Keebs

Been here nearly 1yr and sadly am astounded and saddened at the amount of generally poor driving, death and carnage I've seen and seen reported on Queensland roads.

So why:

are large trucks allowed to do the same maximum speed limit on multi lane roads?
are large trucks allowed in the 3rd & 4th lanes?
are vehicles that are towing allowed to do the maximum speed limit?
vehicles that are towing allowed in 3rd/4th lane of multi lane roads?
do Qeenslanders have an aversion to driving in the left lane on multi lane roads - even when those left lanes are clear?
are allowed to undertake?
leave exiting the motorway so late that they have to drive over chevrons?
exit the motorway directly from the 2nd, 3rd & even 4th lane?
indicate when there is no need as at that particular road junction you can ONLY go one way anyway?
do Queensland Police have so few 'marked/livery' motorway patrol vehicles.
concentrate on placing 'obscure' 4 wheel drive vehicles with cameras which sole purpose it seems is to raise revenue and not driver education?


Suggestions for the Roads Minister:

large trucks not allowed in 3rd/4th lane.
towing vehicles not allowed in 3rd/4th lanes.
speed for the above vehicles limited to 90Km/hr on multi lane roads
Coaches/buses to abide by above also.
no undertaking.
count down markers to exit on multi lane roads.
more visible marked motorway patrol vehicles - both as a visual deterrent and for driver education when pulled over.

You never know the above just might actually improve our roads, certainly will not make them any worse!

wanderingwombat

[QUOTE=Keebs]Been here nearly 1yr and sadly am astounded and saddened at the amount of generally poor driving, death and carnage I've seen and seen reported on Queensland roads.

So why:

Speed limited but not to left lane unless overtaking

Keep left unless overtaking

There are speed limits for towing in some states

Keep left unless overtaking

Keep left unless overtaking

Police presence required

Police presence required

Legislated = fine

You cant have the state budget in the black without a revenue source. It costs a lot of money to have the nine (9) high profile red highway patrol cars on the road this Xmas (like last Xmas, last Easter, etc). Of course those 9 cars may put the state in the red so there will be more broken down 4WD by the side of the road to raise revenue.

A bit like the pokies really. Earns lots of state revenue > causes social problems> shift revenue to social services to solve problem> advertise lotto wins to show low income earners how they can 'make good'> return to start.

For the roads it is: restrict speed limits > control speed with radar> earn lots of state revenue> leave the roads alone > more accidents> blame speed> more radar> more revenue> throw a bit at 'road safety' > leave the roads alone > more accidents> etc.

WW

232Bar

The flip side could always be, why are modern trucks with highly efficient braking systems, ISO anti-jacknife systems, ABS, traction contol, drivers (IMHO) better trained than here NOT allowed a higher limit and access to the 3rd lane in the UK?

The Bloke

[QUOTE=Keebs]Been here nearly 1yr and sadly am astounded and saddened at the amount of generally poor driving, death and carnage I've seen and seen reported on Queensland roads.

So why:

Speed 100kph, any slower = more time for deliveries, longer lines of cars behind, increased impatience of drivers of those cars = more accidents.

They are sometimes faster than cars in the lefthand lane.


Most cars are powerful enough to cope. You are not in the UK with everyone having small cars......

Same reason as for trucks......

Fair comment, but sometimes the volume of traffic dictates driving in inside lanes......

And whats the problem if the lane is clear and the other lanes aren't as most cars now have lefthand side wing mirrors.....


Maybe morons won't let them merge into traffic stream. You have to go somewhere or you may crash......



Even in the UK they do it too. Haven't you seen "Police, Camera, Action." At least we don't drive down the shoulder or reverse down exit roads.

You are still required to indicate if you are making any turn


That's why EVERYONE should take the Road Rule Test.

They tried having highly visable and dedicated "Highway Patrol" (incidently that is what was the name of the Traffic unit) cars over 15 years ago. They lasted about 12 months then the cars were given to the Transport Dept Vehicle Inspection Unit.


What would you rather, have those or fixed speed cameras for revenue raising. With mobile cameras, you are sometimes not sure where they are. With fixed cameras, all you have to do is slowdown as you go past and then speed up.


What about going back to the days of having someone walking in front with a red flag. Like has been said already, buses and trucks are limited to 100kph.

My thoughts are that the major cause of crashes is
a) driver inexperience;
b) glorifiication of speed and reckless driving by such movies such as "The Fast And The Furious" (especially with the young);
c) very poor quality road surfaces;
d) combination of the above.

slipshot

Thank heck trucks are not allowed in the third lane here in the UK - regardless of how good they are, there are plenty of truck drivers who take ages to overtake because of bad planning and they weigh so much. There are many more cars on the road than trucks, and to give up all 3 lanes would create far far more traffic jams and accidents with people late braking etc etc because a truck is stuck there.

We should follow the French route and, for example, ban trucks on Sunday's to allow car travel more freedom.

No matter how good a truck is, one that is weighed down with cargo takes longer to stop, far longer to overtake and creates all sorts of additional problems.

The Bloke

The overriding problem with the current spate of fatalities is the driver of the cars are predominately young, inexperienced, recklessly driving high performance cars, coupled with roads, including major ones, that are in a extremely poor state of repair. Trucks ARE NOT the problem, they account for only a small percentage of crashes. As for the French banning trucks on roads on Sunday FFS, but then they are the French, aren't they. I would assume that this rule is made by the same people who allow French air traffic controllers to drink wine on duty.

slipshot

Ah - but that is different. You commented on trucks in the outside lane. That was why I disagreed. Trucks in the outside lane cannot ever be a good thing. Your point about current spate of fatalities (although different to trucks in the outside lane in the UK) is very fair, and apparent in both the UK and Aus.

Trucks may account for only a small proportion of accidents but how many do they cause?

You seem to be defending trucks - which is fine. The majority of truck drivers I have seen are far better disciplined than many car drivers - but regardless of how good they are, being in the outside lane should not happen in a three lane road as cars do travel faster, stop quicker etc. And let's not forget - speed does not kill. Inappropriate use of speed kills, and given both countries have pathetic driving tests that are too easy, this is always going to be the case.

Remember Aus has twice as many road fatalities per 1,000 as the UK, which should not really be the case with lower speed limits (if speed was always to blame, which it is NOT). 100 kph is too low and as you say, many trucks can maintain this speed. So everyone goes on a boring sheep following routine and switch off - seen it many times. I'd much rather drive at 120-130kph which is well within my and my cars capabilities, and be far more alert than many people on the roads... and risk the wrath of a copper who's their to collect cash and nothing more.

themerlin

But I'm sure people here drive a lot more then they do in the UK? I would say I drive twice as much easy.
Plus cars in the UK are newer so would have more safety equipment and there is an MOT so it's harder to get old heaps on this road.

andrew63

You may be correct that you and your car are capable but is a granny in a 30 year old car just as capable? Or a hoon with 6 months driving experience in a V8 with the stereo blaring? Or a mother with 4 kids screaming in the car? Or a businessman on the phone?
How would you expect the police to manage the speed limits? Stop everyone and check their ability?

The speed limits are set at the lowest speed to cover the majority of road users that can just about cope with that speed (too many of them IMHO).

Just relax and drive knowing that you are the best driver on teh road and the rest are idiots and you have to drive at the speed limit to account for their incompetencies.

Works for me.

Andrew

meelie

Oh don't get me started about the poor driving in Queensland!
What I'd like to know is why when as soon as a driver in the other lane indicates he thinks its his god given right to automatically pull in front of you causing you to have to break sharply? Do they not know what wing mirrors are for?
And why do they suddenly stop at a turn and THEN INDICATE??? What about mirror, signal, maneuvre?
And what happened to the 2 second rule??? The Aus Dept of transport acknowledged that a large % of accidents are caused by drivers being too close to the car in front and recommend a 2 second gap, If you do leave a 2 second gap some a##hole cuts in!
I too have seen on numerous occasions drivers cut across several lanes in front of other cars to exit. Maybe some have a death wish!
And don't expect other drivers to give way!
Perhaps Queensland drivers think everyone can read minds and so knows what each driver is about to do.
I mean I know there are crap drivers in the Uk but here it is on a grand scale and the points i have mentioned I witness everyday!
But the big question is WHOSE TO BLAME????? Do the driving schools teach poor skills? Or is it just attitude? Anyone got an answer?

James516

I've been in the UK for 10 years now, after learning to drive in Qld and then driving every day for 8 years. UK drivers are far worse. Tailgating, road rage, no-one ever leaving 2 secs between car in front, middle lane morons, noone ever indicating, especially at roundabouts when going straight on.

meelie

Oh yes I remember how it is to drive in UK and certain parts eg London are awful places to drive but where I came from the drivers were much more courteous and civilised. Sure there were occasional tailgaters ( which i wuld duly give the break treatment ) and examples of bad driving but here in QLD its on a grander scale! Here almost everybody tailgates,cuts in or doesn't indicate until they are actually making the turn. As for roundabouts, I think we all know that the drivers over here don't seem to understand how to use them!
The other week when my husband was driving me home a van from several cars behind knocked over traffic cones to try to get into the lane first that we were moving into and scraped my hubbys car! And yes we were indicating. The driver then had the audacity to say hubby should watch where he was driving!!!!! Police weren't interested when we reported it either! With such attitudes towards bad drivers Im not surprised people drive so badly here.
I'm sure in and

annqldau

Have you a large dint in front of head off wall yet... they won't change anything major here don't think they even realise they drive.

Rob Morton-Jone

I have been in Oz 8 months and in that time i have had 2 accidents, both not my fault as i was hit from behind. First accident was a write off :scared: but the second was only minimul damage


Rob

meelie

Tailgaters by any chance?????