Thread: WEBBER CALLS FOR INCREASED SPEED LIMITS

Originally Posted by weeds

Our freeways are not designed for a large increase. On ramps are not long enough in a lot of cases.....drivers already struggle to get to 110 to merge.

Because the majority brake instead of accelerating and zippering in.
No one knows how to merge!!
It drives me spare!!



(See what I did there? )

[edit 19/3]I nearly hit a Subaru fair up the clacker this morning as I accelerated to merge they hit the anchors!
****!

Around here everyone drives 10-20km/h below the posted limit, brake to 45km/h for 75km/h corners on single lane highways and then speed up to 10-15km/h over the limit when there's a passing lane, then immediately slow again as soon as it goes back to a single lane!!!


Aaaah!

Originally Posted by rick130

Just look at how the Germans teach people to drive vs how we do it.
They are even taken to the Autobahns and taught to drive at high speed, safely.
Oh, and it costs thousands of euros for the privilege to learn to drive.

Didn't need lessons when we got on the Autobahn in 1986! Yes,they did exist back then...

Our little car was flat chat at 140kph on the Autobahn, so it was the slow lane for us everywhere.

It was OK in daylight when the odd Merc or BMW sailed past near 200kph, towing caravans.

It was terrifying at night, no 'street lights', in the rain, at that speed. All you could see in the rear view was a 'milky way' of headlights, not knowing who was in your lane, catching, passing, car or truck! Some increase in road speeds in Austrlia maybe, on good roads, with low volume traffic, in the countryside, if your only hassle is the MinMin lights.

Although, maybe it would get speed out of the average car drivers system if each state did have a section of drag strip integrated into the public road system...say, for example, Broken Hill to Silverton...with motor bike club escorts.

I do think there is a need to 'consolidate' the number of different speed limits over short stretches of road - on a trip to NSW I'm sure I saw every increment of ten as a speed sign somewhere - and oh, here comes two houses in the countryside, down from 80 to 60 for 5 seconds, then back up to 80 for 20 seconds, oh, another house down to 60,,,and so on...and while concentrating on the bumper to bumper traffic, between two monster trucks, a sign flashes past, did you 'see that one dear' because I have no idea what speed I'm supposed to be doing now!

Originally Posted by Homestar

Even safer, lets ban all cars from the roads, that would have a dramatic effect on the statistics....

Coming off a mountain bike still hurts a lot at 20kmp...arrgghhh TREE!

One populous magazine cartoon suggested reduced speed could be achieved by removing seat belts, then putting a steel spike center of the steering wheel a couple of inches from the chest.

As a couple of posters have noted a few roads would be worthy of a higher speed limit but not many. To increase limits there would need to be better roads, drainage, separation of traffic with barriers (not trees), better on/off ramps, minimum 3 lanes wide and, dare I say it, better driver education. Germany was mentioned. Getting a licence in Germany is a much more involved process (with a fairly high failure rate) and is quite expensive. It involves a first aid course you need to pass and (I cant verify this but was told by a Czech taxi driver) all drivers must get a licence in a manual then apply for an auto licence.

Japan is the same. Speed limits are usually topped at 80km but you can drive much faster without much worry as long as you aren't being a d*ck. Getting a licence takes 2 weeks of school, is expensive and very thorough.

It frustrates the hell out of me to see an L plater in a car with (presumably) a fully licenced driver - although this is closer to fully rigged cretin - driving like an ignoramus. These aren't the people I want to share a road with at 130km once they get their full licence.

Ever driven at Easter or Chrissy holidays time and been fairly terrified by the fool in the powerful vehicle (ute/Commodore/Barra Ford) passing close to or over a crest? Usually happens through frustration with slower drivers on poor roads. I trust myself as a driver in the right vehicle under the right conditions but on the same road you will get a driver who cant even do the limit.

I think we are a long way from being able to increase the speed limits

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this post but driver in Aus are sooo bad in general, getting a licence is too easy and everyone seems to think is their right to drive and not a privilege.

Originally Posted by 4xsama

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this post but driver in Aus are sooo bad in general, getting a licence is too easy and everyone seems to think is their right to drive and not a privilege.

No flaming from me....although my wife is always in my ribs about my driving style.

The M5 in Sydney was dsigned as a 130Km limit road and it was perceived noise complaints from local residents that caused it to be reduced to 100-110Kmh.

I believe the M7 was also designed as a 130Kmh road and you crawl along at 100Kmh which they reduce to 80kmh when someone is mowing behind the Armco.

I find it unbelievable that a 100kmh limit is imposed on the hills leading North and South on the M1 just north of the Hawkesbury bridge. for some reason the cuttings on the South side of the bridge are a major crash area with crashes happening at regular intervals often involving trucks. But that area is 110Kmh. Lots of trucks seem to catch fire in the 100zone for some reason on the North side. I have seen lots and usually from the engine area. maybe it's the climb . Who knows. Yet trucks are allowed to overtake on the hill at 25Kmh vs 20 and boy that causes some anxious moments.

There is no rhyme nor reason just political points scoring.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by weeds

Our freeways are not designed for a large increase. On ramps are not long enough in a lot of cases.....drivers already struggle to get to 110 to merge.

The issue is with the drivers, not the length of ramps.

Originally Posted by rick130

Around here everyone drives 10-20km/h below the posted limit, brake to 45km/h for 75km/h corners on single lane highways and then speed up to 10-15km/h over the limit when there's a passing lane, then immediately slow again as soon as it goes back to a single lane!!!


Aaaah!

What is that all about,happens to me all the friggin time.The issue is the overtaking lane is often a hill,and the poor van struggles to get past

I betV8 Ian hates this as well,in the work vehicle.Even with the TD5 D2 i used to struggle to get past some clowns,sitting at 85K's in a 100 zone,then up to 110,up a hill when an overtaking lane appears.

The other thing is the clowns that race up to a roundabout,slam the brakes on,stop,and there isn't a vehicle in site.

And the ones that see an 80K sign in a 100k zone,and on go the brakes,why not just get your foot off the loud pedal a bit earlier,when the 80 sign is first seen,and coast down to 80.

Merging,don't get me started....

End of rant