NT to join the 110kph club

Bugger

Gee eh!.
When the Majority of deaths have
1\ Occurred on remote roads, which have speed limits
2\ Involved the person not wearing a seat belt.
3\ Were single vehicle accidents.
4\ Alcohol was inolved.

So lets ban smoking in vehicles, that should stop the illegal fisherman.
That's how effective it will be.

Still can't see the reasoning. They say a lot of drivers speed around schools and suburbs. Is the Stuart highway a suburban area? Are there schools there?

Aboriginal drivers die because of alcohol. Tourists die because of fatigue from unfamiliar long distance trips.

A recommended speed limit, similar to Germany's autobahn, would be a lot better option for long boring drives on bitumen. They recommend 130 kmh but it's up to the driver to go at a speed they think is safe.

110 instead of 140 would add several hours to a long boring drive increasing tiredness.

Barnesy

It said in the report [110km/h speed limit on the Stuart Highway] ?? maybe that is what they mean and still open on other roads, anyhow just watch the NT road toll rise if they do

Prof Johnston told the Northern Territory News that Territorians should calculate the difference in driving from Darwin to Alice at 100km/h and 140km/h.
``The four hours or so is not worth a life,'' he said.
-----------------
I say he is wrong, an extra 4 hours can mean the onset of fatigue and normal motorists can't recognise when
----------------------------

He said Territory roads were not good enough to allow safe high-speed driving

I say he is crap , much better than Qld and NSW tracks

i know its a long trip to darwin, but how fast do u guys on advertage drive during the trip, my patrol doesn't like anything over 120kms

I don't give a damn what other people do, or how urgent freight is when I was driving Trucks, and now when I'm going somewhere long distance if I feel tired yes I stop and have 15 minutes ,half an hour and then feel refreshed again, of course Truckster you will have other ideas but your not me,

I never lost a Truck,
I never lost a load;
Easier to unload at the Depot
than to pick it up off the road.

and I got through 30 years with that attitude

some people more money than brains to travel faster 100kph
fuel over 100kph costs a fortune
set cruise to 90kph and enjoy scenery
rest and stop when tired
some of you guys are temporary aussies
travellers should be limited to hours like truckies

What was the system in NSW 30 odd plus years ago?
A discretionary speed limit of 80km/hr. (Was 50mph).
The police could pull you up if they felt you were driving unsafely above that.

Maybe set a discretionary speed limit of 120 or 130km/hr?
OK to go above if safe, i.e. for the vehicle, driver and conditions?

I know, it will be abused by both some drivers and police, but for the majority it may work.

How long ago was it now that the speed limit in built up areas in Brisbane was reduced from 60kmh to 50kmh? In that time I have not seen one single study to show that it resulted in less accidents or deaths. Obviously the temporary increase to 110 on some highways must have been successful since it is now in place permanently on a few but where is the study to show that the changes in speed limits have resulted in changes in accidents and deaths? Have there been some and I have just not seen them or did they not show what the government wanted them to show so they got no publicity? My belief was always that the people causing the problems weren't sitting on the speed limit anyway, they were driving too fast for the conditions and that doesn't change no matter what the limit is. The guy who runs over the kids in the school zone was probably not doing 60 let alone the 40 that the rest of us stick to. As far as most people I know are concerned speed limits are ignored at risk of a fine, not at risk of death or injury to yourself or others. Speed limits in general are revenue raising not life saving.

I believe the speed limits on many open roads can be much higher than they are and the majority of people will be quite safe. Put some decent driver training and testing in place rather than allowing someone to have a licence just because they can answer some multiple choice questions and drive around the block a few times in daylight in good weather. That's how lives would be saved rather than changing the speed limit in the NT. If you truly know what your vehicle is capable of and also know what you are capable of then that is the safest way to travel.

Tim.

casr.adelaide.edu.au/speed/

Site Link

www.roadsense.com.au/shortversion.html

www.tfhrc.gov/safety/speed/speed.htm

Site Link

www.ibiblio.org/rdu/sl-irrel.html

Site Link

Site Link

www.cato.org/dailys/05-28-99a.html

A few studies on speed above..

Meanwhile while I was looking at these my Ambulance Paramedic wife walked in .... just home from work.

"What is the major cause of death and injury on the road?" I ask... "Speed" she says!

But... "Speed combined with any one or more of drink, fatigue, inexperience, road surface, no seatbelts." So my expert says that increased speed equals increased injury and death when a vehicle hits something for any other reason.

After butting in all over this conversation... I reckon about 130k on the Stuart should be about right. But what would I know.

I think it is sad the NT is going this way. The remainder of the states are in an overregulated position, speed camers (Rev Raisers) all over the place and other measures to keep the public in place and really it only works on the easy target. The average person that exceeds the limit marginally , i.e getting the ticket in the mail caught doing 72 in the 60, the average person pays it,keeps the coffers full. The nitwits that continue to drive unlicenced,drink drive etc face court,get off or do minimal time etc and continue driving like lunitics (As exploder said), you won't stop that. So in summary,i feel in the ''You can't do that" society in which we live it is sad that the NT is changing from the freedom that it is known for.

Regards

Greg

I do agree with what has been written in all the posts - to a certain degree,but - has any one ever seen the most sour, dour expressionless gormless twit from the Green Party when he is interviewed. He must be the most negative and miserable politicion that I have ever had the misfortune to see on the telly. As soon as his miserable and monotone voice erupts on the news, I hit the change channel button.
And on the subject of speed, since when has a speed camera ever saved a life as we are lead to believe. Its nothing more than political brainwashing that speed cameras save lives. What a load of crock. More people die in this country from stroke/heart attacks and other illnesses. And lets face it, the only thing in life that is guaranteed is death. When your number is up, thats it buddy, you are gone, as happened to Peter Brock and Steve Irwin. We are all born to die - even the bloody useless politicians who get brainwashed by our Mr Harold *&^*%%$. I drive a V6 4Runner and am quite happy sitting at 100 -110 all day if necessary. Over 110 the fuel gauge drops like a stone, but have travelled at 140 KMH, the vehicle wasnt happy at that speed and neither was I. But if given a Jag or Merc or a Ferrari, then it would be a different story alltogether ! I`ve said enough for one night.

Problem is that over here the revenue raising authorities must tink we are all stupid. Speed cameras are never placed on black spot areas or on the most dangerous roads. They are always on the freeways in the same place. Most of the time they are also situated when you are driving into the sun so you cant see them. Does the speed camer jump and say " slow down buddy - you are going to get killed on this corner " I wish jelly fish. The bloody cameras are placed on roads where I have never in my life seen a fatal accident - that doesnt mean to say that its not going to ever happen. The fickle finger of fate can play some nasty tricks, but when you are on a dead ( no pun intended ) straight road in the rush hour traffic - what do you see , bloody revenue rasing camera. I`m past the stage of trying to see how fast my car can go. Much prefer to arrive five minutes late then arrive dead - on time. ! I dont mind if some hot headed testosterone filled 19 year old thinks he is as good as Schumacher or Fangio or Stirling Moss and kill himself. Its his /her family that I feel for, but you cant put an old head on young shoulders, and its sad fact of life that most of them have to learn the hard way. Some make it to a ripe old age and others - dont. I`ve put in my lifetime over one million MILES not KMH behind me with one fatal accident when a pedestrian was on a motor way over seas bilnd drunk. To make matters worse he was black, and dressed in a black shirt, trouser and white shoes. In the headlights of my car all I could see on the multi lane motorway was two white objects, and many cars passing me at well over 160 KMH . This was back in 1964. The poor man never new what hit him and neither did I , until I pulled up and saw what had happened. If I hadnt of hit him somebody else would have. That memory still haunts me 40 years later. NO speed camera could have prevented that.