Fatality Free Friday - this Friday 28 May

[Deeceer]

This Friday is Fatality Free Friday, a day to all try to actually think about what we're doing behind the wheel. You can find out about it at Fatality Free Friday 2010 (http://www.fatalityfreefriday.com)

[Rocket36]

Personally, if you're not thinking about what you're doing EVERY TIME you get behind the wheel then you shouldn't be driving.

[maca]

Personally, if you're not thinking about what you're doing EVERY TIME you get behind the wheel then you shouldn't be driving.

Totally agree. We should be aiming for fatality free every day instead of making this extra effort for one day only. I understand why they do it, but it should be encouraged as a permanent skill.

I've signed my workplace up for the pledge, and will be sticking up the flyers.

[Buller_Scott]

im gonna guess that it DOES happen, but just by a pinch- there'll be a good bang up with a coma or two somewhere.

having a sexy ad campaign for ''fatality free friday'', it'd be interesting to know who came up with it, and what was written on their brainstorm board. chances are, it'd be utter horse plop.

i still say mandatory license tests every 3 years.

it'd wipe half the soccor moms in their porsche cayenne turbos off toorak roads in an instant [what a shame].

[maca]

im gonna guess that it DOES happen, but just by a pinch- there'll be a good bang up with a coma or two somewhere.

having a sexy ad campaign for ''fatality free friday'', it'd be interesting to know who came up with it, and what was written on their brainstorm board. chances are, it'd be utter horse plop.

i still say mandatory license tests every 3 years.

it'd wipe half the soccor moms in their porsche cayenne turbos off toorak roads in an instant [what a shame].

I quite like that idea. I'd be happy to take a driving test every 3 years.

[Buller_Scott]

same here. even at my own expense.

then i'd feel a little bit safer on the roads, knowing that at least the moms driving those porsche turbo suv's know how to actually navigate a shopping mall parking lot, and that people know that they need to indicate before doing formula one overtaking style lane changes.

[maca]

same here. even at my own expense.

then i'd feel a little bit safer on the roads, knowing that at least the moms driving those porsche turbo suv's know how to actually navigate a shopping mall parking lot, and that people know that they need to indicate before doing formula one overtaking style lane changes.

You've pretty much eliminated NSW from holding a license.

[Maverick]

This Friday is Fatality Free Friday, a day to all try to actually think about what we're doing behind the wheel. You can find out about it at Fatality Free Friday 2010 (http://www.fatalityfreefriday.com)

I'd like to see Moron Monday where all the idiots that come up with these days for everything all wear a ribbon so people that are sick and tired of these crusades can slap some sense into them.

As for Fatality Free Friday what a complete load of rubbish, this day will do nothing but piss away a heap of money and help the idiots that are involved feel better about themselves for the day. My pledge for Friday is to let idiots on the road know my dissatisfaction with their crappy driving through both audible and visual methods.

"The Aim of Fatality Free Friday

Road safety is a complex issue but we believe that if drivers consciously think about road safety and safe driving for just one Friday in the year, that day's toll - statistically about 5.3* deaths - could be reduced to zero.

That's our aim. Not a single road death in Australia for just one day. Just one Fatality Free Friday.

We believe that if drivers are asked to actively concentrate on road safety and safe driving for just one day in the year, they’ll drive safer for the next few days too and, over time, change their outlook completely, consciously thinking about safety each and every day they get behind the wheel."

So why don't drivers do this everyday? Maybe because at the end of the day there are other things to concentrate on not just driving safely like watching the speedo, watching for stupid pedestrians, looking for the constant changing speed zones (look at all the new 40kph zones in Brisbane, even parts of a street can now be 40kph), watching out for potholes, changes to lanes and road condition, watching out for mobile and fixed speed cameras, trying not to fall asleep with the ridiculously low speed limits and the list goes on.

Plus humans are prone to error, they will make mistakes and most of the time you get away with it but there are times when s**t happens and you end up dead on the side of the road because of your driving or someone else's. Put drivers on the road with a kellogs license and what do you really expect to occur? Constantly tell drivers that if they stick below the magical speed limit they will be safe drivers? Booking drivers for doing a few kilometres an hour over the speed limit via a ticket in the mail a few weeks later doesn't change driving behaviour and just reinforces the driver under the limit and you're safe rubbish. Actually having police patrolling the roads looking for idiots would be a good start but the return on investment is not as good as having a cop sit in a van on the side of the road reaping it in.

"Road Safety is a global issue that ranks as one of the most pressing matters facing society today. The social, economic and emotional costs are immense and these figures are poised to increase unless something is done, NOW.
......
Currently, around 1.2 million people are killed each year in road crashes around the world. That equates to more than 3000 people a week. In Australia the road toll is around 1600 to 1700 road fatalities and for every death approximately 10 people are injured. These figures are shocking and highlight the need for urgent action. This situation is not acceptable and the road toll should not be accepted as inevitable."

Personally I find the death toll in Australia given all the factors acceptable and don't see what the issue is, the notion that we can have zero deaths on the road shows the fantasy land that some people live in especially when driver training is so lacking and the only real enforcement on the road is for speeding.

Heck I might create my own day called Tolerance Free Tuesday where idiots on the road get told in no uncertain terms how stupid they are. This could be expanded into Wan**r Free Wednesday, To**er Free Thursday, ****tard Free Friday and Moron Free Monday. Or maybe everyone could just show zero tolerance to useless drivers everyday and drive to the best of their abilities.

[Buller_Scott]

its always going to be a heated topic, but i concur 100%

''We believe that if drivers are asked to actively concentrate on road safety and safe driving for just one day in the year....''

what a crock. i thought that was the whole point of getting tested for your P's- to verify that you ARE responsible, that you DO know the road rules, and that you DO display the levels of concentration and road awareness that are requisites for the privilege of driving?

pffft. this week alone [and i dont drive much these days, other than weekends], some of what i've seen:

>formula one lane changes
>lack of indication because why bother, there's no one for 4 car lengths behind
>backing out of a driveway at breakneck speed, onto a 3 lane highway, into the FOURTH lane [a dedicated turn-right lane]
>doing the limit, people pulling out of servos and timing things just nicely so that you have to brake heavily to avoid a rear-ender
>people driving at 100kmh on the freeway for kilometers, with an indicator on
>people holding up straight through traffic, because they just realised they have to turn right, so they stop, put on their indicator in the straight through lane next to the turn right lane, and wait for the turn right signal to turn green
>people waiting to turn right at tram tracks, then throwing their arms up to signify helplessness when tram drivers beep them for being in the way
>two lanes at the lights. across the intersection, left hand lane is blocked by parked cars. drivers moving out from behind you, into the next lane, to try to use the length of the intersection, to overtake you on the inside, ALWAYS cutting you off with little or no indication

the list goes on.

whatever happened to sensible driving, where people exercised good driver awareness and road etiquette?

i got a ticket for doing 63kmh along brunswick street. sorry for not having my eye on the speedo- i was too busy watching trams, cyclists [who have right of way in melbourne- "its the law"], people crossing the road from one cafe to another, buses turning in and out of side streets that get serviced by a bus route, etc etc. i get a fine for 3kmh over whilst keeping my eyes peeled raw to all the hustle and bustle that's going on around me, i get fined. yet people get away with the above every day, but do they get fined?

of course not. you're not a dangerous driver if you're safely doing 80kmh in the right hand lane of a 4 lane freeway, apparently....

[Rocket36]

>people waiting to turn right at tram tracks, then throwing their arms up to signify helplessness when tram drivers beep them for being in the way

Actually this is somewhat confusing to me. It is my understanding that where you're turning right across tram lines you have to do a hook turn if there's a hook turn sign (eg: off Colins St onto Russell St). But I'm pretty sure that if there's no hook turn sign it's a normal right hand turn (eg: heading towards Flinders St on Elizabeth St and turning right onto Burke St). Or am I wrong and it's just that there aren't hook turn signs at places where there should be?

[Buller_Scott]

ah, the good ole hook turn.

the hook turn, as far as i know, is only at something like a dozen intersections in the city/ couple in south melbourne too.

if there's no hook turn sign, it's a normal right hand turn, but in cases where the trams' AND the cars' lights are concurrently green, you're to move into the intersection but avoid obstructing the tram lines.

of course, what many melburnians dont realise is that this can be remedied simply by......... utilizing their side mirror [too much for some to do, apparently].

[gerhard]

I vote for a forum free friday.

No posts allowed on any forum.

Then we wouldn't read about the sort of rubbish in this thread.

Scott- you protest about many behaviours, most of which would only affect someone who is an impatient driver. Admitting to speeding in a busy, congested part of Melbourne with trams, cyclists, and pedestrians suggests you are such a driver.

[Jayse]

Actually this is somewhat confusing to me. It is my understanding that where you're turning right across tram lines you have to do a hook turn if there's a hook turn sign (eg: off Colins St onto Russell St). But I'm pretty sure that if there's no hook turn sign it's a normal right hand turn (eg: heading towards Flinders St on Elizabeth St and turning right onto Burke St). Or am I wrong and it's just that there aren't hook turn signs at places where there should be?

Yeah Rocket, what Scott said...only if signed as such and to actually take your turn when the lights turn amber..hoping no twat tries to shoot through the intersection as you turn.
Turning : VicRoads (http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/SafetyAndRules/RoadRules/Turning.htm)

Cheers,
Jayse.

[gerhard]

Yeah Rocket, what Scott said...only if signed as such and to actually take your turn when the lights turn amber..hoping no twat tries to shoot through the intersection as you turn.
Turning : VicRoads (http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/SafetyAndRules/RoadRules/Turning.htm)

Cheers,
Jayse.

You might want to read your link - for a hook turn you do NOT take your turn when the light turns amber, you wait until the light in your new direction of travel is green. That means the light you passed halfway through is well and truly red.

[Rocket36]

You might want to read your link - for a hook turn you do NOT take your turn when the light turns amber, you wait until the light in your new direction of travel is green. That means the light you passed halfway through is well and truly red.

yeah i knew that part - a hook turn basically changes you to follow the lights of the road you're turning into.

[Buller_Scott]

Scott- you protest about many behaviours, most of which would only affect someone who is an impatient driver. Admitting to speeding in a busy, congested part of Melbourne with trams, cyclists, and pedestrians suggests you are such a driver.

whilst there is no ''degree'' to speeding [you either are or you arent] and whilst i can see your logic, im going to presume that you ARENT alluding to the driver behavior that i mentioned as being acceptable, and that the onus is on other drivers to tolerate this behavior and to abstain from becoming impatient.

okay, i was speeding by 3kmh. maybe i would have had more time to stare at the speedo and wipe off that extra slow-walking-pace amount of speed, if i felt confident that no, someone wasnt going to pull out from a side street and force me to brake heavily, no someone isnt going to merge left F1 style and then try to cut a quick u-turn right in front of me, no someone isnt going to jam on the brakes in front of me, wanting to turn right, having me wondering what the hell is going on, only for them to go "oops! forgot to put the indicator on- i want to go down that street, and i've forgotten that it IS possible to miss my turn, go down a block, turn around, and come back to my turn".

but, if by impatient, you mean that i get pissed off when a$$holes move into an overtaking lane [e.g. on the drive back from buller] and use the whole 600m-1km of overtaking lane to overtake ONE car, letting no one else through, JUST slotting ahead of the car they're overtaking before the overtaking lane ends, then yes, i am impatient. but should we have to put up with that kind of driver oblivion and a$$hattery? i thought that driving lessons would have weened that out, NOT teach us to practice/ put up with it.

[elephino]

F1 style overtake - like Algesuari on Chandok in Spain where he took the front of the car off?

[Stephy]

As hard as is it, we all need to be patient when we drive - there are idiots who speed up when you over take, there are idiots that do use the whole overtaking lane to overtake one car, then slow down once they are around it. That's annoying, but the only way it becomes dangerous is when other drivers become impatient...
My issue is there should be mandatory drivers tests every few years and for international tourists that visit. E.g. Lake Leake H'Way in Tas. I have driven that road and been the only "local" car (give or take a few log trucks), on my occassional drives along this highway almost every time there is a tourist doing a 3 pt turn on a bind corner, there is a car on my side of the road coming around a blind corner or there is a rental car down an embankment. My husband drives that road every week and I can't start my day properly until i get the phonecall to say he has arrived safely.
I think Fatality Free Friday is a great idea - whether it is going to be effective or not is up to each individual. There are always going to be terrible drivers out there, and it is unfair that the ones that do drive safely get caught up in their mess. However, i know that when i drive i pay attention and i know that I am the best chance I have of getting to my destination in one piece.
When i did my defensive driving course i was told that nearly all "crashes" can be avoided, the only "accident" is when a car is stationary and gets hit.

[elephino]

Too many people do get complacent behind the wheel after a period of not having any crashes or close-calls. This day is a good idea as a reminder.

Mandatory driving tests won't stop people doing stupid things like 3 point turns on a blind corner or slowing after overtaking and various other silly moves (such as a Hyundai Excel I saw once overtake 4 cars over a double-white line up to a blind (rock wall) right hand corner).

[maca]

Seeing as this thread's turned to the ****ter, I'll add my rant.

The other day while at QT, I saw a newly landed immigrant go straight from his native license to his OPEN AUSTRALIAN license. I mean WTF? Someone who doesn't know the local laws goes straight to an unrestricted license without having to perform a written or practical driving test, and these are the people that are permitted to drive our taxis! While I, born and raised in the state of Queensland has to go through 3 years of restrictions when I'm fully aware of the laws and regulations when it comes to driving.

[Buller_Scott]

Seeing as this thread's turned to the ****ter, I'll add my rant.

The other day while at QT, I saw a newly landed immigrant go straight from his native license to his OPEN AUSTRALIAN license. I mean WTF? Someone who doesn't know the local laws goes straight to an unrestricted license without having to perform a written or practical driving test, and these are the people that are permitted to drive our taxis! While I, born and raised in the state of Queensland has to go through 3 years of restrictions when I'm fully aware of the laws and regulations when it comes to driving.

sorry- this has nothing to do with ethnicity, but i would COMPLETELY agree with that.

why? because of experience. as in, when i was 14 years old, and on school holiday in indonesia, i sat a written test, and did a brief driving test, and i was awarded my license.

had i been 20 instead, say, it mightnt have been very hard to come over here under an international drivers license, if not transferring it to a full license.

but yeah. cash on the table buys 14 year old boy a proper, not provisional/ learners, license. this, despite him [me] having trouble with hillstarts, not being able to understand most of the written element of the test, not being able to reverse between the slalom-cones, etc. but knowing how to do donuts on mine site roads.

wonder how difficult [i.e. expensive] it is to get a full license in some of the birthplaces of our cabbies? my indonesian one cost about $15.

[Maverick]

My issue is there should be mandatory drivers tests every few years and for international tourists that visit. E.g. Lake Leake H'Way in Tas. I have driven that road and been the only "local" car (give or take a few log trucks), on my occassional drives along this highway almost every time there is a tourist doing a 3 pt turn on a bind corner, there is a car on my side of the road coming around a blind corner or there is a rental car down an embankment. My husband drives that road every week and I can't start my day properly until i get the phonecall to say he has arrived safely.

Isn't that a little OTT? What are the chances of being killed on the road? They are minuscule and not worth worrying about.


I think Fatality Free Friday is a great idea - whether it is going to be effective or not is up to each individual. There are always going to be terrible drivers out there, and it is unfair that the ones that do drive safely get caught up in their mess. However, i know that when i drive i pay attention and i know that I am the best chance I have of getting to my destination in one piece.

I would bet there is no driver who can claim they are always well rested, able to pay full attention to the road and in a good state of mind before they go driving.


When i did my defensive driving course i was told that nearly all "crashes" can be avoided, the only "accident" is when a car is stationary and gets hit.

It's not necessarily an accident if your car is hit when stationary, plenty of people pull over in inappropriate yet legal places and are hit and at least they are partially responsible for the accident. Any accident on the hard shoulder where a car is hit is really the fault of the driver who pulled over, the majority of the time people have pulled over for pointless reasons and they should have pulled over on a road off the highway/motorway. The only valid reason to pull over is if your car is disabled and the car should be vacated if safe and the occupants should relocate somewhere safe.

Surely if someone has an undiagnosed brain aneurysm and crashes head on into another car this is an accident whereas if someone pulls over because their child has to peepee on a highway and gets collected by a truck this is at best partially the car drivers fault.

[maca]

sorry- this has nothing to do with ethnicity, but i would COMPLETELY agree with that.

why? because of experience. as in, when i was 14 years old, and on school holiday in indonesia, i sat a written test, and did a brief driving test, and i was awarded my license.

had i been 20 instead, say, it mightnt have been very hard to come over here under an international drivers license, if not transferring it to a full license.

but yeah. cash on the table buys 14 year old boy a proper, not provisional/ learners, license. this, despite him [me] having trouble with hillstarts, not being able to understand most of the written element of the test, not being able to reverse between the slalom-cones, etc. but knowing how to do donuts on mine site roads.

wonder how difficult [i.e. expensive] it is to get a full license in some of the birthplaces of our cabbies? my indonesian one cost about $15.

Oh yeah, I'm not targetting one particular race. The rules are the same regardless of what country you come from.

[Buller_Scott]

lol no worries- i was simply highlighting that a ''full'' license obtained overseas, which can be used in support of obtaining its ''equivalent'' here, is sometimes anything but!

tomorrow's the day, folks. i'll bet $10 that there ARE fatalaties, just like any other day.

if it turns out that from tomorrow, i dont ever post on vwwa again, then i'll have become a statistic and people who take up the bet will owe me 10 bucks in cold, hard cash......

[Rocket36]

okay, i was speeding by 3kmh. maybe i would have had more time to stare at the speedo and wipe off that extra slow-walking-pace amount of speed, if i felt confident that no, someone wasnt going to pull out from a side street and force me to brake heavily, no someone isnt going to merge left F1 style and then try to cut a quick u-turn right in front of me, no someone isnt going to jam on the brakes in front of me, wanting to turn right, having me wondering what the hell is going on, only for them to go "oops! forgot to put the indicator on- i want to go down that street, and i've forgotten that it IS possible to miss my turn, go down a block, turn around, and come back to my turn".

Is it just me or does this make absolutely no sense? What are you saying? That no they're not going to do anything of those things? Or that you would like to KNOW if they're going to?

[mikepologti]

i hope its fatality free tomorrow, its my birthday :(

[maca]

i hope its fatality free tomorrow, its my birthday :(

Happy birthday for tomorrow, Mike!

[Buller_Scott]

i hope its fatality free tomorrow, its my birthday :(

happy birthday mike! it's today!

what are you gonna get up to?

[Treza360]

Awesome lets aim to not have an accident which by its' very definition is something that you didn't plan on doing in the first place. I find the organisers of this day very patronising and insulting. What a joke.
Cheers,
Trent

[maca]

Doesn't this organisation realise that no one plans on accidents? Sure they can be avoided but no one wakes up in the morning and says "let's go crasssssshhhh!".

[Maverick]

Awesome lets aim to not have an accident which by its' very definition is something that you didn't plan on doing in the first place. I find the organisers of this day very patronising and insulting. What a joke.
Cheers,
Trent

So much for Fatality Free Friday, guess they should tell the horses next time so they can take more care on the road.

Woman, horses die in crash | News.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/woman-horses-die-in-crash/story-e6frfku0-1225872335371)

If only that woman had pledged to be part of fatality free Friday............