Cutting the road toll

**MSTRS:Me** · 20th August 2009, 09:06

Originally Posted by dpex

...

Have you ever noticed that there is no reward for being a crash-free driver?

...

Of course there is....
The satisfaction of knowing that you are better than 'those turkeys'.
That's priceless, don't you know?

Actually, there was an article in our evening paper. I can't find it online, but can scan if you wanna see it. The article states that a Central Region Roadsafe campaign is about to get underway, whereby driving behaviour at various roundabouts/intersections will be observed and 'proper' driving will see the rego noted and a $10 MTA voucher sent to the registered owner.

Interesting idea, that. Rewarding good driving. How do they know the driver IS the owner, though.

**george formby** · 20th August 2009, 09:41

Our safety is dictated by economics, Grrrrrr. Compulsory 3rd party insurance would stop the young un's buying WRX's & the like. In the Uk a hot car for a young driver is 1300cc Vauxhall Nova.. On the downside for us, insurance on big bikes is astronomical if your still spotty. Soooo,on going driver / rider training would make a huge difference, advanced courses would go towards reducing insurance premiums etc. While I'm at it, you can learn to fly space shuttle's, jumbo jets, helicopters etc on a simulator. Why not have a wee test, subsidised, every 5 years to make sure your skills are up to scratch. For cars obviously. It would be a perfect way to demonstrate defensive driving. Kid's leaping into the road, black ice, drunk drivers etc all in the safety of a simulator. I bet a lot of people would get a huge wake up call if their driving & behaviour was analysed like this. I have some retired friends who are convinced they are excellent drivers despite having a close call or a nudge once a week & no awareness of the centre line, the truth is they are terrifying but as the law stands they only have to do a sight test & a questionnaire to stay on the road unless the doctor says otherwise. Harrumph.
Gummint, get real, education not legislation.

**PrincessBandit** · 20th August 2009, 10:26

Originally Posted by Boob Johnson

Here's another novel idea...........how bout actually TEACHING people to ride/drive properly as part of the license obtaining process. The gubbermint could make more revenue out of the process as well, create employement, geez it aint rocket science!!! Prevent them from harming themselves in the first place & remove that fucking ambulance away from the bottom of that cliff

A bit wild n crazy I know, but hell, it might just work

I agree with you Boob, but good ole NZ seems all about ambulances at the bottom of the cliff. The problem is that the "fences at the top" are the type of ideas the powers-that-be are coming up with, which we in turn all deride and bitch about. Catch 22. Driver and rider education is what we need, and hope that it will encourage more "personal responsibility" in those who want the privilege of being at the controls of a vehicle.

Originally Posted by MSTRS

Of course there is....
The satisfaction of knowing that you are better than 'those turkeys'.
That's priceless, don't you know?

Actually, there was an article in our evening paper. I can't find it online, but can scan if you wanna see it. The article states that a Central Region Roadsafe campaign is about to get underway, whereby driving behaviour at various roundabouts/intersections will be observed and 'proper' driving will see the rego noted and a $10 MTA voucher sent to the registered owner.

Interesting idea, that. Rewarding good driving. How do they know the driver IS the owner, though.

At our VTNZ in Takanini there was a poster with numbers people could ring or text when observing good riding behaviour of motorcyclists. There were incentives for both rider and texter. Have no idea whether they had much feedback from it. Must go down and ask one day and will post the response.

**oldrider** · 20th August 2009, 10:59

Originally Posted by PrincessBandit

At our VTNZ in Takanini there was a poster with numbers people could ring or text when observing good riding behaviour of motorcyclists. There were incentives for both rider and texter. Have no idea whether they had much feedback from it. Must go down and ask one day and will post the response.

Unless the reporter is required to front and face those they accuse, that kind of thing only encourages police state informants like Hitler had during his reign.

There has to be a consequence for the reporter or they can be vindictive and remain anonymous! Remember the school pimp?

**Mikkel** · 20th August 2009, 11:07

Funny how the government points out that making day-time lights mandatory should improve motorcycling safety and then completely fails to consider that the same would be true for all motor vehicles.

And no, I am not looking for another shit-fight about this.

Originally Posted by MaxB

The solutions are there all around the world plain as day. Countries with high levels of driver training, good quality roads and hard to pass driving tests have the safest roads.

E.g. Germany, Scandinavia, Britain, Switzerland plus thay all have higher speed limits than us and are much safer.

I agree whole heartedly. But I do have to point out that Scandinavia isn't a country... anymore, in the good old days it sort of was.

**humphrt** · 20th August 2009, 11:19

numbers people could ring or text when observing good riding behaviour of motorcyclists

But we never manage to do anything right! Its amazing how many people take offence to me lane splitting(legally of course). Motorcyclists=Good riding behaviour

you must be kidding me. We are the enemy both to the general public and the gubbbbbberment

**george formby** · 20th August 2009, 11:25

Originally Posted by humphrt

But we never manage to do anything right! Its amazing how many people take offence to me lane splitting(legally of course). Motorcyclists=Good riding behaviour

you must be kidding me. We are the enemy both to the general public and the gubbbbbberment

I'm screwed, bike rider & bull terrier owner. No doubt you will see me on Close Up soon. Public enemy #1. Any body know how to get a dog to ride pillion? Oooh, I'm asking for more trouble with that question.

**idb** · 20th August 2009, 12:46

Originally Posted by george formby

I'm screwed, bike rider & bull terrier owner. No doubt you will see me on Close Up soon. Public enemy #1. Any body know how to get a dog to ride pillion? Oooh, I'm asking for more trouble with that question.

It's good to take a packed lunch with you when you go for a ride.

**Bounce001** · 20th August 2009, 13:23

Instead of spending money on road sfety campaigns, why doesn't the "powers that be" spend that money on actually fixing up the roads. Prime example - Northland roads when wet (or dry). When up there over Christmas last year, notice that when they botched road repairs, they just put an "Uneven Surface" sign up.

**george formby** · 20th August 2009, 14:06

Originally Posted by idb

It's good to take a packed lunch with you when you go for a ride.

Good call, plenty of "No dogs" & "No motorcycle" signs around. Cheese & pickle on Sunday then. If I had a "Caution, pickle sandwich on board" sign waving off the back, would drivers keep their distance?

**MSTRS:Me** · 20th August 2009, 14:08

Originally Posted by george formby

Good call, plenty of "No dogs" & "No motorcycle" signs around. Cheese & pickle on Sunday then. If I had a "Caution, pickle sandwich on board" sign waving off the back, would drivers keep their distance?

They might if you could somehow let them know that Pickle was what you called your Pomeranian....

**idb** · 20th August 2009, 14:35

Originally Posted by george formby

Good call, plenty of "No dogs" & "No motorcycle" signs around. Cheese & pickle on Sunday then. If I had a "Caution, pickle sandwich on board" sign waving off the back, would drivers keep their distance?

That would be a sandwich board then?

**idb** · 20th August 2009, 14:37

Originally Posted by MSTRS

They might if you could somehow let them know that Pickle was what you called your Pomeranian....

A Pomeranian would be easier to spread than a Bull Terrier, much more practical for sandwiches.

**dpex** · 20th August 2009, 18:41

Originally Posted by SPman

How can they come up with the right answers, when they aren't asking the right questions? Like all beauracrats, they are locked in a mindset that was left behind 40 yrs ago and are incapable of thinking beyond their narrow focused mindset.
Age should not be a requirement for getting a license - ability and mindset should be.

Good thought SpMan. Just recently CAA decided that any person could gain a licence to fly a glider, regardless of age, providing they demonstrated the necessary skill levels, and that didn't include just flying an aircraft, it includes reacting approrpiately to unforeseen circumstances.

Just latterly a 12 year-old gained her pilot's licence.

Age is not the guideline, attitude is.

This girl will have gone through an arduous training programme, probably within a small club, where everybody is watching for her slightest mistake. Moreover, she will be very aware of the fact that from anywhere above sixty feet from the ground, if she messes up she will probably get dead.

Clearly, she has taken all this on board and is now a qualified glider pilot, aged twelve. The question is, how do we get that level of committed learning into drivers of all types of vehicle.

Perhaps, in the club-scene is an answer. Perhaps a learner driver should be required to join a driving club. Perhaps that club would lay out proficiency parameters before qualifying the new member to go on the roads.

But then comes the next leg. Ergo, all the drivers who think they can drive, and mostly can, yet lack concentration because they emotionally substitute their car seat for a lounge suite. How do we deal with them?

Simple. We work out a method of punishment and REWARD!