By removing the speed limit for a section of the Stuart Highway in NT, the NT government seems to be implying that it’s safe to travel at any speed on that stretch of road. Surely this is just an inducement to the hoons to try to max out what ever grotty little vehicle they have and race each other to the detriment of themselves and other road users.

Although I think speed limits can be increased in some cases, there should actually be one, to establish boundary conditions for safe operation of vehicles. Or can we actually trust people to pick a safe driving speed ?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-01/speed-limits-shelved-for-nt-highway-sports-cars/5232388

>Or can we actually trust people to pick a safe driving speed

Most people, probably. But clearly not all.

I obtained my license in the old NT no speed limit days.
Even as a teenager I was not tempted to hoon but having no limit meant that I drove to the conditions not to some arbitrarily decided limit.

There is no speed limit on the road past my place. They won’t post speed limits on unsealed roads because the conditions vary so much. I am not sure if the State maximum applies. I have had one idiot come around a blind corner sideways at me.

morrie said:

There is no speed limit on the road past my place. They won’t post speed limits on unsealed roads because the conditions vary so much. I am not sure if the State maximum applies. I have had one idiot come around a blind corner sideways at me.

In Victoria, unless otherwise marked, speed limits are 50 or 100, for built-up and non-built up respectively; sealed or not doesn’t matter.

morrie said:

There is no speed limit on the road past my place. They won’t post speed limits on unsealed roads because the conditions vary so much. I am not sure if the State maximum applies. I have had one idiot come around a blind corner sideways at me.

There has only been a limit since Jan 2007.

>>
In Victoria, unless otherwise marked, speed limits are 50 or 100, for built-up and non-built up respectively; sealed or not doesn’t matter.

Unless signed otherwise.

>>
In Victoria,unless otherwise marked, speed limits are 50 or 100, for built-up and non-built up respectively; sealed or not doesn’t matter.

Unless signed otherwise.

OCDC said:

>>
In Victoria,unless otherwise marked, speed limits are 50 or 100, for built-up and non-built up respectively; sealed or not doesn’t matter.

Unless signed otherwise.

Sorry, missed that bit. :(

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

Seems to me that the State government has a duty of care to prevent dangerously excessive speed and therefore unsafe use of its assets. Maybe a prima facae speed limit of say 130kmh should be imposed and if people are shown to be exceeding it, the onus is on the driver to prove that speed is safe.

rumpole said:

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

Seems to me that the State government has a duty of care to prevent dangerously excessive speed and therefore unsafe use of its assets. Maybe a prima facae speed limit of say 130kmh should be imposed and if people are shown to be exceeding it, the onus is on the driver to prove that speed is safe.

Years ago NSW had a 50mph prima facae speed limit with those onus of proof conditions.

Tamb said:

rumpole said:

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

Seems to me that the State government has a duty of care to prevent dangerously excessive speed and therefore unsafe use of its assets. Maybe a prima facae speed limit of say 130kmh should be imposed and if people are shown to be exceeding it, the onus is on the driver to prove that speed is safe.

Years ago NSW had a 50mph prima facae speed limit with those onus of proof conditions.

I thought it was 60 but I’ll go with you. / It was the case, u simply had to prove that you were driving within the conditions that the instance required and that which you were capable of achieving even under extenuating circumstances.

rumpole said:

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

Seems to me that the State government has a duty of care to prevent dangerously excessive speed and therefore unsafe use of its assets. Maybe a prima facae speed limit of say 130kmh should be imposed and if people are shown to be exceeding it, the onus is on the driver to prove that speed is safe.

NT doesn’t have a state government…

roughbarked said:

Tamb said:

rumpole said:

Seems to me that the State government has a duty of care to prevent dangerously excessive speed and therefore unsafe use of its assets. Maybe a prima facae speed limit of say 130kmh should be imposed and if people are shown to be exceeding it, the onus is on the driver to prove that speed is safe.

Years ago NSW had a 50mph prima facae speed limit with those onus of proof conditions.

I thought it was 60 but I’ll go with you. / It was the case, u simply had to prove that you were driving within the conditions that the instance required and that which you were capable of achieving even under extenuating circumstances.

Yes, that’s how I remember it when I went for my NSW license. Sydney was a bit of a driving shock after Darwin.

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

Yeppers. I used to do a lot of driving in the NT before speed limits were introduced. Always hire cars, and these have been scientifically proved to be able to go faster than a normal production car. My time for the Darwin airport to Katherine was always about 2 hours and ten minutes, and that included a stop for fuel on the way at Adelaide River. An EA Falcon couldn’t quite make it on one tank of fuel, at least at the speeds I was doing. I only ever burnt out one motor on all the cars I had in those years. I was basically livnig between Melbourne and Katherine. A FIFO type job, two up top and two down in Melbourne.

You do become very complacent with the high speed. I blew a rear tire doing about 210. I was about 70 km north of Alice and was very, very lucky. 20 ks either up or down and the road had quite a decent culvert on each side. Where I did it it was flat as a tack and I was able to go sliding off into the scrub for about 50 metres only damaging a shitload of small trees and well cough every panel on the car was fairly well rooted.

If I recall the limit was imposed after a Japanese driver in a Ferrari crashed during a Cannonball-run-type event.

Tamb said:

If I recall the limit was imposed after a Japanese driver in a Ferrari crashed during a Cannonball-run-type event.

From memory, I don’t think it was the fact that he did himself in that caused the reaction, more a matter that he took out two bystander (mechanics?) that caused all the kerfuffle.

sibeen said:

Tamb said:

If I recall the limit was imposed after a Japanese driver in a Ferrari crashed during a Cannonball-run-type event.

From memory, I don’t think it was the fact that he did himself in that caused the reaction, more a matter that he took out two bystander (mechanics?) that caused all the kerfuffle.

That’s right. It’s coming back now.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=336&dat=19940524&id=MxxOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kOwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7021,4197714

Rule 303 said:

Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

I meant to add something to that. A lot of the reason for the relatively high rate is multiple fatalities in single accidents. A lot of people loaded up into a back of a truck when it does a roll over etc. Or it least to be like that back in the times when I was up there a lot.

I had a job up there a few years ago and the posted 140 kph limit was quite fast enough, thank you very much. Age shall not weary them…but it makes them a lot more fucking cautious :)

“ Age shall not weary them…but it makes them a lot more fucking cautious :)”

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

:)

rumpole said:

“ Age shall not weary them…but it makes them a lot more fucking cautious :)”

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

:)

Or lands you in ICU for months, then high-level care for the rest of your life…

FWIW when the NT introduced the 130 km/h speed limit on highways that previously had no limit, the road toll went up. It then came slowly back down to about where it was before.
So the evidence is there that in that area with those drivers there is no real problem with having no speed limit – Though I do expect another slight increase in fatalities initially then it’ll settle down again.

Have they gone unlimited again? It was an election pledge by some parties. They might be able to get back the car makers hot and high speed testing trade. The advantage they offered was good roads, unlimited and first world governance and facilities.

OCDC said:

rumpole said:

“ Age shall not weary them…but it makes them a lot more fucking cautious :)”

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

:)

Or lands you in ICU for months, then high-level care for the rest of your life…

I once had a front wheel blowout doing about 100 km and that was scary, especially as there was a deep ditch on one side. With many years of driving experience and a great deal of luck, I just managed to keep control. Had I been going any faster even only 10 km/hr, I very much doubt if I still could. Also animals from kangaroos, cattle, camels, donkeys and other vehicles suddenly appearing in the road. The results are even more than scary. So just having a vehicle built to do excessive speed is absolutely no guarantee that things won’t happen that is outside of its specifications, and by going at those speeds the chances of recovery narrow considerably. High speeds are best left to a race courses where some of these variables can be eliminated.

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

Yes. We travelled that stretch of road late last year and found the fuel consumption much higher travelling at 130km/h than the 110km/h I am used to in NSW.

I have read previous reports which state that increasing speed limits on some roads could reduce crash rates as driver fatigue is less likely to become an issue.

Ironically, I received my first ever speeding fine on the Stuart Highway. Apparently drivers in Alice cannot drive more that 60km/h on a road 6 lanes wide. Unfortunately, I had failed to see any speed advisory signs and, having driven the 130km/h only minutes beforehand, thought that 70km/h would be about right. Their fixed speed cameras have no warning signs.

>I once had a front wheel blowout doing about 100 km and that was scary, especially as there was a deep ditch on one side.

Was moving furniture using dad’s shitbox datsun ute one time, way back, used hessian bags to stop furniture rubbing on tray, anyway did notice when got to destination 160KM away one was missing, thought it blew off somewhere side the road, anyway on way back from the city, maybe half-way home handbrake pulled on doing about 100KM/H bitumen road. Fucken bag had fallen down between tray and cab, wrapped around handbrake cable then hooked around tailshaft and pulled it on hard, so that fucked couple brand new tyres, they had flat patches on them, came to a halt with a big cloud of smoke.

So two fucked tyres and a very stretched handbrake cable. Not sure what outcome would have been if had been in four-wheel-drive, not sure would have locked front wheels up.

>Always hire cars, and these have been scientifically proved to be able to go faster than a normal production car.

Yeah funny how they need a new water pump or something when you get there :).

transition said:

>Always hire cars, and these have been scientifically proved to be able to go faster than a normal production car.

Yeah funny how they need a new water pump or something when you get there :).

I ONLY ever blew one up, and they were EA Falcons in the main, and their cooling system was shit at the best of times.

transition said:

>Always hire cars, and these have been scientifically proved to be able to go faster than a normal production car.

Yeah funny how they need a new water pump or something when you get there :).

hehe… i’ve seen the Hertz hire car navman system… can’t get away with anything nowadays :P

sibeen said:

transition said:

>Always hire cars, and these have been scientifically proved to be able to go faster than a normal production car.

Yeah funny how they need a new water pump or something when you get there :).

I ONLY ever blew one up, and they were EA Falcons in the main, and their cooling system was shit at the best of times.

Yeah, instead of improving the cooling capacity, which was probably expensive they did a software limp home even without cooling option. Which is itself a good thing to have but not as a solution to a cooling issue.

>I ONLY ever blew one up, and they were EA Falcons in the main, and their cooling system was shit at the best of times.

done similar day-trip alice to tennant do bunch jobs, might averaged wonatee, thing pissing water out on arrival. But then the service guys probably don’t check WP sideways bearing play, too fucken stoopid.

> Also animals from kangaroos, cattle, camels, donkeys and other vehicles suddenly appearing in the road

I was driving along the highway just on daybreak yesterday, doing about 90 in a 110 zone on the coastal strip next to extensive grazing lands. The light wasn’t good and that is a classic time and place for kangaroos to appear. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a kangaroo coming full bore across my path. I touched the brakes and it slowed me down just enough that the animal crossed my path without a collision. A minute later, a bloke came roaring up behind me and, obviously frustrated that I wasn’t doing the speed limit he overtook me across the double lines.

I couldn’t help thinking that if the same roo had crossed his path, there might well have been a different outcome.

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

In fact, the death toll increased considerably in the year after the speed reductions.

And for lurking car nuts

Man Made

Bugatti Super Car

6.30pm – 7.30pm 7mate

The Bugatti Veyron is a ‘super’ super car. Part automobile and part airplane, this modern engineering masterpiece of automotive art flies down the road at nearly one third the speed of sound.

say if you made your own road sign/s

what would you say on it/them

Carmen_Sandiego said:

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

In fact, the death toll increased considerably in the year after the speed reductions.

So what were the contributing factors that made that occur?

Was it some people doing the speed limit and some not?

ms spock said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

Rule 303 said:

Drivers who travel at very high speeds quickly discover the need for fuel and better cooling – And the distance between the availability of such in the NT. Lots of production cars can travel at 200km/hr – How many can keep it up for more than 12 minutes? For most vehicles, the speed will be determined by ambient temperature and fuel availability.

This section of road has only had speed limits for a few years. Although the NT has a frighteningly high road toll (in relative terms), I am not sure the evidence supports restricting speed here.

In fact, the death toll increased considerably in the year after the speed reductions.

So what were the contributing factors that made that occur?

Was it some people doing the speed limit and some not?

That is the million dollar question.

Talking to the locals when I was up there, there seems to be two schools of thought:

1. People are comfortable driving at 115 on an open speed limit road feel compelled to drive at the 130 speed limit, which may be too fast for them.

2. People used to driving from point A to point B in a day at a decent speed are suddenly taking an extra hour or two for the same trip, and fatigue is kicking in.

Carmen_Sandiego said:

ms spock said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

In fact, the death toll increased considerably in the year after the speed reductions.

So what were the contributing factors that made that occur?

Was it some people doing the speed limit and some not?

That is the million dollar question.

Talking to the locals when I was up there, there seems to be two schools of thought:

1. People are comfortable driving at 115 on an open speed limit road feel compelled to drive at the 130 speed limit, which may be too fast for them.

2. People used to driving from point A to point B in a day at a decent speed are suddenly taking an extra hour or two for the same trip, and fatigue is kicking in.

130 is a reasonable speed in a new vehicle

160 is ok only if you have your wits about you 190/200 you need to be totally on the ball, looking well ahead at all times for any movement by the side of the road for animals

speed limits are things set for the lowest common denominator of the population ie the people who probably shouldn’t be driving at all and don’t have the IQ to drive safely. so what happens is that everyone who has brains is forced to adopt a speed limit imposed so that the half wits can still drive.

what you really need is a system where those shown to have some form of ability and brains can travel faster than other people. if you have a list of traffic violations as long as your arm and “accidents” guess what? – you have to drive at the set speeds.

the other thing with going faster than 110 is the fuel consumption – as you head towards 200 the fuel consumption rockets upwards. if you have to travel some great distance and have to do it quickly you have to think carefully about where you can fill up along the way.

wookiemeister said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

ms spock said:

So what were the contributing factors that made that occur?

Was it some people doing the speed limit and some not?

That is the million dollar question.

Talking to the locals when I was up there, there seems to be two schools of thought:

1. People are comfortable driving at 115 on an open speed limit road feel compelled to drive at the 130 speed limit, which may be too fast for them.

2. People used to driving from point A to point B in a day at a decent speed are suddenly taking an extra hour or two for the same trip, and fatigue is kicking in.

130 is a reasonable speed in a new vehicle

160 is ok only if you have your wits about you 190/200 you need to be totally on the ball, looking well ahead at all times for any movement by the side of the road for animals

speed limits are things set for the lowest common denominator of the population ie the people who probably shouldn’t be driving at all and don’t have the IQ to drive safely. so what happens is that everyone who has brains is forced to adopt a speed limit imposed so that the half wits can still drive.

what you really need is a system where those shown to have some form of ability and brains can travel faster than other people. if you have a list of traffic violations as long as your arm and “accidents” guess what? – you have to drive at the set speeds.

the other thing with going faster than 110 is the fuel consumption – as you head towards 200 the fuel consumption rockets upwards. if you have to travel some great distance and have to do it quickly you have to think carefully about where you can fill up along the way.

There wouldn’t be a problem if they all run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere.

Well I have some issues with that

1 Is the road built to the same standard at the autobahns in Europe?
2 are the cars capable of the roads unlimited speed?
3 are the drivers capable of the roads unlimited speed?
4 Is the road capable of the fastest cars top speeds? (which is around 439 kph)
5 I expect a smooth ride at 439 kph in my Koenigsegg Agera R with no nasty surprises
6 will the drivers have an unlimited speed license with proper training
7 I don’t want any dead bogans blocking the road due to inferior driving
8 :)

fastest car in the world
top 10 fastest cars

>>190/200 you need to be totally on the ball, looking well ahead at all times for any movement by the side of the road for animals

LOL.

I’ve had to start travelling to a place populated with lots of wildlife and domestic animals that wander onto the road

the two women that have travelled there have both had impacts with kangaroos

in these circumstances I know that if I see a kangaroo in the distance by the road and am travelling at high speed I will assess and most likely slow right down – where one kangaroo jumps out another will follow.

sometimes travelling at high speed past wildlife will mean no injury/ death because you are travelling so fast you have already passed them before they know you are approaching

to be honest beyond 130 on most stretches of the road becomes risky, in rural areas travelling of a night invites damage.

when the light falls in country areas I slow down to 90 or below because of wildlife

wookiemeister said:

to be honest beyond 130 on most stretches of the road becomes risky, in rural areas travelling of a night invites damage.

when the light falls in country areas I slow down to 90 or below because of wildlife

fair comments

what would people reckon the Hume freeway’s top speed should be?

wookiemeister said:

when the light falls in country areas I slow down to 90 or below because of wildlife

Heck, i just make sure i’m off the road before sunset. Don’t ever drive at night on anything less than major highways with lots of semis to clear the way.

CrazyNeutrino said:

wookiemeister said:

to be honest beyond 130 on most stretches of the road becomes risky, in rural areas travelling of a night invites damage.

when the light falls in country areas I slow down to 90 or below because of wildlife

fair comments

what would people reckon the Hume freeway’s top speed should be?

is that a duel carriageway separated by a wide strip?

captain_spalding said:

wookiemeister said:

when the light falls in country areas I slow down to 90 or below because of wildlife

Heck, i just make sure i’m off the road before sunset. Don’t ever drive at night on anything less than major highways with lots of semis to clear the way.

so do I

I plan my work days to make sure I’m off the highway before nightfall – its asking for it otherwise.

wookiemeister said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

wookiemeister said:

to be honest beyond 130 on most stretches of the road becomes risky, in rural areas travelling of a night invites damage.

when the light falls in country areas I slow down to 90 or below because of wildlife

fair comments

what would people reckon the Hume freeway’s top speed should be?

is that a duel carriageway separated by a wide strip?

yep

CrazyNeutrino said:

wookiemeister said:

to be honest beyond 130 on most stretches of the road becomes risky, in rural areas travelling of a night invites damage.

when the light falls in country areas I slow down to 90 or below because of wildlife

fair comments

what would people reckon the Hume freeway’s top speed should be?

750 kmh

7 I don’t want any dead bogans blocking the road due to inferior driving
—————————————————————-

Yup because only Bogans drive bad…

Smarten up Sunshine.

Fortunately with the demise of those Aussie companies, Holden and Ford.

More common place will be vehicles that can go 100 MPH without falling apart.

Unfortunately the majority of Australian drivers are… below par.

A lot of what people do on the roads is generally intuited, a lot of it is unworded behaviour, maybe ‘unabstracted’ is the right word, can’t be sure.

Few misconceptions about I note too.

The ‘speed limit’ is not a statement about what is a safe speed (for whatever situation), is does however tend some predictability on the roads, and to some extent roads are built to conform to some standards, with these speed limits as a consideration.

The speed limit is handy, when, for example, you are going to overtake and need to untuit what is required to get around some vehicle ahead. If you had an accident in such a situation and speed/ing of an oncoming vehicle compromised your attempt, resulting in damages or whatever, the driver of the oncoming vehicle could be found guilty of a crime.

One of the greatest hazards on the roads is a matter of physics to do with approaching other vehicles, and for my purposes here I mean for possible overtaking.

We know a bit about safe braking distances (which are regularly breached), but neglect the safe slowing distance to get to the safe trailing distance.These two distances added together are substantial, and anyone that does a full work through the physics and maths for the range of situations will likely begin to see the probable weaknesses of what can be intuited. For a start a good proportion of drivers wouldn’t understand the relation of Mass with Velocity and what the exponentiated (V^2) does of Mass in the relationship written Kinetic Energy =1/2MV^2. That a 25% increase in speed doubles KE.

The state, or the States, MAC, the licencing people, insurers and all are a bit quiet around this subject, the entire apparatus is, because modern high speed transport (and density of traffic flow for city and urban areas etc) doesn’t sort of go well with some of that mentioned in the paragraph above.

The situation is that vehicles ahead and other physical objects impose a more unforgiving speed constraint than does the state speed limit. If a car ahead is doing 80KM/H and you approach it, then the vehicle ahead is a speed constraint, a very real one. Minus the smaller number form the larger number and you have a solid object, still.

Worth mentioning also is there are two somewhat distinct methods of overtaking, one involved conserving the momentum of the vehicle, the other not. Of the latter the slowing to get to a safe trailing distance is a good time to get the speed of the vehicle ahead, and other things. There is no other practical way to know the speed of a vehicle ahead, possibly that being considered for overtaking.

So I doubt driving safely is so much about sticking to or within the state speed limit.

I see also, elswhere, dickheads making arguments for increasing speed limits, reasoning being something like ‘going faster results in less fatigue (vigilance decline) – if you go faster there’s less time to get tired, or/and a tired driver is on the road for a shorter period’, take your pick.

What some may not be aware of is that many, perhaps most or even all cases of serious road offenses (minor ones too I suppose, hardly needs mentioning) are a defence of the licencing system, even the licence holder. The state has to defend the licencing system.

Mr Ironic said:

7 I don’t want any dead bogans blocking the road due to inferior driving
—————————————————————-

Yup because only Bogans drive bad…

Smarten up Sunshine.

dont blame me because of their bad driving that led to their deaths

Mr Ironic said:

Fortunately with the demise of those Aussie companies, Holden and Ford.

More common place will be vehicles that can go 100 MPH without falling apart.

Unfortunately the majority of Australian drivers are… below par.

We should consider a new class of car license, in that the driver is required to do a defensive driving course, followed by a speed driving course suited to the new license

CrazyNeutrino said:

wookiemeister said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

fair comments

what would people reckon the Hume freeway’s top speed should be?

is that a duel carriageway separated by a wide strip?

yep

is it a concrete road by any chance?

dont blame me because of their bad driving that led to their deaths
—————————————————————

Nasty.

We should consider a new class of car license, in that the driver is required to do a defensive driving course, followed by a speed driving course suited to the new license
———————————————————

I concur.

All those that are not capable of safely handling a car at 100 MPH should be… passengers.

CrazyNeutrino said:

Mr Ironic said:

Fortunately with the demise of those Aussie companies, Holden and Ford.

More common place will be vehicles that can go 100 MPH without falling apart.

Unfortunately the majority of Australian drivers are… below par.

We should consider a new class of car license, in that the driver is required to do a defensive driving course, followed by a speed driving course suited to the new license

and maybe place further restrictions on the car itself related to how good the driver performs during defensive driving/speed driving, matching the car to the driver etc

wookiemeister said:

is that a duel carriageway separated by a wide strip?

I suspect that you mean “dual”… unless you’re referring to something like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel_%281971_film%29

Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson, based on Matheson’s short story of the same name. It stars Dennis Weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the mostly unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck.

CrazyNeutrino said:

Mr Ironic said:

7 I don’t want any dead bogans blocking the road due to inferior driving
—————————————————————-

Yup because only Bogans drive bad…

Smarten up Sunshine.

dont blame me because of their bad driving that led to their deaths

if Im driving at around 439 kph I do not want to be an inferior driver

no dead bogans blocking the road

:)

PM 2Ring said:

wookiemeister said:

is that a duel carriageway separated by a wide strip?

I suspect that you mean “dual”… unless you’re referring to something like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel_%281971_film%29

Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson, based on Matheson’s short story of the same name. It stars Dennis Weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the mostly unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck.

I think that was a great movie. Simple, but with a nice build up of tension.

morrie said:

PM 2Ring said:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel_%281971_film%29

Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson, based on Matheson’s short story of the same name. It stars Dennis Weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the mostly unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck.

I think that was a great movie. Simple, but with a nice build up of tension.

Yep. I like it better than many of Spielberg’s more complex works.

how good the driver performs during defensive driving/speed driving, matching the car to the driver etc
———————————————————-

As Wookie has already said… the system has already dumbed down the law.

If you put everyone on different speed limits you increase the incidence of co-incidence…

PM 2Ring said:

wookiemeister said:

is that a duel carriageway separated by a wide strip?

I suspect that you mean “dual”… unless you’re referring to something like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel_%281971_film%29

Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson, based on Matheson’s short story of the same name. It stars Dennis Weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the mostly unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck.

ah yes dual – been sick recently

duo – two

CrazyNeutrino said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

Mr Ironic said:

Fortunately with the demise of those Aussie companies, Holden and Ford.

More common place will be vehicles that can go 100 MPH without falling apart.

Unfortunately the majority of Australian drivers are… below par.

We should consider a new class of car license, in that the driver is required to do a defensive driving course, followed by a speed driving course suited to the new license

and maybe place further restrictions on the car itself related to how good the driver performs during defensive driving/speed driving, matching the car to the driver etc

um, matching the driver to the car

um, matching the driver to the car

unlikely to be acceptable to consumers.

Mr Ironic said:

how good the driver performs during defensive driving/speed driving, matching the car to the driver etc
———————————————————-

As Wookie has already said… the system has already dumbed down the law.

If you put everyone on different speed limits you increase the incidence of co-incidence…

yes I see the problem now

well, teach everyone defensive driving and performance driving

probably the biggest problem is allowing family members to “teach” driving.

well, teach everyone defensive driving and performance driving
——————————————————-

And if everyone stayed on the limit, and didn’t fall a sleep, there would be no co-incidences… Dual carriageways or not, to report.

Of course this would mean booking slow drivers moreso than the quick ones…

ChrispenEvan said:

probably the biggest problem is allowing family members to “teach” driving.

I agree

unfortunately where I am the driving instructors are rubbish

I had resolved to do the right thing by paying for a family member to take driving lessons.they told me the instructor had arranged for a driving test a week away and there was no way that they were ready and had limited driving skills. I briefly questioned this but followed the logic that the instructor must know what they were doing.

as it was on the day of the test the driving instructors car was faulty and was discovered as so by the examiner, she they failed a few more times after going through other instructors

at this point I told her that I was going to teach them – they weren’t going to like being told what to do but they were going to have to suffer it

it came to one point where they blew up and told me that they weren’t going to take criticism about how they drove – I pointed out that considering they had failed numerous times I asked them how it was all going for them – either do what I say or get ready to fail again. once that was out the way they were ready to listen.

as the weeks went by the number of times the number of times I had to correct them fell to zero and I felt very comfortable being able to fall asleep whilst they were at the wheel.

they passed their exam

I found out later that the general consensus was that the driving instructors were rubbish in town

a common mistake by drivers is only looking 15 m off your bonnet

I have seen fast drivers collide with road kill I had seen from a kilometre away

I have seen fast drivers collide with road kill I had seen from a kilometre away
—————————————————————————————

Wait, what, how?

They were driving quicker, so in front, your going down a hill and them up the next rise?

Drove to Darwin (From Melb) with 3 mates in early 80s in a Ht wagon 2 speed auto and 161 red motor.
Max speed achevible 80 kph (50 mph on the speedo) or serious overheating would occur.
We then had availability of unlimited speed limits but couldn’t take advantage of it.
Probably a good thing as we were all pissed most of the time.

Mr Ironic said:

I have seen fast drivers collide with road kill I had seen from a kilometre away
—————————————————————————————

Wait, what, how?

They were driving quicker, so in front, your going down a hill and them up the next rise?

no i passed the carcass and watched them slam into it in my mirror

no i passed the carcass and watched them slam into it in my mirror
————————————————————

Serious.

You hide the obstruction till the final moment and they failed to see it…

Well colour me in-compassionate.

Mr Ironic said:

no i passed the carcass and watched them slam into it in my mirror
————————————————————

Serious.

You hide the obstruction till the final moment and they failed to see it…

Well colour me in-compassionate.

I’ve got a smoke generator

they didn’t stand a chance

it got too much for me to read the whole lot but from my experience of NT roads, the locals – who invariably blame tourists – are the greatest hazards on the roads…

>>Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg <<

I didn’t know that was a Spielberg. I found it a very engrossing and tense movie. Even if it was a B grade sleeper.

buffy said:

>>Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg <<

I didn’t know that was a Spielberg. I found it a very engrossing and tense movie. Even if it was a B grade sleeper.

While watching it I just kept thinking “ Just put your foot down you wimp, you could easily lose a truck”

pommiejohn said:

buffy said:

>>Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg <<

I didn’t know that was a Spielberg. I found it a very engrossing and tense movie. Even if it was a B grade sleeper.

Phillip Adams once wrote an article in the Australian stating that he was terrorised by a truckie. I can remember thinking, “you fucking idiot”.

While watching it I just kept thinking “ Just put your foot down you wimp, you could easily lose a truck”

sibeen said:

pommiejohn said:

buffy said:

>>Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg <<

I didn’t know that was a Spielberg. I found it a very engrossing and tense movie. Even if it was a B grade sleeper.

Phillip Adams once wrote an article in the Australian stating that he was terrorised by a truckie. I can remember thinking, “you fucking idiot”.

While watching it I just kept thinking “ Just put your foot down you wimp, you could easily lose a truck”

Two trucks, now that is a different matter. They can easily sandwich a car.

pommiejohn said:

buffy said:

>>Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg <<

I didn’t know that was a Spielberg. I found it a very engrossing and tense movie. Even if it was a B grade sleeper.

While watching it I just kept thinking “ Just put your foot down you wimp, you could easily lose a truck”

It got you in then. :)

well as for no speed limit then my award goes to the guy who drove his 4wd into Kakadu park one wet December and got bogged, when he asked how soon the car could be towed back he was told “April, maybe”

I hated the speeds on some British roads. Very heavy traffic with very vehicle was travelling at a different speed, which made driving a rental vehicle doubly dangerous. Having a 110 speed limit on major Australian roads both saves petrol and saves lives.

On the other hand, speed limits are uniformly set too low through our cities. Almost every 70 speed limit should be an 80. No main road should have a 50 speed limit, and the use of the 40 speed limit needs to be limited to places and times where pedestrians are crossing. I am very much in favour of removing EVERY speed bump in the whole of the city – using them to set a local 20 speed limit is awful – and parked cars are already too successful in reducing local speeds. Road work speed limits need to be removed whenever no roadwork is being done. No freeway or tollway should have a speed limit set below 100. I am also opposed to reducing the speed limit as a road ages – the road needs to be built to a standard where this is never needed.

> this is just an inducement to the hoons to try to max out what ever grotty little vehicle they have and race each other to the detriment of themselves and other road users.

“Hoons” only speed when there are no other road users, ie, when it is safe to do so. I find it quite annoying that there is nowhere in my State where I can find out what the performance of my vehicle is at high speeds.

mollwollfumble said:

I hated the speeds on some British roads. Very heavy traffic with very vehicle was travelling at a different speed, which made driving a rental vehicle doubly dangerous. Having a 110 speed limit on major Australian roads both saves petrol and saves lives.

On the other hand, speed limits are uniformly set too low through our cities. Almost every 70 speed limit should be an 80. No main road should have a 50 speed limit, and the use of the 40 speed limit needs to be limited to places and times where pedestrians are crossing. I am very much in favour of removing EVERY speed bump in the whole of the city – using them to set a local 20 speed limit is awful – and parked cars are already too successful in reducing local speeds. Road work speed limits need to be removed whenever no roadwork is being done. No freeway or tollway should have a speed limit set below 100. I am also opposed to reducing the speed limit as a road ages – the road needs to be built to a standard where this is never needed.

> this is just an inducement to the hoons to try to max out what ever grotty little vehicle they have and race each other to the detriment of themselves and other road users.

“Hoons” only speed when there are no other road users, ie, when it is safe to do so. I find it quite annoying that there is nowhere in my State where I can find out what the performance of my vehicle is at high speeds.

Yes to most of that but Hoons definitely have a habit of smashing in to little old ladies slowly driving home from wherever they have been.

>>“Hoons” only speed when there are no other road users, ie, when it is safe to do so. I find it quite annoying that there is nowhere in my State where I can find out what the performance of my vehicle is at high speeds.<<

At the risk of upsetting Alex……HUH!!?

I don’t know on what planet you are living, but hoons are involved in accidents in Victoria. And they tend to kill either their own passengers or the people in the cars they hit. There are young folk in gaol here who have wrecked their lives for a vicarious thrill.

And look into it. I think you can arrange a time at a racetrack to play with your car if you want. “Club days”? If you really want to. Or go and pay to do an advanced driving course.

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

Couple of ideas from the past.
In England horseless carriages had to have a person waveing a red flag walk in front of said carriage during daylight hours, and at night a red lantern had to be used.

Lawrance of Arabia said that every car should have a sharpened steel spike attached to the steering column with the spike one inch from the drivers throat.

I am sure if both ideas were implemented there would be a big drop in collisions, and hence deaths and injuries.

bob(from black rock) said:

Lawrence of Arabia said that every car should have a sharpened steel spike attached to the steering column with the spike one inch from the drivers throat.

TEL said a lot of stuff. He was a pretty cool guy, but he had his own set of issues.

captain_spalding said:

bob(from black rock) said:

Lawrence of Arabia said that every car should have a sharpened steel spike attached to the steering column with the spike one inch from the drivers throat.

TEL said a lot of stuff. He was a pretty cool guy, but he had his own set of issues.

I have a photo here of my maternal grandfather on the pillion seat of one of TEL’s Brough Superior motorcycles. Unfortunately, my grandmother hated TEL with a passion, so she cut the photo in half, vertically and disposed of TEL and the engine part of the bike.

:(

He was (according to my grandmother) a nasty, womanising, self-aggrandising, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer person. He apparently had a similar attitude to women as Jimmy Saville, and used his position in society for similar ends.

:(

Michael V said:

Like i said, issues.

MV Have you got a pedestal drill in which you can change the angl eof the table?

I have a R/H Amal carb that I want to convert to L?H by drilling out a new throttle stop screw. It needs to be drilled at exactly 45 degrees from vertical.

Yes.

I still wouldn’t mind having the entire photo. I like motorbikes.

Sorry wrong thread

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

i can understand that. all the wheels, even in a 4wd, were intimidating.

“TEL said a lot of stuff. He was a pretty cool guy, but he had his own set of issues.”
======================

Not forgetting he actually wrote himself off on his motorbike

Lemme hear ya say yeah! (wow!)
Lemme hear ya say yeah! (wow!)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no ,no ,no, no there’s no limit!

Spider Lily said:

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

:-D

How did you get out of that one.

It’d be fun in luke skywalkers land speeder

ms spock said:

Spider Lily said:

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

:-D

How did you get out of that one.

I suggest you keep that quiet. We don’t want to give the cops the idea of microchipping all our cars.

ms spock said:

Spider Lily said:

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

:-D

How did you get out of that one.

our service technician at work knows the ‘out of range’ blackspots for the navman installed in his hilux.
(what he doesn’t know is it still records everything and sends through a big list to me when he comes back into range… lol :)

rumpole said:

“TEL said a lot of stuff. He was a pretty cool guy, but he had his own set of issues.”
======================

Not forgetting he actually wrote himself off on his motorbike

Not riding to the conditions

If you can’t see where the road goes, slow down.

I had a relative from Britain driving us back home, I had repeatedly warned them about a section if the road we were going to through of a night.

They didn’t listen to anything I had said

We were then charging along and they were becoming hysterical that they couldn’t see where the road was and I told then if they took their foot off the accelerator and slowed down maybe they’d have an idea.

People are stupid

rumpole said:

ms spock said:

Spider Lily said:

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

:-D

How did you get out of that one.

I suggest you keep that quiet. We don’t want to give the cops the idea of microchipping all our cars.

Chips break all the time

stumpy_seahorse said:

ms spock said:

Spider Lily said:

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

:-D

How did you get out of that one.

our service technician at work knows the ‘out of range’ blackspots for the navman installed in his hilux.
(what he doesn’t know is it still records everything and sends through a big list to me when he comes back into range… lol :)

Hehehe

stumpy_seahorse said:

ms spock said:

Spider Lily said:

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

:-D

How did you get out of that one.

our service technician at work knows the ‘out of range’ blackspots for the navman installed in his hilux.
(what he doesn’t know is it still records everything and sends through a big list to me when he comes back into range… lol :)

I worked somewhere recently where they installed a spy in the can- it was so the boss claim less responsibility if you wrote yourself off charging over to a job 4.5 hours away by normal driving.

Before they got rid of me to employ yet another person who didn’t know what a micro switch was one of the blokes at work was given my van after he wrote his work van off in a crash with another vehicle. What was the cause? I’m bit sure but I’m fairly sure it might have been with the other addition to the workplace of alcohol by the bucket load in the workplace fridge. The bosses then encouraged people to stay behind and drink alcohol and then then send people home pissed.

Michael V said:

He was (according to my grandmother) a nasty, womanising, self-aggrandising, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer person. He apparently had a similar attitude to women as Jimmy Saville, and used his position in society for similar ends.

:(

Are you sure? I read a book about him many years ago and it indicated he was not interested in women, or men very much. After being arse raped by Bedouins he went a bit funny and there are some clues his only sexual activity was submitting to the occasional thrashing.

Skunkworks said:

Michael V said:

He was (according to my grandmother) a nasty, womanising, self-aggrandising, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer person. He apparently had a similar attitude to women as Jimmy Saville, and used his position in society for similar ends.

:(

Are you sure? I read a book about him many years ago and it indicated he was not interested in women, or men very much. After being arse raped by Bedouins he went a bit funny and there are some clues his only sexual activity was submitting to the occasional thrashing.

wiki backs that up

Arts said:

Skunkworks said:

Michael V said:

He was (according to my grandmother) a nasty, womanising, self-aggrandising, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer person. He apparently had a similar attitude to women as Jimmy Saville, and used his position in society for similar ends.

:(

Are you sure? I read a book about him many years ago and it indicated he was not interested in women, or men very much. After being arse raped by Bedouins he went a bit funny and there are some clues his only sexual activity was submitting to the occasional thrashing.

wiki backs that up

I thought I read that he tried to join the RAF as a private, under a false name to get away from the fame, or something like that.

pommiejohn said:

I thought I read that he tried to join the RAF as a private, under a false name to get away from the fame, or something like that.

He did. Served in the RAF for some years. Left it not long before he was killed.

I hae ma doots about the womanising bit, as well.

I know they’ve been around for decades – but i want one.

ms spock said:

Spider Lily said:

When working in the NT several years ago we had the latest Turbo Landcruisers and they travelled at high speed very well. They were also fitted with a system so that head office would know if we had rolled over, had an accident or were of course travelling at high speed.

We tended to forget that the system was on board :)

Head Office: SL we noticed you were travelling at 160km/h
SL: That would be overtaking a road train
Head Office: For 3 hours?!
SL: Ummm…. very big road trains out bush :/

:-D

How did you get out of that one.

It was all good :) It was mainly a light hearted reminder that “we know what you are doing and don’t forget it”. We worked in some very very remote areas and the system was for our safety if there was a breakdown or accident.

I know they’ve been around for decades – but i want one.

ChrispenEvan said:

I know they’ve been around for decades – but i want one.

Might as well back that up with a bit more detail.
http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-monocycle-lives-a-brief-history-of-humanitys-most-useless-vehicle

I find that doing 100km/h on such signposted roads while riding a motorcycle leaves my mind to wander; a bad thing. 130km/h is a nice compromise. It has the rider concentrating but isn’t a stretch..

stan101 said:

I find that doing 100km/h on such signposted roads while riding a motorcycle leaves my mind to wander; a bad thing. 130km/h is a nice compromise. It has the rider concentrating but isn’t a stretch..

Isn’t your mind going to wander no matter what speed your going relative to the speed of the universe?

Isn’t your mind going to wander no matter what speed your going relative to the speed of the universe?

Hmmmm and the speed of the universe is measured relative to what?

;-)

clears throat

As someone who lived in the NT before the speed limits and after, there is not much to say.

Our road toll was high not because people were hoons and speeding, but because we had a lot of southerner types and international types who thought that just because there was NO speed limit, though that meant that they could go flat chat – and considering they weren’t used to driving at anything over 110, i’m not surprised they wiped themselves out. The other contributing factor was that some people insisted in back 15 people into an old shit-bucket troop carrier whilst most of them were clearly under the influence, and then subsequently rolling the car.

I did the drive from Darwin to Alice Springs many times; it was certainly easier on the body and the mind to be able to do it at 160 than doing it at 130. Driver fatigue became a huge issue and as a result the road toll is now due to people falling asleep and wrapping themselves around trees.

For those of you who weren’t aware of the all the hype and arguing about it – one of the reasons why the NT had no speed restrictions on the Stuart Highway was because of our road trains – it is only in the NT that a road train can have three trailers and not the rest of the country mandated two (I think it’s two, i’m happy to be corrected on this). Science boffin types went out and did testing type stuff on how long it took to overtake a roadtrain – bear in mind that the Stuart highway is only two lanes, one lane down and one lane up – to overtake a three trailer road train at the 110km’h that they originally proposed it would mean spending more than THREE minutes on the WRONG side of the road in an attempt to pass it at the posted speed limit (remember, just because you are overtaking something, doesn’t mean you can exceed the speed limit – Road Trains are speed capped at 100) – which is why they settled for 130, because it was ridiculously unsafe at 110 (and only less ridiculously unsafe at 130).

It was never about the hoons and everything about bringing the NT into “line” federally – coz y’know us territory types can’t be trusted with all our fancy privileges and all…

SqueezeBabe said:

clears throat

As someone who lived in the NT before the speed limits and after, there is not much to say….

…… to overtake a three trailer road train at the 110km’h that they originally proposed it would mean spending more than THREE minutes on the WRONG side of the road in an attempt to pass it at
….

The answer is obvious to me: make the speed limit unlimited, but only if you’re on the wrong side of the road :)

pommiejohn said:

SqueezeBabe said:

clears throat

As someone who lived in the NT before the speed limits and after, there is not much to say….

…… to overtake a three trailer road train at the 110km’h that they originally proposed it would mean spending more than THREE minutes on the WRONG side of the road in an attempt to pass it at
….

The answer is obvious to me: make the speed limit unlimited, but only if you’re on the wrong side of the road :)

shrugs

It just makes me a wee bit cranky when people get on the “speed kills” bandwagon.

Speed doesn’t kill, stupid does, but apparently it’s too hard to fix stupid.

SqueezeBabe said:

clears throat

As someone who lived in the NT before the speed limits and after, there is not much to say.

Our road toll was high not because people were hoons and speeding, but because we had a lot of southerner types and international types who thought that just because there was NO speed limit, though that meant that they could go flat chat – and considering they weren’t used to driving at anything over 110, i’m not surprised they wiped themselves out. The other contributing factor was that some people insisted in back 15 people into an old shit-bucket troop carrier whilst most of them were clearly under the influence, and then subsequently rolling the car.

I did the drive from Darwin to Alice Springs many times; it was certainly easier on the body and the mind to be able to do it at 160 than doing it at 130. Driver fatigue became a huge issue and as a result the road toll is now due to people falling asleep and wrapping themselves around trees.

For those of you who weren’t aware of the all the hype and arguing about it – one of the reasons why the NT had no speed restrictions on the Stuart Highway was because of our road trains – it is only in the NT that a road train can have three trailers and not the rest of the country mandated two (I think it’s two, i’m happy to be corrected on this). Science boffin types went out and did testing type stuff on how long it took to overtake a roadtrain – bear in mind that the Stuart highway is only two lanes, one lane down and one lane up – to overtake a three trailer road train at the 110km’h that they originally proposed it would mean spending more than THREE minutes on the WRONG side of the road in an attempt to pass it at the posted speed limit (remember, just because you are overtaking something, doesn’t mean you can exceed the speed limit – Road Trains are speed capped at 100) – which is why they settled for 130, because it was ridiculously unsafe at 110 (and only less ridiculously unsafe at 130).

It was never about the hoons and everything about bringing the NT into “line” federally – coz y’know us territory types can’t be trusted with all our fancy privileges and all…

130 is a easy speed to drive at – you don’t get sleepy at all

when you are forced to drive at the same speeds as any novice driver who has just got their licence long distances can become irksome.

SqueezeBabe said:

pommiejohn said:

SqueezeBabe said:

clears throat

As someone who lived in the NT before the speed limits and after, there is not much to say….

…… to overtake a three trailer road train at the 110km’h that they originally proposed it would mean spending more than THREE minutes on the WRONG side of the road in an attempt to pass it at
….

The answer is obvious to me: make the speed limit unlimited, but only if you’re on the wrong side of the road :)

shrugs

It just makes me a wee bit cranky when people get on the “speed kills” bandwagon.

Speed doesn’t kill, stupid does, but apparently it’s too hard to fix stupid.

That was a joke, I thought the smiley face might give it away.

You don’t have to convince me of your argument, the problem really is that stupid is too hard to fine.

pommiejohn said:

That was a joke, I thought the smiley face might give it away.

You don’t have to convince me of your argument, the problem really is that stupid is too hard to fine.

Sorry… I’m missing a lot of things today… _