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Knightrous
Site Admin
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Posts: 8511
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 _________________ https://www.halfdonethings.com/
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Sun May 12, 2013 11:33 am |
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Valen
Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 4436
Location: Sydney
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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? _________________ Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets
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Sun May 12, 2013 6:25 pm |
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