Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Road toll rises, wallopers despair, questions asked

We've just returned from a School Holiday period in Queensland, and in most of Australia. In Queensland questions are being asked as the road toll over this two week period was 21 dead, with 10 of them dying on Queensland roads this past weekend.
Police are in despair, as Queensland's road toll stands at 173.
Here's a table of the fatalities for Queensland, up to 6 July, 08.

Now, there's a few things which can be done to try to stop motor vehicle fatalities.

1. Ban cars. Silly as it sounds, this is the ALP we're talking about.
2. Cut motorists' speed so that everyone will be at walking pace - again, it's the ALP, anything's possible.
3. Use the motza hoovered out of motorists' pockets via speed cameras to pay for more police.

The first thing I do when I see a police car is to check my speed and be a bit more careful about driving. Perhaps if there were more police to take care of crime and the prevention of breeching of road rules there would be less fatalities due to stupidity and hooning.

There will always be deaths on the road, they cannot be stopped, particularly ones in remote areas, but a police presence will certainly make many people more cautious and aware of what they are doing when driving their cars.

Update:
Yeah, it appears that they're going to change the advertisements about driving safely.
That's gonna work! Like all the fines, etc.

Boy on a bike has commented about the "pucker factor" of a copper just standing by your car (or passing in the other direction in a marked car) - you really do pay more attention after you see them!

6 comments:

Boy on a bike said...

I think you'll find that resources have been constantly sucked out of the old highway patrol areas, with people being replaced with cameras.

I find that nothing deters like a good old fashioned copper standing beside your door. Even if he's only pulled you over for an RBT. A camera has none of the "pucker factor" of a bloke in blue.

Anonymous said...

Kae. If dangerous drivers thought that there was a real chance they would be punished in a manner that concerned them, there would be less dangerous driving. Simple as that.

An Emergency Services doctor in Brisbane suggested that idiot drivers have their cars crushed in front of them. That would work. I think that's a great idea. And send the bastards the video as a reminder.

There are many other suitable punishments but unfortunately the liberal law makers have made it too easy for many of these cretins.

Until that changes there are going to be many many more unnecessary deaths on our roads. I just pray that my offspring aren't amongst them. Mehaul

kae said...

Yeah, Mehaul. I get your point.
But being a usually law-abiding citizen I find the police visibility a deterrent to inadvertent speeding, etc.

There'll always be idiots and hoons on the road, I suppose car-crushing would be the best deterrent for them.

Skeeter said...

To me,crushing a perfectly good car seems an unnecessary waste of resources.
Perhaps a better plan would be to use the car in crash testing, and force the hoon to watch what happens to his beloved car when it speeds into a concrete wall.
For second offences, the hoon could be used as the dummy in the crash test.

Anonymous said...

That's even better Skeeter. A young idiot passed me at high speed this evening in relatively heavy traffic next to Royal Pines, swerving in and out with no indicators, in light rain. I caught up with him at the lights. The skinny little prick with his hat and shades on (it was dark) was oblivious to everything. The music was thumping. I just wanted to pull him out of the car and throw him and his keys in different directions. It's who they kill on their way out that gives me the erks.

But I suppose that makes me an aggressive anti libertarian. Mehaul

Anonymous said...

Now I'm not the best person to seek a reasonable comment from on this matter, what with earning my living on the roads and all, but I feel we shouldn't take it out on the poor cars.

Get the driver and smash both feet up with a ball peen hammer. Slowly, starting at the little toes. Make family and friends watch.

Lets see them drive like a tool now.

What? They're having trouble walking? Too bad.

Imagine what would happen if they got cleaned up by a truck with a load of flammables. Like mine...

P.S. More cops is the only way to go, only problem is cop cars are easy to see. Unlike a speed camera. I guess it just depends on if your government prefers money now or taxpayers later.