easter road toll
Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 16:40
ThreadID:
55903
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2278
Replies:
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rumpig
just got
home today after spending
easter in gympie, have seen that qld unfortunately had 7 people killed over the
easter period. now like many of you, i heard all week in the lead up to
easter about the "BLITZ" the
police were going to have on the roads over the
easter period.
my question is, why is it when i leave
brisbane on thursday afternoon at 2.45 p.m from the southside of
brisbane, and drive the 200 klms north to gympie, why did i only see one speed camera in the entire trip (not including the fixed camera at burpengary). i did see a highway patrol car and 2
police bikes parked in a service station as i drove into gympie, it was dinner time so i assume thats what they were there for, but surely i should see more of a
police presence on a trip of that distance on that first arvo of the
easter break.
last year i did the same trip leaving
brisbane at 7.00 p.m on the thursday night and didn't see any
police about either. is this
police blitz just a media beat up or what?
Reply By: Member - Howard T (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 16:46
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 16:46
Hi
I often wonder the same thing. I drove from Cent Queensland to Charters Towers (coast road) on the weekend before New Year and never saw one
police vehicle, flash for cash or anything going up. Came back a week later same thing.
This
easter monday I drove from just south of Bundy to
Gladstone same thing. I often wonder maybe I just missed them or there arent any around.
Cheers
Howard.
AnswerID:
294627
Follow Up By: Kev & Darkie - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:22
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:22
I went to
Rockhampton from Calliope and return on Saturday and saw 3 mobile cops and a flash for cash. When I got into Rocky there was a Blow in the bag comp going as
well so they were out there.
Cheers Kev
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FollowupID:
560528
Reply By: mike1289 - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 16:51
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 16:51
I think the answer is they were all in WA! We drove back yesterday from
Coolgardie (gold fields) to
Perth after a weekend on the
Holland Track and Woodline track. Must have seen at least 6 to 8 patrols, including the patrol that random breath tested our entire team of 9 vehicles in
Coolgardie. (luckily it was 11:30 and the previous nights beer round the campfire had worked its way out of our system) Plus we clocked two radar traps.
Reckon we saw your guys in the patrol car pulling the trailer full of swags! Our best guess was that they were trailing the bikies we saw 20 minutes previous!!
Mike.
AnswerID:
294628
Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (FNQ) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:07
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:07
Mike
Having lived and worked out of
Perth for 12 months I reackon WA is far ahead of all States with everything, Take merging lanes on the Tonkin and Roe, long so you can get to the speed limit for merging, The rail between Graham Farmer Fwy and the station, every thing perfect.
.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: mike w (WA) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 22:45
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 22:45
It just a shame they havent got the roads sorted out at the Apple St Road Train bay North of Ginger's, grrrrrr, they are slowly getting it right there.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Bap - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 14:27
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 14:27
Mike,
all the cops must have been your way. We drove back from Collie to Warnbro and didn't see one cop car or radar or bretho all the way
home, and we were crawling all the way from Waroona to
Pinjarra because of one set of lights in
Pinjarra!
Michelle
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - RFLundgren (WA) - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 16:22
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 16:22
Doug
I have to agree with you on the roads here in
Perth. Just a pity that most
Perth people would not have the first idea on how to actually use a merge lane properly, or a roundabout. They all seem to think that tearing down the merge lane and then stopping in the correct procedure unfortunately.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: DCTriton - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:02
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:02
Also heard about the "blitz" and saw one cop car in the entire trip from Melb -
Robe - Melb.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Rut Tearer - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:03
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:03
The Navara that ploughed into a train was particularly disturbing, these crossing accidents are becoming way too frequent. It makes me so paranoid that I slow down to a crawl before visually checking any crossing irrespective of the lights etc etc. Very sad.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: WayneD - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:17
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:17
Well we had zero fatalities in NSW, the first time since records were started I understand.
I was in
Sydney for most of Easter but ventured down the coast to Nowra on Sunday about 350k round trip. It was the most Police I have seen on the road, didn't get more than 2 klm b4 first RBT. Everyone sticking to the speed limit.
However, today everyone is back to usual habits, speeding, running red lights and parking on clearways. Ah the joys of
Sydney motoring
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - steve H (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:37
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 17:37
I hung around local area (
Gold Coast) all weekend and the only ones i saw were at the end of the freeway oframps cathching people where the limit goes back to 60kph. They had the poor buggers lined up.
Steve
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Lewis K (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:05
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:05
Well the local cop at Jacobs Well (near the
Gold Coast) was doing his thing on the weekend. Stopped all cars pulling boats heading home from the boat ramp and put them on the bag. Have no idea if he found any DUI but it sure put the frights into a few people I know.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: robak (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:06
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:06
Went to straddie on thursday night. There was an RBT just as you get off the barge.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:20
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:20
Could you actually speed with all that traffic
on the road??
BTW, there were 4 speed cameras/mobile radars within 30km of each other from the Gatton Bypass to Toowoomba.....they were paired up where they were within a couple hundred metres of each other. Definitely enforcing the no-speeding laws in that section.
3 RBT guys at Wilson Outlook (back road around the Storey Bridge,
Brisbane)....
Andrew
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Stu-k - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:42
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:42
Yeah speed cameras are the answer. Stuff the road toll lets make the gov more money!
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (FNQ) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:08
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:08
SPOT ON............
.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:56
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 18:56
Commodore drivers were the stand-out lunatics on my trip back from
Victoria yesterday.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Rock Ape - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:16
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:16
Mackay has a motorbike cop that is so conchie that he would book himself if he thought he had done the wrong thing.
Anybody want him, I might put him on ebay. He doesn't go after the evil ones just the average people making a small F up, so he is a great money earner. Any bids!
Do it easy and keep it safe
the Ape
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:37
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:37
Gday Rock Ape,
We cant even contact our cops half the time. And if you lucky enough to get hold of them the usuall reply is "Im very sorry but we dont have anyone available!"
Can I open the bidding?
$5.00
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Glenn G (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:31
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:31
The Govt needs to get a lot more graphic with the ads to shock people to slow down and give a hoot ! some people may be offended but if thats what it takes then so be it ! the truth hurts.
Cheers
Giffo
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Paul C (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:41
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:41
Totally agree.
There's been a few adds over the years that have actually been pulled for being too graphic. It does reinforce the message but with the content regurlarly viewed over the net and via emails I'd think a lot of people are at least a little desensitised these days.
BTW. Saw two bikes and one Highway Patrol car on the F3 on Friday (alltogether) and one RBT at the Southbound entrance on Sunday night.
Paul
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Mike Harding - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:44
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 19:44
21 people died on the roads over Easter 2008 – this is a five day recording period and equates to 4.2 people per day.
In 2006 (the last year I can readily find numbers for), 1614 people died on Australian roads – this equates to 4.42 people per day.
In 2005 (the last year I can readily find numbers for), there were 2,101 deaths from suicide (80% were males).
We hear much about road death and millions of dollars are spent on the industry which purports to reduce it. Many regulations are created “for our safety” – some of these regulations (speed cameras) raise considerable sums of money.
We hear virtually nothing about suicide and very little money is spent in trying to prevent it.
The word hypocrisy springs to mind for me.
Mike Harding
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 20:35
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 20:35
You here about the Road Deaths, but never here about the
Thousands of people badly injured and Crippled for the rest of there
lives, and the heart ache the families go through, its about time
the government shows the actual reality of Broken Bodies, not the
pretend version with actors on adds.
Daza
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Isuzumu - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 20:51
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 20:51
I some times wonder if the one person in the vehicle that has a head on with a semi is a suicide? probably never know I suppose.
Cheers Bruce
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Reply By: Member - Glenn G (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 22:19
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 22:19
Yes it does happen, and the poor truck driver has to live with it every day !
Giffo
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Isuzumu - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 07:05
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 07:05
Thats the guys I feel sorry for, and half the time the media try to blame them.
Cheers Bruce
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 07:43
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 07:43
Ask a train driver
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Reply By: Alan H - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 11:50
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 11:50
The vast majority of crashes at rail crossings are caused by the stupidity or inattention of the driver not stopping or even slowing down for a good look at what might be coming.
Then the old cry goes up for the installation of barriers/flashing lights which get ignored or driven round anyway!
Increasing the fines for PHs and ever more cameras does nothing for the road toll either but certainly raises more cash for the pollies to waste on yet more emotive adverts (or their pet projects!) which get ignored.
I don't know what the answer is but a much increased police presence on the roads would help, as just the thought of a cop around the corner may have an effect on the stupid antics of some drivers.
Alan.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Bware (Tweed Valley) - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 12:01
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 12:01
I'm with you Alan. Now if they actually used some of the revenue raised from cameras etc to put more police
on the road patrolling then that would be a good start.
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Follow Up By: rumpig - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 17:34
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 at 17:34
that's what i reckon aswell , the more visible the police are the more people slow down. years ago you used to see police everywhere, these days they have bugger all of them on the roads compared to the number of other vehicles
on the road at the same time. a couple of years back we ventured south over the boarder into nsw at easter time to go
camping, i blew in the bag for rbt's twice on that trip, i couldn't tell you the last time i blew in the bag here in qld it was that long ago.
if qld wants to address the road toll then maybe they can start with more police on the roads, not by double demerit points, i think double demerit points will slow some down, but not as much as the visuale police presence
on the road.
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