Expansion on reply to sassamifrass's comment on my last entry.

[gemfyre]

Today they are blitzing the freeway. All 10 speed cameras are being placed at random places along it's length from 5am to midnight. I don't think they should have warned people at all, but at least they are keeping the exact locations random. If you don't want a fine then DON'T SPEED!

But anyway, this brings up some more comments I want to make about speeding/safe driving.

I like to separate speeding into two categories.

Non-aware speeders - the unlucky people who slip for a second or are unaware of the speed limit and get caught for a brief slip-up.

Aware speeders - These people are well aware that they are speeding and do it chronically. If you overtake someone and speed to do it I consider that you MUST be aware that you are speeding because why would you overtake if the car in front is doing the limit? These people deserve higher penalties I think, because they are consciously breaking the law and endangering lives. Hopefully the 10 speed cameras on the freeway will catch a lot more of these dickheads. You need sequences of cameras (preferably hidden, no obvious flash) to catch these people. Those that are speeding unaware will soon notice they are speeding and curb their speed, therefore not being caught multiple times in one area. Aware speeders will not.

I have had quite a few speeding fines for non-aware speeding. I was just unlucky. I am a lot more cautious these days about many things, but I'm only human and do slip up occaisionally, I can't spend ALL my time staring at the speedo or else I'd be even MORE of a danger on the road.

The main problem isn't speeding. Most of the roads have stupid limits anyway as I have commented elsewhere in this journal. The main problem is that many people are just stupid and careless and should NEVER have got their licences. The problem is you can act like an angel during your driving test and be an absolute bastard on the street and I don't know how to get it through the heads of these people to stop thinking about their moronic selves before they kill someone.

Also, a lot more effort has to go into teaching peopel simple road rules like indicating properly and merging. I think we should have a "DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE ON THE ROAD" campaign, maybe that would work...

Comments

[firvulag.livejournal.com]

Cool, so it's safe to speed everywhere else today? or are they placing 10 cameras along the freeway and if there are others they have they will be elsewhere? or have the plice just told aware speeders that they arent going to get causght unless theyre on the freeway.
Personally I'm for blind camera locations, where we don't even know what suburb or road theyre on, we just know there is 10 or 20 or however many they have out htere somewhere.

And there are many stupid speed limits, but the major point people should note is they are the speed limit and part of the road rules. sure you dont agree with it, it doesnt make it ok to blatently disregard it.
And un-aware of the speed limit is something that shouldnt happen. sometimes the signs are obscured but asides from that then you as the driver are required (as part of the road traffic act i believe) to know what the current conditions are. It's part of getting your lisence. However there really should be better education of drivers, not just here ya go, have a lisence. It's getting better, but morons are still able to pass it.

And a don't be an asshole on the road campaign would be good to

Re:

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

There are only 10 cameras.

Yep, it is pretty downright dumb to let everyone know it's safe to speed everywhere else.

I just think they should have a speed camera on every overpass on the freeway.

[redmalice.livejournal.com]

There are soo many people who don't indicate. The ones who indicate once they've already entered the turning lane are one of the most common at the moment for me heh.

Also the people who go into a turning lane on a busy road but they sit half on the busy road and half in their turning lane are the ones who drive me insane because you have to swirve to get around them :/

Re:

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

The ones who don't use sliplanes AT ALL.

The ones that think a blink-and-you'll-miss-it single flash is suitable indicating.

Take a Chill Pill..

[jet-ski.livejournal.com]

From the Dept of Chill Out and Enjoy Your Life

Yes, sure, other people do silly things on the road. Speeding and not indicating are only two of them...

...you notice a hell of a lot more of that stuff when you are a cyclist or a pedestrian...

...but I just don't think we should get all worked up about them....

Working yourself up into a fit of frustration at the driving ability of those around you is just asking for an attack of road rage to override your sequence of rational thought and result in you wasting energy on pulling a finger sign or cursing.

Love Jet

Re: Take a Chill Pill..

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

Hehe, yeah unfortunately that's what it usually results in, exacerbating the problem. :(

I am an unusually calm driver. Usually I'll just mutter "moron", shrug and continue on my way. I will occaisionally honk, but only when someone truly deserves it by obviously violating road rules and putting others in danger, not because I am pissed off.

[arkem.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't call it safe in any sense of the word. Besides the speeding is bad things just because the cameras are all on the freeway doesn't mean there would be no cops with radar guns.

This week alone I've seen 5 cops with radar guns looking to catch people. I'm not sure if its anywhere near as effective but remember that just about every police vehicle has a radar gun in it IIRC.