Zoom Encourages Speeding Part 2

[Nero]

To follow up on the story I phoned my colleague.
***as per previous post this post has been deidentified***
did not make it and died 1 day ago.
Happy new year everyone and drive safe.

[C-Red]

Nero,
We'd all have to agree that is a pretty shocking but not uncommon story. The thing that you have ask from that terrible course of events is what are the circumstances that caused the car to hit the lamp post? Despite what the tabloid media trots out cars very rarely go out of control on their own accord. As we've all acknowledged its a huge issue and one that requires input from enthusiasts such as ourselves as well as the governing bodies. In the words of the immortal Cookiemonster - whats your solution Nero?
As an aside your comments on Motorsport are spot on. Over all the years I have not known anyone from my Motorsport (or car club) connections that has been involved in a serious MVA, a few fender benders due to inattention in traffic, but thats about it.
Jash

[crx2gen]

Sucks huh...

Fatigue is another bad one...Had a friend who was driving back to Mackay from Brisbane, and the driver of the car fell asleep and crossed over into the path of a 4WD. Driver died instantly, but my friend would have been ok (relatively speaking) except for the fact her seatbelt snapped (Proton Build Quality) and she was thrown onto the road and hit by another car.

One of my old girls good friends was driving up the Pacific Highway years ago, fell asleep, and hit oncoming traffic. She died instantly, as did her 5 y/o daughter's best friend. Her daughter was airlifted to hospital but died a short while later.

Here's where the cold economical side comes into it - These people should never had died. Its not only a waste of life, but a waste of money, money that could have SAVED their life. What a ****ing twist. Its all about priorities and I'm afraid that nothing is going to change in the near future.

[C-Red]

Now forgive me in advance for this: As far as I'm concerned the safety apparatus in the country as a whole needs a "high" road toll to justify its own existence, and its archaic use of speed cameras and high fines etc etc. They know exactly what to do to "fix" the problem, but if they do that where are they going to find the money to fix the holes in their budget?
Take for example the demerit point system in WA - a few years ago the fines were raised, yet the demerit points were lowered due to too many low level speeders losing their licence - therefore being off the road or changing their driving behaviour - therefore not being on the road speeding - and not filling up the coffers. Hence we have the 50 dollar no demerit point speeding fine. Surely if speeding was the ill that we are led to believe then that fine with no demerit points undermines the whole principle?
Jash

[GTSBoy]

Regardless of all the other proseltysing that has gone on in this thread the simple fact remains.

In very few fatal or otherwise seriious crashes can we blame speed and only speed.

In general, the amount of speed carried by the vehicle merely determines how big the crash is. Quite often travelling at half the speed (ie 80 instead of 160) will still result in a fatal impact. I would hate to whack into one of the gum trees that line several of our Hills roads, where the limit is 100 - 110 km/h. I would hate to hit one at 60km/h. I would also hate to drive along those roads at 60km/h. It would be terribly dull, boring and not actually add much safety.

Stupid speeding should be in the same category as any other stupid behaviour in a car. It should be punishable as any other driving without due care type offence. However, merely exceeding a completely arbitrary speed lmit by say 10 kays, and copping a big fine and a chunk of your license is not a situation that is going to make peole think about safety, merely about being ripped off by the government.

But hoping to change the current system is a complete waste of time. It ain't gunna happen, you have no chance of making it happen, it is not in the interests of anybody in the existing power structure to change it, and there is no way to change the power structure. So stop complaining about it, suck it up and find ways to work around your problem.

A very important thing about rules is that they only exist to show you the ways around them.

cheers

[tandy ass]

Originally posted by GTSBoy
A very important thing about rules is that they only exist to show you the ways around them.

Excellent point about most aspects of life as a whole, not just driving.

[Cookiemonster]

What would happen if nobody sped? What if everybody stuck to the speed limits? No speeding fines would be generated. Speed cameras would be a waste of money.

If everyone keeps speeding and paying the fines and giving the Government the money they are after then nothing will ever change.

[tandy ass]

Originally posted by Cookiemonster
What would happen if nobody sped? What if everybody stuck to the speed limits? No speeding fines would be generated. Speed cameras would be a waste of money.

If everyone keeps speeding and paying the fines and giving the Government the money they are after then nothing will ever change.

Then I would have my income tax increased and fuel taxes increased. I do my damned best to never pay the govt any road based revenue, why the hell should I pay more tax than necessary. This is almost a 100% voluntary tax and many people offer to pay it. If it remains like that then I'm quite fine with the situation.

[Cookiemonster]

Originally posted by Bozz
If it remains like that then I'm quite fine with the situation.

So your happy with the speeding fines then? Its a way for people with a heavy right foot to subsidise our taxes. Suits me too.

[tandy ass]

Cookie, again to use your analogy, what would you do to solve it? I'm clearly not happy with it but I can make my life work around it.

Like GTSBoy said, I use the existing laws to find a way to legally cheat the system. Works for me.

[crx2gen]

Speeding fines/cameras exist, as does the legislation to use them. There is no immediately apparent way to alter the situation.

Originally posted by Bozz
I'm clearly not happy with it but I can make my life work around it.

Exactly. I've been caught speeding (2x1pt), and both times, I screwed my system of speeding where I'm not going to get caught. Areas where visibility is excellent (for noticing both pedestrians and police) and preferably zero traffic, I'll no doubt speed. When I speed, I'm at the peak of awareness and sensation, as opposed to crawling along in traffic at 30kmh...ironic.

[YRU51K]

Originally posted by Cookiemonster
What would happen if nobody sped? What if everybody stuck to the speed limits? No speeding fines would be generated. Speed cameras would be a waste of money.

If everyone keeps speeding and paying the fines and giving the Government the money they are after then nothing will ever change.

In an ideal world, wouldn't that still work against us in the same way. The government as it is wearing blinkers now would still see speed as the determining factor in accidents and thus reduce the speed limit again to counteract this happening??

or

Would it finally make the government wake up to itself and realise that there are other dteremining factors. I suppose it would all depend on if everyone followed the speed limit and there were no fines would there still be the same amount of fatalities??

[Cookiemonster]

Originally posted by Bozz
Cookie, again to use your analogy, what would you do to solve it? I'm clearly not happy with it but I can make my life work around it.

Im in the same boat. Im not happy with some of the speeding laws and the way they are enforced but I certainly don't lose sleep over it.

And like you said, the government makes a lot of money from speeding fines which must go some way to reduce the amount of tax we pay. So it's not all bad.

But I don't have all the answers. Asking people how they would solve it or handle the situation if they had to is a great way to develop discussion and raise awareness.

My suggestion, however, would be this.. if you don't want to pay speeding fines then don't speed. Take your heavy right foot to the track. It's what I do.

[C-Red]

I think the thing that we've all got to admit is that there is a time and a place for everything. In-Appropriate Speed Kills - not Speed as a blanket concept.
Jash

[Cookiemonster]

Yes, I would agree with that.