Monash Observation

Just received snail mail edition of August RACV mag, 'Royal Auto'.
Page 64 article "Trucks on Trial" Cupla interesting quotes, "Drivers on the Monash think they are doing 100kmh. but most are doing 96-97knh, and we get a lot of complaints from drivers saying trucks are speeding. But trucks are sitting on 100kmh".
Well, guess what? That's all about to change! From 25 August the speed limit will be reduced to 90kmh. This is between Warrigal Rd and the Sth Gippsland Freeway, expected to trial for 18 MONTHS!
AND, from sometime next year PHASE 2 will come into effect, a ban on trucks from the right hand lane.
14% of the estimated 200,000 vehicles made on the Monash are trucks. Now, one of those truck-bashing TV after-the-news-shows here in Melbourne town must be jumping with glee. Wasn't all that long ago (may have been the fire in the tunnel) that they raised merry hell with a big stick and went to great lengths to inform everyone that percentage wise, trucks were over represented in crashes.
But, again I quote the article, "During the 18 month Monash speed trial, police and VicRoads will INCREASE their presence on the Monash to ENSURE truck drivers comply with the new limit."
Now, I am one who is all for taking steps to improve safety, becoming a war zone (almost) on the roads these days. BUT am I being a cynic by casting doubts as to whether this is just another revenue raising exercise? For a start, what about the ignoramus car driver who DOES sit out in the outside lane and wobbles along at 90kph. Gonna kick his butt as well?
I won't even drive my own vehicle to the City anymore, much prefer catching the 'rattler', read the paper and laugh at all the people caught up in traffic snarls.
Sorry, but all I can see here is another stick to beat the transport industry into line with and some over zealous policing by the said authorities. I mean, come on! Will any revenue raised by these evil doers be spent on educating other road users? I think not! Blind Freddie can see that this State Govt is scraping the bottom of the fiscal barrel, for reasons that would take too long to document here!
How about this for a plan? WE grab hold of anyone who wants to become a truck driver, when he attains his licence we can tattoo a bar code on his forehead. And then when he breaks the law an overhead "reader" like those already installed for toll charges, will also automatically debit his bank account with the corresponding fine.
Far fetched? Maybe. But the way things are now and in the not-too-distant future maybe they (authorities) could simply have a big cane basket set up on the right hand side of the two outer lanes. That way all those miscreant truck drivers can simply throw their credit cards (or wallets) into consolidated revenue without coming to a halt, it would at least keep the traffic flowing!
Dave_64

I would love to get my hands on some of the weed they obviously supply at Monash!
That place is the source of so many harebrained schemes and the worlds greatest safety experts, at least in their own minds

Maybe if they tested car drivers for competency as well as the rules we'd start to see some better drivers on the road, I'm starting to think some of those drivers that have managed to acquire
a license in the few years may have played the discrimination card. In the last couple of months
twice I've had an idiot stop midway around a roundabout to give way to the traffic on his left waiting to enter the roundabout. Had another idiot use a turning right lane to pass me on Heatherton road. Just a few of there recent efforts. lol

I think there are a couple of issues each of which is part of the problem:
1) the reliance on cameras for road safety rather than having the police out and about. If the camera can't pick it up people think they are safe.
2) the meaning of orange lights seem to have been lost. I have often heard office workers complain "The camera booked me for running a red light but it was red for less than a second." The fact that the yellow means they should stop if they can safely and also provides time for cars turning right and already in the intersection to clear before the other road gets the green light seems lost on them.
3) Cars have got so good that driving can seem boring to a generation now used to be looking at their phone while they do something else. The new aids which allow more inattention will only make matters worse.
4) several times when I lived in Melbourne I heard people discussing driving in Australia. Their view was to use their home licence, just do what everyone else does then if pulled up not to speak English. The worst case I overheard was when students were trying to encourage their friend who had only obtained her learners permit in Thailand the day she left to study in Australia to drive. She hadn't ever sat in a driver's seat and her friends were saying 'As it is in Thai the Aussie cops can't tell it's a learner's permit not a licence so just drive you will be right'!

The one that gets me is the people that move into the intersection on the green to turn the light and when the light turns red try to back up so they don't get booked for running a red rather than complete the turn.

Better off without a licence :woohoo: :woohoo: :whistle: :whistle:

Bparo,
Did not know you lived in West Aus.
Our State sport is running reds and we have a Minister for cameras who thinks they are the main solution to the road toll.
Cheers Steve

I don't live in WA but not far from the Murray River, I think all the Australian Capitals and larger cities are just as bad.

The Monash flows nicely in the middle of the day, or the middle of the night...

www.theage.com.au/victoria/monash-freewa...20170522-gwacas.html

hayseed wrote: www.theage.com.au/victoria/monash-freewa...20170522-gwacas.html

Just another case of educated idiots justifying there education and there position.
It's simple build more roads.