Utah Trialling 80mph ! 80mph!!! - Page 3

Jim Goose · 30-09-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Well why was there not carnage in NT when it had open speed limits?

How many cars are there in the NT when compared to Bisbane? or Sydney?
Open speed limits (which Police could still pull you over if your car was deemed by them to be unsafe for high speed correct?) would probably work fine in areas where the only traffic you see are the occasional Roo.

Why is it every day i go to work (a simple 8km drive) i am constantly tail gated or cut off by impatient drivers? Or every single time i get on the Bruce Highway i see the same thing within minutes of reaching 100kmh?

The problem is that most drivers here appear to have some sort of death wish and no its not a minority. People can argue till blue in the face that we need higher speed limits... but it will NEVER happen because our roads are rubbish and our attitude when driving stinks.

flappist · 30-09-2011, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

How many cars are there in the NT when compared to Bisbane? or Sydney?
Open speed limits (which Police could still pull you over if your car was deemed by them to be unsafe for high speed correct?) would probably work fine in areas where the only traffic you see are the occasional Roo.

Why is it every day i go to work (a simple 8km drive) i am constantly tail gated or cut off by impatient drivers? Or every single time i get on the Bruce Highway i see the same thing within minutes of reaching 100kmh?

The problem is that most drivers here appear to have some sort of death wish and no its not a minority. People can argue till blue in the face that we need higher speed limits... but it will NEVER happen because our roads are rubbish and our attitude when driving stinks.

Well there are far fewer cars in Brisbane or Sydney than in Germany but of course Germany does not have mostly Australian drivers.

Why is it that as soon as higher speed limits are mentioned the same old dogma appears.

1) I believe it will be carnage......but where ever it has actually been done it was not carnage. No one has ever shown evidence on here of an example of where increasing speed limits increased the road toll.
2) People will go crazy and won't be able to control their vehicles at high speed...... maybe most people are actually not like you.
3) 200km/h school zones, oh the horror.......it is not 110 everywhere so why would it be open (or 130) everywhere, even NT had speed limits in all urban and many rural places before 2007.

I personally believe that the biggest fear the anti open (or 130++) limits advocates have is that it WILL work which will mean that they are WRONG and to many people especially academics there is nothing worse than being proven wrong so they will go to any extent and any cost to avoid this happening.

Jim Goose · 30-09-2011, 10:48 AM

Its not the speed that kills.. its the poor driver attitude and lack of skills.

Like was posted before, some people out there really shouldnt be driving.
Unfortuneately we are our own worst enemy when out on the road.

And like i said, some of the roads here are already congested because we already have too many cars on them, or are in very poor condition.

In an ideal world yes.. we could have nice high speed limits and beautiful highways which have banked curves etc.... and yes we all admit to going over the speed limit. But sometimes you just think... god this road is rubbish and that idiot just over took me on a blind corner going up a hill....

There is a section of road from Townsville to Charters Towers which has been 110kmh since er.. late in johs era i believe. That road is (mostly) in better condition then the Bruce goat track... apart from lack of over taking lanes which can be a pain when your behind a 4trailer road train.

Better planning of roads will improve safety, but not much you can do for the poor drivers out there. But when will we ever see better roads?

ltd · 30-09-2011, 02:08 PM

Over the last 15 years, I've driven probably around 100,000 miles in the USA, and have been pulled over several times but never for speeding.
If keeping up with traffic, the police won't even look at you.
If you tailgate, or undertake anyone, they will pounce on you.
If you're a single male occupant in a vehicle (like I am many times) expect to be pulled over as they profile and target people they suspect (on the interstate) of drugs and drugs related offences.
Luckily, our accent carries a lot of sway, and the troopers are generally very nice once they establish you're not up to no good. I've even got a photo with one from Illinois.
Down in Texas though, they're the best troopers around.
On the highway (not interstates), I've had a Lincoln Towncar on cruise control at 104mph. Went straight past the trooper, he did nothing. In fact, oncoming traffic would pull away from the centre line to prevent the oncoming wind buffet effect from popping windscreens. Awesome country to drive in the USA, and great scenery too.

castellan · 30-09-2011, 03:04 PM

I just put new tyres on the wife's car and because we are going to sell it, i just put the cheap rubbish most people use on and boy i got a shock at how pathetic they are i had real respect for the speed limits driving it now, i just drove it 5000km on a lot of winding roads and i am happy to get back to my car.
I have to be more apologetic to all the slow idiots that i was cursing for driving so slow through corners years ago as i found my self fearing to go any faster driving like a snail and i was fearful if a maneuver with a roo serenario came up. i felt like it was as if i was someone that could not fight at all and would just have to cop what ever came my way if it came up.

Tyres can be like an insurance policy some are rubbish and some could be life saving.

sudszy · 30-09-2011, 10:57 PM

Utah has a history of not enforcing limits on the highways, the new limits have just legalised what the majority of the drivers were doing/felt safe travelling at.

There is less speed differential between people that were obeying the speed limit (in some areas it was 65mph and others 75mph) and those doing 80mph+ and this is most likely the reason that the accident rate has not reportedly increased with the speed increase. Most likely being a reduction in incidents between cars going at different speeds but offset by an increase in the overall speed.

Many seem to look to Utah as a good thing? perhaps compare road toll,http://www.standard.net/topics/trans...still-too-many (the report suggests non adherence to seat belts is their biggest issue)

245 deaths from a population of 2.8million.

compare with vic

210 deaths from 5.6million.

2.3 times safer here......

GS608 · 30-09-2011, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudszy

Utah has a history of not enforcing limits on the highways, the new limits have just legalised what the majority of the drivers were doing/felt safe travelling at.

There is less speed differential between people that were obeying the speed limit (in some areas it was 65mph and others 75mph) and those doing 80mph+ and this is most likely the reason that the accident rate has not reportedly increased with the speed increase. Most likely being a reduction in incidents between cars going at different speeds but offset by an increase in the overall speed.

Many seem to look to Utah as a good thing? perhaps compare road toll,http://www.standard.net/topics/trans...still-too-many (the report suggests non adherence to seat belts is their biggest issue)

245 deaths from a population of 2.8million.

compare with vic

210 deaths from 5.6million.

2.3 times safer here......

Comparing road tolls is a pointless exercise as both states have vastly different traffic regulations. Seat belt legislation one of them..In Utah its only compulsory to wear a seat belt if you are 16+ even if you don't its only a $45 fine and can only be enforced if you are already pulled over for something else.

sudszy · 30-09-2011, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5.0

Comparing road tolls is a pointless exercise .

....if you people are going to point to how good motoring is in Utah, then it would be prudent to have in mind that they die at 2.3 times the rate here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5.0

Seat belt legislation one of them..In Utah its only compulsory to wear a seat belt if you are 16+ even if you don't its only a $45 fine and can only be enforced if you are already pulled over for something else.

Perhaps compare the stats, Utah 40% of fatals aren't wearing a seatbelt, Australia varies state to state, NT 47%, average 33%.

doesnt explain the 230% difference in tolls.

chevypower · 01-10-2011, 02:05 AM

You cannot be a motoring enthusiast AND like speed cameras and slow speed limits. It just doesn't make sense. Government propaganda and pretend to be a motoring enthusiast to try to convince people of the foolish ways? Now that makes sense.

That source mentioned many factors for the fatalities. Not a single one had anything to do with speed.

GS608 · 01-10-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudszy

....if you people are going to point to how good motoring is in Utah, then it would be prudent to have in mind that they die at 2.3 times the rate here.

Perhaps compare the stats, Utah 40% of fatals aren't wearing a seatbelt, Australia varies state to state, NT 47%, average 33%.

doesnt explain the 230% difference in tolls.

Statistics and percentages can be manipulated to suit any agenda. Therefore meaningless.

Trevor 57 · 02-10-2011, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

You cannot be a motoring enthusiast AND like speed cameras and slow speed limits. It just doesn't make sense.

It does to me and it works for me - sorry. I don't like or dislike speed camera's, they don't affect me, I just sit on the speed limit and allow myself time to get where I am going.

And if at some point in the future I get a fine for speeding then I will cop it on the chin, "do the crime, do the time", I certainly won't whinge and sook about it. And yes I have had one what I would call unjust in my time, argued it with the Police and lost so I paid the fine and moved on, it was about 15 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5.0

Statistics and percentages can be manipulated to suit any agenda. Therefore meaningless.

Particularly when they don't support your argument - LOL