Skaife's a champ. that was a really well presented real case study. pity the government's blown their money lol.
Obviously the statistics show. 👍
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!
I think Skaife is certainly on the right track. I never had a problem with fatigue untill 100kmh limits came in, then it just got boring and I often struggle with fatigue (boredom) now. At the moment, travelling from Newcaste to Port Macquarie most weekends, there is about 30km of 80kmh limits near Port Macquarie due to roadworks (fair enough), but I really struggle to keep concentration on this section, whether I am nearly home on Friday night, or just leaving on Sunday night.
I also find it hard to keep a look ahead and around me at what is happening when I am constantly checking the speedo, which I think would be much safer.
Of course, just opening up the speed limit carte blanche would be a disaster, but with the other measures that Skaife is proposing, would certainly help ease fatigue related crashes in our big country.
From your ole' mate Jeff
Having been driving for more than 50 years, I can make a couple of observations;-
1/.Roads have improved greatly over this period.
2/. Vehicles have improved even more than roads.
Question is, has driver skill changed? I believe it has decreased!
Not hard to see where the problem is, really.
Cheers, Greg
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!
more training is needed ive said and and mark said it Training is needed as well as a writen test and done at a skid pan so they can see what can happen, aliminate more older drivers with more alert tests and see what they are taking any medication and not just say "u taking anything", "nah" ..........hmmmmmmmmmm okay ur old u wouldnt lie lol here is ur licence back for another 4 years.
my 2 bob worth
I personaly am not a fan of mark skaife, but i agree with him 100% on this issue.
Excellent article
The problem is there is too much info there for the average poly to digest
Keep up the good work Skaife
Agreed on most except that "we need all these great roads/motorways". I can only see what's happening in NSW so with a population of only around 7 million people here and then comparing it to what Germany has with 83 million people crammed into a country with an area half the size of NSW we have to be realistic with what the taxpayers can support.
Also, in built up areas we gripe about the 50 km speed limit. For those who haven't been driving around the Continent and wondered what the red line is on their km speedo, it's because all builtup areas have a 50km limit on their streets. Convert that to MPH and you have 30 mph which is what the speed limit is in UK towns. What a moan we would have here if we went back to the old 30 mph!
We have ourself to blame for most things. Just got back from a trip to Volksbahn and noted around 10 cars which went through red lights in the 60km round trip!! Of course the speed cameras and red light cameras are revenue raisers! But only if you do the wrong thing. If you think the amount of cameras are bad here, slow down, save the money you would have paid in fines and have a holiday in the UK. Then you will find out how many speed cameras we haven't got!
Boredom.. yes, 110kmh on the motorways but that's what it is if it's wet on French roads with a maximum of 130kmh... BUT, don't let a truck get caught on any of their roads doing over 100kmh. One of the Brits may confirm but I think from memory their trucks are limited to the same or a bit less than 60 mph. Now wouldn't that cause a stir here in OZ if the interstaters actually had to stick to speed limits of any sort.
DH
Our heavy trucks are supposed to be limited to 100km/h as well, it's just that many drivers remove the limiters and break the speed limit.
As far as the speed limits go, first things first: let's cut out all this crap about changing the speed limit every 100m. In Adelaide, there are some suburbs whose councils think that they are posh, which have 40km/h limits, then most built-up streets are supposed to be 50km/h but any slightly busy roads in suburbs are 60km/h. This is confusing and unnecessary, they should all be changed to the one speed limit again, whether that's 50 or 60km/h. Personally I like 60km/h because my Beetle's not really happy at 50, but that's fine.
My other pet hate is the general attitude towards speeding being the most important aspect of driving, and driving at 65km/h in a 60 zone being worse than not looking where you are going. As Skaifey says, this is obviously nonsense. If people were taught to actually use their brains whilst driving and drive to the conditions, then the roads would be safer. I personally reckon that a legal off-street racing track in each capital city would be a fantastic idea as well, to get young "hoons" like myself off the streets and channel their natural desire to compete into something constructive. I don't drive stupidly on the road like some people do, but I can guarantee that if there was a cheap legal race track open every week then I would be first in the queue. Not only would this give kids a proper outlet for their need for speed and get them off the streets, but they would probably also learn some decent car control skills.
TOP TOP Article.....
Saw this other day on tv, Well done Skaife
Our roads are improving, skill level is failing!
Skaife is right.
People can't merge, they hog the right lane and getting a license in most states is easier than getting residency (which is part of the issue I think).
I could go on for hours about this, but suffice to say, we have safe cars and safe roads. Why the heck can't we actually TRAIN drivers.
Like the motorbike test. Get your Ls, drive a bit. Then you spend the whole weekend there. The instructors get you to drive in every situation. Freeway, Wet, Dirt, etc.
At the end, they assess everything (including your attitude) then they tell you, "you pass" or "come back again and try again".
A lot of people I've met think they are good drivers yet have no idea of what their car is like at the limits, even at low speed. How many of you have driven your car hard? when does it understeer? when does it oversteer? what does brake lockup feel like in it? Most of the 'enthusiasts' on this forum don't know... and we are interested in cars. What do you reckon the rest of the driving public is like? The answer is, not real good... and people are adverse to pushing themselves in order to learn these skills. I repeatedly offered people on this forum and others the opportunity to come and learn these skills in a paddock or a skidpan at a motorkhana and I can count on 1 hand the number who have taken me up. Remember, any social reform has to start at home.
what are you personally doing to LEARN to be a better driver?
If you can't answer this question with a specific action in mind, you are still part of the problem.
Re the speed limit; There are many aussie roads I've been on where 160mph would be safe on most days of the year. Why do we have to do 100? Mark Webber was also right with the "nanny state" comment. We've followed the English way of thinking that says, "the more conservative the law, the safer everyone is". It's garbage. If 200kph is safe in Germany, it's safe here too.
Good call Pete 👍
i think its very simple. Have a mandatory weekend at the defense driving mob AFTER the learner has reached their 100 hrs (so they at least know how to drive on the skid pad). (100hrs being QLD's requirements, i don't know about everyone else)
The defense driving mob gives the learner a certificate of completion, learner shows the transport department, then they apply for their P's exam. Its not much, but is a start. 2 days, full time during the weekend.
Simple as. And i'm sure it will be a quick learning experience when their eyes widen with the first lock up lol. I wish i had that years back, before i locked up and went up a gutter at 150kph thinkin i'm confident crazy chris the shiz for brains boy motor racer simply cause i had a P's licence for a week. I'm lucky to be alive. That was my learning experience, and i would have rathered learnt my limits at a defense driving course, let alone knock some sense into me than face what could have been potentially fatal. Kids have died simply from that. Something needs to be done.
I have taken my elder brother to the school yard wide open carpark late at night in the wet to get some experience. Not stirring any trouble, but just locking it up so he learns what i wish i knew earlier. its a bit of slow paced controlled fun too, and i'm sure it will pay off.
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!
The main thing I agree with, is not letting parents teach kids. 1- bad habits, 2- parents fear, 3- bad cars? (some people have no idea... having said that, i have worked at mech workshops and know half the instructors out there have no idea about cars either..)
HappyDaze wrote:Having been driving for more than 50 years, I can make a couple of observations;-
1/.Roads have improved greatly over this period.
2/. Vehicles have improved even more than roads.
Question is, has driver skill changed? I believe it has decreased!
Not hard to see where the problem is, really.
Cheers, Greg
I agree Greg...
the young ones these days think its more important to have the sound system blasting...
or texting on their phone..
or even talking on their phone...
so, driving is their 2nd or 3rd priority.. at the time...
and raining is no cause to slow down..
just put the wipers on..
and in some cars you don't even have to turn the wipers on.
when I see people driving at night without their lights on
I see a person who doesn't have driving a car as their number one priority...
Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
