I have read some comment about impatient drivers and their lack of common courtesy on the road and I agree our roads have more than their fair share of impatient and aggressive drivers.

However my patience is sorely tested when I'm forced to travel for tens of kilometers in a queue up to half a klm long behind a vehicle or rig of any description that travels at 85 kmh or less in a 100 or 110 kmh zone. It is common courtesy on busy highways with limited passing opportunities to travel, if not at the speed limit, at least at a speed that gives due consideration to others or if this is not possible to pull over at every safe opportunity to allow following traffic to pass. The Bruce Highway in particular has limited overtaking lanes which are often quite short.

I recognise that there are some motorists who can get very impatient and aggressive even when travelling at or near the speed limit. In this case I believe it is best to let them pass as soon as possible so they can get to their inevitable accident quicker and as far away from me as they can.

The road is a shared and limited resource and no one group of users has any more rights  than any other. When traffic is being significantly slowed down this reduces the overall vehicle capacity of the road.

Drivers wishing to save fuel consumption can do so by taking advantage of lightly trafficed or multi lane roads.

-- Edited by jimricho on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 08:03:57 AM

hi jim.             i agree with you,and your post.          i think a lot of people have to learn that we are in the 21st century.         when you are near big towns,and citys you just have to keep up with the traffic flow.   there is plenty of spots to  see,and to try to run, to get a better fuel economy outside these busy spots         our roads dont help this problem,at all.       i have allways thought that a driver,that tows another vechile should have to do a test of competency,  ( not something that the state govements can raise revenue with )  where it can be impressed on him or her,that to have the privledge of driving this vechile,he has to be a responsible driver.        i dont know if there is such a scheme in australia?????  ( caravan driving schools )

I'm afraid that when I'm in little blue then I fall into this category of "holding up traffic" but I pull off at the earliest possible moment, you see I am "holidays" and time is not my enemy , but I also find myself "holding up traffic" when I am in the magna at 110 kph, I usually get right off freeways and highways and travel the backroads simply because of this reason, there I can doodle along at 20 kph if I so desire and I have done so on many occasions looking at flowers or birds or whatever some people just refuse to share the road and will Literally "break their neck" to get in front, if I have more than 3 cars behind me and I am under the speed limit in little blue then I will pull over, if I am in the magna and I am on the speed limit then I say "stiff" to the impatient moron behind me and his mates, he will invariabley pass at an inoppurtune, highly dangerous moment putting us all in critical peril simply because he/she is a moron and we cant legislate for morons I too think there should be a seperate licence for four wheel drives and another one on top of that again for towing, simply too easy for the "mister toad of toad hollow" to purchase these things and go "beep beep" all the way down the highway with no experience and no knowledge of potential dangers I also think that to own a four wheel drive in a city then reason should be shown why you need one, for instance to own one of these things then it should spend at least 45% of it's time actually "off road" and a muddy driveway does not count the day of the fuel guzzling, two car park taking upping and the ignorant, beligerent attitude of these drivers should be dead these "trucks" should not live all their lives in the city simply because of the "mines better than yours" attitude we are seeing "HUMMERS" in port pirie now, god what brainless drip would buy one of those things anyway theres a place for these bohemoths and city car parks, loaded with Kids with the occasinal foray into the "bush" are not it, I hate the things that arent used correctly and the people that pilot them have them by all means and I have owned a few myself but leave the things at home and use the honda more

hi dave.        again i agree with everything you say.       (ie)  the other night i took my daughter to a parent and teacher night,at the kimberly park state school.      they were having a great old argument about "parking"  of these 4wd trucks outside of the school when dropping off or picking up the kids.     i asked why people were driving these,gas guzling oversized monsters,just to take the kids to school.         about five fathers stood up and said they had bought these vechiles as they were a lot safer for the wife and kids to get around in.  they howled me down,what would you know you old fool.      when people have this type of attitude you will never get thru to them.      so dave and jim, i think we might be better off just sticking to the back roads.         

G'day,

We all need to exercise patience and courtesy on our roads, if on a major road and traffic is starting to build up behind then find a safe place to pull over and let the traffic go.

As for the speed limit well it is just that, the limit, and unless you are travelling on the Kwinana or Mitchell freeways in Perth there is nothing to prevent one form travelling at 85klm in a 100 zone.

In Perth you may not travel at more than 20 klm under the speed limit on either of the freeways mentioned above.  Eg: limit is 100 then slowest you may legally travel is 80, any slower and you run the risk of getting a ticket.

Re the comments on 4WD ownership I own and can only afford to own one vehicle so my towing and occasional "off road" vehicle, a 2003 diesel Pajero, is also my shopping trolley. I should point out that my "behemoth" has a smaller "footprint" on the road (and parking lot) than a Holden or a Falcon and as for gas guzzling at least as good a fuel consumption, better when towing.

My "occasional" off road usage has included Tanami, Plenty, Gunbarrel, Simpson Desert, Central Arnhem road, Gibb River, Cape York plus others, none of which I could have done in a sedan type vehicle.

Words such as "gas guzzling" and "behemoth" is the vocabulary of the politically correct thought police that want to control every aspect of our lives.

-- Edited by jimricho on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 06:19:37 PM

-- Edited by jimricho on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 06:20:37 PM

or the very pissed off majority that has to do battle with these ignoramuses on a daily basis

Jimricho. I agree with you, and note the edits (seems you had more to say)

What difference does it make what is driven. A 4wd foot print is no more than a station wagon.

Why the snobbery, if I can afford to run one, and pay my way, what difference where i choose to do that. If I decide I want one, who can tell me I can not. I have seen fuel efficent "buzz boxes" driven by people that should not be on the road. The gas gussling "top of the range" Merc's or Roll's, are they OK? to take kids to school in.

I believe the discussion is really aimed at bad drivers (of any vehicle). I have witnessed, at an advanced driving school, the skills of the average person. Absolutely shocking. These people thought they were "good" drivers.

The point of the topic, I believe, is to remind people that they have a duty of care on the road, to themselves and other road users. Those that travel slow, endanger everyone, as its not the speed that kills, its the difference of speed that does it. Those that "watch out" behind and travel slow, are the best sort.

I would like to see formal driver skills training introduced, as part of getting a licence, and have the licence extended to towing. I ask the question of all those that tow now:

If confronted with an emergency, would you
a) try and swerve to miss it
b) stop in a straight line, knowing that you will hit it
c) nothing
and what do you think your reflex action would really be at the time.

Its not the type vehicle that causes the problem.

Thanks twobob, what we are both saying is that if we expect patience and courtesy on the roads we have to show some courtesy ourselves to other road users.

Regarding driving skills and attitudes here in NSW (I'm not sure where you're based) "L platers" have to complete 120 hours under "instruction" before applying for a P Plate. This is ridiculous as this is twice the hours reqired for an unrestricted private pilot's licence. It is not the quantity of instruction but the quality that counts. Surely 15 - 20 hours of properly structured professional training (including some "solo" time to build confidence) would produce a much safer driver than 120 hours of picking up others' bad  habits and attitudes. When I first purchased a 4wd on retirement about 11 years ago I did a 4wd training course and about 30 years ago I worked part time as a flying instructor.

The previous edits were to tidy up some typos of which my keyboard makes plenty....It's not me, it's the computer that makes the errors!

this one too!



-- Edited by jimricho on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 09:34:12 PM

Thanks you Bob. I agree about impatient trouble makers operating a motor vehicle. I can't always say their actually "driving". Turn the key, rev the heck out of it, plant the foot, hands on the wheel, foot on the pedal, brain in neutral. The attitude on the roads is indicative of attitude to life. There is just no respect anywhere for anyone anymore. Selfishness seems to be the norm. What difference does it make if I'm driving my Landcruiser to the shops or towing my van around the country? It's all I have because it's the most practical. This crap about 4WD taking up parking spaces at schools is based on ignorance. A little environmentally friendly hyrbrid car is not always practical for the family's needs. There was a push to ban 4WD's out of the city of Perth. Motorists, particularly from the country were going to be required to leave their vehicles on the outskirts and use public transport while they were conducting their city business or visiting family in the smoke. Different strokes for different folks, but don't shoot people because they don't see the world from your perspective. Judge not etc. Slow drivers on the main roads can cause problems. Courteous slow drivers will pull over when possible to allow traffic to pass. Qld does not provide enough passing lanes or long enough passing lanes. It's very dangerous over here. There is no roadside shoulder to pull off to either. Alongside the road is a dirty, deep storm water culvert wherever I went. No margin for error. Cheers Chris

jimricho wrote:

---

Re the comments on 4WD ownership I own and can only afford to own one vehicle so my towing and occasional "off road" vehicle, a 2003 diesel Pajero, is also my shopping trolley. I should point out that my "behemoth" has a smaller "footprint" on the road (and parking lot) than a Holden or a Falcon and as for gas guzzling at least as good a fuel consumption, better when towing.

My "occasional" off road usage has included Tanami, Plenty, Gunbarrel, Simpson Desert, Central Arnhem road, Gibb River, Cape York plus others, none of which I could have done in a sedan type vehicle.

Words such as "gas guzzling" and "behemoth" is the vocabulary of the politically correct thought police that want to control every aspect of our lives.

-- Edited by jimricho on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 06:19:37 PM

-- Edited by jimricho on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 06:20:37 PM

---

when you make statements like,a smaller footprint than a falcon or a holden . i dont think your understanding of vechile footprints is very great.           petrol 4wd are just gas guzzlers.   why would you ever want to buy one of these monsters just to run around city streets.                the women that take there kids to this school,just cant drive these things,in the last few years the next door's front fence has been knocked down twice and both women didnt have a licence.      4wd are not designed for city roads,and with bull bars on them they are just lethal.

 

-- Edited by kenmarg on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 11:39:57 PM

.. aren't we lucky that this media provides us with the opportunity to agree  that we disagree ..

Bugger , I was going to say that, Lets face it, their are idiots are all around me , guess I have to live with it, as do you lot,

I know how you feel Mike .. Every time I open my mouth, some idiot speaks !!

 

A little known fact.... The first testicular guard "Cup" was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. It took 100 years for men to realize that the brain is also important.

  Was lead to believe that the former had a mind of it's own

Ma wrote:

---

Was lead to believe that the former had a mind of it's own

---

Yep you are correct but it is a one track mind.

 

JRH wrote:

---

In Perth you may not travel at more than 20 klm under the speed limit on either of the freeways mentioned above.  Eg: limit is 100 then slowest you may legally travel is 80, any slower and you run the risk of getting a ticket.

---

Actually that is one law that is universal across Australia but is seldom policed on multi lane roads but seems to be being used for revenue raising on single lane roads more and more....

 

Idiots drive little cars too. They stick a noisy exhaust on it, fill it with sub whoofers and stereo and before you know it you've got a gas guzzling stereo with wheels. The wheels are then used in conjunction with that revving and noisy exhaust to burn rubber on to the bitumen. Now that's what I call leaving a "footprint". One must be very careful about expressing generalisations without knowing one's facts. Jumping to conclusions could mean a long way down. The footprint I leave is made by my Goodrich All Terrains attached to the hubs and axles of my Landcruiser diesel 4WD. You don't need a licence to know how to drive, but you do need a licence to drive on the public roads. Operating a motor vehicle does not make one a "driver". Chris