Thread: Speeding On The M5 & M7

Getting back to the heavy vehicle monitoring system - my SIII wagon got its picture taken by the one near Gundagai back in the mid 90's. I noticed the flash as I went under the boom - has anyone else had their landy, or other large 4WD, snapped? I figured the large, flat roof area may have been a trigger?

Cheers.

Originally Posted by solmanic

The speedo in the Alfa reads so high it's almost impossible to get a ticket in it.

Is that called Italian optimism?

Originally Posted by akelly

Getting back to the heavy vehicle monitoring system - my SIII wagon got its picture taken by the one near Gundagai back in the mid 90's. I noticed the flash as I went under the boom - has anyone else had their landy, or other large 4WD, snapped? I figured the large, flat roof area may have been a trigger?

Cheers.

The system thats in now has only been operational for 3 or 4 years and doesn't have flashes.

I wpuld have no problems with speed limits and speed cameras if only the politicians and bureaucrats had increased the speed limits in line with the vast improvements in roads and vehicles over the last fifty years.

I got my first learners permit in 1957. The speed limits then were 30mph (48kph) in built up areas and 50mph (80kph) outside built up areas. Cars then had poor brakes, indeed many vehicles from the 20's through to the early 50's still on the road had mechanical brakes, vague steering, poor handling, poor tyres. Steering often had a couple of inches or more of play, bald tyres were common, & "wear them down to the canvas" was a common attitude. Retreads were in almost universal use. Heavy trucks, like many cars, had very poor brakes. Seat belts were in race cars and aeroplanes. Roads, if bitumened, were narrow, bumpy, and had rough unsealed shoulders with often a deep drop-off from the bitumen to the shoulder. Most highways in Qld outside the South-east corner were unsealed.

Fifty years later with the vast improvements in roads and vehicles, our speed limits are 40kph & 50kph in urban areas and 100kph elsewhere, with a few 110kph stretches. Our major highways are quite suitable for increased limits of 120-140 and higher in appropriate places.

The road toll, taking into account the numbers of vehicles, licenced drivers, population, and vehicle usage, has declined dramaticaly since its peak in the early 60's. Seat belts, collapsible steering columns, good brakes and tyres, vastly improved roads, and the near elimination of high alcohol drink driving as a result of both enforcement and a change in community attitude, have all contributed to the decline in the road toll.

So why can we not have modernised speed limits? Revenue from fines?

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Our major highways are quite suitable for increased limits of 120-140 and higher in appropriate places.

You reckon?

I have to say that having travelled extensively, our road system is pretty damn poor! The only stretches of road we have that are built for speeds in excess of 110kph generally have too much traffic to be safe. Any two-way outback stretch of road which may be capable of sustained high-speed cruising only remains safe until the first bit of wildlife runs in front of you or a tyre blows-out.

Besides all that, in a country like this that relies so much on heavy vehicle cargo transportation, to have cars zipping around at 140kph on mostly two-way roads with trucks and busses all crawling along at 100 would have to end in tears and bent metal.

The best roads, by far, that I have ever travelled on are in Germany. Whilst 200 on the Autobahn is great fun, have a look at the spectacular accidents they also have. Our highway system is generally up-the-duff and not even as good as the Czech Republic FFS! As far as I'm concerned, our best bits of freeway don't come anywhere near the quality of European motorways - and most of them are limited to 130kph.

If the government can't find the cash to bring the roads up to a safe standard, then surely they can reduce the problem slightly by making sure cars can't go too fast.

By the way, I am aware that this argument only relates to straight-line speed and we are not addressing the issue of cornering on slower sections of road - but there weren't any corners involved in the incident on the Great Western Highway the other night.

Originally Posted by grumpybastard

Is that called Italian optimism?

No, it's called Italian build quality.

Originally Posted by solmanic

I have to say that having travelled extensively, our road system is pretty damn poor!

I've got to disagree a bit with this statement. We have a huge country with very few people to pay for roads, and generally you can get anywhere you want at a good speed.

You can't compare Aust and Germany for population and distance.

The infrastructure here is really very good. Bridges that don't fall down. Proper drainage. Proper signage, etc etc.

I've driven through a lot of Morocco, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and even parts of Spain and Portugal where you really see what poor roads are.

Originally Posted by spudboy

I've driven through a lot of Morocco, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and even parts of Spain and Portugal where you really see what poor roads are.

Point taken. I was really referring to "developed" countries and high-speed capability. You are right about our population and distances. The road system is probably about as good as it can be given these factors - which still makes it pretty damn poor for high-speed driving in my opinion.

Like I said, our best bits of road are still way below the standard in Europe.