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Philip
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Joined: 18 Jun 2004
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Location: Queensland near Brisbane


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Oh truck

I had a close cal the other day. I nearly hit a P plate driver.

I was travelling in the left lane of the Warrego Highway at 90 kph when a P plater entered from the right. As he started to move, I checked my mirrors to make sure the right lane was clear. There was nothing for as far as I could see. Obviously, he would choose the empty right lane and not pull out immediately in front of a B double, right? Wrong. He came straight over into my lane. As soon as he crossed the line into my lane, I started steering into the other lane. It was so close, I could not see the back of his car. If I was loaded or there was traffic beside me, I would have had to hit him.
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So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems

Post Sat May 11, 2013 10:36 am 
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Knightrous
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If you had hit the P plater, at least you would have scored 10 points in the "Hit a Dickhead: Traffic Edition" game Smile
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Post Sat May 11, 2013 10:44 am 
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Glen
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Road rule number 1, dont fuck with a truck haha.
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Post Sat May 11, 2013 11:23 am 
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Jaemus
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Natural selection. I wouldn't have felt particularly much guilt as long as I'd done whatever I could to prevent it
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Post Sat May 11, 2013 12:40 pm 
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Nick
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Joined: 16 Jun 2004
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Location: Sydney, NSW


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Yeah, but Philip would probably have gotten the ticket, not the idiot P plater. Perhaps I missed the memo, but more drivers seem to believe that just by indicating, they have right of way when crossing lanes even if you have to brake & swerve to miss them - A similar thing happened to me just last night.

Post Sat May 11, 2013 1:05 pm 
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Philip
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Joined: 18 Jun 2004
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Location: Queensland near Brisbane


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I should have said the P plater entered the highway from a side street on the right. He had a give way sign. He was stopped on the side road and was only doing 30 - 40 kph by the time he was directly in front of me.
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So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems

Post Sat May 11, 2013 1:19 pm 
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Jaemus
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Nick - P plate would have been a magnet for the cops to assign blame there. At least they'd have been right this time.
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Post Sat May 11, 2013 2:46 pm 
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marto
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I hope there was much horn to at least scare the shit out of them so they never do it again. Its all about experinence and this youth obviously has no idea that a truck can't slow down for him like a car. Or just misjudged as they have nfi. Not really a lot you can do.
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Post Sat May 11, 2013 4:19 pm 
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Philip
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Joined: 18 Jun 2004
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Location: Queensland near Brisbane


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No horn. I was flat out steering. I did consider talking to him at the lights in the next town, but thought it may scare him.

We should try to give everyone understanding of how different vehicles operate as part of our licensing procedure. If people understood how poorly a truck changes speed and direction, they may make better decisions around trucks. Also, if people knew how little you could see from your truck, some might not dart around the back of you while reversing.
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So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems

Post Sun May 12, 2013 3:09 am 
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Knightrous
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Joined: 15 Jun 2004
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Location: NSW


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quote:
Originally posted by Philip:
We should try to give everyone understanding of how different vehicles operate as part of our licensing procedure. If people understood how poorly a truck changes speed and direction, they may make better decisions around trucks. Also, if people knew how little you could see from your truck, some might not dart around the back of you while reversing.


This is definitely one that "gets my goat". The government brings in these stupid things like P plates (paints a target on your car) and 200 hrs log books before people can get their license, but they do nothing to really prepare a young person for driving. 200hrs of driving around local suburbs or as it happens out my way, around the rural back roads does not prepare you for 4 lanes of peak hour traffic in Brisbane, let alone in the rain, fog or high winds. The young drivers of today just don't seem to grasp that 50 tonnes of B-Double Truck does not stop in 30m like a normal sedan.

The other thing is, learners are taught by their parents, people who generally haven't looked at the road rules since they passed their learners test 20+ years ago and they have usually developed 20+ years of bad habits in the process (slouched seating, etc). So it ends up a case of the near blind leading the blind. Just have a look the next time you walk through a shopping centre car park and see how many parents can actually parallel park.... And these are the people who are suppose to be teaching young kids to reverse angle park.

I was pretty lucky in the fact my parents were dead set on me learning to drive properly (They actually read the rule book too!). I drove around 18000km in the 6 mouths that I had to be on my learners (the good ole days lol) and I drove in a range of vehicles from a little Toyota Paseo (easy to see out of and park) to large Toyota Landcruiser (crap reversing visibility) in all kinds of conditions. So by the time I went for my license, I was pretty much ready for most things out in the real world.

Then there is the complete lack of basic mechanical knowledge for cars passed onto the current generation of drivers. When I first met Cait, we took her Impreza to Brisbane, before we left I asked her if she had checked the oil lately, "No, Subaru did that when it was serviced" (3 months ago). I lifted the bonnet and asked her where is the dip stick, "Umm... I don't know...". After a brief talk on where the dipstick is and why checking your oil is important (Just cause your car is has a warranty and you have RACQ doesn't mean your covered from a blown motor which ran out of oil) she now regularly check the oil, coolant and tire pressures before we go on any sizable journey.

Hmmm... Well that post/rant ended up longer then expected Laughing
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Post Sun May 12, 2013 11:33 am 
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Valen
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Joined: 07 Jul 2004
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I think the driving test should be set such that 20% of the population are unable to pass it (ever, no matter how hard they try). Assuming that like most things 20% of the users cause 80% of the problem

It should involve getting around a track within a time limit to prove you can control the car.
At some point something bad will happen, you will "die" if it was real life, so don't get cocky.
Basic car repair and knowledge is a part of it, change a tyre, replace a blown radiator hose, explain the 4 stroke cycle.

Before you whine about "people don't need to know this" just remember they are driving 2000Kg of kinetic death towards your wife/kid/dog. Anything that helps weed out the incompetents is welcome, driving a car for 200 hours at 80km/h doesn't help.

Also for that matter ditch the speed limits on L and P plates, most accidents on the motorways happen as a result of lane changes, is it any wonder people driving 30km/h under the speed limit are over represented in accidents?
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Post Sun May 12, 2013 6:25 pm 
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Philip
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Joined: 18 Jun 2004
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Location: Queensland near Brisbane


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quote:
Originally posted by Knightrous:
... So by the time I went for my license, I was pretty much ready for most things out in the real world.
You got a good grounding, but how many new drivers get that opportunity?

Anyone can drive a large four wheel drive towing a caravan on a car license without training or experience with that combination. Imagine if you had to reverse a caravan into a space 150 mm wider than the caravan to get your car license.
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So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems

Post Tue May 14, 2013 5:29 am 
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Daniel
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
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Location: Gold Coast


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I get annoyed that people coming here from another country don't need to sit any tests to get a licence. Every time I drive around home I always see at least one international student driving down the wrong side of the road or drive into round abouts without looking. I usually hear one crash a week while sitting in my lounge room.
But that's one of the reasons Sunnybank is such an entertaining place to live.

Post Tue May 14, 2013 8:42 am 
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Daniel
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
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Location: Gold Coast


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Philip - Do truck drivers have something against small purple cars?
I've been driving backward and forward to Toowoomba a few times recently and I keep getting truck drivers trying to run me off the road or refuse to let me pass them. Should I charge the colour of my car to something more visable?

Post Thu Aug 08, 2013 3:37 pm 
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Philip
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Joined: 18 Jun 2004
Posts: 3842
Location: Queensland near Brisbane


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How do they try to run you off the road and refuse to let you pass? Get yourself a truck and they will leave you alone.

I get out of truck's way in my car now that I understand how dangerous trucks are. You may be in the right but don't be dead right.

I gave a red P plater an 'Oh truck' moment up at Toowoomba the other morning. I was coming out of the BP on the Warrego Highway with my left indicator on. I was still bringing my truck back into the left lane (after using three lanes to get out of the BP's driveway). The red P turned in front of me on Hursley Road. She must have thought I was turning at the lights. We drivers often forget our indicators. We can't hear them and the often don't self cancel.
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So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems

Post Thu Aug 08, 2013 4:54 pm 
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