Bad 4wd stats again - but these are from UK!

Submitted: Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 11:45

ThreadID: 35682 Views:2630 Replies:10 FollowUps:11

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Truckster (Vic)

From Outerlimits - Squik...

being splayed all over the radio, tele, internet etc.
BUT

"Along with Australian researchers from the University of Queensland, Ms Walker observed the drivers of 38,182 cars and 2944 four-wheel-drives at three varied sites in London."
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This morning at 7am, Triple M Sydney had a news piece stating that "after surveying 4WD owners, it was said that they do feel safer in a 4WD and as such felt they could take more risks whilst driving"

This blatantly says that you as a 4WD owner take risks with the life of other road uses, simple because you own a 4WD.

Upon contacting the newsroom at MMM, I have found out the following:

1) The survey was done by the University of QLD - it pertains ONLY to QLD.

2) The survey was done with 40,000 people, but they couldn't tell me how the survey was undertaken.

3) They 'assumed' the survey was recent, but couldn't confirm it.

4) They were unable to provide me with percentages, only that 'most' 4WDers agreed to the claims

Please feel free to contact the relevant parties to enquire why QLD statistics atr being used nationwide without mentioning they relate only to one state.

Triple M - (02) 9367 1000 or www.triplem.com.au for a complaint form...

Media events, news stories and communications
Jan King
Manager
Telephone: 07 3365 1120
Email: j.king@uq.edu.au

BE PROFESSIONAL............

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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 11:46

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 11:46

The other thread

Site Link

AnswerID: 182675

Follow Up By: Member - Coyote (SA) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 15:12

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 15:12

I'm not saying that Iagree with the "conclusions' of the survey , but are drivers in QLD really any differnet from drivers in NT or anywhere else?? surely a survey of 4WD drivers in one state is not going to be all that differnet from somehwere else in Aus, especially when it talks about the "perception" or "feeling" of being safer??? IMHO, I dont think there is anything wrong with assuming that stats in QLD in this topic would be much different from anywhere else.
out f interest wouldn't it be fun to survey all moped drivers and see how they feel/operate on public roads, I bet they feel more vulnerable and take less risks.. not with other lives but with their own.. what about mini-bus drivers and/or truck/bus drivers?? surley they should all be sureveyed too??? I think the addage that you can make statistics show anything you want applies here..

I bet if I surveyed all BMW X5 drivers most would say they feel more safe. Thats part of the reason why people buy them, but if I surveyed suzuki 4WDers, they wouldn't say that, beasue they dont buy a suzuki 4WD to feel safe.. Geez.. We should be congratulating those who buy 4WDs becuase they are safer.. maybe all vehicles should be bigger and safer.. or on the other hand maybe we should all drive dodgem cars with large rubber balloons around them and speed limit them to 5km/hr so that we don't hurt anyone??? Call me sycnical

FollowupID: 439150

Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 16:00

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 16:00

Aaahh so that's why Volvo drivers drive like maniacs :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

FollowupID: 439164

Reply By: Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:05

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:05

The report was also in the Sydney Morning Herald this morning . The first thing I asked myself was "what are the actual accident statistics - do they prove or disprove this reports findings ? "

The easy way this can be confirmed or debunked is to check the accident stats for the last year .They did not have to interview or observe 40,000 drivers , all they had to do was to check the Qld state accident stats ( but that may not have given the answer they wanted ).

It sounds like a total rubbish beat-up to me . I wonder if the University of Qld has any knowledge of the study .

Willie

AnswerID: 182676

Follow Up By: Patrol22 - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:35

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:35

Willie

This type of survey is not aimed at determining the facts as they relate to accidents etc - this is done quite well by the Bureau of Stats, Dept of Transport, RTA, NRMA etc - rather (and bearing in mind I haven't seen the survey) they tend to be researching behavioural traits that might (read MIGHT) give some indication of the sort of problems we might (MIGHT) see in the future....just like polling for elections....sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don't but most times you are somewhere in between.
Cheers
Pete

FollowupID: 439113

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 20:50

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 20:50

How can you compare the UK to here? Weather conditions, traffic, road rules, theres about 1000 variables that you could take in to account that differ us from them.

FollowupID: 439250

Reply By: 3.0turbob - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:25

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:25

They must be hard up for news stories again!

AnswerID: 182681

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 20:50

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 20:50

but again, its getting air everywhere.

FollowupID: 439251

Reply By: Wombat - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:30

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 12:30

"Along with Australian researchers from the University of Queensland, Ms Walker observed the drivers of 38,182 cars and 2944 four-wheel-drives at three varied sites in LONDON."

AnswerID: 182683

Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 13:41

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 13:41

So why would the university of Qld be doing such a study in London ? I smell a rat .

FollowupID: 439129

Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 13:43

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 13:43

How can it pertain only to Qld if it was carried out in London .

The whole story sounds like someone is having a joke with the press .

FollowupID: 439130

Reply By: Member - andrew B (Kununurra) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 14:40

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 14:40

Yep, when I drive a 4wd I feel safer and therefore take more risks. I can't argue with that. Its a risk to drive at night up here (not exclusive) due to animals; driving a crossing, either man made like Ivanhoe or natural is a risk - I wouldn't do it in the wife's commadore; etc etc. Any form of study or data collection needs to be specific, controlled, documented, sourced and published for it to be worth half a look.

Maybe we should just walk everywhere, no oil crisis, no industry, no technology, and we can all end up dieing of a curable desease.

Off soapbox, cheers Andrew

AnswerID: 182709

Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 15:07

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 15:07

G'day Andrew,

Walking might be riskier than driving. For example walking Ivanhoe crossing could end up in being washed off and into the gob of a snapping handbag. Not sure they are an incurable disease but they sure can be persistent.

Kind regards

FollowupID: 439148

Reply By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 14:48

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 14:48

See the thread I started this morning on Jon Faine - the "survey" was conducted in the UK and has nothing to do with Qld.

Mike Harding

AnswerID: 182712

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 14:49

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 14:49

Site Link

FollowupID: 439145

Reply By: Rotty - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 17:27

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 17:27

Bruce
Moved house and jobs hence lost your contact details for November.
I am now at zpo at wattlerange.sa.gov.au
November is still a go.

AnswerID: 182744

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 20:49

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 20:49

Yup... we will have around 20 trucks, in 3-4 convoys all up.

grab me off www.gqpatrol.com email link there.

FollowupID: 439248

Reply By: Scubaroo - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 17:57

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 17:57

So basically UK Range Rover owners are tossers? Can't think of many other people able to afford a 4WD in the UK with their petrol prices and tolls.

AnswerID: 182752

Reply By: Nick R - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 21:53

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 21:53

Hey Truckie,
You know it is the job of a journalist to explain to the unwashed something about which they know nothing.
They only want to get listeners, readers or viewers so they can sell more advertising!!!
You don't actually think they want to inform, do you???
I know you're not that naive

NickR

naive backwards = evian funny hahaha

Carpe Cerevisi

Lifetime Member
My Profile Send Message

AnswerID: 182821

Reply By: cowpat - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 14:45

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 14:45

Some years back in Bike magazine (I think) I read one writer's opinion that most people drive at a fixed perceived level of risk.

That made a great deal of sense to me, and I accept that as a generalisation 4wd owners and Volvo drivers will tend to be less careful in equivalent situations than owners of smaller cars. It's human nature. It's not right or wrong. It does not make 4wd and Volvo owners any less worthy than our fellow men. It just is, like it or not.

Consider this thought experiment: a foot-long steel spike is installed in the steering wheel. You'll drive carefully now won't you?

Or you've just bought one of those incredibly small Smart cars. You'd drive pretty carefully too wouldn't you?

Ok so you buy a big "safe" 4wd. What's the obvious corollary? You'll drive less carefully, duh.

Also it is ironical and shown by surveys that the average driver considers themselves to drive "better than average"!

But I expect that risk for some/many/most (?) also includes the risk of injuring others, and the risk of wages lost if they crash their truck etc. This should mean that some people will drive more carefully in their big truck than in a small car. There are always exceptions. Casper

AnswerID: 182939

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 15:10

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 15:10

My most unsafe driving was between the ages of 16 and 20 on a motorcycle - a vehicle somewhat smaller and with a lesser "feeling" of safety than a 4WD. I suspect I am not an isolated example.

It seem the most risk taking behaviour I observe on the roads on a daily basis is by solo females below about 30 years of age and generally in small nippy cars.

Mike Harding

FollowupID: 439412