Re: [Vic] Tram & Pedestrian Accident Today

["John Kerley" <deaftech@ozemail.com.au>]

David McLoughlin <davemcl@AXE*THISiprolink.co.nz> wrote in message
38640cac@news.iprolink.co.nz">news:38640cac@news.iprolink.co.nz...
> On the freeways here, hardly anyone indicates a lane-change, because if
> they do, all the other cars speed up to stop them changing lanes. This
> means most people change lanes dangerous without warning. There are lots
> and lots of crashes on the freeways here because of this.
>
> Every time I make a visit "home" to Melbourne it astounds me to see the
> courteous driving. It astounds me even more to see drivers automatically
> stop to let pedestrians cross a crossing. Here, a pedestrian crossing is
> somewhere that pedestrians can cross if there is no traffic or if cars
> actually stop (which they are not required to do unless a pedestrian is
> actually on the crossing, meaning one usually has to wait for a break in
> the traffic to cross, as few motorists will stop to let you on to the
> crossing). In Auckland, so many pedestrians have been run down on
> crossings in recent years that the council has been building islands in
> the middle of the roads (like tram safety zones) for pedestrians to take
> shelter in while waiting for a break in the traffic to complete the
> suicidal run to the other side.
>
> Don't even mention red lights here -- they seem to be optional, again
> especially for the 4WDs that are taking over the roads here.
>
> When I drive, I just like to piss the roadhogs off by stopping to let
> pedestrians cross on a crossing, stopping to let buses out of stops and
> stopping when the light ahead goes amber or red (which can be dangerous
> as many drivers speed up when the light goes amber, but so far I haven't
> been rear-ended). And hey when a car on the freeway does signal a lane
> change I let them in, in the hope they might do the same for someone
> else one day.
>
> David McLoughlin
> Auckland New Zealand

I am glad that my perception of Kiwi driving ability, or rather the lack of
it, is not just "mainland" prejudice.

During an extended rail tour visit about five years ago, we had a free day
and hired a car for the day.  The recklessness on the roads was astounding.
One lunatic, amongst several, overtook us at high speed on relatively narrow
road.  A while later we came upon an accident in which he was involved and
which from a report in the paper the next day, was a fatal, but presumably
not the lunatic as the victim was a member of a NZ road safety organization!
Indeed driving in NZ in the 90s reminded me of Victoria in the 60s.

On my last visit to NZ two years ago I stayed on rail!  However this still
didn't protect me entirely from lunatic Kiwi motorists.  Twice we were
delayed by cars interacting with trains.  One was at a level crossing where
a car ran into the side of a train ahead of us, and one to our own train
where a vehicle was parked foul of the track.  Although we only clipped it
and no one was hurt and only some paint scraped of the loco, the safety
regime over there required mandatory relief of the crew with a consequent
delay of over an hour.

Cheers,

John Kerley