Holiday road toll

[peteandkyles Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peteandkyles]

I just came back from an easter trip to Melbourne and as a result of idiots on the road was within seconds of being wiped out. I can clearly see why we have a lot more police presence out that at these timesand increased penalties.

We were heading south from Port Augusta toward Crystal Brook turnoff in SA looking for our camping spot at about 8pm on the Easter weekend Thurdsy evening. All of you that have driven that highway will kjnow that it is in a good condition with regular overtaking lanes. We had a B-double behind us and siting on about 100-105km/h. To go to the caping ground we had to turn off right toward an old rodeo ground. I indicated quite early to give the roadtrain some warning, he backed his speed off and I started braking. Just before I turned, I checked my mirror to see where he was, and he was going around me slowly in the dirt on the left. But I did spot something in my mirror.

A STUPID idiot in a oldish dual cab ute towing a 2t boat overtaking BOTH of us in the right lane doing at least 120. I quickly straightened my steering. Had I not, we would have been part of the road toll. Scared the living daylights out of my wife. First thing I thought, the camper trailed plug has worked loose and we have no lights. Well no, the LED trucklights on the back of the trailer worked just fine. He was just an IDIOT.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Holiday road toll

Lucky you were aware enough to avoid this situation. Otherwise, the outcome could have been much, much worse.

I am always on guard when driving, especially when I have my family on board, and also especially during peak holiday times like Easter, Xmas, School Holidays, etc.

Unfortunately, there is no end of IDIOTS on the road. It only takes a moments inattention to find yourself in a very terrible situation that, in most likelihood, will be caused by someone else's stupidity. Sadly, these events often result in innocent parties being the worse affected. You only have to read this NT Police media statement to see how tragic these type of events can turn out:

A crash occurred on the Stuart Highway on Sunday, 19 April 2009, when it is alleged that a Toyota Camry collided with a Mitsubishi Challenger containing six occupants who were traveling inbound near Townend Road Noonamah.

The 68-year-old male driver of the Mitsubishi, who was visiting from interstate, was killed when the vehicle rolled. All five passengers in the challenger, a 73-year-old female and four female youths aged 12, 7, 5 and 2, are Darwin locals and were conveyed to hospital. The 7-year-old remains in a serious but stable condition.

The alleged offender fled the scene and was located yesterday morning on the Stuart Highway near the Batchelor turnoff after he crashed his vehicle causing it to rollover.

The 18-year-old Darwin man was later charged with hit and run causing death, hit and run causing serious harm and was bailed to appear in the Darwin Magistrate’s Court on 7 May.

In this case, a Grandfather has had his life taken from him in front of his wife and grandchildren. The emotional impact on this family is too horrible to imagine. What was meant to be a happy Easter Holiday for this family quickly turned into a nightmare all because of the alleged stupidity and callous disregard by another road user.

You can never be too careful on the road. It doesn't matter how good a driver you are, it is most likely the actions of another (stupid) road user that will involve you in a crash. In this regard, you always need to drive safely, always wear seatbelts, always maintain safe distances, and always be prepared to take evasive action.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Re: Holiday road toll

Coming back from the Fraser coast last December we drove along the section of the Bruce Hwy south of Gympie that was newly posted at 90 kph. Police were everywhere along this section. I counted at least 6 different groups including bikes, radar equipped cars, speed camera etc. I had a Prado full of family and gear towing my trailer with all the camping gear and bits and pieces we take for a couple of weeks beach camping. So naturally I was sitting pretty much exactly at 90. Within a few km of this speed reduced section I had a B double so close to the trailer I couldn't see his lights or grille. Sat like that just about everywhere except on the hills. He managed to get almost along side a couple of times but uphill grades defeated him. At least twice Police patrol cars went past. Nothing. No flash of lights to let him know he was too close, nothing. I tried slowing at one overtaking lane and he just backed off and sat behind me. What a moron. If I had had to brake for an emergency it was me and my family that were sausage meat not the tosser in the truck. Thankfully when I got to the Cooroy 110 section he left the Hwy. Reported it when I got back home. Nothing we can do. Sorry. Quite pissed off. Until the Police start targeting basic road rules and manners and not just speeding the road toll will be high and dickheads will abound. As a case in point yesterday going to work I followed a new 200 series. In less than 3km he:

Changed lanes thorugh an intersection, failed to stop at a STOP sign, crossed double white lines (twice), failed to keep left, crossed double white lines (again), then pulled up at a red traffic light with the entire vehicle sitting past the white stop line.

Mind you if I went out with my bikes on the rack without auxiliary lights or left the towbar on the ute which partially obsures the number plate I would be done.............................

:x

[plucker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close plucker]

Re: Holiday road toll

I have always had the belief that at those busy times of the year I am not the danger in my life but the other impatient fools are.

I had one near miss at chrissy time that really scared us. We were just leaving a road side stall which had a driveway at 90 degrees to the highway. On the way out we looked for oncoming traffic going our way and went to proceed. Problem was the moron heading the other way had overtaken on double lines ready to collect us. We are here today because we had seen him at the last minute and waited. Double lanes are not overated.
My concern is that when you approach such a situation that you dont look the other direction because they are on the side you never intend to go on, and they should know better. But they dont.

For everyones sake please look.

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Re: Holiday road toll

I think double lanes are certainly a large portion of the answer to many of these problems, even fairly frequent passing lanes do a lot to ease people's frustrations. I feel it myself sometimes on roads that I know are plain crap for passing because of constant hills and curves. If people know they can pass at any time or pass soon at the next passing lane then a lot less accidents will occur in my opinion. The risks some people take borders on suicide, all because they don't want to get stuck behind a slower vehicle. The trouble is that nobody wants to foot the cost of building a highway with four lanes. Certainly, I think that popular holiday routes should be given the double lane treatment. Why build four lanes though when you can build two at half the cost......... :?

I was nearly wiped off the road at Easter time too as it happens. Luckily, I'm a fairly cynical person and saw it coming. Guy's here in Perth WA will know the roadhouses at Cataby along the Brand Highway North of Perth. We were coming back to Perth after a good few days in Jurien Bay. It was dusk and everybody had their headlights on, including me. Not the 240 Blitz's at that stage though... Maybe I should have. Anyhow we were coming up to the entryway to one of the roadhouses and I could see a guy waiting there to come out. He was rolling a bit and I had a feeling he might go for it. He went for it and I had to brake heavily and hit the gravel on the roadside to avoid a very bad collision. As I did this the person knew they'd stuffed up badly and went onto the wrong side of the road to get out of the way. If there'd been anything coming that guy would have been history, and a lot of heavy haulage trucks use that highway.

I'm not perfect, but I can generally see a car coming with it's headlights blazing. Hope that person learned a valuable lesson that day, if not, they'll be pushing up daisies in very short order.