4WDers need to to slow down

Yeah Colin, we went into Blinman on the Sunday and it was a struggle to get a park,as we were having a Frothy in the Pub a group came in and one of the ladies ask where the Balfours Bakery was LOL just about spat me beer out in laughter.cheers GD

You got that right.cheers GD

I would like to know myself who sets the speed limits ?? Some one must have no idea. The M7 here in Sydney would have to be one of the best built roads in NSW, yet its only 100k, then you can jump on some of our roads and their like goat tracks and its a 100k limit ?? I got pinged on the long weekend (well Im sure I did just waiting for the ticket in the mail, by one of those territorys) wife was driving and had done a few hours and was getting tired while I was snoozing, so she gave me a nudge and said your turn. she dabbed the brakes to cancel out cruise control the slowly pulled over for me to take over. No problems, I jump in, take off get to about 95k and hit resume on cruise control which took me back to 110k, the limit so I thought. Saw the territory sitting there from 1/2 a mile away so to speak and thought bloody hell who's he going to catch ?? I had the GPS system up on the windscreen purely for the bluetooth for the phone, but I turned it down as the 4 year old had dropped off and new my family were about to ring us (as usual when were travelling) to see where we were but I new we would see it flashing to let us know some one was ringing. Didnt need it for directions new where we were going. Next thing just as I was approaching the camera car I noticed the GPS flashing red displaying 111/100, thought oh oh, said to the wife whats the speed limit, she said 110, then she went oh no, just where she had pulled up for us to change around was just past a sign saying 100 which I obviously didnt see as I still had eyes shut waiting for her to pull up. I did a uturn further up (where allowed of course) then went up past where we had swapped drivers did a uturn again and checked out the situation, yep sure as hell 100k. Oh well sh#t happens as they say. So that will be 6 point thanks for coming, Will be the 3rd fine in 27 years, last speeding fine was in 96 and last warning for a yellow light was in 06, dont get me started on the yellow light. Now the speed limit went from 110k to 100k to 110k within a 1km, for what reason I have no idea. Nothing around, no houses, double lane either way with trees and stuff between either sides.

Point is how doing 110k in this 100k zone was dangerous ?? (in my case 111 by my GPS). Why wasnt he sitting in the 110 zone ?? obviously this is a trap and a good money spinner for these mobs. Dont see how where he was sitting was any more dangerous then if he was sitting in the 110k area ??
At the end of the day it was my fault and probably should have asked the wife what the limit was instead of presuming it was 110k just cause she had cruise set at that. She was been so careful as well and I was the one telling her dont go over the limit even by 5k (not that she normally does anyway) but due to double point was been more carefull then ever, then its me that gets pinged LOL, she reckons she saw at least 10 cops if not more in the first 3 hours so we knew they were out and about like they said they would be. My winge for the weekend. Have a good one.............

"Point is how doing 110k in this 100k zone was dangerous "
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I think the difference in speed between all the cars and trucks on our roads would have a lot to do with it.

The hand book in my non turbo diesel Lux for example says don't exceed 138. It feels like it is flying at 110, particularly with mud/rock tyres, so I usually keep it at around 100. If I was towing a van, it would probably be closer to 80. A car passing at 110 would be 30 ks faster and things can go wrong in situations like that.

It was a big problem in the early days of the October race at Bathurst when cars like HO Falcons travelling at around 220 kph came up behind Corollas and the like going as flat as a tack at about 150.

The worst example that you are ever likely to see of what can happen when cars of different performance levels are on the same road together can be seen in this video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEk85gKJN6k&feature=related The driver of an Austin Healey moves over to pass a D type Jaguar that was slowing down and fails to see a much faster Mercedes coming up behind him. The result was over 80 people killed.

We don't have the space on our roads to separate trucks or have designated high speed only lanes. Some of them may look good and appear to be safe but they are not up to the standard of Europe yet.

Hi there Splits, I know where your coming from but we are talking 10k difference on an open road, Same road, same surface, same lane set up, nothing different from the 110k we were in to the 100k section, then the 110k section again. I have absolutely no idea why this section of road varies in speed over say klm distance and needs to have a 10k variance, for what reason I would love to know ?? Im not one for going on about revenue normally, but this situation here to me it is. OK yes there is obviously 100k sign posting and its not hidden in any way, clear as day, but why the change and he just happens to be in the 100k area of it, as I mentioned before why doesnt the operator sit in the 110k area either side of it ?? Anyway at the end of the day Im sure Ive been zapped and will learn from it, but they wont be getting another cent from me for speeding. Even today going down the south coast I sat cruise on all the way, what ever the speed limit thats what I had it set at, on the dot, and had the GPS displaying it as well. But what I did find was I reckon 70 to 80% of people were passing me. 2 weeks ago I probably would have been one of them, may only be 5k over the limit but I dont give a rats any more about keeping up with traffic flow. They can sit up my date as much as they like. I will and always have kept left unless overtaking, and if they get too close they will have a hayman reese tow bar wegded in their front grill. I had a 2.8D hilux before so know where your coming from in regards to how it feels behind the wheel in regards to speed. I know myn will exceed the speed limit in first gear (in a 60k zone) and is certainly capable of 200k if given the distance and a gamer driver then me to try it out (at a race track of course) but even in the rain I will knock off 10k generally in the higher speed areas due to visbility, tyre grip and fact Im in a 4wd that is higher then your average sedan so stability comes into it as well. End of subject, will wait and see what I cop, pay up and get over it.............Cheers

From the RTA website in regards to
""I wish that people would realise that one blink of the indicator does not give you right of way nor does it make you bullet proof""

SIGNALS WHEN DRIVING
Not give sufficient left change of direction signal $147 2 Road Rules 2008
Rule 46 (1)&(2)
SIGNALS WHEN DRIVING
Give left change of direction signal (less than 5 seconds) $147 2 Road Rules 2008
Rule 46 (1)&(3)
SIGNALS WHEN DRIVING
Not give right change of direction signal with lights $147 2 Road Rules 2008
Rule 48 (1)
SIGNALS WHEN DRIVING
Not give sufficient right change of direction signal $147 2 Road Rules 2008
Rule 48 (1)&(2)
SIGNALS WHEN DRIVING
Give right change of direction signal (less than 5 seconds) $147 2 Road Rules 2008
Rule 48 (1)&(3)

Just brain dead Hay.cheer's GD

What an absolute waste of time, we had some glorius nights in the Simmo, one day we travelled only 60k's pulled up for lunch and stayed the night - just perfection.

Really I don't get why people bother going all that way and not take in the ambience of the surroundings both day & night.

Sure I can get very far in a short space of time - we're going from Adelaide to Kalgoorlie in 2 days ( 2 x 10 hour days x 3 drivers) but we will be ambling up the Canning for over 2 weeks followed by a leisurely pace back to Adelaide.

I work for a living and will suck in as much of the outback as I can, as I damn well earned it and do not see the point in racing to the finish.

Cheers

Colin

Know the type. Had to pull up in a narrow swale to clamp down a bit of gear that had worked loose.

Heard a group of vehicles for a while chatting on channel 10 about what they'd ate last night, price of petrol, what the kiddies were doing, wanting to make Birdsville by tomorrow morning etc. etc. .... called out on channel 10 twice that I'd stopped - didn't have much room either side....

Next thing three brand new Disco's came hurtling over the sand dune at a rate of knots, didn't even slow down and managed to miss me by about 6 inches as they went past in a shower of dust. They were literally flying !!! It was only good fortune that I was behind my vehicle and didn't step out to the side or they would have cleaned me up.

Had the satisfaction of catching up with them in the Birdsville CP a few days later. Both me, my father, and two of my traveling companions ripped the living snot out of them.

Classic Mosman/Toorak tourers with all the expensive bits and no idea of dune etiquette ...

Good on you, I would have probably reported them to the Police and let them know that they are staying in the CP, only for the reason that it probably was like water of a ducks back to them but being challenged by Police it makes them really take note that they can't act like idiots out there.

Don't know about Qld but here in SA you can make a report and the Police will act on it providing you are prepared to testify, given that you had 3 others they would have been stuffed.

Again, good onya and lets just hope that they did heed some of the rightly derved bollocking

Cheers

Colin

Colin, wasn't really sure they got it - just a blank stare, but it made me feel better.

They were tailing us for a while and spent ages on Ch 10 talking constantly about what they were going to cook for dinner that night. A couple of our group asked them to keep the channel clear as they were blocking out the oncoming vehicles ... didn't slow them down much. As I said, I just don't think they got it at all.

In fact, when we first heard them on the UHF earlier, we aksed them if they were East or West bound and they told us it was none of our business!!!! Tried to explain we were only trying to avoid smacking into them on a crest of a sand dune ... their respones? "well... that's what we got sand flags for!!"

You know what, I reckon that as soon as there is a really bad accident, the powers that be will reason that they need to close these tracks or make them East West or West East in an effort to ensure public safety as the minority always stuff it for us majority.

Sandflags won't make much difference at speed over a dune apart from letting people know that they are now parked on someone elses bonnet

Blank stares - I guessed it, I have met Neil ( local Birdsville copper ) and he is a really good guy who I am confident wouldn't suffer these fools so lightly, people like this really REALLY need to be put in there place for the common good of all of us 4wd'ers

Cheers again


Colin

600 km Kalgoorlie to Perth can save half an hour if you're really lucky and don't get pinged by the cops.

But you use half as much fuel again and when you arrive, you just sit around cos you're too buggered to do anything!

And by the same token some people should speed up and not hold every one else up , not everyone is on a holiday tour and is on the road /track to see the sights and smell the roses ,

Couldn'tagree more.
It's also the ones that think they are good, that aren't!

Anybody that thinks that speed & injury or death aren't related, must have their head planted firmly up their fundamental orifice. Tell me the last time that a stationary vehicle killed somebody.

I agree, but remember, speed alone does not kill. It is usually the person in control of the vehicle. By most state laws, speed alone does not constitute dangerous driving (operation) otherwise racing car drivers would be charged at every race.
Most will also bring up the argument about drink drivers being so dangerous on the road. No doubt they are a danger, but statistics will show very few are actually involved in collisions. (Note, I do not call the incidents accidents as that word does not fit most collisions.)
I understand the point you are trying to make, but people have been killed when a vehicle has been relatively stationary. Working under a vehicle when the jack or stands give way as one example. I know speed has an effect on the amount of damage and injury in collisions, but the problem is a lot more complex and should start with driver attitude. While we have vehicles on the road, we will have collisions and people will be killed. We need to limit the carnage.
I speak with a certain level of experience, spent many years investigating serious and fatal collisions. Not claiming to be an expert, just been there, done that.
Kevin

According to TAC stats 25% of all fatal accidents involve drivers over .05.

I say accidents because I hope that the incidents weren't intentional.

I knew somebody would bring up the jack or stand scenario, but the vehicle isn't stationary if it's moving downwards.

A fact of life is, the faster you hit, the more it hurts, speed does kill.

Race drivers are competing in controlled events, as far as I am aware we don't have flag marshalls on our roads to warn us of dangerous conditions. Also as our roads haven't kept up with vehicle technology, neither have race tracks kept up with race car technology, which is why Formula One cars have been denied the use of all available technology.

Shaker,
I understand where you are coming from and don't mean to get into an argument, but, I know all about statistics, I use to compile heaps of them for fatal, injury and non injury collisions. I have investigated more collisions then I can remember. I have tested numerous drivers involved in collisions. Ask any Police officer how many drivers involved in collisions they have tested and how many have gone over the legal limit and I think you will be surprised at the percentage.
If you examine how the statistics are compiled you will see how the questions are framed and that may answer the 25% you refer to.
If you look at the legal definition of the word accident you will see why we have not used that term for a number of years. If all collisions were accidental, then no driver could ever be charged with any offence.
I will not argue the fact that you believe speed kills as I think you missed my point. Yes, I agree with the following - speeding can kill. There has been court cases lost because speed was the only evidence used for one of the most important elements of a dangerous driving (operation) charge.
So the matter is complicated. I do not speed and I do not drive under the influence. Both I hate. I am not saying I am perfect and have never done both, but one does silly things when young.
Maybe we will have to agree to disagree.
Kevin

Kevin, maybe I just enjoy a good discussion, thanks.
I must add that it infuriates me when drug or alcohol abuse is used as excuse for killing somebody.

I remember when I obtained my CAMS licence, we were instructed to use the term incident & never use the word accident.

Unfortunately alloy its not a perfect world, if someone does not feel they have the driving skills to go any faster in the conditions presented to them they should ( within reason) have the right to go slower

My best mate and his brother where driven over by a truck on the way home from there grandmothers funeral , that was a bad week. The truck was speeding to get to a designated drop off on time

In the police statement he said he thought he was driving to the conditions