Would it be un-Australian to dob in the extreme idiots?

Skull, unless your footage positively identifies the driver then no conviction can take place. If the coppers are interested they can have a polite chat to the owner (alleged driver) about their actions.

Neil

Here is a good example on the Bruce Hwy near Gladstone just before Xmas.

Truck on Bruce Hwy.

Not to sure if any action was taken or not.

I also think/know that this is NOT TYPICAL for truckies on the Bruce who are generally very good.

Speaking from experience, the problem is partly that someone will ring the Police to complain about a driver and when asked if they would be willing to give evidence in court they say, no way, they do not want to get involved! Just go out and get the driver before they kill someone.
When asked for their name they usually hang up. That makes it very difficult for the Police to investigate. Sure they can try and get a patrol to go out on the road to catch the offender, but when asked they would deny any such behaviour. No action can be taken as there is no evidence. It starts to get the Police to get a certain attitude. Just like any average person would. Mind you I am not saying some Police do not have the right attitude.
I think nowadays it is un-Australian not to get involved. Not physically, just being prepared to help the Police.
Kevin

I had a idiot try to overtake me on the l/h side after the road started to narrow (Wagners Toowoomba intersection) into one. I couldnt go any faster because a b-double was having trouble in getting going. He then proceeded to tail gate me as we were in a 60 zone i wasnt going to budge. He worked for the same company as my father. Lets say he is being delt with.

123kph in any zone is exceeding the maximum that most trucks can legally drive.

I would definitely dob the mongrel in. He is safety hazrd to everyone.
At the very least it gives the Police cause to have the speed limiter checked.
too many Cowboys have the habit of disabling them.

Having said that though, my exerience is that the majority of truckies drive to the safe limit of their load and are courtious to other road users.

I would dob in any 4x4 or anyone screwing up our (you lot also) reputation, parks or camping spot. For the road I keep the video for a while. It's not good enough to identify someone but it would certatinly help showing what someone did. It's from a dash cam.

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emeptqdtGFU.

Tha footage is on the Kings Highway between Batemans Bay and Canberra. The three lane episode is on the very steep Clyde Mountain climb.

Phil

I put up a post a while back regarding dash and rear view cameras and the quality and duration/storage of the footage. Would one mounted on the rear of a caravan be good enough to record the number and maybe facial features of some moron who decided it was a good idea to tailgate because for whatever reason he (or she) thought you were not going fast enough?
Maybe with a slightly aggressive truckie a short call on channel 40 and asking him to smile for candid camera just may get him to back off a little.

Just a thought.

Cheers
Pop

I have had a front HD camera mounted above the mirror for some time now but a few months ago i was tailgated on the Hume Highway for 5 ks at an incredibly close distance. I now have a rear facing camera to catch the stupid driver behind. Two HD cameras for $100 total, who wouldnt have them?? Michael

What ever way you report him, in is not un-Australian to help stem the carnage on our roads.

Recently my husband saw someone do something very dangerous and he was unable to get the number plate. He said something on the two way about did anyone get his plate number, and a couple of truck drivers who had seen the vehicle replied, one with "Yes, I got him".

Motherhen

Short and amusing story to me.

We were out on the roads, with our van. Fortunately I can tug along at 100km/h no probs. I was doing 100 on a section of road with that limit. We got to an overtaking lane and I promptly hugged the inside lane but maintained my speed.

I then had a call from a rigid, about a length back on the two-way. He said `Arsenal', you'll have to slow down so as I can pass as I am restricted to 100 !!!! What a chump.

I am now of a belief that some people just don't like being behind a caravan no matter what speed they are going!!!

On occasion I have taken the effort to report behaviour to both the police and the company, the latter usually with a very good response. That said one company owner replied to the the effect "if you have any problems with my "bleep'n" trucks well report it to the bleep'n Coppers mate".

One problem is that if you are travelling then you are away from home and a date in court means a lot of expense and inconvenience to go back some time after the event.

In most cases a visit from the Constabulary and them being spoken to is still a good result. It does happen and the police note this as intel(ligence) against the driver. I have even had a call back to let me know the outcome on one occasion. (Little Goldilocks was driving Mummies car on the freeway in peak hour at 110 eating her porridge, bowl in one hand spoon in the other. Happened to be a local vehicle and Mummy got a visit from the Highway patrol. The police rang me back and said Mummy was not amused and would deal with Goldilocks when she got home with the car).

I am not making any excuses, however, regarding the truck on the Moonbi's we do not have all the facts in our possession ie loaded/unloaded, whether he had a run away situation etc.. Certainly that vehicle (if fully loaded) at that speed would have been unstoppable in an emergency. The truck was subject to the "must use low gear" sign and as such must not use the service brakes to control speed. The descent is very clearly marked with signage. Also that the truck owner (as distinct from the driver) may also be fined via the chain of control provisions.

Note also that the Newell has been closed and possibly the guy may have been green (ie not a regular) on the descent and has not appreciated the severity of the decline. Notwithstanding it still shows a total lack of professionalism. The tachograph card (monitor) records will flush out the truth - if it was working!!.

The speed recorded would be easily reached in a runaway situation. Chased a semi down the second hill one day and watched puffs of smoke every time the brake lights went on. His Cummins was screaming like a GM (over-revved) when I went past. He still managed to hit 95 and had about a quarter of the way to go. There is an arrester bed at the bottom of the first hill and another one at the bottom of the second hill.

Regards

Pete G

Unaustralian NO , stopping some fool be they a 'professional' driver or not ,if it stops 1 death on our roads ... For years there has been a debate/ discussion on this forum about the folly and inconvenience of obeying the road rules at ROAD WORKS , well another needless death yesterday ...

After watching an overtaking car run the oncoming car off the road today i have decided to mount my GoPro to the dash, record idiot's regos and report them. I don't tolerate potentially fatal driving on the road.

I will also be using the camera while walking along side the roads around Australia to record idiots who try to make me mess my pants seeing how close they can get to me at 100km/hr on the shoulder, idiots talking on their phones while struggling to stay on the road or out of oncoming traffic and, just for interest sake, what it looks like when cars pass me on dirt roads covering me in dust, dirt and sometimes spitting gravel up in my face because they can't be bothered slowing down enough to loose the dust.

I'll share the youtube page with you in a blog when i have it set up

Thanks to all for your replies.

Skull

In response to the 1st question, I'd say the police would say officially, we don't want to be swamped with footage of people "supposedly" doing the wrong thing..

The same as security footage, it can't be used in a court of law without other evidence backing it up..

But......it could get the police to warn or monitor the bad apples.....IF they could be bothered to look at the footage in the 1st place !!