Thread: ACA Burnley Tunnel Accident

Originally Posted by solmanic

That's what I mean - at 80 kph or below the right lane regulation does not apply. The only speed limit increment above 80kph is 90 and that's where this rule kicks in.

But she WAS still overtaking all the other cars in the centre lane.

It doesn't matter what speed you travelling or how many cars you overtaking... why play russian roullete with a truckie if he up behind move out the way ,,,no matter what you will come off 2nd best

Originally Posted by out_the_way

.. any body who has a bit of common-sense see's a huge semi coming up behind should or would move out the way no matter what...

The problem is the number of drivers who have no common sense coupled with no appreciation of the ways in which heavily loaded trucks are different from cars.
I still cringe when I remember being a passenger one night in a car on the Hume Highway when it was mostly one lane each way. The driver became quite agitated about the way the semi behind her was tailgating her. She just couldn't understand that what was actually happening was that she was driving at a moderate pace down hillls and accelerating up the hills, especially if there was an overtaking lane. The truck driver was simply gaining on her down hills and would get fairly close in a vain attempt to have enough momentum to get around her in the overtaking lane. Because she planted the right foot at the bottom of each hill and went faster uphill than she had gone down, the poor truckie had no chance.
She had no idea at all how inconsiderate she was being.

Originally Posted by vnx205

The problem is the number of drivers who have no common sense coupled with no appreciation of the ways in which heavily loaded trucks are different from cars.
I still cringe when I remember being a passenger one night in a car on the Hume Highway when it was mostly one lane each way. The driver became quite agitated about the way the semi behind her was tailgating her. She just couldn't understand that what was actually happening was that she was driving at a moderate pace down hillls and accelerating up the hills, especially if there was an overtaking lane. The truck driver was simply gaining on her down hills and would get fairly close in a vain attempt to have enough momentum to get around her in the overtaking lane. Because she planted the right foot at the bottom of each hill and went faster uphill than she had gone down, the poor truckie had no chance.
She had no idea at all how inconsiderate she was being.

I know it's a fine line to back seat driving but I find if I am in a car with someone who doesn't realise these things they usually don't take offence if you explain the danger to them. These things are just not taught to people at ABC driving school, that's about the short of it.

I have always been under the impression that the keep left unless overtaking rule applies at speed limits of 80 kph and above. Not only above 80 kph.

Driving under the speed limit and interupting the traffic flow is potentially an offence too, a friend of mine has been pulled over and cautioned for it.

If the camera car was overtaking other vehicles, where were they? If a semi could move into the gap left behind it, surely the overtaking manouver could have been well and truly completed.

As other people have mentioned, there was a severe lack of common sense, road craft and basic driving skills displayed by the person driving the camera car. Not to mention a disregard for the well being of others.

Originally Posted by BigJon

I have always been under the impression that the keep left unless overtaking rule applies at speed limits of 80 kph and above. Not only above 80 kph.

Driving under the speed limit and interupting the traffic flow is potentially an offence too, a friend of mine has been pulled over and cautioned for it.

If the camera car was overtaking other vehicles, where were they? If a semi could move into the gap left behind it, surely the overtaking manouver could have been well and truly completed.

As other people have mentioned, there was a severe lack of common sense, road craft and basic driving skills displayed by the person driving the camera car. Not to mention a disregard for the well being of others.

WELL SAID MATE

Originally Posted by solmanic

ACA did, in fact, play a much longer piece of footage which showed that the camera car WAS overtaking traffic in the centre lane. Whether they were travelling at or below the speed limit is irrelevant - they were definitely travelling faster than the other two lanes. The footage was run from some distance before they enetered the tunnel - what they were doing 1 or 2 km further up the road is not mentioned.

Whilst I agree that they were spoiling for some action, I don't think they had any direct involvement in this accident. Simply travelling below the speed limit and p**sing off drivers behind is not breaking any law. And on any stretch of road where the speed limit is less than 90km/h even sitting in the righthand lane is not an offence.

Rubbish, got it on my licence renewal about 2 weeks ago, for the last 2 years the law has been you must keep left unless over taking on any multi laned road in victoria regardless of the speed limit.

As far as I am concerned and I have driven trucks on and off for the last 12 years, the truck was changing lanes fairly agressively and should have taken a bit more care but in saying that the Merc came from the far left lane and not from the trucks blind spot along side the left steer tyre, if the truck driver had been aware of what was going on around him, he would have caught the Merc moving over regardless of if it were indicating or not.

Yes the Merc should have been indicating and should cop a fine for failing to signal but from what I have seen in the he was well in the lane before the truck hit him so that then makes it the truckdrivers fault regardless what the stupid women was doing in front of him.

By the way stop calling it a 4wd that she was driving, it was one of bitsamissing all wheel drive things I thought that struggle climbing a gutter, thats probably why she wasnt keeping a constant speed.

I was coming back from Packanham the other day when I caught site of a truck, an early KW with a full wrecking trailer full of scrap steel tailgating a Lancer with a P plater girl driving, it was in a 70 zone and I was in the right lane doing just over 70 going past them and she would have been on the limit.

He then pretty much pushed me over when I was along side his trailer and I had to go into the gravel and I was on his right so there was no blind spot he just didnt look or care.

He then proceeded to pass her and then pull back in front of her and slow down to below 70 where I got past him when he then tried the same on me.

He had a UHF and I got him on and gave him a serve and used this as an example and his reaction was to tail gate me until I turned off where he decided to pull into the off ramp but then quickly pull back onto the HWY all at 100kmh.

I drive trucks but I also respect that cars have a place on the road as well and I give them space even when they dont leave it for me, there is nothing worse than thinking that your about to drive over the top of someone, as Ive been there too and again it was because he pulled out of a side street and then stopped on front of me, I was driving an 8 tonner with about 4 tonnes of machinery on the back and he was in a Datsun sunny.

I missed him by mm's and ended up in a garden in some parklands.

I wish these were policed with the same vigor as VIC is with speeding!

Keeping a safe distance behind vehicles
A driver must drive a sufficient distance behind a vehicle travelling in front of
the driver so the driver can, if necessary, stop safely to avoid a collision with
the vehicle.
Penalty: In the case of drivers of large vehicles, 10 penalty units;
In the case of drivers of vehicles other than large vehicles,
5 penalty units.

Keeping to the left on a multi-lane road
(1) This rule applies to a driver driving on a multi-lane road if—
(a) the speed-limit applying to the driver for the length of road where the
driver is driving is over 80 kilometres per hour; or
(b) a keep left unless overtaking sign applies to the length of road where
the driver is driving.
Note 1 Length of road and multi-lane road are defined in the dictionary.
Note 2 Part 3 deals with speed-limits.
(2) The driver must not drive in the right lane unless—
(a) the driver is turning right, or making a U-turn from the centre of the
road, and is giving a right change of direction signal; or
(b) the driver is overtaking; or
(c) a left lane must turn left sign or left traffic lane arrows apply to any other
lane and the driver is not turning left; or
(d) the driver is required to drive in the right lane under rule 159; or
(e) the driver is avoiding an obstruction; or
(f) the traffic in each other lane is congested; or
(g) the traffic in every lane is congested.
Penalty: 2 penalty units.

VICROADS Website

I saw the report last night in full. I have no regard for ACA but the FULL film appears to me to be very conclusive.
The bird was consistently in the right lane. She was consistently passing traffic and was going quite a bit faster than the other lanes. I remember one of the last she passed in the centre lane was a glass truck. Only then did an opening appear, and the Merc went into it.

In this case I think the truckie has very little defence, and it reflects badly on him that he then tried to justify himself with the obvious bull**** about her moving lanes etc. The film shows that not to be true.

Having said that he seemed not to be tailgating her until the very last bit,but its hard to know what he camera lens width is.

I am amazed that a driver in a Cabover truck could not see the Merc, and then was blissfully unaware of the large volumes of smoke passing his cab from the Mercs tyres.. I cannot believe that the Merc was in a blind spot,particularly after he had mostly completed the change. The truck hit him behind the back wheel.
For some reason the truck driver was not looking. Phone? ciggy?

I am sure there are lots and lots of good truckies , but I must say on the Sydney/Newcastle expressway I see a lot of bad behaviour. My favorite is when the interstate tailgates you in the right lane when you are doing 115-120kmh GPS actual, in a line of traffic. er 100KMh limited Bullsh1t. I often wonder if ANY trucks have the limiter unmolested. The RTA is "as weak as" on this.

The other is the "Trucks Must Use Left Lane ", up the big hills south from Mooney Mooney, and North from The Hawkesbury. Ho Ho, How about 2 or three lanes at say 40Kmh.

The first NSW drug testing unit found 1 in 8 truckies tested had drugs in their system. WOW. Reported SMH this morning.
Regards Philip A