Comments on: Mark Skaife’s European approach to road safety falls on deaf ears

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:32:46 +0000

As a young German trained, and frustrated driver in Melbourne I have to agree with skaif’s approach to change Australian road safety legislations.
In one year on german roads I have whittnessed 2 hoons, in contrast I see and hear hooning drivers at least twice every day (!) on Melbournes roads.
I have never had an accident in Germany although driving a confident 160-180 km/h on the autobahn every day, but I never ceases to amaze me how many times I have to dodge aggressive driving maneuvers on Victorias urban roads and freeways. I suspect the problem lies within the adoption of bad driving habits from the teacher to driver and the lack of knowing what a vehicle is capable of. Aggressive instead of defensive driving mentality is the prime behavior passed on to young drivers when experiencing the traffic here. A “me first”-mentality. If I keep on thinking about it I am afraid I will have to give up driving as I can’t stand to fear for my life any longer. This although will mean to evade to appalling public transport which is a good example of bad design when comparing to a much larger and more fluid PT-networks in Germany’s major cities. using my bike doesnt seem like an option as “participating” in city traffic seems to me like suicide. Maybe I am just generalizing bere but then again I do have experiences to contrast and to base my concerns upon. I really do hope people will come to their senses and accept systems from other parts of the world that just seem to work.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 06:32:31 +0000

Ask any Road Transportation Chief anywhere in the world (except for Australia’s)and they’ll all tell you driver education/training and newer cars (basically what Skaife says)are the key to reducing fatalities.

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:34:07 +0000

Frankly, I think the problem here is that the country has degenerated into a pack of “forelock tuggers” completely under the thumb of an incompetent government. Let me state what should be obvious. None of us got to vote for this!! The “authorities” just did it. And it is more than just a police matter. This stuff is lifestyle altering. Longer and more congested commutes, morwe time on the road due to idiotically low limits. And the sad fact that, with the right car, even given the much lower standard roads in that day, you could get from Melbourne to Sydney faster in 1970, than you can today. Very sad.

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:29:13 +0000

The thought’s right VR, but geez don’t European cars cost a bomb to keep on the road. I love my Saab, but the mechanic’s charges. OUCH!!

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:23:42 +0000

I agree 100%. Also, I just love old, retired people with 168 free hours a week preaching like that. Morons doing 10 – 20 k over the limit are far more of a danger than the young hoon 15 k over the limit.

By: Jester

Jester — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:06:09 +0000

Go and get yourself in to motorsport events – do track days, do advanced driving course. Having fun in the hills is ok, but you can only learn how to drive on the closed roads and tracks – and if you overstep the mark there’s always a kitty litter, not a 4ft wide gumtree.

By: Darren Heath

Darren Heath — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:43:43 +0000

with the government the way it is this will never happen… we need a new government…take a look at the liberal democratic party for example…they have the right idea on what the government is doin wrong but bein independent arent big enuf to do anything…

By: Realcars

Realcars — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:42:43 +0000

Spot on for no passengers for P Plater idea.

How many times a car full with a P driver at the wheel?

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:41:25 +0000

Hi, Im a 20 yr old guy who got his license a year ago. Since then, i crashed 2 cars. In first case, my mom’s 2003 Astra, I braked hard during a corner while it was a little wet. The car violently oversteered, and I would have gone off the hill road if it werent for the crash barrier (i cant believe how strong these are). Second case was when I bought my own car, a ’99 Hyundai. My front left tire burst, violently sending me towards a row of parked cars. I managed to make it turn the other way, but i spun and had to brake to a stop going backwards. Left huge black lines on the road.

I just wanted to say, that nobody thought it was a good idea to teach me when I got my license (which was piss easy btw) how to control a car, or how to check a worn tire.

So i said to myself, I either learn myself or its just a matter of time till my luck runs out and i die and i got a whole life ahead of me you know? so i first read up on car control on the internet, like traction circle, load transfer and how to drive smoothly, then i went to practice on hill roads late at night (1-3AM usually, when theres no cop car patrols and absolutely nobody else on the road either) where i practiced braking hard and driving smoothly, and then i learned other stuff too like left foot braking.

So i decided to put it to the test, and went on my hyundai in a set of new sumitomo summer tires during pouring rain on that same mountain road at 2 in the morning doing 100 trough 60 recommended bends. Not a single twitch from the car, so stable and in control, a far cry from the many situations of lift off oversteer I was in half a year ago.

I cant belive how much i didnt knew just a couple of months ago and the immense risk i was in back then. i dont know what to think of this, but ill just say one thing: i failed my first drivers test……. at parallel parking. priorities pls?

By: Realcars

Realcars — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:26:59 +0000

When Skaife can tell us something we don’t know then he should open his mouth!

We don’t live in Germany and we drive older cars on average with a tiny tax base so these factors are unlikely to change anytime soon.

It’s all about driving for the conditions and none of our roads are up to the task except for the odd couple of klms of motorway with bottlenecks at either end.

Tailgating is another issue which I think you will find causes many accidents.

If you haven’t got the patience to tolerate the current speed limits then you shouldn’t be driving.

Perhaps this mining super tax can be used to improve infrastructure such as roads otherwise there will be little to show in fifty years time.

We won’t be able to return to agriculture as a main stay at the rate China is buying our prime farming land.LOL.