Road Page

The roads are becoming too dangerous ?
I had thought with the advent of speed cameras that the roads would and should be a safer place to be.
Perhaps the cameras did slow down a percentage of drivers when introduced at various stages , but has that novelty worn off ?
It might just be me, it seems the road has become a haven for an increasing amount of derelict crazy incompetent and careless driving.

What can be done to improve road safety ?
Are some road rules antiquated ?
Are driving attitudes an increasing problem , particularly with increasing traffic volumes ?

Do you feel safe driving on the road?
At times I'm not.

ROADWORKS

When there are roadworks the speed limits are usually between 25-40kms.
Most people adhere to the specified limits
But there are times I've been in 40km zones and have been overtaken illegally at a far greater velocity.

More than often this happens
I approach the end of the restricted speed limit at roadworks
The next sign will be to drive at 60kms or whatever once you have reached the sign
However too many drivers start increasing speed BEFORE the sign
So usually about 50-200 meters BEFORE the signage , enough drivers are doing 60km in a 25 or 40 km zone.
I always try and drive at the 25-40 limit until I reach the sign , however, I'm in the minority way toooooooooooo often.
I often get tailgated, in this instance, for abiding to a road law.

I was driving along Military Road last night, got overtaken by a P plater.

I'd estimate he was doing about 100kph, possibly more, definitely not less.

Usual black P plater car.

Scrappy wrote:
Are driving attitudes an increasing problem , particularly with increasing traffic volumes ?

Attitudes towards 'life' in general... and it's just spilling onto the roads.

Everything boils down to respect - and there's less and less of it in society.

as most on here know my main job is doing deliveries & i can tell you every day it is a race, some cars have to 'beat you' whatever the situation, the worse for me being in a van is coming to a roundabout, the driver sees 'a van' & they immediately speed up to beat you, as i said it is a race & if i didn't slow down to a walk i'd be in an accident every day....sometimes i think i should go through & let them hit me because they'd be in the 'wrong' & it would slow them down a lot more than a cars length or two but what's the point of that ? as Scrappy says roadworks are notorious, only today on Torrens Road near the old race course i had cars flying past me on the other side of the cones (one lane both ways) because i was doing 25 kph.....then there is the ''weavers'' the ones that swap lanes just to get a little further ''in front'' yep another race, i shouldn't but i love putting them in a pocket so they can't get through any further, as for speed cameras well some people have too much money or don't they pay any fines ?

ROADWORKS
How many of you actually know the road rules pertaining to road works during after day time working hours ?
Currently there are speed restrictions on the corner of South Road and Grand Junction Road where the overpass is being constructed

The 40km signs are presently up 24/7 at this junction
I've commuted through these works at night time
Some of the motoring public must be deemed as unaware that those speed restrictions are applicable at night as well as day
At evening and night motorists are doing 60km + plus in the 40km zones
Way way too many are breaking the law
The road laws are you must abide by the speed limit signs at all times , even if its between evening and midnight and midnight to dawn.

WHY IS IT SO ?
I guess where there is construction there is always an element of various danger
It might be anything from uneven road surfaces to perhaps equipment or tools being left on or near the road.
Also it might actually be that the workers are working an evening or night shift.
I have seen workers late at night.

An RAA report has stated in the winter of 2012
About an extra 2,330 extra cars were on the road per month in South Australia
That's about twice the population growth rate

Some over population doomsayers of the 60s and 70s were advocating zero population growth for the future
Maybe we should now consider a zero car production growth !

zero car production will bring an abrupt halt at Holden Elizabeth

I think the penalties associated for driving without a license etc are far to lenient

The number of people tipping smoke ash, and cigarette butts from cars seems to be escalating.
On some occasions , depending on how menacing they are, I ask them to use their ash trays.
I have been abused for being a smartanal.

do they have ash trays on motor bikes ?

I once got booked for not wearing a seat belt by a police  patrolman on his motor bike.
I politely asked
" Why are you booking me for not wearing a seat belt when you don't have one fitted when riding a motor bike?"

Hmmmnnn....

The most recent times I've been pinged for over speeding were in 50 zones doing 62 both times , both times unaware
One was on Shepherdson Road in the northern suburbs

Now there are more proposals for less speed in the following streets/roads

Proposed 40km speed limits
Hutt Street
Melbourne Street
Woodville Road
The Parade

What is going to annoy motorists is that only sections of the above roads will have speed restrictions
Confused motorists to be pinged ?
Hutt Street will be between Wakefield Street and South Terrace
Really
Why not the whole of Hutt Street ?
Imagine the chagrin of the unawares motorists who have driven on this Street for years getting pinged for speeding
Not for being speed merchants but for being unawares
Hutt Street will be trialled between Dec 15[2013] -June 20[2014]

Sections of Woodville/The Parade/Melbourne Streets may also be changed to 40km
Woodville Road,why ?

SPEED CAMERAS
Kerry is not happy
She parked her work van on Main North Road Para Hills West
A speed camera was hidden behind her work van outside her business
She received abusive phone calls from irate members of the public , some insinuating Kerry was on the take with with the cops !

The question is should the police be allowed to hide cameras in this manner ?

TAXI
The SA Government is giving about 500,000 to assist the Taxi Industry
There have been a spate of recent attacks on Adelaide taxi drivers
There was a very recent taxi protest to raise public and government awareness on the issue of drivers being attacked
Now the Government will assist some drivers by allocating monies to install safety shields in the taxis

OWNERS
What do I think ?
I don't think owner drivers should be assisted if this is the case
Current Taxi plates are being sold by 'about' $350,000 to $390,000 ?
My question is:
If the plates are worth this much, surely the owners can afford to pay for screens

LEASED PLATES
These are plates leased to individuals for a set fee [usually a few hundred a week]
The leasees pay the prescribed fee , buy a vehicle , and earn what they earn less running expenses of the vehicle etc
The onus is on these drivers as to whether to install a safety screen or not

DRIVERS
Drive for owners, or leasees
In my opinion they should have a safety screen from their bosses
They are freelance workers and should be provided adequate safety

GOVERNMENT
The Government may see it as cheap investments to assist with 500,000
A driver/drivers on workcover from injuries sustained in the course of work may amount to an escalation of thousands + per person

EDITORIAL
Its a complex issue
Should tax payers be assisting the Taxi Industry in this instance?
I say yes , safety of any individual in any industry is of paramount importance
A compromise might have been for the Government to subsidise by paying half for all taxis to have screens installed

131444
Police traffic information line
To report hoon , dangerous , unlawful driving , etc
Problem is
If I report every single offending driver it will cost me a fortune on phone calls

Scrappy wrote:131444
Police traffic information line
To report hoon , dangerous , unlawful driving , etc
Problem is
If I report every single offending driver it will cost me a fortune on phone calls

email them then..........seriously though, the cops can't be bothered with it anyway, we had a road rage incident when we were followed/chased etc when reported, i got told that its too hard to prove it, another one was my son was walking over to the bay oval when he got abused from a car, he took the rego & i went into the cop shop with him & was asked how old they were, my son said i think around 18-20 & got told if they were 40-50 they would do something but not when they are kids hooning around there isn't any point

Has this been reported to your local Member of Parliament Bayman?
You should use the rhetoric that you are trying to set an example to your son.
Because nothing was done, your son is given the wrong message.

Perhaps try the 131444 phone service , you need to harp on about this
Perhaps let your son know you are trying again

DRINK DRIVING
Yes its lame of drivers to grog on and then drive
Everyone's prerogative to drink
But that does not mean they can drive and endanger other drivers
I guess we all agree with that

We have had a case of a female Judge drink driving last week
Her vehicle collided with a cyclist
She rendered assistance at the scene FWIW
She did wrong , shes now paying the price for her indiscretion

The media has lambasted her action
Rightly so, a person with a high profile job , should have known better [pardon the beatle pun]
Shes copping it big time by the media and the public

But there's something missing
Why are we focusing so much on a Judge?
Why should it make a difference , the profession of the perpetrator ?

My neighbor got pinged years ago drink driving
He was a factory worker then
I ask, should he have been paraded on the front page of the media ?

Take no prisoners I say
There's thousands who get sprung every year
Put em all up on the front page, whether they are Judges, Bank Tellers , Taxi Drivers , Professional Punters or Dole Bludgers

Scrappy wrote:

Take no prisoners I say
There's thousands who get sprung every year
Put em all up on the front page, whether they are Judges, Bank Tellers , Taxi Drivers , Professional Punters or Dole Bludgers

you've had all those jobs mentioned yourself at one time or another Scrappy, plus the other one you had where recently a man with that same job got away with it

There's an increased penalty expected to be legislated in 2014
Driving an unregistered vehicle will incur a fine of about $2,500 ?
I think its currently about $800 ?

Seems fair enough for law breaking guilty people
But what about innocent people who may genuinely forget to renew ?

I forgot to renew my car a few years ago
An oversight at the time, and surley not deserving of the impending upcoming $2,500 fine

Scrappy wrote:ROADWORKS
How many of you actually know the road rules pertaining to road works during after day time working hours ?
Currently there are speed restrictions on the corner of South Road and Grand Junction Road where the overpass is being constructed

The 40km signs are presently up 24/7 at this junction
I've commuted through these works at night time
Some of the motoring public must be deemed as unaware that those speed restrictions are applicable at night as well as day
At evening and night motorists are doing 60km + plus in the 40km zones
Way way too many are breaking the law
The road laws are you must abide by the speed limit signs at all times , even if its between evening and midnight and midnight to dawn.

WHY IS IT SO ?
I guess where there is construction there is always an element of various danger
It might be anything from uneven road surfaces to perhaps equipment or tools being left on or near the road.
Also it might actually be that the workers are working an evening or night shift.
I have seen workers late at night.

I have used the Grand Junction /South Road intersection on many occasions since this post
In the very late afternoons and evenings where there are no visible workers, speed limits STILL need to be adhered
However, I would say, about 90% + of all drivers speed 20-30 km above the 40km limits

Grand Junction Road , just B4 the BP Service Station , there is a 24 hour  40km speed sign
Drivers are zooming through at 60km plus
Mr dogooder Scrappy, drives at 40km in this section, and has cars whizzing past him with monotonous regualarity

i don't know why you would Scrappy, i avoid the intersection like i would ''the plague''

as for the rego, when we had stickers there should have been no excuse whatsoever as it would be easy to look at the sticker & check, however without stickers i think unless a serial offender some grace should be forthcoming, i forgot about 18 months ago got a picture taken on Port Wakefield Road & paid the penalty, it was 'only' 2 days overdue, yet without the fine i would've driven around for another week or so without realizing, perhaps a second reminder (in some form) should be sent to save further ramifications in the future such as if an accident occurs etc

Norwood-Payneham-St Peters
If the council have it their way , they implement 40km zones in just about every street
The exceptions would be 
Osmond Terrace
Rundle Street
Stephen Terrace
The Parade

I wont elaborate on the pros and cons
I ask , should their be uniformity to make all side thoroughfares in South Australia 40km zones ?

40kph is a nonsense, all it does is slow the work & transport (including public transport) vehicles down & off course RAISE REVENUE & btw driving a manual vehicle at 40kph is very hard thing to do without putting extra pressure on the engine, if its in third gear it struggles for power, if you go to fourth it gets sluggish when sitting on 40kph