kong

One complaint I often note from disgruntled POMs on this forum are about the high use of drugs in the UK. Just as well that Australia is so backward that drugs have not eaten into the fabric of society here. Just one thing, be careful on the long drives between the "cities" here. After all you may be tired, but the truckie coming your way may not feel sleepy.





One in three truckies takes speed
By Matt Sun
August 27, 2004

ONE in three truck drivers on NSW highways takes amphetamines to stay alert, their union conceded yesterday.

The Transport Workers Union said many also smoked cannabis to calm themselves afterwards.
TWU spokesman Scott Connolly said: "About 30 per cent of long-distance drivers use (drugs) and the figure is probably more.

"Drivers will take something like speed as an upper and then get on the cannabis to get themselves down."

The union said drivers were forced into such extreme measures because of the demands of the job.

"We need a compulsory code of practice for the industry and sustainable rates for drivers. And we need to give control of the industry back to freight companies and not their clients," Mr Connolly said.

The TWU also said that Monday's The Daily Telegraph investigation which revealed as many as 8 in 10 drivers disabled speed limiters to increase their rigs' top speeds past 100km/h was correct.

TWU Newcastle secretary Mark Crosdale urged the Government to make freight customers more responsible.

He accused large companies of "playing off freight companies against one another", forcing drivers to provide a faster service to secure contracts.

"If a driver knows how to bypass a speed limiter, that will make his job easier and get him extra sleep. Drug use is a symptom of that as well," Mr Crosdale said.

Yesterday NSW Roads Minister Carl Scully responded to the claims by commissioning a report. He said: "I've asked the RTA to provide me with options on how to deal with this issue and to work with police on how to better enforce the trucking industry's compliance with our laws, including the issue of drug driving."

1. Sydney to Melbourne (871km, Hume Hwy): Sensible drive time is 10 hours. Truckers told to do it in 8, meaning they would need to maintain an average speed of 108km/h.

2. Sydney to Brisbane (938km, Pacific Hwy): Takes 13 hours sensibly. Truckers told to complete the distance in 11, averaging 85km/h.

3. Sydney to Adelaide (1370km, Hume/Sturt Hwys): Takes 17 hours comfortably. Drivers forced to do it in 12, meaning an average speed of a shocking 114km/h.

The Daily Telegraph


This report appears on NEWS.com.au.

bondipom

I thought of you when I read this earlier. I am sure a similiar no of Taxi drivers are on speed as well. Lucky I am not on the road for a living.

Vegemite Kids

Yaaaaawwwwn Yes we get the message Kong. OZ is all things bad. UK is all things good.

Tell me though (genuine question) was there a single moment - day, hour, minute - of your time in OZ that you enjoyed or was every single second a misery of drugged up australians ripping you off, spewing dangerous fumes out of gas guzzling cars driven by hoons and forcing you to slave at that grind stone for a measly pittance ????

podgypossum

Just to add a bit of balance to this thread....

Do not for one minute think that dangerous driving practices do not occur in UK.

I used ot own a taxi company in London. Before this i was a driver who had ot compete with idiots who were so gredy to earn big bucks that they would regularly do "the marathon" as it was called, every weekend. This was a term used for a driver coming on shift Friday afternoon and not going home to bed until Monday morning!!!.... the most sleep they would get was whilst waiting in trap order for next job when things were quiet. They also used speed and other stimulents to keep themsleves awake.

When i set up my company i made it part of their contract that they worked no longer than 12hrs with out 8hrs break inbetween. I despise this practice, and due to the amount of driving i did myself, have had several near misses with other drivers who were obviously in no state to be driving...in my opinion it is as bad if not worse than drink driving.

So do not think all this is specific to Australia...its been happening all over UK for many years.

kong

Well the airport on the return leg was superb, quality time spent in Oz.

Vegemite Kids

Aaah excellent. I'm so glad you enjoyed at least part of your time here






Note to all Australians : Poms are escaping our fair shores without suffering in their final few hours. => Job opportunity at Sydney airport.

Hels

Hey if it means making the last memories of Oz a misery for people like kong, I want that job!!!

bondipom

Yep it is the nature of the industry. The long drives truckies have to do here are different. There used to be a horrendous problem with long distance coaches crashing due to overtired and drugged up drivers. Thankfully now there are rules that require rest periods and limit the continuous driving periods.

It is harder to enforce the truckies as they do not have a coach load noting their every move.

I guess the UK equivalent would be those that go over to Europe.

Siren & Brian

HAHAHH i reckon the 10 seconds the first time he and his mrs did the horizontal tango.

Bordy

Probably blame Aus for it lasting only 10 secs, bet it lasts at least 30 in UK.

Grayling

That's the way.
Shoot the messenger!

Always makes things OK

G

Bordy

BANG.

kong

If some here had their way they would set their browser setting to filter out "any realistic truths about Oz, especially those nasty negative reports on crime, drugs, low pay/long hours"

Now reset browser to include these words

Beaches
Big Ouses
BBQ

walla

Hey Kong

How ya doing?

Interesting motorway thread, think I'll fly between cities anyway so hopefully I'll not get hit. Out of curiosity do Aussie truckers use them tachographs (is that the right word?) that British truckers use?

Anyway back to work as I'm working from home or so my boss thinks.

Walla

bondipom

First experience in Oz was a Taxi driver at Brisbane airport who was speeding off his brain. He was waffling on about a meeting with the insurance and something about a wreck. Bloke was out of his mind. At least he needed no directions.

Sydney cabbies invariably need guiding. Those that know the way I have to point out the most economic way. It is my right by law to chose the route.