Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Good point:thumbup:

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Some things that 'may' improve road safety in my opinion:

• Fixed and clearly marked speed-cameras. Having a camera hidden in a bush isn't going to slow someone down
• Mandatory annual vehicle checks. I still can't believe they don't have this here.
• Restriction on engine size/power for P platers.
• Police actually giving fines for 'bad driving' and not just speeding
• Get rid of 'undertaking'. It causes so many problems.
• More enforcement of 'keep left'.
• Better training. I've spoken to someone who was an instructor in the UK, and retrained here and he was shocked by the standard of training given.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Ive heard a few people say we should have MOT and the likes here but why? When has an accident ever been the fault of the actual car or age of it and how do people propose to take old etc, cars off of people who cant afford a new one?

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Do you know for sure that accidents haven't been caused by the condition of a car? Surely it's better, for example to know that a cars brakes are functioning correctly, than one day trying to stop in an emergency and having them fail and you killing yourself, or possibly someone else?

People don't have to buy a brand new car, it's nothing to do with age - it's to do with proper maintenance. If there's a problem with the car, get it repaired. If you can't afford to get it repaired, then a potentially dangerous vehicle is off the road. Simply really.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

The police can tell what caused an accident and it would seem that 9 times out of 10 its speed and I'd hate to think that there would be more call for certificates/licenses/tests than there already are. Servicing your car is just common sense but I doubt it would stop unlicensed people from driving old bangers held together with string.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Bloody hell, I'm sorry but it's that type of attitude that absolutely does my head in!

There are undoubtedly cases where lack of maintenance on a vehicle has contributed to an accident, and if a law is brought in that requires cars to have a certificate of roadworthiness then how can it be a bad thing? If it means that one less person dies in an accident it HAS to be worth it surely? So bloody what if it's 'another license'???? Safety is paramount.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Forcing people to keep the car more roadworthy may make it harder for the hoons to afford to keep a car on the road. Same with full 3rd party insurance.

I know some will simply drive un-checked cars, but it will stop some of them. Ones that are paying to keep the car road worthy may adjust the way they drive to keep costs down.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Theres no such roadworthy certificate in South Australia but yeah.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Here we go...

you know, broadly speaking, I think the standard is about the same.

More traffic in parts of the UK, faster limits, drivers more awake and alert.

Australia allows undertaking which I think is an issue. Sleepier drivers. I get bored driving here too.

Drive in Mexico City - that is stressful.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

I also get bored on the longer drives, Used to driving at 80-90 mph, now limited to 60 (100kph). yawn

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

I don't get the whole P-plate thing. If someone has passed their test then they should be able to drive just as good as anyone else. Saying that they're on P-plates for two years, just confirms to them that they're not that skilled yet and allowed to make mistakes, and be an idiot. Also this means that everyone else on the road can give the P-platers abuse.

Why not just have the driving instructors and the test to be of a better standard and then when you've passed - you've passed. End of story. OH did her lessons here and the driving instructor was useless!

Also, regarding speed. High speed never caused an accident. Bad driving at high speed causes accidents, as much as bad driving at low speeds causes accidents (although yes, a high speed crash will have more consequences). I guess what I'm saying is akin to "guns don't kill people, people kill people."

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Speed is relative. What causes accidents is people travelling at speeds that other road users aren't expecting. In addition, the faster you go the less time you have to react to something that happens in front of you, which may have nothing to do with your own driving skill. But you'll die, just the same.

There is a reason why race tracks are walked before every race to remove obstacles and why all the cars in the race go in the same direction. The public road is not a race track.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

Not saying you should race, or more importantly drive faster than your abilities or the road conditions. If you're within your abilities, road conditions and taking into account other vehicles, then speed is not the causal factor.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

You will tend to find that people driving unroad worthy cars (and there are many in Fremantle) are also those MORE likely to be the ones :

drink driving/ driving whilst under the influence of drugs

having a car overloaded with people (especially children)

no licence/insurance

Take these vehicles off the road, and you (hopefully) take them off the road as well.

Re: WA driver attitudes
 

It can be. If a child runs out in the road in front of you and you can't stop. Had you been travelling slower you would have been able to stop. You may even have been travelling at the speed limit. But that doesn't help the child. Speed is still the cause of the death of the child. And if you were exceeding the speed limit then you probably deserve to be hanged.

The bottom line is that you cannot predict what will happen in front of you. There are no marshalls lining the route to make sure nothing jumps out in front of you. The public road is an uncontrolled space. And people even die on race tracks.

I see people racing up and down the range here. These people will die if they have a blowout. They will die if they meet an idiot like themselves coming the other way. They charge up behind me in their V6 ute and put my life in danger, because my car can stop faster than theirs. If I have to stop suddenly they'll crash into me, their reaction skills are irrelevant.

So I let them go and if I can't I slow right down. If they can't maintain a safe distance, I do it for them.

Keep idiots in front of you, that's my motto.