Is There More Bad Driver's Than Ever

[arep3]

when a license expires, people should be made to resit their test to get it back. that way every driver will be up to date with the new laws that had been introduced over the past few years. They will have more training and scrutineering. tougher testing is the way to go. i find im a better driver now since i got my medium rigid license and i haven't had it a week yet.

[borko08]

a lot of ppl have said it and i agree, we need tougher tests here in VIC. i got my licence in SA and its significantly harder over there. but according to people from europe, even SA test is weak compared to the ones they had to take. alot of drivers are going out with not enough practice and quite poor driving skills. there should be a set amount of hours to be done with a qualified instructor and people should have to resit their test every X amount of years.

just my 2c

[borko08]

oh and another thing, vicroads says that in your first 6 months of driving ure 2 (or 3) times more likely to crash. that just shows that the tests are too easy (i dont think ne1 stops being a hoon after 6 months)

[gdogzgtr]

Yet another idiot tonight. Was driving back to station tonight with offender already on board for another matter and a P plater comes out of side street fish tailing all over wet road right in front of us accellarates to 20-30 km/h over speed limit. I decide that's too dangerous to let go and pull him over and suprise suprise is another drink driver and in a cancelled rego car. Imagine if he hit you no TAC and no insurance.

In answer to earlier quesstion I am Senior Constable and work in Eastern Suburbs.

I also agree that our licensing testing is far too easy. More hours and defensive traing a must and possibly part of getting the license everyone should have to go to TAC rehab centre and see first hand victims of car accidents and see how it has changed their lives. I bet that would make people think twice before driving like an idiot.

I agree with all who said Tailgating a big problem to my surpise I find the most tailgating goes on on freeway. How the hell can you stop in a hurry at 100km/h when you are a foot behind vehicle in front.

[Ant97GTR]

Like Saff I grew up in the UK and can tell you that the licence test is far harder to pass than the tests here. For a start emergency braking is part of the test and as such you get taught how to do it.

If the gov't was serious about reducing the road toll instead of this draconian view that 'speed kills' they should focus on education. Those in the club old enough (hehehe) to remember the talk we had from john bowe will remember that a group of V8 supercar drivers approached the gov't with suggestions that everyone does a driver training course as part of their licence...the response was two fold.....it costs too much and they didn't want young drivers doing a driver training course because they would think that they were invincible. WTF how much is a persons life worth and secondly young drivers already think that they are invincible....I did a course many years ago and it proved exactly the opposite.

Unfortunately no amount of education will stop the out and out idiots on the road (drink drivers etc) but IMO it will go a long way to improve driving standards and ultimately reduce the road toll.

[dezz]

The officer on NS.com (smokey) really needs to take a leaf out of Graeme's book. Good work Graeme.

[Phatboy]

Graeme, just wondering, do you ever get pulled over in your GTR by other cops for "routine inspections" (ie., targetting imports for defectable items)? Just wondering what their reactions are when you tell them you're a cop.

Or would they all know it is you?

[Ruffels]

which suburbs do you normally patrol Graeme?

[KezR33]

There was a article in the Herald Sun recently about ways driver's can save petrol. One of them was (and they didn't recommend it) tail gating the car in front so you stay within their slip stream. I know my Science teacher back in High School used to do it.

[GTR-32U]

Yet another idiot tonight. Was driving back to station tonight with offender already on board for another matter and a P plater comes out of side street fish tailing all over wet road right in front of us accellarates to 20-30 km/h over speed limit. I decide that's too dangerous to let go and pull him over and suprise suprise is another drink driver and in a cancelled rego car. Imagine if he hit you no TAC and no insurance.

In answer to earlier quesstion I am Senior Constable and work in Eastern Suburbs.

I also agree that our licensing testing is far too easy. More hours and defensive traing a must and possibly part of getting the license everyone should have to go to TAC rehab centre and see first hand victims of car accidents and see how it has changed their lives. I bet that would make people think twice before driving like an idiot.

I agree with all who said Tailgating a big problem to my surpise I find the most tailgating goes on on freeway. How the hell can you stop in a hurry at 100km/h when you are a foot behind vehicle in front.

your doing a great job!! keep up the good work...get these morons off the road before they kill somebody

[chris_r31]

graeme, whydont you try and help out and bring sau and other car forums together with the police, so we can all be friends, make cruize days, track days, cruize for charity days, there is a heap of stuff you can organise and pull some strings into stoping some of the bullshit targetting that us "P" platers cop from police..

yer there are those dum bastards that f*k it for the rest of us, but even holding beginer driver training days.. no shit you will become a hero in the car scene and you will be educating and helping "P" platers become more wise an safe on the roads..

thats all we need is 1 good officer to stand up for us an create an understandin to why there is "hooning" , and help stop and educate us young drivers killing ourselves and or others..

in all my 3 years of having a licence i have had it for 4 months leagally an soon loosing it agian for 10 months 4 something i did back in "05", like i have mentioned, i have been lucky for the stupid/fun things i have done, but having a job that takes you all over victoria, it teaches you how important it is to have a licence, at the time of getting my P's, i took it for granted but now i am over the fines, trains, buses and scabbing lifts from every1 and dont want to lose it again..

chris..

[dezz]

graeme, whydont you try and help out and bring sau and other car forums together with the police, so we can all be friends, make cruize days, track days, cruize for charity days, there is a heap of stuff you can organise and pull some strings into stoping some of the bullshit targetting that us "P" platers cop from police..

yer there are those dum bastards that f*k it for the rest of us, but even holding beginer driver training days.. no shit you will become a hero in the car scene and you will be educating and helping "P" platers become more wise an safe on the roads..

thats all we need is 1 good officer to stand up for us an create an understandin to why there is "hooning" , and help stop and educate us young drivers killing ourselves and or others..

in all my 3 years of having a licence i have had it for 4 months leagally an soon loosing it agian for 10 months 4 something i did back in "05", like i have mentioned, i have been lucky for the stupid/fun things i have done, but having a job that takes you all over victoria, it teaches you how important it is to have a licence, at the time of getting my P's, i took it for granted but now i am over the fines, trains, buses and scabbing lifts from every1 and dont want to lose it again..

chris..

sounds like you're one of those that are ruining it for the 'rest of us'

[Russman]

Like Saff I grew up in the UK and can tell you that the licence test is far harder to pass than the tests here. For a start emergency braking is part of the test and as such you get taught how to do it.

If the gov't was serious about reducing the road toll instead of this draconian view that 'speed kills' they should focus on education. Those in the club old enough (hehehe) to remember the talk we had from john bowe will remember that a group of V8 supercar drivers approached the gov't with suggestions that everyone does a driver training course as part of their licence...the response was two fold.....it costs too much and they didn't want young drivers doing a driver training course because they would think that they were invincible. WTF how much is a persons life worth and secondly young drivers already think that they are invincible....I did a course many years ago and it proved exactly the opposite.

Unfortunately no amount of education will stop the out and out idiots on the road (drink drivers etc) but IMO it will go a long way to improve driving standards and ultimately reduce the road toll.

Totally agree. I also did a john bowe course. Was very eye opening.

There was a article in the Herald Sun recently about ways driver's can save petrol. One of them was (and they didn't recommend it) tail gating the car in front so you stay within their slip stream. I know my Science teacher back in High School used to do it.

Science teachers are always tight arses. haha.

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

sounds like you're one of those that are ruining it for the 'rest of us'

LOL! Come on bro, he just trying ask for a better outcome with car meets.

[gdogzgtr]

I do my best with my work colleagues to promote SAU and have pulled nemerous members over, generally just to say hello and leave it at that and only ever fined one of our members as they were driving like an idiot with SAU stickers on car. Didn't help with me telling everyone I can that our club is not full of hoons but enthusiasts and leave our fast driving to track. Don't need to go more into that as previously had topic on same.

I have met up with other car cruise clubs a few times and had a chat with numerous car owners in a fun way and have been let down by other police turning up and giving people a hard time for no reason but fortunately I talked members out of fines/EPA/NOU etc. It doesn't serve any purpose to give hard time to people trying to do right thing just makes a gap between police and car enthusiasts.

I have sold GTR only had it for 6 months and did less than 5000Km in same but never got pulled over in it. Have been pulled over for random check in Supra which has just turned into chats and nothing further.

I was very disappointed about what happened Friday night as you were going to end up in my area and I was going to try to catch up with some of you when I started work at 11. I know most of TMU in that area and generally speaking they don't give import drivers a hard time.

It's hard been a general duties member to do more in relation to working with car clubs maybe one day if I end up at TMU or SGT I will be able to do more.

I believe if you treat peolpe with respect and build a good repor they will cause less hassles for you. I work in that way and as such have never had a complaint in 6+ years in job and only ever had to spray 2 people.

[LTHLRB]

officer John Liddell should take a leafe out of your book Graeme...

Unfortunetely, the Epping tmu arnt as easy going as you, they like to pull over someone that is going 10 km under the limit doing nothing wrong and throw 600 bucks worth of fines, Canary, Epa and 2 high powered vehicle fines with 6 points attached to them.. For doing nothing at all..

im talking about a car that WAS NEVER on the high powered list.. Yes it was 5mm too lwo, Alright it has an aftermarket ecu and everything else. It is in PERFECT condition and passed my RWC inspection that i do at work ie. tyres, brakes, suspension, etc..

Some cops are dogs, to say the least..

We shal see in court

[Rav]

Yup epping no good, They have done me over a few times, and i have just been cruiseing. They even told me evry time they see me they are gunna pull me over.

[chris_r31]

thats typical of dezz, jumping from one side of the fence to another, lol like u have never done a burnout or gone over the speed limit, and then sit on ur computer desk and type what you did a couple posts up , i admit i f*ked up when i was 18, but now 21 i have learnt an learnt the hard long way, with no licence...

i have had numerous conversations with police "the good ones" telling me when they were young they use to take there cars an bikes off the clock on a empty straight, lol then give me a 500$ fine an loss of licence..

i also have to admit when they sit there and tell you u done wrong and explain why it was stupid to do 40km over the speed limit, you actualy listen, but when they fine you and are smart ass's, and have a joke that they caught you, you dont learn, you dont really give 2 f*ks what you get off them...

its just educating the young drivers in a way that we will actualy listen and learn, insteed of seeing family members die, or killing your best mate while your drag racing, or losing your licence for 12months 2weeks after you get your licence when your 18, just have to find a way we will listen...

no hard feelings dezz

[_Ryan_]

I can never understand how someone who is already doing the wrong thing.. drink driving, no p plates etc.. then has to draw attention to themselves by speeding.. just begging to be pulled over.. but then again there is no accounting for the stupidity of stupid people!

I can't stand drivers (esp trucks) who do 80 on the freeways (esp in the right lane)... some idiot will end up dangerously tailgating me or almost clipping me in the back as they overtake in the left, caus they get so impatient.. as if I can do anything about the dude doing 80 in front of me!? Ring rd is really bad for that.

It doesn't seem like VIC enforces or sticks to the "keep left unless overtaking" rule.. do you not have that down here??

if a truck is doing that, assume the wind is blowing to the right and if he was in the left lane they might blow into your car

i love drivers, especially when they run into my stagea

[Phatboy]

There was a article in the Herald Sun recently about ways driver's can save petrol. One of them was (and they didn't recommend it) tail gating the car in front so you stay within their slip stream. I know my Science teacher back in High School used to do it.

HAHAHAHAHa

That's the funniest shit I've ever heard! Sure for F1 cars at 250 km/h it might save a few microseconds off their lap.

But it's even more ridiculous than having a spoiler for "downforce" in everyday 60km/h driving. How much effect does air resistance play at everyday speeds?

Hmm... few cents on petrol vs insurance excess and loss of rating