Old Pacific Hwy Death

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by Firefox7

Yeah.... you forgot to mention the fog...that road gets damp late at night from heavy dew and thick fog, and theirs always parts of the road that are constantly wet after heavy rainfalls like we have had in the last few weeks. Sometimes I wonder if they should have re-opened it. The only reason they did was because of that debacle on the F3 a few years back.

Maaate - the roads a vital valve in times of emergencies, and aside from a few cowboys, is a nice drive. I use it often.

The cost to reopen the road following the landslide was 2.2 million dollars, thank you Commonwealth:-)

[Nostalgia]

Originally Posted by Ruger

damn he lives close by here alright.

I agree with what casper said and will also take the oppurtunity to say a honda civic is not a performance car. they are just using it to stab at hi-po cars again. A man dies and they use it to have ago at high performance cars good one media!
Its proof you can kill yourself in a little 4 cyl it doesnt need to be a big v8 or something. Yes you can still kill yourself in a little honda civic or mitsu mirage.

This has been my argument all along, you can have a Datsun 120Y and wrap it around a pole. We gotta drive to suit the conditions. What ever happened to people slowing down when the conditions arent too good. Maybe im getting "older" but driving in the wet just dosent have the same appeal as when i was 18. We all need to slow down and think about our loved ones each time we get behind the wheel.

[MO]

Its the same old story speed DOES NOT KILL...inappropriate speed for conditions can.

Whether its a hipo bent 8 or a 3cyl diesel...

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by EAadam

This has been my argument all along, you can have a Datsun 120Y and wrap it around a pole. We gotta drive to suit the conditions. What ever happened to people slowing down when the conditions arent too good. Maybe im getting "older" but driving in the wet just dosent have the same appeal as when i was 18. We all need to slow down and think about our loved ones each time we get behind the wheel.

"Speed limit conditioning". In our day, certainly under (//) you had no choice but to choose your safe speed.

I am increasingly certain NSW will again use (//) on remote western highways to old NT effect, but on a per length of road basis rather than geographical. Timeframe three years.

[MO]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

"Speed limit conditioning". In our day, certainly under (//) you had no choice but to choose your safe speed.

I am increasingly certain NSW will again use (//) on remote western highways to NT effect, but on a per length of road basis. Timeframe three years.

I hope your right but have my doubts..

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by MO

I hope your right but have my doubts..

Without fanfare it *will* be done.
A week or so ago key speed managers were chasing up remaining (//) signs for removal (Nth NSW), this must be carried out to enable proper reintroduction.

New 'end speed-limit signs' will also be used with greater frequency, this is derestriction up to the rural default. The sign (R4-12) is undergoing dimension redevelopment. It is seperate to the (//) sign. The end-speed limit sign will signal to a road user that the road ahead has quality and safety issues, so the driver will need to take particular care when spotting one.

Use of (//) on high quality state highway lengths are not expected to negatively impact overall road network safety. An exception more than the rule.

Theory behind this is to bring the onus on 'safe speed' primarily back onto the driver once again, as it was pre July 1979.

[FPV8U]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

Theory behind this is to bring the onus on 'safe speed' primarily back onto the driver once again, as it was pre July 1979.

That theory should be used more often, when living in WA i live close to some old ( // ) roads, they were hardly what you would have once done 200Km/h on, unless you were insane.

Putting responsibilty back on the driver is the best thing they could do on some county roads, i can think of many local roads that have a limit of 100Km/h, but you would be pushing to get a FPV past 80Km/h as it's a nice tight road, on the other hand i know of some local roads that are posted as 100km/h that could easily be ( // ) roads.

[Keepleft]

FPV8U writes: - That theory should be used more often, when living in WA i live close to some old ( // ) roads, they were hardly what you would have once done 200Km/h on, unless you were insane

.
Right! These are the roads that the new 'end speed-limit' sign will apply. In Australian Standard 1742.4 of 1999 the sign is catalogued as an R4-12 - it signals the rural default as a maximum, but that the driver can expect the road ahead to to have quality issues that impact safety, hidden intersections or driveways, soft-edges, poor camber or surface, rail crossings etc.

The speed derestriction sign, catalogued R4-2 in the same Standard represents that no speed limit applies to the road beyond the sign. These will be removed and replaced with the above sign, generally.

Putting responsibilty back on the driver is the best thing they could do on some county roads, i can think of many local roads that have a limit of 100Km/h, but you would be pushing to get a FPV past 80Km/h as it's a nice tight road, on the other hand i know of some local roads that are posted as 100km/h that could easily be ( // ) roads.

That would be the idea with time. It will be up to a state authority to choose if they wish to apply (//), but that it will apply in the same manner as speed-limit sign, that is - on a per length of road basis rather than NT's old (//) 'geographical allowance. I'd suggest, you'd see higher posted speed restrictions, in the order of 130km/h, a la NT now. Personally I'd rather (//) in safety terms to avoid bunching-up effect that we will get even at 130km/h.

Your example highlights my personal view that the rural default speed limit needs to be more better suited to the lower quality roads it serves.

I have long thought therefore that the 'rural default' should be 80km/h, and that the R4-12 sign be used to signal it. Meaning of course other individual rural roads of higher quality would remain speed limit posted with a higher allowance than 80km/h, OR that certain highway lengths could be (//) if so chosen by the relevant state authority.

We are heading back in this direction, certainly in NSW, but the changes will take 3 - 5 years before implementation. It is being done, and the benfit will be reduced nervous tension, fatigue levels etc.

Prior to July 1979 the NSW rural default was 80km/h, but that you could exceed that if conditions were safe and warranted. This was an NT style application, far better to have appllied the allowance to the states safest highways, this will be the future approach - per length of road rather than blanket.

The derestriction signs are being removed from WA roads and are being replaced with the 'end speed-limit' sign per above.

[GXL078]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

New 'end speed-limit signs' will also be used with greater frequency, this is derestriction up to the rural default. The sign (R4-12) is undergoing dimension redevelopment. It is seperate to the (//) sign. The end-speed limit sign will signal to a road user that the road ahead has quality and safety issues, so the driver will need to take particular care when spotting one.

Use of (//) on high quality state highway lengths are not expected to negatively impact overall road network safety. An exception more than the rule.

Theory behind this is to bring the onus on 'safe speed' primarily back onto the driver once again, as it was pre July 1979.

In other words, rather than improving the roads the Government doing away with the speed "limit" so they cannot be held acountable when they cannot state what a "safe" speed for that road would be.

[Force6]

Turns out he was a nissansilvia forums regular, or friend of members there. Same thread over there, discussing the same things you guys are.