Sensational-Adelaide.com

ac83 wrote:It seems that we all agree on this issue being a major factor on incidents, road rage and plain stupidity on the roads. Why the government has failed to notice this is beyond me. There has been 2 accidents in 2 mornings on the Southern Expressway in the same location. Possibly caused by lack of attention and rear ending or stupidity in rapid lane changing and clipping a car. Tom Kenyon would argue that it is speed. And only speed. Forget about other factors. A couple of things needed I believe:

1. Remove the dashed line where 2 lanes merge. Simple re-engineering for all future roads and current is a minor thing and would even save on paint! Some merging lanes also need to be made longer to allow cars to speed up to the posted limit before they enter the main road.

We really do need a visible distinction between zip merge situations and other situations where merging is possible but it's better to wait until you can see a gap in the traffic before starting to accelerate.

2. Advertise exactly how a zip merge works.

That alone is probably better than all other measures combined.

Forget about this 65kph in a 60 zone bullshit.

Why? Local studies have shown saturation advertising isn't very effective at improving road safety - it's better to advertise a range of different messages.

3. Enforce the keep left unless overtaking rule. Why do people drive on the expressway 10kph under in the right lane. In UK it is illegal to undertake and this keeps the slowies on the left.

Making it illegal in Australia this would not keep the slowies on the left!

4. Driver education. When new rules are brought in the only way we find out is if read AdelaideNow (Bad choice all round) or get the RAA magazine. Shouldn't there be some sort of mandated re-testing everytime they bring a new bunch of rules in?

That would effectively prevent any new rules from being brought in, which would be bad for safety as the usual reason new rules are brought in is that there's a problem with the old rules.

This goes with far better driver education when first gaining your licence. All P platers are experts and reverse parallel parking but have got no idea what to do if they start aquaplaning in the wet.

True, but few will actually need to know that (reverse parallel parking is common by comparison) and for P platers it's probably more important to know how to avoid getting in that situation in the first place. It's probably better to make this sort of thing a condition of getting a full licence.

I believe they are simple things. Not too costly and can be implemented quite effectively. More advertising on simple things like indicating. Yes it really is going back to basics but so many drivers are apathetic to their surroundings.

Surely keeping to the speed limit is one of those many basics?

Not sure if this belongs here or in another sub topic from before but reading this on Adelaide Now today.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6188639763

And a link to the map with affected roads

http://resources.news.com.au/files/2011 ... ad-map.jpg

While I'm not a fan of the commentors on AdelaideNow I have to somewhat agree with some of them. Yes there's fatalities on these rural roads. Yes there's injuries, but where are the stats showing that all 22 fatalities on the 45 roads were caused by doing excessive speed? Or in this case at 110kph? Are we really that backwards in this state?

and in a few years they will probably want to reduce it to 90km/h

ac83 wrote:Not sure if this belongs here or in another sub topic from before but reading this on Adelaide Now today.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6188639763

And a link to the map with affected roads

http://resources.news.com.au/files/2011 ... ad-map.jpg

While I'm not a fan of the commentors on AdelaideNow I have to somewhat agree with some of them. Yes there's fatalities on these rural roads. Yes there's injuries, but where are the stats showing that all 22 fatalities on the 45 roads were caused by doing excessive speed? Or in this case at 110kph? Are we really that backwards in this state?

Just as backwwards as the eastern states whom have had 100kph spped limits in rural roads for years now.

Got a bit worried when I saw the topic headline for this thread, though after discovering it's just a few minor roads it could be a good idea. But then again it could just add more confusion to the already confusing speed limit signs system.

Major roads and highways such as the Sturt, Stuart, Eyre, Dukes, Barrier,Princes Highways etc, should remain at 110kph.

God bless wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_Australia

According to wiki, SA has the same speed limit rules as all the eastern states. Though the 110kph speed limit is more common in our state.

NT has the most relaxed speed limit at 130kph on major highways, though it did used to have no speed limit for many years.

Great news - this has my support. but doesn't go far enough. Should be reduced to 100kph statewide, not just on a select few roads.

[Shuz] wrote:Great news - this has my support. but doesn't go far enough. Should be reduced to 100kph statewide, not just on a select few roads.

Why?

+1 the Why?

can Australians not drive as well as Europeans?

Will wrote:

[Shuz] wrote:Great news - this has my support. but doesn't go far enough. Should be reduced to 100kph statewide, not just on a select few roads.

Why?

Yes... Why???? Give us 1 good reason. Actually give us several good reasons. I feel a (friendly) debate coming on!

+2

I concede that I do not drive; however, when I do 110kph is a bit too fast, even 100kph is - Maybe that's just me and my lack of experience. I'm not particularly comfortable being in the car with my family members (the most of them who live in the country) when they drive at speeds of 110-120kph, more if overtaking.

By reducing the speed just a bit, maybe we can save a couple of lives. Time will tell. I think it will - It's a mind thing too, 100 is an easier number to remember than 110. People are that stupid. Hopefully that'll stick in people's heads to identify with 100 as the limit, and no more. It seems to me that having the limit at 110 actually seems to subconciously encourage speeding - we're already doing above 100, so what's another 10kphs on that, or 20?

Think of it this way - you're a bit chubby and your weight's a bit yo-yo... sitting on 95kgs... 97 the next month.. slowly creeping upwards.. bam! You hit the 100. It triggers a subconcious reaction, a state of fear/panic/alarm that you've reached 100 and maybe you ought to lose few kilos. I see speeding and speed limits in the same way. You're driving, it's a bit fast, maybe a bit faster, and bam, you hit 100, you ought to slow down a bit. I think that's plenty more than enough...

[Shuz] wrote:I concede that I do not drive

Discussion over.

Will wrote:

[Shuz] wrote:I concede that I do not drive

Discussion over.

I have my L's - 5 years now. I drive maybe once every 6 months. I don't need to in the city - live right next to the bus/train/tram/walk to city. When I do drive, it'll probably be when I'm out in the country visiting my family and having to do these kinds of speeds on the open road. So, no, not discussion over.

The only thing that will decrease road fatalities, is less dickheads on the road.