Australia has killed my desire for fast cars

Australia has killed my desire for fast cars

Author
Discussion

PomBstard

6,728 posts

241 months

Friday 4th April 2014
quotequote all
A few things have come up in this thread...

RBTs - I think are a great thing, though somehow in the UK the drink-driving campaign managed to put a stigma onto drink-driving which made it totally uncool by the time I started driving in the late-80s. We need that stigma here too. I remember my dad driving after 6+ pints - couldn't think of doing anything like that.

Going fast on the motorway - its always a lottery, even in the UK, you need to be aware that they could be anywhere. Admittedly, VIC takes it to new lows by hiding in the central reservation, but if you're going to do 140+ in a country known for being harsh on speeding, then, really, what do you expect? When I was done for 125 on the Federal Highway, it changed how I drive on the freeway - I]m not saying its for the good, but I drive to make moderate progress, keep safe and keep my licence.

Cops on the motorway - on a recent trip to Goulburn I saw plenty of police on the road, no surprise. But what was surprising was that they were in the open, in plain sight - it took little additional observation to see them, and the speed past them was still around 115kmh but people were aware. This is similar to how the UK Mway police used to be in the 80/90s - they;d be in plain view, and you saw them and slowed down and traffic kept moving, drivers were reminded of the speed limit. Somehow it worked. If they start nicking people for tailgating, then I expect to see ice hockey on the Hades.

Having fun in a car can still be done, but the moment, and perhaps car, needs to be chosen more carefully.


Jader1973

3,942 posts

199 months

Saturday 5th April 2014
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Vicpol have started to park at the side of the Tulla/stylink in the mornings and afternoons in cars/bikes.

Result? Stop/start traffic for several kms, get to cop, pass cop, traffic starts to flow again!

The other day one was sat on a bike in the central reserve with his jacket and helmet off, playing with his phone!! By the time he got dressed whoever he was after would've been long gone!

suthol

2,154 posts

233 months

Saturday 5th April 2014
quotequote all
PomBstard said:
A few things have come up in this thread...

Cops on the motorway - on a recent trip to Goulburn I saw plenty of police on the road, no surprise. But what was surprising was that they were in the open, in plain sight - it took little additional observation to see them, and the speed past them was still around 115kmh but people were aware. This is similar to how the UK Mway police used to be in the 80/90s - they;d be in plain view, and you saw them and slowed down and traffic kept moving, drivers were reminded of the speed limit. Somehow it worked. If they start nicking people for tailgating, then I expect to see ice hockey on the Hades.

Having fun in a car can still be done, but the moment, and perhaps car, needs to be chosen more carefully.
Where do you think the NSW police academy is ???;)

PomBstard

6,728 posts

241 months

Saturday 5th April 2014
quotequote all
suthol said:
PomBstard said:
A few things have come up in this thread...

Cops on the motorway - on a recent trip to Goulburn I saw plenty of police on the road, no surprise. But what was surprising was that they were in the open, in plain sight - it took little additional observation to see them, and the speed past them was still around 115kmh but people were aware. This is similar to how the UK Mway police used to be in the 80/90s - they;d be in plain view, and you saw them and slowed down and traffic kept moving, drivers were reminded of the speed limit. Somehow it worked. If they start nicking people for tailgating, then I expect to see ice hockey on the Hades.

Having fun in a car can still be done, but the moment, and perhaps car, needs to be chosen more carefully.
Where do you think the NSW police academy is ???;)
Yep, know that, but what was different this time was that they were just parked on the side of the freeway, not hiding in the central reservation or just over a brow or past a bend, but in clear sight that anyone driving with half an ounce of concentration (rare, I know) would spot them easily. Anyway, I went past at about 115 (gosh, nearly 73mph) and all was well.

Jader1973

3,942 posts

199 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
quotequote all
PomBstard said:
they were just parked on the side of the freeway,
They seem to have started doing that here too.

Mind you, speed cameras here tend to be parked in full view too. If they used 15 year old Falcon wagons instead of brand new SUVs they'd catch a load more people!

Hitch78

6,100 posts

193 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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Azbo said:
...is also the cause of "hooning" in the suburbs because the laws are so strict and restrictive on the freeways that people go for a burn up in residential areas....people smash it though residential area's...Just look at all the tyre marks in housing estates, it says it all.
This is very true - I live in a quiet hilly area in central Sydney and I hear at least two or three cars or groups of cars hammering around every night. The collections of tyre markings show they're following the same route.

suthol

2,154 posts

233 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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custardtart said:
Agree its a great road. I cycle it every Sat from Waterfall so just be aware that you do get a lot of cyclists in the park from 6.30am which can ruin a fast blat I'm afraid. Also have seen cops in there at least once a month wasting our money again rolleyes
Took Nemo for a bit of a play in the RNP yesterday, no speed limits were harmed in the making of this video
RNP 13/04/14

And previous weekend in a more suitable playground
FOSC R1 6/04/14 Wakefield Park

Reardy Mister

13,757 posts

221 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
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200bhp said:
The problem is never going to go away whilst there are drive-through bottle shops though. CLose the drive-throughs and the problem would halve overnight.
That is a statement of such myopic lunacy, I have decided against a reasoned response on the grounds that it is a waste of both of our time.

Suffice to say, if I stop at Fleet services on the M3 in Hampshire for fuel and pick up a 4pack of Becks (beer for sale in a fuel station! On a motorway!) I dont knock any of them off on the way home at 98mph regardless of whether they are in the boot, on the passenger seat, in a cooled centre console or strapped to my thighs with gaffer tape so that they are within easy reach.

Bibbs

3,733 posts

209 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
Reardy Mister said:
Suffice to say, if I stop at Fleet services on the M3 in Hampshire for fuel and pick up a 4pack of Becks (beer for sale in a fuel station! On a motorway!) I dont knock any of them off on the way home at 98mph regardless of whether they are in the boot, on the passenger seat, in a cooled centre console or strapped to my thighs with gaffer tape so that they are within easy reach.
Nah, you are better off using the hidden exit out the back of the carpark onto Pale lane, and then going to Morrisons.

Reardy Mister

13,757 posts

221 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
Bibbs said:
Reardy Mister said:
Suffice to say, if I stop at Fleet services on the M3 in Hampshire for fuel and pick up a 4pack of Becks (beer for sale in a fuel station! On a motorway!) I dont knock any of them off on the way home at 98mph regardless of whether they are in the boot, on the passenger seat, in a cooled centre console or strapped to my thighs with gaffer tape so that they are within easy reach.
Nah, you are better off using the hidden exit out the back of the carpark onto Pale lane, and then going to Morrisons.
I'll pay for convenience biggrin

Bibbs

3,733 posts

209 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
Reardy Mister said:
I'll pay for convenience biggrin
I used to live round the corner, so it was an easy way to avoid Fleet high street.

200bhp

5,663 posts

218 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
Reardy Mister said:
200bhp said:
The problem is never going to go away whilst there are drive-through bottle shops though. CLose the drive-throughs and the problem would halve overnight.
That is a statement of such myopic lunacy, I have decided against a reasoned response on the grounds that it is a waste of both of our time.

Suffice to say, if I stop at Fleet services on the M3 in Hampshire for fuel and pick up a 4pack of Becks (beer for sale in a fuel station! On a motorway!) I dont knock any of them off on the way home at 98mph regardless of whether they are in the boot, on the passenger seat, in a cooled centre console or strapped to my thighs with gaffer tape so that they are within easy reach.
But that is the exception in the UK - The majority of British people buy their alcohol in a supermarket and put it in the boot of their car before driving home. Only in Australia have I seen people driving up to a bottle shop, have alcohol placed alongside them and then drive off whilst opening the first can for a "roadie" apparently thinking it is completely acceptable.

I agree that it's not the root cause of the problem (social acceptance of drink driving is really the issue) but even if closing the bottle shops prevented just 10% of drink drivers then surely that is a good thing?

The obvious disadvantage of shifting alcohol sales into supermarkets would be thousands of job losses as the supermarkets could handle the sales in-store without needing more staff.

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
200bhp said:
Only in Australia have I seen people driving up to a bottle shop, have alcohol placed alongside them and then drive off whilst opening the first can for a "roadie" apparently thinking it is completely acceptable.
Maybe that's because it is completely acceptable?

200bhp

5,663 posts

218 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Kawasicki said:
Maybe that's because it is completely acceptable?
1) I believe it's illegal to drink alcohol at the wheel.
2) Alcohol even in small amounts affects your performance at the wheel.
3) If one is acceptable, how about two? maybe three on along journey?
4) Spill it and you'll make a mess wink

custardtart

1,725 posts

252 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
suthol said:
custardtart said:
Agree its a great road. I cycle it every Sat from Waterfall so just be aware that you do get a lot of cyclists in the park from 6.30am which can ruin a fast blat I'm afraid. Also have seen cops in there at least once a month wasting our money again rolleyes
Took Nemo for a bit of a play in the RNP yesterday, no speed limits were harmed in the making of this video
RNP 13/04/14

And previous weekend in a more suitable playground
FOSC R1 6/04/14 Wakefield Park
Love how it takes you 8 mins to do what is a good hour on the bike smile

The 2nd vid really did make me miss the old custardtart frown There's a cracking S2000 powered westy up for grabs on carsales at the mo, over in Lane Cove but at $33k - ouch

Jader1973

3,942 posts

199 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
200bhp said:
Kawasicki said:
Maybe that's because it is completely acceptable?
1) I believe it's illegal to drink alcohol at the wheel.
2) Alcohol even in small amounts affects your performance at the wheel.
3) If one is acceptable, how about two? maybe three on along journey?
4) Spill it and you'll make a mess wink
I suspect it is illegal to have an open alcohol container in the car.

However, unless you go over .05, then I don't see how it is any less dangerous than the various morons I see on the way to work who are:
- doing their hair
- doing their make-up
- drinking a hot coffee
- eating a sausage roll
- eating a McDonalds breakfast bun thing
- texting/talking on their phone
- reading a book (I kid you not, in stop/start traffic on stylink)
- knitting


(okay, I made up knitting, but I bet some of you believed it for a split second)

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
200bhp said:
Kawasicki said:
Maybe that's because it is completely acceptable?
1) I believe it's illegal to drink alcohol at the wheel.
2) Alcohol even in small amounts affects your performance at the wheel.
3) If one is acceptable, how about two? maybe three on along journey?
4) Spill it and you'll make a mess wink
1)It's legal to drink while driving in Victoria, I don't know about the other states.
2)Don't make me laugh. I drink maybe 6 beers a year, one at a time. I won't feel guilty about drinking one beer while driving.
3)Well if you can keep under the blood alcohol limit, on a long drive have 7.
4)less mess than a fizzy sugary drink, probably healthier too!

suthol

2,154 posts

233 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
custardtart said:
suthol said:
custardtart said:
Agree its a great road. I cycle it every Sat from Waterfall so just be aware that you do get a lot of cyclists in the park from 6.30am which can ruin a fast blat I'm afraid. Also have seen cops in there at least once a month wasting our money again rolleyes
Took Nemo for a bit of a play in the RNP yesterday, no speed limits were harmed in the making of this video
RNP 13/04/14

And previous weekend in a more suitable playground
FOSC R1 6/04/14 Wakefield Park
Love how it takes you 8 mins to do what is a good hour on the bike smile

The 2nd vid really did make me miss the old custardtart frown There's a cracking S2000 powered westy up for grabs on carsales at the mo, over in Lane Cove but at $33k - ouch
It took slightly more than 8 minutes, what is the point of leaving the footage of boring transport stages in biggrin

There's a couple of clubbies for sale over here

suthol

2,154 posts

233 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Kawasicki said:
200bhp said:
Kawasicki said:
Maybe that's because it is completely acceptable?
1) I believe it's illegal to drink alcohol at the wheel.
2) Alcohol even in small amounts affects your performance at the wheel.
3) If one is acceptable, how about two? maybe three on along journey?
4) Spill it and you'll make a mess wink
1)It's legal to drink while driving in Victoria, I don't know about the other states.
2)Don't make me laugh. I drink maybe 6 beers a year, one at a time. I won't feel guilty about drinking one beer while driving.
3)Well if you can keep under the blood alcohol limit, on a long drive have 7.
4)less mess than a fizzy sugary drink, probably healthier too!
The bloke I saw getting a BJ whilst driving about 12 months ago was probably breaking a law of some sort.

In the afternoon peak hour on Homebush Bay Drive near the Flemington Markets for those who know Sydney.

Colonial

13,553 posts

204 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
suthol said:
The bloke I saw getting a BJ whilst driving about 12 months ago was probably breaking a law of some sort.

In the afternoon peak hour on Homebush Bay Drive near the Flemington Markets for those who know Sydney.
Hmmm... that's Google[bot] stamping ground..