Road safety on the King's Highway

I’d be surprised if the recommended speed signs are related to how far ahead you can see, simply because of how many other NSW roads have corners where you can clearly see around (sometimes several turns in advance, like out around Forbes anfd Grenfell), but still have recommended cornering speed signs.

It’s not a bad idea if that’s what do, though. I still think, however, that the responsibility for determining appropriate cornering speed should rest with the driver.

I think removing recommended speeds would be a bad move – at least in certain cases.

There are times when the sign is the only indication of the tightness of the corner. There are no other visual cues until you are well into it. When I see a sign saying “25” I know damn well to take it even more carefully than I normally would.

The idea of half these morons trying to make ‘sensible assessments’ simply fills me with fear. I’ve seen some of the assessments made regarding appropriate speed, appropriate overtaking points and more. Sensible isn’t the first word that springs to mind.

It would be lovely to have the road upgraded, but (similar to the Lake George road which was upgraded) most of the issues come down to people who aren’t making good decisions.

My understanding on recommended speeds is that it’s nothing to do with road-holding.

It’s supposed to be based on stopping distance matching how far ahead you can see.

If a truck is broken down and you come around a blind bend it’s not going to be any comfort to be firmly secured to the road as you go up the back of the truck.

One of the difficulties with the signage is the way that ‘recommended speeds’ for corners are determined. A modern, well maintained vehicle with a sensible driver can comfortably exceed these ‘recommended’ corner speeds with no effort or risk, whereas an older, worn or less capable car cannot. Personally I think we should remove ‘recommended’ corner speed signs altogether, thus forcing drivers to make a sensible assessment of corner speeds for themselves (which I believe the sensible ones do anyway).

I’d like to see more traffic signs in a language that the people who are really going to have accidents can comprehend.

Use of the word Dickhead in a roadsign springs to mind.

I’ve often considered this as I’ve been driving down the road, that as the only person on the road who seems to be paying any attention to the signage along the roadside, obviously the message isn’t getting through.

On the subject of the Clyde, I love the drive. I can confirm that it is a stock 2 hour trip, at 110 most of the way. There must have been some good aerodynamics involved in the 1.5 hour time trial, possibly even a microlight.

I think the main thing with a trip like Canberra to Bateman’s Bay is to leave plenty of time, and not to assume that you can average the speed limit. I have had two memorable trips on that road (for good reasons, not bad ones). The first was when I took a trip on a busy Friday evening, and for some reason all the traffic decided to flow along at about 90km/h, and no-one bothered to overtake. The whole thing was very relaxed, had some good music for company and took about 2 and a quarter hours. The second trip was back home at about 1am on a Sunday morning (no, I hadn’t been drinking), and it took considerably less time, as I only saw 1 car the whole way back. I let the V8 stretch its legs a bit up the mountain, and had a very easy run from there. Again, good music for company and all was well.

The road isn’t too bad, and there’s plenty worse around in country NSW. Having stricter driver training and licensing standards would help a lot here. The concept of driving to conditions seems to be overlooked nowadays.

For the volume it carries it really should be dual-carriageway.

If people weren’t trying to overtake the grannies towing caravans up the mountain it would help things enormously and save a great many lives to say nothing of the time and petrol of everyone backed up every day there’s an accident through summer.

What kind of a road do you build for dikwit drivers? Rather, increase the number of driving lessons everyone has to have and raise the standards of the driving test.

Thumper it’s a crap road.

Good drivers can be safe on any surface but how about we build a road for the drivers we’ve got rather than the ones we’d like to have?

Houdini

Because the road is in NSW at a wild guess. Use that logic and we could get NSW to pay for upgrades to Canberra Ave.

NSW are the one’s taking the ACT’s tourist $ at the coast, ergo its their responsibility

I have to say that any ACT Government serious about the wellbeing of its citizens would be offering to foot the bill for improving the road.

Frankly I wouldn’t object to a $5 toll if it meant a new dual carriageway, let the cheapskates chance it on the clyde.

Because, Houdini, the only viable NSW South Coast industry is Canberra, whether they are tourists, trippers or retirees.

shauno
Victorian drivers
I went there last year and i have never seen bad driving and they dont care about speed its just go go go.
I was so happy to get out of there.

houdini
You are right the people that drive on that road and any road these day speed and dont care .
I have been over taken on some very bad corners and it is mostly woman that are driving.

Given much of the complaining of some ACT residents on this site of the burdens ‘NSW’ supposedly places on the ACT would someone care to explain to me why the NSW taxpayer should be responsible for improving a road that is perfectly good if you drive to the conditions and your ability? Especially given the fact that the heaviest users at key risk times are ACT residents.

There’s nothing wrong with that road, dunno what the fuss is about. Just drive to the conditions.

put the corners back in. if you need a straight road with perfect camber, fine verges, and soft bouncy guard/guide rails to get to better climes, then you should leave it to professionals and catch the bus.
canberrans seem to have a certain mystique about the ‘coast trip’, and it certainly was in hugos day. but with the cocoons we have as transport these days, it is far to easy to go too fast for the surrounds and only realise once you’re heading for the scenery. or me at a closing speed of 200+kmh.
next i’ll be calling for a ban on air-con so you have to have the window down…………
loud pipes save lives!

Agreed their speed camera operators have a special place waiting for them in hell.

But the roads are still massively better and an example we could all follow.

The above anecdote about the japanese reflects on a valid perception that the road should reflect the speed limit.

Victorian drivers are incredibly paranoid now and dangerous because of it. They all sit at 98 in a 100 zone and constantly staring at the speedo due to Brack’s zero tolerance policy. Its especially dangerous riding a motor bike in Melbourne as you dont get seen.

All the real estate agents say that the Bay is only 1.5 hours from Canberra. Where are they mearsuring it from? The Bay is ALWAYS 2 hours, give or take a few minutes, regardless of whom you pass and speeding over the limit. I have been driving that road since it was all gravel and you boiled the billy, before the car did, at Cabbage Tree Creek on the full day trip. There seems to have been a lot of work widening the road edges (for Bikes?) but little concern for passing lanes which are the only thing which may calm the drivers who want to get to the Bay in 2 hours! It also occurs to me that they were advised after the last accident on the hairpin bend that they should go through Araluen!!!!
PS: Does anyone know when they started calling it the government bend?

Go drive on a Victorian road and you’ll notice the difference a good camber makes on a corner.

The drivers are a problem but the road could be better.

And the problem drivers won’t read the signs so what was the damn point again?

You’re right guru

It’s not the road so much as the gumbies on it

From the hat wearers doing 80 instead of 100 but speeding up when a passing lane comes in sight to the loonies that want to do 120 and prepared to pass anywhere.

i do the trip every weekend, either in the ute or on the bike, and it is not too bad as roads go. the problem is the drivers that use said road.
i have seen some astonishing moves on that road, and 9 times out of 10, by something with blue & white plates. the go,go,go mentality takes over and for what? 10 minutes less? then the clowns stop for a piss at braidwood and i trundle on by in my shitbox (thats for you vy!).
i do lament when they straightened out the clyde some years ago…was nirvana on a bike.
i’ll see some more crazy shit this weekend i bet. just dont take me with you.
allow 2-3hrs tomorrow minimum. it will be a shitfight.

Another useful safety measure would be to inspect vehicles using the road to ensure roadworthiness. Having a strong police presence helps, especially if the police are able to target dangerous behaviour (poor overtaking choices, staying within lane, speed appropriate to conditions, etc).

I remember driving up the mountain once on the way back from the coast, and it was fairly foggy and wet, so most of the traffic was traveling at 40km/h or less, due mostly to visibility. A small sedan overtook us all (across unbroken lane markers, blind corners, etc). 2 minutes later I stopped, together with 2 other cars, to help lift his 7 month pregnant wife, and sister, from the car after it had rolled and ended up on its side. Why did this happen? He was a Japanese tourist, and expressed to me his surprise that he had an accident whilst doing the 70km/h speed limit…

Dual lanes is all it would take. A proper highway, making it a 1 hour drive to the coast.

For years when I lived in teh Snowy’s I always swore that if I died on the road it would be the Monaro Highway in winter – seems like the same drivers are heading to the coast come summertime.

Hate that road. Well not so much the road but the clowns driving on it. I hope the cops get as many of them as possible this holiday period.

Its a dangerous road but theres also some lunatic drivers on it at times too!

Like putting a band aid on someones gunshot wound to the head – totally useless – but at least you look like you give a stuff.