Dangerous drivers

25/07/2008

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Comments: 4 readers have left a comment

I’m a country bloke who swore he would never live in the city. Well, here I am in the big smoke now but I’m wishing I was back in the bush, because I am sick of fearing for my life every time I get behind the wheel.

The super-aggressive attitude of drivers these days is scaring me, and it seems to be getting worse.

Since when did an orange light mean it was time to go as fast as possible to make sure you beat the red? The number of times I have seen drivers put the foot down 100m from the lights and flog through as it turns red is frightening.

Another thing that gets me is merging traffic. As soon as drivers see that “form one lane” sign they speed up to get in front of as many cars as possible, and then cut in on the traffic. And what does it achieve? Well, they get to their destination just a few seconds before everyone else. Wow.

Young drivers astound me also. It seems they think the P on P-plate stands for pretentious because they have little regard for the rules or anyone else on the road.

It’s not just the young blokes either - the girls are just as bad at speeding and seemingly being off in another world when they’re driving, totally oblivious to what’s going on around them. One only hopes the new P-plate laws will curtail their bad habits.

People in general seem so impatient and are always in a hurry. I’m no prude but I’m totally amazed that cars are rushing by me even if I’m sitting on the speed limit or just above. I have the last laugh a lot of the time though - they get stuck in traffic just like me and all that energy and frustration is wasted for them. Sucked in, I say.

But you have to be careful what you do and say on the road these days - the number of road rage incidents is, quite frankly, downright scary and I’m paranoid about pissing the wrong person off, just by looking sideways at them, and getting a crowbar through my skull for my troubles.

It’s my family I worry about more, though. I reckon if anything ever happened to them as a result of the behaviour of these road warriors I would find it hard to be responsible for my actions that followed.

What’s the solution? More cops on the road would be a big help, and they need to be seen to be a deterrent - in marked cars patrolling the roads. None of this sneaky stuff hiding behind bushes or placing speed cameras where you can’t see them.

Getting a fine in the mail can never have the same effect as a traffic cop reading you the riot act when you know everyone is looking at you.

Enough of the ranting. I’m visualising a peaceful, winding road through a forest in the South West to calm me down. As John Denver famously sang: “Take me home, country road…”

Reader Comments

bignanna

26/07/2008 at 14:33

My husband & I love getting away from the total idiots on the road here in Perth, people don't have any patience anymore, they put their brain in top gear, I'm the only person on the road & off I go. Followed driving instructor down Pheonix rd last week. God help who he teaches, the bloody idiot broke every traffic rule in the book. And he was a male. Unfortunately the good old days of having police on the road (remember when u couldn't drive with your right arm resting on open window sill) are way gone, modern policing Mr Commissioner DOES NOT WORK, everybody knows no police on roads that's why idiots get away with this pathetic so called driving skills. Bring back 21yrs for d/license & probation till 24yrs. Maybe this will help less female/male hormones involved, girls just as bad as boys.

Jacko

27/07/2008 at 13:18

Perhaps a modern equivalent of the "Stocks" would shame people into behaving on the road or anywhere else.
A column in the Local Newspapers of the names of persons who offend. Fining is of no use, the person often doesn't pay the fine and more Police time is taken to Prosecute them. If the individual repeated the offence, then the Column would highlight this for 4-6 weeks.

effjayh

28/07/2008 at 12:43

Sorry, bloke business, but its just as bad in the "country" - read the stats. And SW roads featured very heavily in the recent RAC worst roads survey.
The solution - get everyone out of cars, and back on their bikes and public transport

Pat

13/08/2008 at 06:49

What really makes me ticked is that the so called lame laws do not provide any form of deterent to these so called reckless drivers. How many times have we read in papers about drivers who caused the death of others getting just a slap on the wrist, the recent ones especially where they might get off after spending just 6 months in Jail. It is ridiculous that these... I don't know what to call them, no bad words can compare to these people.. just lose 6 months of their freedom. Six months!! When someone else loses their life potentially years and years of lost love and companionship by the families that were left behind. Family members who will have to cope with the sadness of not having one of their loved ones every day for the rest of their lives. I am disgusted by the truth in sentencing law. I just hope everyone will vote out the government who introduced that damn law.