my head??

[Racecraft]

nope its not in your head

since Friday night I have done nearly 1400 kays up and down the east coast of Qld.. If i see one more w@nker in a 4wd think he has a magical car, so help me god! They dont indicate, they don't move over, they follow you so closely but wont overtake!! grrr! I was at my wits end with hobby holiday drivers :(

[Whoosha]

Just for fun one day try it on any long weekend in a 40 to 64 tonne truck................
If it was a side show ride that gave you that big a scare I"d be a rich man..........

stay home kick back + relax I say........ try and enjoy the rest of the break
Whoosha

[Smoked]

They all just totally lose the plot. Minds end up on other issues, this is why there are significantly more accidents this time of year..

[Charliewool]

I have a theory here!... Being these guys catch public transport to their place of employment all year, and the little lady is driving the kids to school in the 4 wheeler,(doing a great job, BTW) THEN comes chrissie hols, and the man of the house takes over... and has NO friggin idea!
Watch the ones towing a caravan!!

[JC]

Originally Posted by charliewool

I have a theory here!... Being these guys catch public transport to their place of employment all year, and the little lady is driving the kids to school in the 4 wheeler,(doing a great job, BTW) THEN comes chrissie hols, and the man of the house takes over... and has NO friggin idea!
Watch the ones towing a caravan!!

Yep - I was going to post something along the same lines. I reckon you are right on the money with that theory, and I think this is the situation that the road toll campaigns should target. They should tell these "twice a year, highway mostly" drivers to go out and practice on a busy highway for at least 3 weeks in a row before heading off on a real trip. If nothing else, it will take the focus off the holiday road toll and shift it to the pre-holiday period, eliminating double demerits for the rest of us! I wish!!!

[XA-Coupe]

Heaps of people that have never driven further than the corner shops now get to drive interstate. They are also all great drivers.. just ask them.

[Deadman]

I just hate the amount of people who sit in the left lane doing 90 km/h - then when they realise (as they are getting overtaken) that they are going sightly slow - and they race up to 115 km/h.

Of course you see them again in a few minutes, back in the left lane doing 90 km/h again - until of course you go to overtake them ;)

damn ****ers - learn to stay at the one speed or get cruise control. either way - stop screwing with me! It's Christmas and the roads are busy enough as it is without doing dumb *** stuff like that :the_finge

:

ah, that's better... Now where's that bourbon...

Oh, thats right.. Next to the person who told me last night how good BMW is and:

start quote
why you would want to spend $50k on a FPV F6 rather than a BMW 1 series is beyond me. I'd never spend $50k on a Ford. BMW are the only cars worth that kind of money
end quote

at that point I left the conversation. Could have gotten ugly :

[AUIII XR8 MAN]

The problem is most poeple mine are on what they want to do in few hours times & not what they are doing at the very persent time. Add the fact that most are use to driving at a slower speed in a lot of traffic that when thing speed up a bit they carn't react correctly & forgot that you need more space for safty.

[HOON69]

Originally Posted by Racecraft

nope its not in your head

since Friday night I have done nearly 1400 kays up and down the east coast of Qld.. If i see one more w@nker in a 4wd think he has a magical car, so help me god! They dont indicate, they don't move over, they follow you so closely but wont overtake!! grrr! I was at my wits end with hobby holiday drivers :(

sure it wasnt me behind you

not all 4wd are like this

xmas eve im driving in the left lane heading to GC drivers know i have a trailor im in a big mofo 4wd yet only pass me with 4 feet to spare,about exit 54 i blew a tyre and guess who cop'd it the guys behind me tail gating
tyre+blowout+4wd+trailor+kids n wife=one scary ride lucky for me some polite lady pulled up to make sure we were alright..

ppl shouldnt be rushing at xmas
if they wanna get places they should leave eariler
simple when ya think about it.

[Keepleft]

Hoon, a couple of questions:

1. At the time you came to a stop, or immediately before doing so, did you switch on the hazard-warning lights?

I am curious to see if the action is 'automated' in our drivers, I am hoping to 'automate' this action as part of an effort to prevent secondary impacts.

2. The tyre that blew-out, do you recall the pressure in PSI or Kpa? If not, what are the pressures of the other trailer tyres?

3. Your in the left lane, is the subject section a three laner (3-lanes each way?)?

On many of the crashes I've had the delight to happen on, if I've had the chance - I've done a quick check of tyre pressures of crashed vehicles and compare those readings to those marked on the actual tyre sidewall.

As tyres are changed, the replacement can bear a greater pressure requirement than is displayed on the ADR required vehicle sticker. I tend to inflate per tyre sidewall instruction near maximum inflation, whilst taking car to not over inflate.


Generally, what folk describe here as 'holiday driver syndrome' is just that, meaning some of the folk on the road are not regular daily drivers. Holidays arrive and they have then greater exposure, to both crash potential and benificial on-road experience gain. For them, it can be disaster or pleasure. Vehicle roadworthiness is vital, as is the tyre pressure issue.

I've had a lady with 55 profile tyres, she complained of squeeling. The maximum recommended pressure for these tyres is 55PSI. She had them set at 18 - 26PSI max, had driven from the Blue Mountains to Newcastle area via the F3, the tyres of course ran very hot and the risk of tyre failure was high. Once cold I set them to 50PSI front and 48PSI rear. She is thankful.

Towing devices are also critical, you can recall the serious crash on the F3 a few years back where a truck ran into the rear of stopped and reducing speed traffic, the initial crash that set off the train of events was a Pajero towing a trailer in the right lane northbound, who 'lost-it' and ended up sitting on the bridges central jersey. Then of course innatenttive and taillgating traffic joined the fray.

[HOON69]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

Hoon, a couple of questions:
1. At the time you came to a stop, or immediately before doing so, did you switch on the hazard-warning lights?
I am curious to see if the action is 'automated' in our drivers, I am hoping to 'automate' this action as part of an effort to prevent secondary impacts.
2. The tyre that blew-out, do you recall the pressure in PSI or Kpa? If not, what are the pressures of the other trailer tyres?
3. Your in the left lane, is the subject section a three laner (3-lanes each way?)?

[I]On many of the crashes I've had the delight to happen on, if I've had the chance - I've done a quick check of tyre pressures of crashed vehicles and compare those readings to those marked on the actual tyre sidewall.

Towing devices are also critical, you can recall the serious crash on the F3 a few years back where a truck ran into the rear of stopped and reducing speed traffic, the initial crash that set off the train of events was a Pajero towing a trailer in the right lane northbound, who 'lost-it' and ended up sitting on the bridges central jersey. Then of course innatenttive and taillgating traffic joined the fray.

tyre shook for a split second went bang 4wd went up in the air for a second,staying straight of course i applied abit of brake used indicator and pulled off the road safely. and yes i used my hazards "after" i had pulled of the road safely though,whilst on the road i used left indicator only.

No2:trailor tyres are perfect PSI at the recommended volume my 4wd tyres though were about 2PSI under what i normally have them at but all were the same PSI when i put fuel in my car.

No3:4 lanes actually its the M1 near exit 54 which is the coomera (dreamworld exit)
btw the tyre seperated from its wall so im thinking a balance issue was the cause but it didnt feel like playing up till i felt the shake then bang.
and NOTE:i also was in a pajero ;)

[HOON69]

this is the extent of it tyre blew and this is the damage report pics include

1)black tyre crap up along rear qtr where my kid was sitting with window down

2) gaurd flare ripped off and gone

3) more damage pics

4)tyre and towball pics

[DanielXR8]

That would have been frightening Hoon69. Glad you and the family are safe.

Dan

[deesun]

Again I have to admit that N.S.W drivers have become a lot more sensible over the last couple of years or so especially on freeways where they keep left hugely more than 5 years ago. This is probably a direct result of the fine incurred for staying in the right lane. I also found that travelling on said freeway/tolway/2lane road with headlights on increases your chances of being seen in rearview of slower cars and as such increases the chances of them moving over. They can see you comming from further away and also see that you ARE comming and not just any car. This is not to say they are perfect as I know they aren't and there were still a few occasions in which I still had to use the middle or left lane to go past cars who wouldn't move over when they were supposed to,even after I had flashed them a couple of times. One woman,horror of horrors, was obviously tending the kids in the back as she was doing her 100kph and didn't notice even after 3 flashes. Her hubby in the passenger seat not doing his job taking responsibility for the kids,and her gums going 100 to the dozen as I passed. out:

[rodderz]

Originally Posted by charliewool

I have a theory here!... Being these guys catch public transport to their place of employment all year, and the little lady is driving the kids to school in the 4 wheeler,(doing a great job, BTW) THEN comes chrissie hols, and the man of the house takes over... and has NO friggin idea!
Watch the ones towing a caravan!!

Not a bad theory charlie!

Nuffies in suits mostly drive the kids to school or around to the cafe for brekky then consider themselves Malcolm Douglas and Lowndsey when it comes to that family camping getaway on long highways!

[Walkinshaw]

Didn't you know over the hollidays brain matter is replaced by Christmas cheer, its a much better driving aid.

[BuuBox]

Thank goodness the mad christmas rush is almost over! Saw a R33 Skyline GTST sitting in the middle of Belgrave Hallam road in Victoria this afternoon, looked like it had rolled a few times. Think it was a single car accident, looked pretty serious but no one was hurt. Some people should call a taxi... :P

Good to hear you're ok, Hoon69. That doesn't look like much fun... :(

[Hunter]

I've always noticed a difference around the Christmas/New Year holiday period but these past few days have REALLY highlighted it! I'm no stranger to driving, I drive 32 kms each way to and from work each day of the working week and my job also involves a lot of driving (field technican). Generally speaking most drivers are pretty 'normal' (as far as not doing really blatantly stupid stuff goes). You get the occasion f-wit who drives like a maniac but these past few days have been bloody insane! During the day its pretty hairy - I agree that you get people who don't usually drive out on the road and sometimes with some booze in them or their mind isn't on the task at hand and it all turns to . So many idiots swerving in and out of lanes, tailgating, speeding and getting in front only to then turn 50 m further up, etc. People not giving right of way, pulling out in front of you in a 60 zone with about 20m to spare causing you to brake hard or take evasive action. Saw a guy on the opposite side of road do a brake test about an hour ago causing a line of cars to brake hard and causing one old XF to lock up and skid. The list is endless.

Some people need to chill the hell out and stop driving like idiots. I'm no stranger to pushing my car a bit hard but gee I do it out of the way of other people and certainly not with passengers or anywhere near pedestrians. I can't get over how wreckless and stupid some people are being this holidays.

[GasoLane]

Falcon91
Every holiday period it's the same thing. Does anyone else notice this or is it all in my head??
Not in your head, unfortunately SA drivers have the worst rep when it comes to distance driving, ACT drivers are a close runner up

Hoon69.
If I were you I'd be straight back to the tyre dealer or the tyre company (what brand are they anyway?) and make a claim for the tyre plus damage to car and underpants.

Keepleft (the triange terror )
"Generally, what folk describe here as 'holiday driver syndrome' is just that, meaning some of the folk on the road are not regular daily drivers. Holidays arrive and they have then greater exposure, to both crash potential and benificial on-road experience gain. For them, it can be disaster or pleasure. Vehicle roadworthiness is vital, as is the tyre pressure issue."

Close, but no cigar.... Holiday driver's are usually people who drive to work every day with an unloaded car usually on roads that involves stop start driving, (and if your from Syd, constant rapid lane changing to make sure your in front at the next set of lights)

Come holiday time the car is chocka's with fuel, luggage, mum and the kids and is totally unbalanced on roads that allow 110kmh. When a problem arises dad then has to contend with a car that handles totally different to the one that he throws around on the way to & from work.

This is not taking into account his lack of judgement of oncoming traffic at 110kmh (closing speed =220kmh) whilst trying to overtake a B-Double on a single lane road.

I drive about 5,000k's a week and I can assure you that most people leave their "beneficial on-road experience" at home.

[Biggoggs]

I noticed this too yesterday, it seems everyone goes 20km/hr faster than usual, and as you guys have said, it's usually an SUV/road tractor.

It could be that families are in a rush to get to recreational activities, and many of those families buy SUVs.

[HOON69]

Originally Posted by Biggoggs

I noticed this too yesterday, it seems everyone goes 20km/hr faster than usual, and as you guys have said, it's usually an SUV/road tractor.

It could be that families are in a rush to get to recreational activities, and many of those families buy SUVs.

have you seen the crashes and road toll a majority of the cars are actually mid to small vehicles

SUV's wtf are we in america
they are called four wheel drive vehicles and trucks
4wd are great towing vehicles but are at a greater chance of flipping if something goes wrong
my 4wd had a tyre blow on a hwy days ago at 110kmh what helped me stay safe was i stayed calm reacted quickly and not in haste and kept the car straight whilst watching my mirrors for oncoming cars coming fast behind me,its never the cars that make the statistics up,its the drivers their age their licences and their states,whats sad is that these ppl speeding could of saved the rush if they weren't stubborm or selfish and left earlier then planned and double/triple checked their vehicles for safety etc (tyres,oil,fluids,lights etc) most ppl dont even bother till something bad happens then its too late!

[YOOT]

I just got back from NQ. 1100kms trip from Christmas Eve to Boxing day and I can not beleive the stupidity of every second river. I have never seen so many ill atempts at overtaking, so many cases of tailgating because the car in front is going 2kmh slower than the car behind, people overtaking merging traffic at the ends od over taking lanes, people driving 10km under the limit only to speed up to 10km over the limit on an over taking lane. I could go on.

I ended up pulling over twice to let people through I was so ****ed off with their attitude towards everyone else on the road. I have a Nissan Patrol TD up my **** once the M1 went into 1 lane north of the Sunshine Coast, I was doing 102kmh with the cruise. Came to the first over taking lane which was uphill and the XR kept going 102 and the Patrol slid back about 150metres. Once the road flattened out and back to 1 lane he was right back on my bumper with the headllights on. I was still doing 102. Next overtaking lane is flat and I expect him to pass... nope. Just sat there on my bumper. So I pulled over and waved him pass. He reluctanlty accepted. Next thing I know we are in another overtaking lane and the patrol is sitting 1 m of the back bumper of another car, only this time I wasn't ahnging around, quick blat in 4th gear saw be put many hundreds of meters between us.

Some people are so inconsiderate to other drivers, and they are so caught up in what the car in front is or isn't doing that they forget any action they might take won't lead to any benifit to their travel time because quite often there are 50 more cars doing 2kmh less than they are so they spend 50km overtaking and makeing dangerous moves to get 'infront' only to pull over at the next servo!! Whats the deal!!

I timed my trip from BNE to BUNDY at 110kmh the whole way, overtaking every car I could find and not slowing down and it took 3h:52m to travel the 383km. Yesterday I came home and I put the speedo right on 100kmh and didn't have to over take one single car, they all overtook me. And it took my 3h:47m to travel 383km. It was actually quicker to just cruise along at the speed limit than to 'race' through all the traffic.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by YOOT

I timed my trip from BNE to BUNDY at 110kmh the whole way, overtaking every car I could find and not slowing down and it took 3h:52m to travel the 383km. Yesterday I came home and I put the speedo right on 100kmh and didn't have to over take one single car, they all overtook me. And it took my 3h:47m to travel 383km. It was actually quicker to just cruise along at the speed limit than to 'race' through all the traffic.

Haha I hate the Brisbane to Bundy run... too many bloody old farts in caravans who don't give a toss who's behind them and do whatever speed limit they like. Problem is its waaaayy too dangerous to overtake in anywhere but the overtaking lanes on the Bruce and even then those can be hairy unless your car is really able to nail it (and although I own an EL Falcon, its too big and laggy to move as fast as I'd like). You get the occasional caravanner who hasn't got their head up their *** and they pull over and let you through but most don't. :

Once, while on the way to Hervey Bay with a mate I had the displeasure of being stuck behind a bogandore (who by the way had a HUGE crappy homemade spoiler on the boot) doing 90 km/h in 100 km/h zone. I think to myself "we'll wait till the overtaking lane and blast past the idiot". Overtaking lane appears about 5-6 km later and I move into the right lane to overtake and this idiot speeds up, and I estimate he sped up to about 120 so I finally gave up trying to pass him. He does this about 3 times and by this stage me, and all the cars behind me are REALLY ****ed off. The next lane appears and this time I'm in no mood to screw around with this bogan, no more games. I put the shifter into 3rd and wait for a moment. This time I'm not in the other lane so he doesn't know I'm going to pass him, yet. I put my foot down and give it the biggest bootful I have ever given it and zoom past this idiot. Just as I do this, a VZ Commodore that was travelling behind me also pulls out, right up my date. So I pull back into the left lane, at this stage doing about 130 km/h and prepare to slow back to 100.... and the VZ flies past me doing well past what I was doing. I'd say easily 150 km/h. The difference is he doesn't slow down, he just keeps on motoring at whatever speed he was doing. :rolleyes:

Anyway I do agree that holiday drivers are a different breed but even during the week while driving to work and in traffic I don't see anything like it! Its like the workday drivers and the drivers who drive for work all know that everyone else wants to get home alive and to take it easy.

[vztrt]

I really haven't noticed this. There are idiot's all over the road at any time of the year.
I did a three month run (twice a week) from Melbourne to shepperton, and this was during the 'holiday period' and I don't recall anything major that was life threatening. I loved doing highway runs as the idiots you see on a daily basis in the suburbs/city worry me.

[deesun]

Originally Posted by Hunter

Once, while on the way to Hervey Bay with a mate I had the displeasure of being stuck behind a bogandore (who by the way had a HUGE crappy homemade spoiler on the boot) doing 90 km/h in 100 km/h zone. I think to myself "we'll wait till the overtaking lane and blast past the idiot". Overtaking lane appears about 5-6 km later and I move into the right lane to overtake and this idiot speeds up, and I estimate he sped up to about 120 so I finally gave up trying to pass him. He does this about 3 times and by this stage me, and all the cars behind me are REALLY ****ed off. The next lane appears and this time I'm in no mood to screw around with this bogan, no more games. I put the shifter into 3rd and wait for a moment. This time I'm not in the other lane so he doesn't know I'm going to pass him, yet. I put my foot down and give it the biggest bootful I have ever given it and zoom past this idiot. Just as I do this, a VZ Commodore that was travelling behind me also pulls out, right up my date. So I pull back into the left lane, at this stage doing about 130 km/h and prepare to slow back to 100.... and the VZ flies past me doing well past what I was doing. I'd say easily 150 km/h. The difference is he doesn't slow down, he just keeps on motoring at whatever speed he was doing. :rolleyes:.

HUNTER your aproach was all wrong to begin with. Firstly NEVER give the overtaken car a chance. Always kick it down BEFORE you need to overtake so you accelerate quicker than other car even if it means being in 3rd for nearly 1k. You need to be out in the other lane as little as possible. Secondly you should have never given the VZ a second chance, be ready, be prepared, and GO.

[Kingsley]

Originally Posted by Hunter

Once, while on the way to Hervey Bay with a mate I had the displeasure of being stuck behind a bogandore (who by the way had a HUGE crappy homemade spoiler on the boot) doing 90 km/h in 100 km/h zone. I think to myself "we'll wait till the overtaking lane and blast past the idiot". Overtaking lane appears about 5-6 km later and I move into the right lane to overtake and this idiot speeds up, and I estimate he sped up to about 120 so I finally gave up trying to pass him. He does this about 3 times and by this stage me, and all the cars behind me are REALLY ****ed off. The next lane appears and this time I'm in no mood to screw around with this bogan, no more games. I put the shifter into 3rd and wait for a moment. This time I'm not in the other lane so he doesn't know I'm going to pass him, yet. I put my foot down and give it the biggest bootful I have ever given it and zoom past this idiot. Just as I do this, a VZ Commodore that was travelling behind me also pulls out, right up my date. So I pull back into the left lane, at this stage doing about 130 km/h and prepare to slow back to 100.... and the VZ flies past me doing well past what I was doing. I'd say easily 150 km/h. The difference is he doesn't slow down, he just keeps on motoring at whatever speed he was doing.

Must be the same idiot we encountered on the F3 yesterday. By description, it looks like the same Boganbox with the tackiest wierd looking rear spoiler I have ever seen. We were sitting on 110 when we caught and passed him (had to pass him in the left lane, because he definately wasn't going to move from the right) before he wound it up went back past us almost instantly. Then everytime we got half way around again he'd do the same.
Generally most of traffic we come across was good. Just the occaisional car that refused to move back to the left lane when they had overtaken. Worst two offenders were the two towing 18ft boats in convoy, doing 10k's less than the speed limit in the right lane on the freeway.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by deesun

HUNTER your aproach was all wrong to begin with. Firstly NEVER give the overtaken car a chance. Always kick it down BEFORE you need to overtake so you accelerate quicker than other car even if it means being in 3rd for nearly 1k. You need to be out in the other lane as little as possible. Secondly you should have never given the VZ a second chance, be ready, be prepared, and GO.

No I didn't give him a chance at any time... the first time I tried to pass him I accelerated mildly into the right lane, and as I started to pass he decided he wanted to match my speed and prevent me from passing. I accelerated more but I wasn't prepared to risk my license or life by exceeding the limit by an insane amount. When I eventually got sick of his bull, I was sitting behind him and put the shifter into 3rd, trans dropped down to third (doing about 2300 odd rpm iirc) and then I was ready to pass him, this time with more bollocks behind me. Might I add that I revved the **** out of the falcon just to pass this guy - hit about 5000 rpm, which is probably the furtherest I've taken it out to.

As for the VZ, he just happened to have a car that can accelerate a tad faster than my EL and he also pulled out at the same time.

[HLC]

the idiots on the road is the exact reason why i am catching the train to Port Macquarie tomorrow. plus its 78 bucks round trip on the train. id spend that in petrol one way.

now im guilty of being a tool on the road. but there are others that i'd like to avoid on the pacific highway. so train it is.

[HOON69]

just on the M1 today it was packed and i headed back from the GC to see where i just came from (sth bound lanes) completely blocked with a ford n trailor in a bad shape and 3 other cars off to the side of it,mind you this is lane 4 near the middle barrier and how the falcon came to be squished up the front is beyond me,we were at 100kmh being passed by the majority doing around 120-130kmh and not one cop,not till the crash anyways
now the cops are all in nth bound lanes booking speeder watch a silvia fly past heading home only to be booked 10mins later :
when will ppl learn.