Every day I am almost run of the road be the terrible drivers here. Solid white lines dont seem to mean a thing!! And as to driving on the left the only time they do that is when there cutting infront of you at the last minute to get off the freeways!! I find it hilarious that the govermant spend so much money on drink driving campaigns when you can jump in the traffic jam on the monash and see plenty of drivers with a beer in there hand!!
And its the same with speeding!! the road speed is slow here in comparison with other countries and still there are plenty of accidents!

As a former HGV driver i think its about time the goverment do something to stop the bad HGV drivers here (in 4yrs i havent seen one drive on the left) in th UK HGV drivers rule the road and help keep the motorways flowing, here they seem to block the freeways!!!!

Let me just say this – Australian drivers are one of the most selfish, spoiled, intolerant and inconsiderate in the world. I’ve driven in Japan, France, Canada, as well as Italy. The Italian drivers do not follow the road rules at all, speed like crazy, and park everywhere (due to the lack of space), BUT in Italy and the other countries I mentioned – road rage is very rare, unlike in Australia where drivers so self-reightous and oblivious to the needs of others.

The Canadians, in my experience, are the best drivers.

E.g. Australian drivers on the freeway (or highways) never slow down for the cars having difficulty merging in, which is idiotic, and a case of bad driving. Sure, the road rules don’t say that you HAVE to slow down for someone having trouble merging in – but it’s common sense and the only proper thing to do. I *always* change to the right lane to let in a driver who is having difficulty getting in. It’s also something called “civilised”, although I doubt Australian drivers can see through their ow arrogance to understand the term.

Another example – many drivers think its their right to beep like crazy at slow drivers. This is another example of true bad driving. If you think the driver in front is slow, deal with a few minutes lost to your life, or overtake when safe. It’s not their responsibility to satisfy your desire to speed (and probably run people over). In any case, the driver is probably from interstate (looking for a street) or elderly (slower reflexes), and that’s why they are driving slow.

I think *one* of the reasons why Australians are so selfish and have a total lack of consideration for other drivers is that we have too much space (in the country), and when we feel our space violated, we go nuts. Well, the space we have is a privilege – be an un-spoiled adult and deal with it. Try living in less prosperous places on the plane where it’s more crowded.

Finally – racism on the road. I’ve heard *a lot* about racism-related road rage from many of my friends. It’s totally appalling. This is one of the worst facets of Australian roads (let alone Australian society).

Australians – take a long hard look in the mirror before holding yourselves in such high regard, and next time you’re about to go psychotic with the horn at a slow driver – THINK, and BE CIVILISED (and not only to those of your own skin colour).

However, I believe that you should be more understanding when traveling at a road that permits right turns. Some driver might stay on the right lane to turn right, he might be driving slower because he’s having difficulties in finding the street name, etc….
I come to understand this as I travel on Albany Hwy every day in Perth.

For slow drivers I think I don’t mind them too much as long as they don’t break the rule. I understand that they are slower to react (especially for the ederly) and therefore need to drive slower. BUT PLEASE KEEP LEFT UNLESS YOU’RE TURNING RIGHT!!!! So annoying, when I see a slow car in front on the right lane, i keep thinking it’s alright, he/she is going to turn right at the traffic light, but no, he’s still going straight after the traffic light….

And another thing, it pisses me off when I see a truck on the right lane at the traffic lights while there is a normal car on the left….why?? you think you can drag the sedan and beat it???

Another thread here somewhere that also covers this topic, but again, only NSW teaches via its driver handbook (RUH) its pupils how to correctly use traffic lanes on motorway lenghts bearing more than two lanes.

The ongoing development of the National Driver Licensing Scheme, which you can recognise as the adoption of uniform license categories and features (L, P1, P2 – Log books etc) has its emphasis on the ‘defensive driving’ components, this is appropriate.

No that is what we should do in Australia. The Germans call trucks hogging both lanes on the highway/road “elephant racing”. How true.

Anyways how do I get into one of these company’s to change everything. Noone else will do it so I’m going to have to.

If I was in charge,

Speed Cameras would be moved from safe straight roads to actual black spots (mainly dangerous corners) and be sign posted so people slow down for those black spots.

Speed Limits would be increased on major freeways and multi lane Highways eg. Hume Freeway should be at least 130km/h.

Australian Standards would be enforced on all roads so the RTA doesn’t just reduce speed limits on badly damaged roads instead of fixing them (Bucketts Way in NSW went from 100km/h to 90km/h because road was stuffed)

Aim to have a major Autobarn style road going from Melbourne to Brisbane with 150+kmh lane with strict enforcment for people going too slow in those lanes.

Change licensing so every driver must attend an advanced driving course, not just learn how to reverse park.

Must speak english to be able to drive (I’m not racist but all road signs are in english so if you can’t read roadsigns then your not a safe driver)

Scrap current P-plate car list and design one that allows them to drive a v8 with less power than current family 6-cylinder.

Ummm there is more but elect me to find out :P

The plan to infect NSW with undercover speed vans has been killed off by opposing pressure from the State Government and the Opposition.

The NSW Roads and Traffic Authority have been pushing for plans to use covert speed surveillance vans as a way to reduce the amount of speeding motorists on the road, a theory which the RTA believes will help save lives. While most motorists believe that automated speeding enforcement is not a step in the right direction, is seems finally the government is catching on to the beat of the opposing motorists drum.

Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal has today said that be prefers the use of high visibility measures to slow speeding drivers down, rather than to catch them in the act and then having them realise they were speeding a few weeks down the track.

The Opposition were quick to slam the idea by claiming more highway patrol officers were the answer, with these sneaky revenue tactics being a profitable band-aid fix.

Despite all the negative pressure from the RTA’s proposed sneak tactics, the Pedestrian Council of Australia has backed the idea stating that the idea was revenue raising, but life-saving.

With speed deterrent tactics copping massive pressure everyday of the week by parties claiming all the methods chosen are based upon revenue raising, it seems a more logical approach would be to eliminate the concept of a fine all together and concentrate more on the demerit form of punishment system.

If the ’speed kills’ statement from the government was true, half the population of Germany would be dead. The truth is that less than 2% of road fatalities are caused by driving above the set limit (this figure is from the government’s own ‘Queensland Government Parliamentary Travelsafe Committee Study #15′). Unsafe driving, badly maintained roads and cars without safety features (such as ABS) kill. If the government wanted to save lives, they would address these with 1) mandatory driver training courses, 2) better maintained roads (there are potholes on Parramatta Road the size of a bowling ball), and 3) reduced stamp duty (or abolish stamp duty) on cars with safety features (the entry-level Barina in Australia does not contain ABS because of price).

Lobby groups like the RACQ tow the government line and brand anybody who disagree as ‘hoons’.

Saying this, the attitude of the government on road safety is entirely consistent with their attitude on other matters: they present the average punter with a false dichotomy (increased road tolls or speed cameras?) and then take the more politically feasible option (reduced stamp duty for 7.0L/100km hybrids, extra stamp duty for 6.0L/100km diesels).

My opinion of Queensland Transport is so low that they would have to work extremely hard to disappoint me further. QT is filled with complacent bureaucrats who cause the death of drivers through inaction, misuse of facts and lack of leadership.

If I ever unleash a genie from a bottle, my second and third wish will be to disband Queensland Transport and the NSW RTA.

Gosh, I should write for CarAdvice, i’m certainly angry enough :)