Hoon drivers to be used in test of government's new GPS speed device

[Copie]

Originally Posted by Fev

So he goes 4km over the limit and they decide to call him while he's driving? :

Does anyone else see the utter stupidy of that?

Its pretty common practice in larger trucking companies, both the semi's at my work and at my fathers work are not only speed monitored, they are also rpm monitored as well, so if the driver is giving it a flogging, they get the phonecall about it.

But its mainly used to track the trucks location and its ETA to the destination.

[ST]

Originally Posted by XCPWSF

or if you're lucky put up "roadwork ahead 60km/h signs" for 3 weeks when there is actually no work happening there, just signs.

I actually laughed at this because of how true it is, 75% of the time I go past these signs there is not the slightest bit of roadwork in sight or even a single worker.

[kezzer]

This thread reminds me of this quote

"If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too."
-Somerset Maugham

As long as what the Government is doing is percieved as 'saving the children' or similiar, and for the general wellbeing of the country then I dont think anything will change for the better.

We could always start a bikey gang like they did in the UK and smash all the camera's : I'm sure there would be a workshop that could always disable the GPS tracking if it ever got that bad.

[desGT]

Originally Posted by balthazarr

How accurate/complete is the speed limit data? I know from my GPS data that there are plenty of places where the data is inaccurate.

Like under the Flinders St bridge (Spencer) where I have seen over 300kph on my GPS while waiting for the lights. Oh well, there goes the car!

[zdcol71]

Originally Posted by Kamshaaft

Hahaha what a gem.

I think we're all referring more to a (very famous) book called 1984, by Orson Welles (and where the term comes from). A bit before you time, well before most of ours too, it was written in the 1930's as a sci-fi but much of it has (alarmingly) come into being since it was written, especially in the UK, where it was based. Go look up the themes and such for it.

So famous we all know who wrote it ,eh??

[Wardo]

Originally Posted by zdcol71

So famous we all know who wrote it ,eh??

I shudder to think that anybody who has attended school isn't aware of 1984. It is a classic along with books like Lord or the Flies and Pride and Predjudice to name a few, Although no wizards or vampires so I can understand the lack of awareness

That being said I think the whole speeding message is becoming a non issue, I recently drove from Brisbane to Canberra and people driving at or just below the speed limit was by far the majority.

[JC807]

Australia: Love it or Leave it.

umm....

shame we aren't more like France and have huge revolutions and demonstrations which actually get stuff changed so we can live in the country we love without having all our rights removed.
I'm against people driving dangerously and speeding around corners in residential areas, but the Great Ocean Road example (previously in this thread) is spot on. Imagine getting booked now with kids in the car doing 100kmh - you would be fodder for the newspapers this year, but only a few years ago it was the limit. Just pure revenue raising crap for the 'seasonal period'...ka ching! here come the moneys, i mean tourists.

[merlin]

I think this is all turning into a much bigger issue than speed enforcement. The government is blatently abusing its power and it is only going to get worse. Australia is a free country but unfortunatly we don't stand up for ourselves like the Americans seem to do (we are far more laid back which is good most of the time).

Look what happened with the gun ban here, that never would have been stood for in America - the government would have been overturned (I am not exaggerating).

Unfortunatly I really see no realisitic solution to our predicament.

[burnz]

i wonder how much the beemer and merc owner's will complain with this fitted to their cars??

[zdcol71]

Originally Posted by Wardo

I shudder to think that anybody who has attended school isn't aware of 1984. It is a classic along with books like Lord or the Flies and Pride and Predjudice to name a few, Although no wizards or vampires so I can understand the lack of awareness

That being said I think the whole speeding message is becoming a non issue, I recently drove from Brisbane to Canberra and people driving at or just below the speed limit was by far the majority.

The point I was trying to make was that the tyranny of time seems to make us all a little less than logical when discussing issues like this, ie the original post waxed lyrical about the importance of the book and the relevant themes in it ,but lost track of the author,(George Orwell), who also wrote another similar little book called Animal Farm, about what you can convince people of if you instill the right amount of fear and misinformation in them.
Misquoting Hitler and giving anecdotal tales of how fast we used to be able to drive down the Great Ocean road doesn't change the fact that there are a lot of repeat idiots on the road who probably need GPS monitoring because they refuse to believe there are rules of the road that ,agree with them or not, must be obeyed. There is a large enough motoring populace to lobby succesfully to have these laws changed if they could; many would call it apathy that they don't, but I am inclined to think that a large amount of people do believe that statistically, speed, if not in itself, but certainlly in conjunction with other factors,(read, drink, inexperience,mentallity etc) kills!
The majority of road users do not drive around at 150kph(random figure) for good reason, and if we are to set a speed limit ,then it has to be a LIMIT, not "only a couple of k over" ,or any other such excuse.
Dont use technology as an excuse to not get up and challenge things like speed limits, or any other issue.
Ps The grim realities predicted in 1984 are no more obvious today than they were 26 years ago, the scariest thing to come out of the book is the TV show that has turned a large part of the population into moronic voueyrs.

[durtyharry]

Originally Posted by Wardo

That being said I think the whole speeding message is becoming a non issue, I recently drove from Brisbane to Canberra and people driving at or just below the speed limit was by far the majority.

My last trip on the Geelong/melbourne rd in heavy traffic was one of the more relaxing drives Ive every had.
Set the cruise for 100km/h(its spot on), occasionally had to change lanes to go past someone moving slower in the left lane, and didnt have to deal with people going past in the outside lane going 10-20km/h faster, who would normally be up your backside doing the light flash/aggresso thing when you need to pass a slower vehicle

It seems the point to point cameras have got through to even the thickest of drivers. Im sure gps tracking would have an even greater impact.

[trippytaka]

Complete waste of money this testing! Which government in their right mind would actually implement a system that slowed drivers down? Think about it, how much revenue would they potentially lose? NSW would be liquidated in a week without the revenue made from speed cameras.

[kyro_02]

so if they make gps-speed limiter ..one day, you go to overtake a b-double, halfway through you see an on-coming car, trying to slow down and get back into your previous lane position but someone has taken it, no way you can go faster to complete over taking the truck

[balthazarr]

From: http://www.theage.com.au/digital-lif...0113-m6zg.html (my emphasis)

GPS tool to warn speeding drivers
CLAY LUCAS
January 14, 2010
Drivers who install a global positioning system in their cars will soon be able to see what the speed limit is on every road they travel, thanks to a $2.3 million information project.

From the end of this month, speed limits will be listed for every road in the state on new or updated GPS units, thanks to the Transport Accident Commission.

The only other places to have introduced similar technology for drivers are London and Sweden, Roads Minister Tim Pallas said yesterday.

The Transport Accident Commission put together the information over the past two years.

It will be able to be used by every company that operates GPS in Victoria. Most systems already have some speed information for drivers, but it is usually basic and can be unreliable.

Mr Pallas also announced a voluntary program yesterday for drivers who have lost between eight and 11 demerit points, which will start in the middle of this year.

About 60 repeat speed-offenders will be asked to volunteer to be part of a group of 560 drivers in a three-month trial of a new GPS tool that sounds an alarm every time the driver exceeds the speed limit.

Mr Pallas said speeding directly contributed to at least 30 per cent of the deaths on Victoria's roads last year.

The new system would tell drivers when they were driving too fast, he said. ''Drivers will never be in any doubt of the speed in the area in which they are travelling.''

The ''intelligent speed assist'' devices will automatically warn drivers when they are travelling over the limit by sounding an alarm and flashing a red light.

Travelling at 5 km/h over a 60 km/h limit doubles the risk of a crash, according to TAC statistics.

Victoria recorded its lowest road toll in decades in 2009, with 295 people killed.

$2.3 million well spent. :

It's completely irresponsible for the Honourable Minister to claim that there will never be any doubt of the speed in an area. Forget about errors in the database (we know they'll be there), or road works, public events, dynamic speed limit zones, etc., he's just encouraging brain-dead driving, and should be ashamed of himself... ie. the I don't have to pay attention to the road/conditions/etc., my GPS unit will tell me whether I'm speeding kind of driving.

:

[[Tonko]]

I dont get how this will work exactly....
For example, a road i travel on twice a day had a Speed limit of 100 that turned into a 60 zone. It is next to a school (should be a school zone?)
Anyway, The first 60 sign was changed to 80 for months, then back to 60. Radar was there every day for a week.

So my question is, where do they get the info from to determine where someone is speeding if the signs are changed constantly?

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Kamshaaft

Hahaha what a gem.

I think we're all referring more to a (very famous) book called 1984, by Orson Welles (and where the term comes from). A bit before you time, well before most of ours too, it was written in the 1930's as a sci-fi but much of it has (alarmingly) come into being since it was written, especially in the UK, where it was based. Go look up the themes and such for it.

You probably won't find that book, but if you look for one written by George Orwell (who may or may not have stolen the idea from Orson Wells), then you'll probably have a better chance.

The movie was downright scary, too.

[GavL]

So will these GPS units beep for idiot drivers who are adament at driving 20kp/h under the speed limit, telling them to speed up? I think not - just as dangerous as speeding, especially on a reasonably busy road.

[balthazarr]

Originally Posted by [Tonko]

I dont get how this will work exactly....
For example, a road i travel on twice a day had a Speed limit of 100 that turned into a 60 zone. It is next to a school (should be a school zone?)
Anyway, The first 60 sign was changed to 80 for months, then back to 60. Radar was there every day for a week.

So my question is, where do they get the info from to determine where someone is speeding if the signs are changed constantly?

Presumably, the speed limit data is part of the digital mapping data and therefore is static. Any changes to the speed limit would therefore mean the data is inaccurate (even if it was accurate before).

It may be implemented using something more advanced like RDC (as the traffic info is for SUNA), but I doubt it.

[zdcol71]

Quote $2.3 million well spent.
It's completely irresponsible for the Honourable Minister to claim that there will never be any doubt of the speed in an area. Forget about errors in the database (we know they'll be there), or road works, public events, dynamic speed limit zones, etc., he's just encouraging brain-dead driving, and should be ashamed of himself... ie. the I don't have to pay attention to the road/conditions/etc., my GPS unit will tell me whether I'm speeding kind of driving.Quote

Again, the point is, if there is a problem with the speed limits, lobby to have them changed, if in fact we simply want to bash people for implementing technology to try to reduce the carnage on our roads,different story. I think a flashing light or audible beeping to let people know they are breaking the law(again,wether or not it is just) is maybe a small price to pay. It appears to me a lot of people seem to think that any financial reprimand imposed on them for abusing the privilege to drive is simply "a case of revenue raising".(hey, I was only 50 k over the limit, or I was only a lttle bit pi$$ed)
Don't get me wrong and think that I blindly defend the legislators and their enforcers, but lets look at the human and financial cost of road fatalities and injuries associated with speeding before jumping on the revenue raising bandwagon. My understanding of the GPS system is that it doesn't turn your ignition off at 5k over the limit ,nor stick a cattle prod up the proverbial,and if it deadens the brain enough not to be aware of road works, events or dynamic speed limit zones, then hey, maybe we shouldn't be on the road

[UNR8D]

Travelling at 5 km/h over a 60 km/h limit doubles the risk of a crash, according to TAC statistics

according to WHAT? that is by far the most stupidist statement I have EVER read in my life, what ego tripping job justifying moron thought that statement up? they need their head read.

[UNR8D]

I can understand how in *camera's up your behind* vic you can loose 11 points, how the hell does anyone down there still have a licance?, It drove me mental trying to just drive/overtake etc in vic as everytime I did I felt like id clubbed a baby seal with the ammount of adverts how that if you go 5k over your wheels will fall off and you will kill an orphan.

sorry less time spent on the wrong side of the road the better, some brain dead moron like durtyharry doing 95 in a 100 would take about 1K to over take doing the speed limit, sorry rather do 120 get past the idiot and resume 100/110 what ever the set limit is... ohh sorry commonsence and self presivation have taken a back seat to the save the children and save urself from yourself mentality... we all need the government to controll us now hey?... idiots.

[Kamshaaft]

Originally Posted by Rodp

You probably won't find that book, but if you look for one written by George Orwell (who may or may not have stolen the idea from Orson Wells), then you'll probably have a better chance.

The movie was downright scary, too.

Hah, yes yes. As I said to zedcol "HAH. I totally deserve that, I cannot BELIEVE how daft I look (or actually am) for making the sli up". I think deserve a giant Facepalm picture somewhere. Orson Welles, of course, was made famous through a completely different medium, although I'm not the biggest fan of Citizen Kane, and so now speaking of film.. I haven't seen the film adaptation to 1984, but have seen the adaptation for Catch-22 - if it was anything like that it'll be downright awful.

Hah. I'm going to be slapping myself all day over that one, and the hilarity of what I said put into context! Ugh!

[Kamshaaft]

Originally Posted by UNR8D

I can understand how in *camera's up your behind* vic you can loose 11 points, how the hell does anyone down there still have a licance?

Funny thing about your post for me is that I locked my doors and headed south of the border, only to lost my licence within 10ks. Alright that's not the full story, and this isn't either, but the police were in 'pursuit' (as it were, unknown to me at the time) before I crossed the border. They were still VIC police though. Sneaky buggers waiting for me to encroach into their jurisdiction with my alleged (now not so much alleged as convicted) 'hoon' driving.

I need to slap myself in the face again.

[ltd_on20s]

i'll say it again and again

get the car clubs/forums together.

get someone elected to federal parliment as a independant as a voice for the motorists.

no one currently in parliment is even remotely close to being that.

[mrbaxr6t]

there are circumstances where "hoon driving" if we use their loose fluffy interpretation where it is necessary - here is an example in regional Victoria I went through a set of lights had a green light speed limit was 80 kmh when I get into the intersection mr. moron decides to run the red I see him and bury the boot as I rolled into this intersection and green light I was travelling at 80kmh the increase in speed got me out of harms way stopping couldn't be achieved as the distances too short and rely on the other idiot who has proven himself stupid by running the red at over the speed limit to stop and not hit me? now if the car was speed limited or auto fine dispensing or whatever or auto slowing down the car would not have obeyed my command to move and move now, would have resulted in a nasty high speed T-bone type accident. The way they dispense fines and label people hoons the behavior I exhibited to AVOID an accident would been deemed speeding and/or hoon behavior wheras if I had not sped nor "hooned" an accident would have been had. My kids were in the car and as it stands the car that was breaking the law missed me by less than a foot, and whats more that individual made no effort to slow down or even swerve to avoid me.

why can't the powers that be see that on rare occasions the law must be broken to save your skin?

I think we need a mouthpeice like that scruby for motorists' rights instead of those of the pedestrian but one that isnt a jerk devoid of the ability to see anybody elses' perspective.

also the day they speed limit cars from factory will be the day I never buy a new one same as the death of oz falcon - buy the last one and drive it and repair it until the day you die.

Originally Posted by ltd_on20s

i'll say it again and again

get the car clubs/forums together.

get someone elected to federal parliment as a independant as a voice for the motorists.

no one currently in parliment is even remotely close to being that.

I agree with you absolutely this needs to happen but why cant the existing motoring bodies grow a pair of balls and start raising hell for motorists' rights??????????? why cant they I ask?

[JC807]

Originally Posted by GavL

So will these GPS units beep for idiot drivers who are adament at driving 20kp/h under the speed limit, telling them to speed up? I think not - just as dangerous as speeding, especially on a reasonably busy road.

oh don't worry about Granny May driving at 30km/h whilst under the influence of about eleventy-billion pharmaceuticals, she'll never cause an accident!

[paule11]

Originally Posted by ltd_on20s

i'll say it again and again

get the car clubs/forums together.

get someone elected to federal parliment as a independant as a voice for the motorists.

no one currently in parliment is even remotely close to being that.

yep this is the only way

[durtyharry]

Originally Posted by UNR8D

Travelling at 5 km/h over a 60 km/h limit doubles the risk of a crash, according to TAC statistics
according to WHAT? .

According to the quote you provided, the TAC statistics.

[UNR8D]

care to publish these STATISTICS? its the biggets load of bull#Hit ive ever heard in my life, same for their great claim that doing 10km/h over is equal to being 2x over the limit for drinking.

they should have long ago been pulled up for false advertising.

I posted a full 84 page article done by the road toll advisers re QLD and speed is in the bottom 2 percentile of fatal accidents, inattention coming in a huge FIRST... how about instead of making everyone a finger puppit and finding out how to SHAFT people we train them, the story of wanting to 'lower' the road toll might have some form of credability untill then it has none.

[UNR8D]

Originally Posted by durtyharry

It seems the point to point cameras have got through to even the thickest of drivers. Im sure gps tracking would have an even greater impact.

really? so getting fined every 5 minutes because your safely overtaking a slower vehicle is how the road toll is going to drop to zero?... you wouldnt be one of those ones who stay in the RH lane AFTER over taking for another 2k or more becuase your too THICK to get back in the LH lane after passing would you.... think that might be more the cause of the other drivers frustration basing it on your absurd comments in every thread so far... im starting to think ur harrold scooby.