4X4 drivers

[TriumphMan]

There appears to be a missing gene in todays society,OSH have noticed this and stepped in to protect everyone incase they have the missing gene.Kinda hard to know you aren't driving something a little different - first thing my younger daughter said after she drove the Pajero for the first time was ''Hey,this thing handles terrible! It leans over real far in corners!'' If an 18 yr old girl can see she has to alter her driving to compensate for driving a 4X4,why can't the rest of the driving population? I think it would be an insult to make her go on a special course just to drive my Pajero,she was mature and experianced enough at 18 to cope....why can't other people handle something a little different....it's how we learn,a new experiance.

Hey, if the price of making the road safer is to insult people by making them take extra licenses, then so be it. There is not much point in asking why the rest of the population cannot change their attitude. They have to be made to change their attitude. I was perfectly capable of driving a 23 tonne truck when I was 18 before I actually every had to drive one. The driving course and test showed me that the truck was capable of doing all sorts of nasty things I hadn't thought about. Same with 4x4s. Your daughter may be capable and mature enough to drive a 4x4, but not everyone is and a 4x4 license if ever introduced would have to apply to everyone.

[Ixion]

Ahemm old chap,I belive I said something about that a far while ago.
But your right it is good to genralise,works most of the time anyway
I've had three 4x4s an a couple of other things I used for the same purpose,but the 4X4s were just a lot better at it.
I sold my Patrol resently because I didn't need it anymore.Funny thing is,the Mrs who never really liked it "reckoned it was just a big ugly truck"
now wants another one.She has a RAV4 an has found out that even though it looks good "to her" it's even more unstable than the Patrol was an can't tow a double horse float.An yeah she would of tryed had I not stopped her.
A seprate licence class would be a good idea but for the fact people would just get it an carry on as usual.I mean does having a standard drivers licence stop some people from driving their cars like prats ?
Ya' really can't win either way.

Yes, agreed, I don't think it is the 4x4's that are the problem, it's the drivers Incompetant but aggressive drivers are attracted to them because they think they will be "safe" , and the size of them lends itself to passive bullying. I've heard many of them say pretty much that (in more self congratulatory terms of course).

If they weren't driving the SUVs they'd be just as bad in Volvos and such like (I think that SUVs have replaced Volvos).

I don't have an answer. The whole concept of driver training and policing in this country is wrong.

[Motu]

Hey, if the price of making the road safer is to insult people by making them take extra licenses, then so be it. There is not much point in asking why the rest of the population cannot change their attitude. They have to be made to change their attitude. I was perfectly capable of driving a 23 tonne truck when I was 18 before I actually every had to drive one. The driving course and test showed me that the truck was capable of doing all sorts of nasty things I hadn't thought about. Same with 4x4s. Your daughter may be capable and mature enough to drive a 4x4, but not everyone is and a 4x4 license if ever introduced would have to apply to everyone.

I have a licence to drive a B Train,and have had it for 33yrs - I could possibly drive one,but never have...does the fact I have a licence for one make me capable??

[TriumphMan]

I have a licence to drive a B Train,and have had it for 33yrs - I could possibly drive one,but never have...does the fact I have a licence for one make me capable??

Hi Dude,

Not argueing, just putting my point of view.

Trains don't generally do U-Turns in front of bikers and kill them. 4wd do. You need a license to drive a car, you need a license to drive a truck, you need a license to ride a bike. I had to do all the training, and I was never insulted by having to do any of it or having to take a test. I'm not the only one here who thinks that 4wd drivers should have a separate category on their license, and I own a 4wd.

I respect your opinion. I don't agree with it but I do respect it.

[Motu]

Not really going against your opinion - I just can't believe people haven't got the brains to realise they are driving a vehicle with different dynamics than a car,you'd think it'd be pretty obvious.So once again we have have to legislate against people not taking the responsibilty themselves - I must be an old fart,I don't know where this attitude comes from,but it seems it's here to stay.

[Lou Girardin]

I have a licence to drive a B Train,and have had it for 33yrs - I could possibly drive one,but never have...does the fact I have a licence for one make me capable??

Same here Motu, I've got all truck and trailer classes under the 'grandfather' clause. But there's no way I'd be safe in a B train.
As far as driver training goes, the LTNZ believe that advanced training makes drivers 'over-confident' and liable to have accidents. Bless their little cotton walk socks.
Funny how they've dropped the safety from their name.

[TriumphMan]

Same here Motu, I've got all truck and trailer classes under the 'grandfather' clause. But there's no way I'd be safe in a B train.
As far as driver training goes, the LTNZ believe that advanced training makes drivers 'over-confident' and liable to have accidents. Bless their little cotton walk socks.
Funny how they've dropped the safety from their name.

Well, they (LTNZ) are the same people who said in two consecutive sentences, that a disproportionate number of accidents happen at round abouts. We think that there should be more roundabouts to slow drivers down. Although, my all time favourite was when they wanted people to pay more attention at intersections and then put up billboards at intersections that distract people and potentially cause more accidents.

I find myself stopping at all roundabouts these days as people are indicating they are turning right when they are going straight ahead. I think the current confusion over indicating, despite the simplicity of the rule itself, has done more harm than good. Any comments??

[TriumphMan]

Not really going against your opinion - I just can't believe people haven't got the brains to realise they are driving a vehicle with different dynamics than a car,you'd think it'd be pretty obvious.So once again we have have to legislate against people not taking the responsibilty themselves - I must be an old fart,I don't know where this attitude comes from,but it seems it's here to stay.

Sweet as. I think that we are on the same page probably. I'm not sure what a B Train license is. I have a UK C+E for an articulated truck, or a rigid truck with an extra trailer. Same thing?

Maybe too many people drive here as if it is a right, rather than a priviledge earned. I dunno. UK and European driver licensing rules are different. It is worth noting though that New Zealand has nearly twice as many accidents per head than the UK.

[Lou Girardin]

Sweet as. I think that we are on the same page probably. I'm not sure what a B Train license is. I have a UK C+E for an articulated truck, or a rigid truck with an extra trailer. Same thing?

Maybe too many people drive here as if it is a right, rather than a priviledge earned. I dunno. UK and European driver licensing rules are different. It is worth noting though that New Zealand has nearly twice as many accidents per head than the UK.

There are many reasons for that. One of the main ones is that the LTNZ relies on Victorian research because their recommendations provide great cashflow.
Hasn't helped the death rate much though.
The reality is that the Europeans do much better with road safety because they treat driving as a privilige and a skill.

[Motu]

Sweet as. I think that we are on the same page probably. I'm not sure what a B Train license is. I have a UK C+E for an articulated truck, or a rigid truck with an extra trailer. Same thing?

Maybe too many people drive here as if it is a right, rather than a priviledge earned. I dunno. UK and European driver licensing rules are different. It is worth noting though that New Zealand has nearly twice as many accidents per head than the UK.

Like Lou says,I just have a heavy truck and trailer,but it allows me to drive anything on the road...even if I can't.A ''B'' train is the truck and trailer unit you see on our roads,the trailer sits on a turntable on the back of the semi.They never had those when I got my truck and trailer licence,which I did in an artic,or semi - the company I worked for at the time had ''A'' trains,but we called them doubles back then....the semi pulled another semi on a ''dolly''....all semi's were interchangable.I think ''A Trains'' are illeagal now,or you require a special licence to drive one.I'm not a truck driver,but I was a truck mechanic,I needed a licence for my job.