Fog lights and stuff...
Submitted: Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 13:48
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Member - Blue (VIC)
Took a semi to
Sydney on Saturday night. As usual the number of fog lights blinding me was
well up there... On getting to the M5, I noticed one of those mobile
sign boards... "Fog lights are only to be used under adverse conditions... $75 fine" or words close enough to that effect... Thought it was nice to see the RTA making an effort. Coming
home last night, got passed by 3 cop cars all running around in clear weather with bloody fog lights ablaze...???
Now to the age old gripe of people not dipping their lights... Between
Sydney and Marulan I was getting quite agitated not only that people didn't think to dip their lights but that when I flashed them, they ignored it... I decided to start counting from Marulan to Albury, no less than 43 vehicles who failed to dip their lights. What's was more frustrating was that 31 of them were 4by's with big old spotties on them. After hooking up with my escort(as in a car with flashing lights) at Albury, I started counting again. 3 vehicles who failed to dip even though there appeared to be a relatively equal number of cars about. This is a pattern I've noticed to be fairly consistent over the last 3 or so years that I've been doing this particular
Sydney run... Are NSW drivers just stupid or is there a far greater underlying issue...???
Discuss...
Reply By: Doctor Evil (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:07
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:07
Totally agree.
I regularly travel long distances at night and the amount of drivers who ignore the basic lighting laws is unbelievable.
They think that a divided highway gives them the right to keep their high beams on.
As for the driving (fog) lights, most aren't too bad, the commodore's are the worst. They seem to be angled up.
However in saying that, a number of "professional drivers" have taken it upon themselves as "regulators" on our major highways and either deliberately dazzle these cars with thier
driving lights on.
On a recent trip to
Brisbane from
Melbourne, it happened at least 4 times where I was following the offending vehicle. After a brief discussion via uhf with the "professional drivers" who blinded us, It appears they are at the end of their tether with inconsiderate "little wheel" drivers.
AnswerID:
164557
Follow Up By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:21
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:21
As a semi-professional driver(I only do it as a casual for a few extra $$) I can say that being confronted by these hi-beam idiots all night is extremely draining... I've done quite a few
Adelaide trips as
well, where the incidence of being hi-beamed is substantially lower and I usually get to
Adelaide feeling like I could load up and head straight
home... When going to
Sydney, I'm knackered by the time I get there and again by the time I get
home.
Someone give me a badge for a night... PLEASE...???
FollowupID:
419428
Follow Up By: Doctor Evil (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:47
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:47
I drove the south triangle (Melb -Syd-
Adelaide-Melb) for a while back in the mid '80's.
Agree "sesame street" was the worst..............Including some of the other truckies (Overniter 4x4's - 400HP and 4 tonne). However, with the influx of divided highways (and the increase in arrogant car drivers) has further irritated the "professional driver to take the law into his/her own hands, which cannot be good for their industry.
Flicking their high beam at a car with
driving lights on, won't solve the problem.
Most rural cops use UHF, start warning other drivers up the line about a "little wheel" with annoying lights and the plods will take care of it............hopefully........
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:53
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:53
Doc Evil, last night I was 600Hp and 4.5T... Didn't pull it back more than one gear the whole way(with exception of towns)
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Doctor Evil (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:00
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:00
LOL
i used to drive a SBR Isusu rigid with a 903 cummins..................
Mainly carted cubic rather than tonnage. Things like empty milk bottles etc.
Shoulda seen the looks you got passing the 4x4's (400hp in '85-'86 was a lot) at 140 across the
Hay plains with 2 more gears to go...............
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:49
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:49
Got me one of these...
T604, C16 and carry air freight, always light...
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:51
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:51
I always seem to get the pics wrong...
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Doctor Evil (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:59
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 15:59
Sweet.........Something nice about plain white..........
How does she steer? The old SAR I drove wasn't bad, but I notice the T604 (evolution from the SAR) front axle is back aways from the nose.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 16:08
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 16:08
It steers like any other Kenworth, bloody grouse in a straight line...LOL It's a bit like every bolt in the steering assembly is a couple of thou too small... Long wheel base makes it a bit of a handfull in and around Mascot/Syd airport and the stacks right next to the window mean you can't get the damn turbo whistle out of your head for a couple of days... A few blokes have been caught out by the front over-hang. They have an SAR(an old girl, not the new T404-SAR) as
well, I reckon it steers better than these.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: rooscoota - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:26
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:26
hey hey g'day blue (vic)
yeah mate since i retired a few years ago (forced retirement i might add) after being in the game for more than 20 years i miss it like a hole in the head. after reading this
forum now for a couple of years and seeing all the self imposed authorities on different subjects including this one, N.S.W. R.T.A. traffic regs, i really dont expect much more than a grilling, flaming and negative responses. as i have tried to explain in previous posts the offence is " unlawful use of fog lamps" and incurs an on the spot fine of over $200 plus 2 demerit points as of last july 2005 and thats from the R.T.A.'s rulings so its pretty obvious they cant get it right either, unfortuneatly it is one of those minor infringements that is rarely enforced and people remain oblivious that it is an offence, same as sitting at your mates out the front blowing your freakin horn telling them to hurry it up, IT IS AN OFFENCE.
i've just had to come to terms with the fact that no one gives a rats @$$ anymore so i just oblige the offenders with the same lack of courtesy that they show me, i dont have them you beaut fog lamps but the combo of hi beam in the standard lights plus my
driving lights certainly gives em something to think about whilst they try to regain focus of their eyeballs. one day the authorities will do a blitz an these rarely enforced rules and i can everyone now complaining and whinging when they eventually get done, with no sympathy from moir.
____________________________________________________________________
lifes a garden....... dig it
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:38
Monday, Apr 03, 2006 at 14:38
Rooscoota,
Have'nt seen any 'grilling, flaming and negative responses' on this thread yet :)
Agree with you re fog lights though, the sooner the better. Amazed that our local revenue collectors have'nt twigged to it yet.
Regards
FollowupID:
419436
Reply By: Wisey (NSW) - Tuesday, Apr 04, 2006 at 19:51
Tuesday, Apr 04, 2006 at 19:51
Blue
I noticed the RTA screen last wk also which I thought was great,.... BUT still so many not acknowledging courtesy/laws. But if the offenders are also cops then we all should be carefull of THEM "flicking" the fine to us.
Agree it is a, PITEye but look to the left edge of the road (hard to see/do, I know)until they pass and as suggested, broadcast it on UHF. Ya just like to reduce the amount of glare/light shining at ya at ANY time, ESP' at night.
It's time for the LAW to act on these hooligans of the road, each vehicle handbook states these are "F O G" lights to be used in FOG conditions only, same as rear (55W) FOG lights.
I need to step down!
NEXT!!
AnswerID:
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