4 April 2007

Heads Up (and don't crash)

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ABC Online have this little bit on ACT traffic police targetting mobile phone use whilst driving over Easter and that double demerit points come into force from midnight tonight.

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VYBerlinaV8 now_with_added grunt3:05 pm 07 Apr 07

“VY “117km/h ticking over at 1900rpm”, add “…and using 5litres/100km” and you would be very close to driving a Golf TDI. “

At that speed on the freeway the V8 is chewing well under 9l/100km, typically closer to 8.

John, by definition if you had double demerits all the time, then they wouldn’t be double – they’d be the standard rate.

And in answer to the question “is it more dangerous on the roads during double demerits times” – well, yes. Being public holidays, there are way more people out on the highways, often for much longer drives, than there usually are. Anybody who remembers the 80’s news, which regualrly had the Easter road toll and the christmas road toll broadcast, should be able to remember this kinda thing.

Ah, the 80’s, when I feared dying in a car accident, from AIDS or from being nuked. Such an innocent childhood…

But aquaplaning is such fun!

The speed limits are designed for fair-average weather. Drivers are supposed to slow down in the rain.

caf – was that a storm at the start of february on the 10th(early in the morning, around 430am)
Cause i also experienced that. It’s the only time i’ve ever felt the need to pull over.
i couldn’t see past the bonnet, and people STILL kept flyin past at 110K.

Maelinar, I don’t think that’s true – to give one example, I’ve encountered weather on the F3 freeway that it definitely wasn’t appropriate to do the posted 110km/h in.

Ingeegoodbee5:16 pm 05 Apr 07

…and before all you greenie sh!tbags start, yes it sees plenty of use off road for work and I do have a bumper sticker that read’s “I’m Helping Change the Climate”

Ingeegoodbee5:14 pm 05 Apr 07

Public holiday double-demerit points usually mean that I make some extra effort to stick to the speed limit – the added bonus is that fuel consumption goes down a bit too – I’ve managed better than 9.8lt/100km on longer trips, not shabby for a 2.5-odd tonne 4WD.

VY “117km/h ticking over at 1900rpm”, add “…and using 5litres/100km” and you would be very close to driving a Golf TDI.

VYBerlinaV8 now_with_added grunt4:43 pm 05 Apr 07

Bonfire has the right idea. When driving quickly, people actually concentrate. When cruising on a wide, straight road with the cruise control on 117km/h ticking over at 1900rpm, it’s hard to stay awake.

Just spotted a cop speeding (just over) in the school zone on David St Turner. Wonder if he will give himself a double demerit penalty?

id prefer a laissez faire approach to road rules.

have no speed limits anywhere.

just make sure that people drive on the left side of the road and stop at stop signs.

there are several examples of cities removing all their road signs and seeing accidents decline significantly.

it works as it forces everyone to pay attention.

So why not have them all the time then?

Everybody repeat after me “I must follow the simple road rules and not become a statistic”.

Double demerits is a good thing. If you don’t break the law you’ll be fine (pun not intended). If you do, you can’t say you weren’t told of the consequences.

And once again, with the advent of double Demerits, I have established that I am, in fact, able to drive at the speed limit, and not higher.

excellent.

attacking the real cause of road tauma – inattention.

There’s a shock troop patrolling the gauntlet around Calvary and the new flyover, every day I see her with someone pulled over and having a lovely conversation. She looking strict, they looking exasperated.

Good on her. She’s a shark.

double demerits is merely a non-effective excuse to diffuse the spotlight from enforcement agencies under a period of increased media scrutiny.

The 60, 80, 100 or 110 you see on the road as the appropriate speed to travel was designed to be appropriate in all weather conditions, thereby if you are not driving down the road during 90 degree sleet hail (the worst driving condition I can think of at the moment), it can in some circumstances be appropriate to exceed the speed limit.

Reducing the amount of time spent on the right hand side of the road whilst overtaking springs to mind immediately – I don’t want to be in the path of oncoming traffic for any longer than necessary.

I would much prefer that the police targetted people holding up traffic doing 80 in a 100 zone with 25+ vehicles behind them during holiday periods personally, because the smooth flow of traffic is REALLY hampered by those a**holes.

VYBerlinaV8 now_with_added grunt7:16 am 05 Apr 07

I’d be surprised if the statistics show Easter is any worse for road fatalities than any other weekend.

That said, good on ’em for targetted other dangerous driving behaviours.

i see some incredible driving by people using mobiles whilst attempting to drive a cage. ten years ago i would have assumed that they were pissed, but now it is usually some clown gabbing away. i reckon it should be a $1000 fine with an extra $1000 if your vehicle has rims larger than 16″.
mind on the job people, it’s a car not a phone box.
and yes, it’s my pet hate….

Ladies, just don’t wave your t-shirt and bra at me when you drive past – I find it distracting.

Guess that means speeding, tailgating, drink driving and red (yellow) light running is ok over easter.

From the press release:

any distraction while driving is dangerous

… what, like, blue and red flashing lights on the side of the road, or someone talking to you from the passenger seat? Or roadside signs/ads/billboards designed to attract your attention?

I guess there’s dangerous distractions, and dangerous-but-we’ll-take-the-risk-anyway distractions.

Why over Easter?

Because it’s double demerits, so its more worth their while.

Reskepth Che’s Authority !

I’m guessing coz theres more people driving faster and further after working all week and hence traditionally that are more accidents. So its a good period of time to focus resources into.

Why over Easter? Why not any old normal Canberra week day in Civic???

Last time I took a call while driving, a cop car pulled up alongside me. He popped on the sirens for a second to get my attention, gave me a hard look, and then sped off.

No demerits, but it got me off the phone quick smart.

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