2 prime movers confiscated under the hoon laws ( vic) - Page 3

**Elks** · 26-06-2008, 10:21 PM

Time to chip in..

This is a media driven farce. These trucks were speeding in a zone where in the 6 times I have been there this week I have NO work take place. I am talking business hours, evening and weekend.

Remember folks, this is still a 3 lane freeway, now with slightly narrower lanes for the roadworks. If I accept that that they were speeding at 80kph in a 40 zone, then a fine & demerit point and it stops there. What happened to fairness. This is NOT hooning. they weren't racing (they were caught an hour apart) no burnouts.

If it was me I would be looking again at the environment around where this happened. I'd go back and count the number of 80kph signs on that bit of road, there is a lot. Were they all replaced by 40 kph signs?

the whole thing makes me angry.

:

It is great that everyone in this state now on the edge of losing their licence, 5000 incidents of cars being impounded etc. etc. . But where is the payback? Where is the massive reduction in the road toll. The toll is down only slightly, (16) over last year. A small enough amount to be attributed to other factors such as drier weather and better cars. Similarly the number of injuries is only down 3%. Don't get me wrong, if you or your loved ones are a part of the 3% it's worthwhile, but the braindead people (read government) who are grinding this state to a halt, think that these actions are making a difference.

We have become so enforcement conscious that we have lost sight of the objective, safer roads. We need to get that back on the agenda.

SB076 · 27-06-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunmaid135

...... Someone ahs designed the road sped restriction due to the change in the road conditions. Someone has decided that a two lane road with traffic travelling on it with minimal escape options (Due to loss of emergency lanes)needs to have a reduced yes even down to 40 kph 24/7

Why has someone reduced the speed limit to 40 k's when no workers are present? Years ago there were many narrow sections of freeway (just before the Punt Rd turnoff heading towards the city) and there were no escape options but the limit was 100k's

**Full Noise** · 27-06-2008, 01:34 PM

There seems to be a little bit of misinformation here.

It is a three lane freeway that has a reduced speed limit of 80 kph.

When they are working on the road at night, they have a reduced speed limit of 60 kph which turns into a 40 kph zone where the workmen are.

The only time it is a 40 zone is when they are working. There are times when the 40 signs have been left up, possibly by mistake after some of the workers have left.

Not all of the work areas are protected by concrete barriers. For example; the left hand side of the freeway just past the Huntingdale Road overpass (inbound) where a lot of the concrete barriers are stored.

There are many places where these speed limits are inappropriate. I do not agree with many of the reduced speed limits, however, if the sign says 40, that’s what you have to do to avoid getting knocked off. There’s no badge of honour for going through at whatever speed you feel is safe, even if it is.

The night these two trucks were impounded, the speed limit was clearly marked 60, then dropped to 40 where the men were working. How do I know this? I was one of the many people that drove through at 40 (although I was on the other side of the freeway) and you wouldn’t believe it, I get to keep my licence and I didn’t have my vehicle impounded.

As I’ve said in a previous post here, whether the speed limit is appropriate or not, whatever the speed sign says, that’s what you have to do to avoid getting busted. These two drivers should have realised this. It would be a different story if they come around a blind curve at 100 kmh and were faced with a 40 sign with a copper behind it, but it wasn’t like this.

With all of the focus on the two vehicles that were impounded, people tend to forget about the hundreds of cars and trucks that did the speed limit (or close to it) and weren’t fined or impounded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SB076

Years ago there were many narrow sections of freeway (just before the Punt Rd turnoff heading towards the city) and there were no escape options but the limit was 100k's

They were the good old days, I have fond memories. Unfortunately with the government wanting to protect us from ourselves and to prop up the budget, we can’t be trusted at these horrific and dangerous speeds in places like this anymore.

_2:

stang65 · 27-06-2008, 01:53 PM

interestingly enough this is one of the things racv mentioned when the hoon laws were brought in and originally was meant ot involve speeding as well.

They were totally against it involving speeding.

As mentioned these guys were not racing etc. sure fine these guys, cancel their licences, but i see this as a way to make speeding a hoon related offence. This is not a good thing mark my words.

Alot of people will be watching this closely if the goverment thinks they can get away with it where in big trouble as they will apply it to everday drivers.

irish2 · 27-06-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR-CHIEF

I reckon its ridiculous, a truck driver has A LOT more to loose by being disqualified for 12 months than a driver of a normal car, you see they can take a taxi to work, or bus, or get somebody to drop them off, were as a truck driver relys on that to put food on the table and a roof over his familys heads, If these truckies lose their jobs, family, house etc from this there should be hell to pay!! this has gone to f$R%*ing far, in NO WAY AT ALL EVER!! is this reasonable punishment for speeding!

F*#&$5(ING GOVERNMENTS!!!!

Just because you can't work in your desired field doesn't mean you can't work. He could get a job as a labourer on a building site and probably make much more money and never go back to truck driving anyway. Oh and his missus can drop him to work and or ride there himself.

drew`SEVNT5 · 27-06-2008, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by st33l3y

I'd like to see the Government try to crush the prime movers under the anti-hoon laws...

One of them was an Argosy 110" High Roof...half the cab is fibreglass, wouldnt be that hard :p

**GasoLane** · 27-06-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew`SEVNT5

One of them was an Argosy 110" High Roof...half the cab is fibreglass, wouldnt be that hard :p

Whoa! if you're gunna crush an Argosy can I watch?

prydey · 27-06-2008, 05:57 PM

they did the crime and now they have a fine etc.

what frustrates me is the fact that it makes major news headlines just because they are trucks. i doubt very much that the only 2 vehicles caught that night were trucks and yet they were the only ones mentioned. i might be wrong. they might have been the only offenders but i highly doubt it.

drew`SEVNT5 · 27-06-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Whoa! if you're gunna crush an Argosy can I watch?

Oh, you :P

**Full Noise** · 27-06-2008, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Whoa! if you're gunna crush an Argosy can I watch?

I'll have a front row seat please.

whiteELXR6 · 27-06-2008, 08:36 PM

Save me a seat, I have the pleasure (misfortune) of driving an argosy lol

xtremerus · 29-06-2008, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

they did the crime and now they have a fine etc.

what frustrates me is the fact that it makes major news headlines just because they are trucks. i doubt very much that the only 2 vehicles caught that night were trucks and yet they were the only ones mentioned. i might be wrong. they might have been the only offenders but i highly doubt it.

Probably right there!!
Regards the use of these speed restricted areas, this weekend on a 110km country road in N-W NSW, there is two zones with 60km restrictions. No workers, job finished, and each zone has just one patch of repaired and sealed surface only half one lane wide and about 15 metres long.
My point is that legally this is the same as a full on work site with all the associated dangers.
My thoughts are that there is a world of differences in the two situations, but the fine etc. is the same.
I think that there is a lot abuse in the use of restricted areas, and sometimes it may be just laziness? in not removing/adjusting/covering the signage where it is not logical.

**GasoLane** · 01-07-2008, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtremerus

Probably right there!!
Regards the use of these speed restricted areas, this weekend on a 110km country road in N-W NSW, there is two zones with 60km restrictions. No workers, job finished, and each zone has just one patch of repaired and sealed surface only half one lane wide and about 15 metres long.
My point is that legally this is the same as a full on work site with all the associated dangers.
My thoughts are that there is a world of differences in the two situations, but the fine etc. is the same.
I think that there is a lot abuse in the use of restricted areas, and sometimes it may be just laziness? in not removing/adjusting/covering the signage where it is not logical.

That sound like the stuffed up new bridges 25k Sth of Moree...thats a really funny story.