Moron Motorists #3

[Ross]

Ford Ranger driver #compensating #smallgenitalia honked his horn at our group of 6 or so riders today that were travelling single file in the far left lane (which turned into a left turn only lane a couple of hundred metres ahead) even though the other 2 lanes to our right were traffic free and we weren't impeding his process in any way (though of course we have as much right to be on the road as him). We caught up to him at the traffic lights less than 20 seconds later, I was tempted to go and ask him what his problem was but decided it was too early in the day/ride for conflict and so let it ride, so to speak. You just wonder what is going on inside these people's heads?

[DavidS]

Ford Ranger driver #compensating #smallgenitalia honked his horn at our group of 6 or so riders today that were travelling single file in the far left lane (which turned into a left turn only lane a couple of hundred metres ahead) even though the other 2 lanes to our right were traffic free and we weren't impeding his process in any way (though of course we have as much right to be on the road as him). We caught up to him at the traffic lights less than 20 seconds later, I was tempted to go and ask him what his problem was but decided it was too early in the day/ride for conflict and so let it ride, so to speak. You just wonder what is going on inside these people's heads?

Not Much!

DS

[Jmuzz]

If cars had licenses and paid rego they wouldnt blow through red lights and illegally close pass cyclists!



I was in a law abiding mood today so didnt jump the 1m of light onto the path.

[AdelaidePeter]

If cars had licenses and paid rego they wouldnt blow through red lights and illegally close pass cyclists!


I was in a law abiding mood today so didnt jump the 1m of light onto the path.

Not one but two. Amazing.

[P!N20]

I was in a law abiding mood today so didnt jump the 1m of light onto the path.

Surely you must have been tempted to ride up onto that concrete barrier!

[Jmuzz]

Surely you must have been tempted to ride up onto that concrete barrier!

I imagine it every night, it's better from the other end.
Though I would never dare.

I think they first car went and the white car was zombied and followed it.
Lucky I want further towards the middle because they would probably drive over me if that is their attention level.

[mikesbytes]

If cars had licenses and paid rego they wouldnt blow through red lights and illegally close pass cyclists!


I was in a law abiding mood today so didnt jump the 1m of light onto the path.

Not one but two. Amazing.

Probably the second one went because of the first one, not realising the light hadn't changed to green

[antigee]

registration for vehicles and driving licenses continue to be optional (though I guess that action being take is positive):

https://www.vicpolicenews.com.au/news/m ... road-blitz (page will self delete in 14days I believe so text is below)

MORE THAN 30 SPRUNG IN BULLEEN ROAD BLITZ.
Wednesday, 12 September 2018 07:19
Three men are among more than 30 drivers nabbed following a traffic sting in Bulleen yesterday.

The automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) operation was set up on Bulleen Road between 10am and 3pm in a bid to target licence and registration offences.

The five-hour period saw police issue a total of 34 infringement notices, including:

- 27 x unregistered vehicles

- 5 x unlicensed drivers

- 1 x fail to wear a seat belt

Police also issued a defect notice was also issued in relation to an un-roadworthy vehicle.

A 55-year-old Mill Park man and 49-year-old Dandenong man are expected to be charged on summons with driving while suspended.

A 33-year-old man from Ferntree Gully is also expected to be charged on summons with unlicensed driving.

The man also had his car impounded for 30 days at a cost of $873.

the usual outcome....my googlefoo seems to suggest that there is no "on the spot" fine/demerit for driving without a license in Victoria so that would suggest that not only is being caught rare but if you do get caught you are very unlikely to suffer any consequence?

[Thoglette]

registration for vehicles and driving licenses continue to be optional

I'm trying to find some reliable figures but rumour has it that the percentage of unregistered cars and drivers is in double digits. Especially in states with pay-your-fines-or-lose-your-licence laws

[find_bruce]

the usual outcome....my googlefoo seems to suggest that there is no "on the spot" fine/demerit for driving without a license in Victoria so that would suggest that not only is being caught rare but if you do get caught you are very unlikely to suffer any consequence?

There is currently no "on the spot" fine for drink driving either - the cops drag you to court every time. As for consequences, I am unaware of the stats for Victoria, but in 2013 the NSW Parliament produced a report on the issue. Their conclusion was that there were real consequences, being longer and longer disqualifications, fines & even imprisonment however these were not an effective deterrent & were self perpetuating, particularly in relation to non-driving offences such as the non-payment of fines. In September 2017 the parliament changed the approach & has attempted to introduce incentives for people to comply with the disqualification - ie reducing the disqualification for people whop are offence free & who aren't a road safety risk. I am not aware of any data whether or not that has been successful.

[AdelaidePeter]

On the train instead of bike yesterday evening, I saw a bus stopped at the crossing, covering a "KEEP CLEAR" marking on the road, so completely blocking the bikeway which runs parallel to the train line. A cyclist was trying to shuffle his bike around the bus; he would have had to go about 5 metres one way or the other. I realise the occasional inattentive driver fails to notice (or ignores) these markings, especially if unfamiliar with the road. But you'd think a bus driver would know the route, and as a professional driver would know better.

[human909]

On the train instead of bike yesterday evening, I saw a bus stopped at the crossing, covering a "KEEP CLEAR" marking on the road, so completely blocking the bikeway which runs parallel to the train line. A cyclist was trying to shuffle his bike around the bus; he would have had to go about 5 metres one way or the other. I realise the occasional inattentive driver fails to notice (or ignores) these markings, especially if unfamiliar with the road. But you'd think a bus driver would know the route, and as a professional driver would know better.

I see your bus blocking a "KEEP CLEAR" and raise you a 32m tram blocking a "KEEP CLEAR". I regularly see the Nicholson St clearway at the Park St intersection being block by a 32 m tram...

(To their credit I don't have too much beef with tram drivers. They seem reasonably good and they rarely veer into other lanes. )

[jasonc]

On the train instead of bike yesterday evening, I saw a bus stopped at the crossing, covering a "KEEP CLEAR" marking on the road, so completely blocking the bikeway which runs parallel to the train line. A cyclist was trying to shuffle his bike around the bus; he would have had to go about 5 metres one way or the other. I realise the occasional inattentive driver fails to notice (or ignores) these markings, especially if unfamiliar with the road. But you'd think a bus driver would know the route, and as a professional driver would know better.

I see your bus blocking a "KEEP CLEAR" and raise you a 32m tram blocking a "KEEP CLEAR". I regularly see the Nicholson St clearway at the Park St intersection being block by a 32 m tram...

(To their credit I don't have too much beef with tram drivers. They seem reasonably good and they rarely veer into other lanes. )

Trams run so many red lights it's crazy

[jasonc]

Bloody cyclists running red lights....

[hamishm]

Trams run so many red lights it's crazy

Not in Brisbane I would have thought?

[jasonc]

Trams run so many red lights it's crazy

Not in Brisbane I would have thought?

I grew up in Mexico

[PA]

Trams run so many red lights it's crazy

If only they had registration.

[Ross]

Three people have been arrested and police are hunting for a fourth who allegedly assaulted an officer after a car rolled over at a Belconnen fast food restaurant.

"The persons of interest were wanted for questioning in relation to a number of motor vehicle thefts. Police are looking for a fourth person who escaped after assaulting a police officer. We will provide further details when we’re able," a police spokerson said.

In supplied pictures, it appears a ute has rolled over and fallen down a small embankment, knocking over the fence and a sign.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/nation ... 503l2.html

[bychosis]

Has anyone seen ‘driving test’ on the tv where they follow learner drivers in Darwin through to their test? While I’m sure they pick the worst drivers for ‘good tv’ it is scary how incompetent some of them appear to be and still get a pass. One last week got her licence, at the end of the show they said she took out the front fence a couple of weeks later.

Drivers licences are apparently a joke.

[P!N20]

^ I feel the same way about RBT, I just end up getting angry. I guess it's a bit better that they're getting caught, but still...

[Jmuzz]

I'm trying to find some reliable figures but rumour has it that the percentage of unregistered cars and drivers is in double digits. Especially in states with pay-your-fines-or-lose-your-licence laws

I don't think that could be true in NSW anymore.
All the modern highway patrol cars scan every plate their camera sees so the odds of making it far with expired rego is very slim.
If your car is on the database as a disqualified driver the computer beeps too so the cop is likely to do a license check.

[biker jk]

Has anyone seen ‘driving test’ on the tv where they follow learner drivers in Darwin through to their test? While I’m sure they pick the worst drivers for ‘good tv’ it is scary how incompetent some of them appear to be and still get a pass. One last week got her licence, at the end of the show they said she took out the front fence a couple of weeks later.

Drivers licences are apparently a joke.

Yes I was shocked by the poor standard of driving of those being tested. I recall when I did my test many years ago if you lost 8 points it was a fail with errors such as hitting the kerb or not giving way being worth 4 points each.

[Thoglette]

I don't think that could be true in NSW anymore.
All the modern highway patrol cars scan every plate their camera sees so the odds of making it far with expired rego is very slim.
If your car is on the database as a disqualified driver the computer beeps too so the cop is likely to do a license check.

In WA these have been turned off, precisely because Mr Plod was annoyed by the number of beeps.

WA Police have been forced to abandon technology used to detect unlicensed vehicles because they cannot cope with the huge number of alerts, Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has revealed.

Apparently the system didn't allow a grace period.

I have personally witnessed this in NSW where someone I was travelling with got pinged because MrPlod's computer system hadn't passed on the info, even though the (automatic) payment had been processed days before.

Whether this is warranted turning off on it own is arguable.

[dmwill]

In WA these have been turned off, precisely because Mr Plod was annoyed by the number of beeps.

WA Police have been forced to abandon technology used to detect unlicensed vehicles because they cannot cope with the huge number of alerts, Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has revealed.

They still use it, but the alerts are turned off. Every car they pass is still photographed, timestamped etc and put into a database.

They'll generally refer to the database when they need to work out the last known whereabouts of a person by searching their rego, etc.

[AdelaidePeter]

I don't think that could be true in NSW anymore.
All the modern highway patrol cars scan every plate their camera sees so the odds of making it far with expired rego is very slim.
If your car is on the database as a disqualified driver the computer beeps too so the cop is likely to do a license check.

In WA these have been turned off, precisely because Mr Plod was annoyed by the number of beeps. ... Apparently the system didn't allow a grace period.

Put a grace period into the software then. How hard can that be?