Lead footed B's.

[TomoHawk]

I once watched a video about defensive driving. Only thing was that it involved the secret service.

[1 Bravo 6]

:classic: :classic:

AHAAAA, me old mate Lachlan.

Yes, I noted in your earlier post that you had done a Defensive Driving Course. I think I did three all up over the years but it was the Advanced course that REALLY taught me how to handle a vehicle.

The instructors SHOULD make it quite clear that the course is to not only make you a better driver but a SAFER driver.

When you can afford it mate, DO IT. I reckon you'd enjoy it.

Rick.

[Alfadog]

Yep, Rick I plan on doing that when I can get to it. The Beginning Defensive Driving course didn't really teach me much I didn't know, but it was good to get out there and actually DO IT, not just have the theory in my head.

[TomoHawk]

how did you find out wqhere those course are held? I think I saw an auto insurance commercial on TV, so I think I might give my insurance man a ring.

Cheers,

BTW, did they clean up the mess down at the harbour, or just move it all to switzerland?

[Victor Laury]

It doesn't take a scientist to perform a web search for "Advanced Driving" and the city name nearest you.

five minutes netted me this one

Advanced Driving Dynamics, Inc

[Murph]

Also try the classifieds in your local paper.

[260DET]

There are still one or two places left for our performance driving day at Morgan Park Raceway, Q, on Friday 6 Feb. Individual tuition and a written assessment, great day for $280.

And, you can go as fast as you want.

[Sean Dezart]

Ok, I'm late to this debate but I want to share this with you.

Although there have been one or two fixed cameras here for some time, the authorities have just discovered the efficient money making ability of digital cameras. They are springing up everywhere, predominantly on two lane roads and motorways, where I'd imagine speeding is less dangerous than on urban roads and black spots !

The limit is set at 5% above the speed limit, here at 130 kph, you will get flashed at 137 kph, at 110 - 116 and at 90 - 95. This doesn't give much away on leeway, you're obliged to drive at no more than the limit indicated on your speedo.

The latest accident figures show the first dip under 6000 deaths per year since they started counting in 1950, in fact a continous down-trend but something which will support more speed controls.

Young drivers get their licence now with just 6 points (instead of 12) and after a certain time with no infractions, get the boost up to 12 - good idea !

Cycle motors (mopeds) have to have registration plates now to allow the Police to follow up easier their infractions - good idea - the users will be (a bit) less likely to ride like idiots with no thought for themselves or the carnage they leave behind !

But I still say that speed doesn't kill by itself ! Recently, there were two examples of people driving up the wrong way on motorways, one finished without harm but the other closed one of the busiest m-ways here and caused a number of deaths. Bearing in mind that here the m-ways are controlled (pay booths), you have to be f***ing stupid or very easily confused to go the wrong way AND KEEP ON GOING FOR SEVERAL KMS !

Anticipation, respect, tolerance and control is what keeps us alive on the roads today. I also have had accidents and been 'done' for speeding and they were my fault - I'm a better driver now than when I was younger and thought I was !

[1 Bravo 6]

:cry:

In this usually quiet, peaceful seaside town where I live, last Friday night a car failed to take a bend and wrapped itself around a pole killing the driver.

He was 17 years old.

What a waste.

Pity his poor parents and other family members.

:cry:

Rick.

[Walkingpig]

I just read the entire topic, and i didn't notice (apologies for blindness) a issue that i see as a having a huge effect on what 'speeding' should be.

The Car!?

Take my situation.. 1985 ford laser stock as they come, 1974 260z with nice suspension and a warm motor

both are very different cars. the Z is a pleasure to drive, i love to go into the corners at 60, and hit the pedal midway and (as you all know) she just does as she's told..., now take me switching to the laser for a cheaper drive across town, i have in the past forgotten a small fact, its the LASER not the ZED! it slides going through a corner at 60 (fortunately didn't roll) and as someone made a point - i was checking my speedo coming up to a common police area rather than concentrating on my car, its limits, my limits, and the roads limits.

also the lasers brakes are terrible in comparison, the wheels are closing in on half the width... they lock easier, and dont slow me up any where near as quick as the Z.

however, given all this praise of the Z.

All the same, in the rain, if i breathe on my accelerator i go sliding:( whereas in the laser, you can put the pedal on the floor and there isn't the power to start a spin(almost)

The point is.. Driving a Lada Diva, and driving a porsche 911 are extremely different things - and i dont need to expand that....

the porsche could probably pull up from 3x the speed in the same distance.

Understandably you need to add human response times. But in my mind this is a serious point....

---------------------------------------------------------------------

You can stop here.... i felt like waffling for longer but unless you're a cat, you've probably better things to do

All i want to say is, the type of car has a HUGE part to play in the safety and the avoidability of any situation.

Feel free to flame me and disagree:)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of us drive some seriously performance oriented cars, and that means we have cars that handle like a slot car, go like the wind and have huge stoppers poking out from behind each corner.

So why are we penalised for not abiding by laws that were designed and structured (assumedly) on statistics from ours and other countries around the world that represent the mass population, of which high performance cars make very little to no impact due to the sheer size of the SUV and Family car markets... blah blah

But of course they can't have one rule for the commodore, one rule for the falcon, and one for the barina (sorry americans) what if one commodore has new sports tyres, shouldn't he be allowed to go faster because he can pull up and corner slightly better?

etc etc blah blah.. it is impossible to enforce a grey area, so we are stuck abiding to a very black and white rulebook.

After all, logic says it has to be this way

What gets me, is the way the rules are enforced, i've heard and shared many cop stories, and without bias (i am unusually calm writing this!) there are so many more reflecting a bad attitude towards owners of flashy cars! i've be stalked the width of the town for an "rbt" and known people that were let go at a displayed 38 over the limit (and he knows he was)!

But its not only police, i've been sworn at and had rude signals shown to me by people in other cars countless times (and never once from a nice new car) always old beaten cars with dinged panels etc.

Do the police have an inferiority complex and grudge just like them?

why come down harder on someone that is less endangering to the safety of a given situation

i'm going to shutup now and sleep

i'll waffle another day

*dodges rotten tomatoes*

speaking of which, haven't tomatoes been poor quality lately... good time to plant a tomato seed! i am scared of food poisoning everytime i eat one!

[Mr Volvo]

Another problem with policing of speed is that most of the time it isn't the police doing the catching!

I must admit I'm a bit of an idealist and as I havent had a run in with any yet I still believe to be decent compassionate human beings.

But a camera atached to somone who is getting payed to catch people will probly not be so understanding.

I mean if I'm doing 105 on a wide straight stretch of road in the country at 5 o'clock in the afternoon about 5k's from my house and there isn't a car in sight, then I'm sure the police would just tell me to be careful. But recently this situation occured near my house but there was a camera on the side of the road hidden on the crest of a small rise in a camry, not even a police car.

Even if I had got a ticket it probably wouldn't have made me re-think my speed anywhere near as much as having a police car pull me over and give me a bit of a lecture about the dangers of speeding (whethere they are false or not).

That was some terrible grammar throughout that post, but im sure the general *vibe* is there:

A police car pulling someone over will enforce the message that the TAC propose (be that a good message or not) far more effectively than a letter 2 weeks later in the mail.

And that lack of effectiveness leads people to believe that the new laws can only be designed for revenue raising, not safety.

[Murph]

Originally posted by Mr Volvo Even if I had got a ticket it probably wouldn't have made me re-think my speed anywhere near as much as having a police car pull me over and give me a bit of a lecture about the dangers of speeding (whethere they are false or not).

That's a good point that is also relevant to general policing of our roads. I personally find that getting pulled up for doing something stupid, having them go over my car, get a big lecture, me $^!# my daks, then get let off with a warning leaves me with a good bit more fear and more to the point respect for them and the law than if they just hand me a big fine and be on their way.