Thread: Potential Changes to NT road rules

G'day JDNSW
I agree with you re the fatalities for scheduled jet airliners, BUT there were fatalities from the Fokker Friendship (F15) crash in the 60's off the Qld Coast, and that and others were scheduled commercial flights.
cheers.

Once again people are jumping on the speed bandwagon without even considering the underlying issue.

The quality of the average Australian driver is absolutely woeful. It is too easy to get a drivers licence and then keep it for years and years without ever having to be retested on skills or road rule knowledge.

If anybody in a position of power had any balls, then driver training would actually occur, rather than people learning how to reverse park.

How can it be that people are happy with the level of expertise required to operate such a lethal machine?

One of the reasons that air travel is safe is because, by and large, the pilots who operate aircraft are actually good at what they do. The average punter behind the wheel of a car is by far the most dangerous piece of the puzzle.

I could rant about this subject for hours on end, because it frustrates me so much. The policy makers seem to think it is better to lower expectations than raise standards. It is easier to do this, but not better. Why treat the symptoms without curing the problem?

Off the soap box.... for now!

We know how drivers get their licences but it's always amazed me how they managed to keep them, but when observing the performance in Perth of the majority of police drivers, the reason becomes obvious.
They ain't too good themselves at ordinary driving, road positioning, signalling etc. but I suppose the priority is always on high speed performance.
I made a complaint some years ago about the driving of a bike cop in Perth and the copper following it up reckoned they give them very in-depth training.
My answer to that was they appear to forget that as soon as they've got behind the wheel of a cops car when they should be setting an example of how it should be done to the rabble they're handing out tickets to.
However, in WA you're unlucky to get a ticket for anything except speeding, so as long as you just plod along with all concentration on the speedo, it's all alright.
Pity about the shocking death rate though isn't it.
Alan H.

during the xmas holidays the road toll is very low or nil,you would expect at least 1 or 2 over the holidays,I have done the trip from darwin to alice springs a couple of times at speed,I would hate to do it at 110 km's it would be a two day trip and boring

I think it was Wheels Magazine who published an article on a trail in the US where they increased the speed limit on freeways but 10mph to see what effect it would have on the amount of accidents. They actually founds, as someone said above, that the amount of accidents dramatically decreased because people spent less time on the road there minimising the risk of having an accident.

I would also suggest that its not speed in alot of cases its under experienced drivers who shouldnt have a licence who cause these accidents, as someone has also said. Sure fatal accidents are caused on country roads when someone is speeding, but this may only be 10kph over the speed limit which to most people isnt that bad, but if you cant drive to begin with its lethal and thats why we have speed limits. Sure the speed limits in the NT are unrestricted because of the nature of the roads and the distances between towns, and yes people who drive these roads at speed everyday dont have that many accidents but you can say if you are from another state you have to do 110km/h and if you are from the NT do what you want because that will cause accidents.

Look at the Auto Bahns in Germany, relatively accident free because there are strict rules in place for people using them and these are enforced regularly. The major cause of accidents on freeways is because people travel to fast its because they travel to slow in the wrong lanes. People do 90 in the middle lane when the slow lane is empty, do the police enforce this? No they dont because they arent speeding. The fact that it is more dangerous because people go down either side of the car to pass it at much higher speeds is missed. People changing lanes without looking over their shoulder and changing lanes to violently also cause accidents.

Matt

Originally Posted by Ace

Look at the Auto Bahns in Germany, relatively accident free...

Bad example they are reasonably fatallity free (lot to do with quality of safety in the cars) but they have some really major accidents.

That said in Germany I believe learners must also learn to drive at speed on the Autobahn.

As mentioned what we really need is better driver training.

sometimes its pretty simple,,

I got a lift with a workmate to Hervey Bay for 3 weeks,,

How we survived,, I do not Know.

She had no idea, the turnoff to Boorall rd is marked with a Highway 1 style , Large Green sign,, and she over shot it 3 times in 15 days,,
by over shot I mean--
full-brake-lock-up-turn-the-wheel-and prey.


now you might be wondering why I hadnt intervened before the turn-off??


after the first time,, I thought,, oh! yada yada yada! was to blame

did I mention Mother came along for the ride???


The second time I said " turn left coming up!"
waiting---


squeal,, squeal,,


after she couldnt get between two bowsers,,

I pulled the ripcord and bailed,,



its true--

some people just cant drive.

no!

some people should be prevented from driving!

Originally Posted by dm_td5

We have A roundabout! Just no traffic lights

Reminds me of when I was in Alice Springs in 1985 when they opened the first set of traffic lights, was a big event.


Martyn