War on cars

[find_bruce]

Still in the courts, and latest news on the defence is

Outside court, Mr Caldicott said his client intended to plead not guilty if the case progressed.
"On the basis of no alcohol, no drugs, no inexperience, no revving, no inattention," he said.
"It was just an accident, every day of the week people have accidents."

Yeah right, driving along a straight road in a 60km/hr zone just causes the car to veer off the road . Been down that specific road many times and never had an issue going straight .....

He has been charged with charged with causing death by dangerous driving - it is not just causing death by driving but the prosecution have to prove that there was something about the driving that was inherently more dangerous than usual. Most often this is alcohol, drugs, speed etc, but it has to be something specific.

Like you I am skeptical that this crash happened while he was just driving along, but that's why Youlden and Canto - as well as racing supercars and working at a performance driving school, both have raced Lamborghinis. Canto in particular has some experience in crashing one

[Comedian]

My old Nissan Patrol made in 1989 had the hand brake on the drive shaft. Designed so it could be used on down hill slippery hills with out locking up the rear wheels.
I knew you fellas would need to know that, liking 4x4s as you do....

My landrover has one of those.

[MichaelB]

He has been charged with charged with causing death by dangerous driving - it is not just causing death by driving but the prosecution have to prove that there was something about the driving that was inherently more dangerous than usual. Most often this is alcohol, drugs, speed etc, but it has to be something specific.

In the article, they mention something about the Lambo data chip, but 'accessing' it seems to be not straight fwd. Dunno why.

The sad thing is that 2 people were killed. Completely innocent, and they are trying to do the 'accident' so no charges should be laid. Really sad on many levels.

[AdelaidePeter]

He has been charged with charged with causing death by dangerous driving - it is not just causing death by driving but the prosecution have to prove that there was something about the driving that was inherently more dangerous than usual. Most often this is alcohol, drugs, speed etc, but it has to be something specific.

In the article, they mention something about the Lambo data chip, but 'accessing' it seems to be not straight fwd. Dunno why.

The sad thing is that 2 people were killed. Completely innocent, and they are trying to do the 'accident' so no charges should be laid. Really sad on many levels.

Actually "only" 1 person was killed in that incident.

Yeah it is sad that a lawyer is trying to brush this off as an accident. (Yes I know he's just doing what his client says, but no one forced him to take the case.) The lawyer has also previously said "Mr Campbell is a person who's never been in trouble with the authorities" https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-31/ ... h/11369444 , conveniently ignoring his 18 previous traffic offences and street racing conviction https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-15/ ... g/11604676 .

[Arbuckle23]

My old Nissan Patrol made in 1989 had the hand brake on the drive shaft. Designed so it could be used on down hill slippery hills with out locking up the rear wheels.
I knew you fellas would need to know that, liking 4x4s as you do....

My landrover has one of those.

My old FJ55 Landcruiser as well

[DavidS]

My old Nissan Patrol made in 1989 had the hand brake on the drive shaft. Designed so it could be used on down hill slippery hills with out locking up the rear wheels.
I knew you fellas would need to know that, liking 4x4s as you do....

I had a G60 Nissan Patrol, about 1977 from memory. Had the same thing.

Totally useless as a handbrake it was too.

DS

[Thoglette]

UK councils encouraged to keep up with traffic reduction schemes

The UK government is to push ahead with a new wave of traffic reduction schemes to help more people walk and cycle, telling councils that while they must properly consult on new projects, they should also not be derailed by a minority of noisy opponents.

[mikesbytes]

[opik_bidin]

Why does british right wing conservatives keep showing they are cyclist friendly?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... roads.html

1 Rishi Sunak said to be 'very interested' in idea of a national road pricing scheme
2. It would see motorists in the UK charged a fee for every mile of road they use
3. Similar scheme was dropped by Labour in 2007 after plans sparked a backlash
4. Currently road charges limited to areas such as M6 Toll and Dartford Crossing

[P!N20]

Melbourne considers slashing cost of parking as part of car-led recovery

https://amp.theage.com.au/politics/vict ... ssion=true

[mikesbytes]

Why does british right wing conservatives keep showing they are cyclist friendly?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... roads.html

1 Rishi Sunak said to be 'very interested' in idea of a national road pricing scheme
2. It would see motorists in the UK charged a fee for every mile of road they use
3. Similar scheme was dropped by Labour in 2007 after plans sparked a backlash
4. Currently road charges limited to areas such as M6 Toll and Dartford Crossing

Couldn't they simply put a tax on materials that generate CO2. That would mean that some of the electricity would be taxed as it's generated thru the burning of fossil fuels

[mikesbytes]

Melbourne considers slashing cost of parking as part of car-led recovery

https://amp.theage.com.au/politics/vict ... ssion=true

The drop is due to people working from home due to COVID. They would be better off just leaving it alone. OK I'm preaching to the converted

[cyclingnolycra]

Melbourne considers slashing cost of parking as part of car-led recovery

https://amp.theage.com.au/politics/vict ... ssion=true

The drop is due to people working from home due to COVID. They would be better off just leaving it alone. OK I'm preaching to the converted

Yep, stupid idea on so many counts. A missed opportunity.

[mikesbytes]

[Thoglette]

From Bloomberg via Rivbike
The dangerous rise of supersized trucks

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... ckup-truck

Then

Now


My favourite quote

Petro-masculinity helps explain not only these vehicles’ confrontational styling, but the often equally belligerent way in which they are operated.

[mikesbytes]

From Bloomberg via Rivbike
The dangerous rise of supersized trucks

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... ckup-truck

Then

Now


My favourite quote

Petro-masculinity helps explain not only these vehicles’ confrontational styling, but the often equally belligerent way in which they are operated.

We need regulations on visibility of pedestrians and others. CO2 output needs to be another regulation.

[Shred11]

We need regulations on visibility of pedestrians and others. CO2 output needs to be another regulation.

The size of some of the current generation of "look at the size of my... car" trucks is truly insane - and their cargo carrying capability is not that great. To see some of these behemoths shoehorned in to a normal parking space, makes me wonder "what sort of person buys these things?" Any pedestrian safety features are usually defeated by the owner retro-fitting a bull bar and other accessories totally unsuited to city driving.

It's a free country: if you genuinely need such a large vehicle and it complies with our regulartions, then you should be allowed to have it, but there should be a very large annual tax levied on them for the inconvenience to other road users. Also, the penalties for driving offences should be scaled up along with the kerb mass of the vehicle and it's matching potential to cause harm.

[mikesbytes]

We need regulations on visibility of pedestrians and others. CO2 output needs to be another regulation.

The size of some of the current generation of "look at the size of my... car" trucks is truly insane - and their cargo carrying capability is not that great. To see some of these behemoths shoehorned in to a normal parking space, makes me wonder "what sort of person buys these things?" Any pedestrian safety features are usually defeated by the owner retro-fitting a bull bar and other accessories totally unsuited to city driving.

It's a free country: if you genuinely need such a large vehicle and it complies with our regulartions, then you should be allowed to have it, but there should be a very large annual tax levied on them for the inconvenience to other road users. Also, the penalties for driving offences should be scaled up along with the kerb mass of the vehicle and it's matching potential to cause harm.

We discussed bull bars in another thread, it is possible to get bull bars that improve pedestrian safety but as we all know most bull bars don't. My view is that bull bars should only be permitted where they improve the safety of whoever can get hit by it.

[Comedian]

From Bloomberg via Rivbike
The dangerous rise of supersized trucks

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... ckup-truck

Then

Now


My favourite quote

Petro-masculinity helps explain not only these vehicles’ confrontational styling, but the often equally belligerent way in which they are operated.

We need regulations on visibility of pedestrians and others. CO2 output needs to be another regulation.

So, I was driving home from school pickup (massive rain - no riding today). I'm going to confess, I own a landrover defender which I bought new in 2005.

Anyway - a hilux pulled up along side. When we got our defender it towered over pretty much all 4x4's on the market. These days.. not so much. As I was looking at the hilux I was struck by how big (high it looked). I noted that it's roof was actually about where they always have been, and they still are quite low to the ground but the doors and body is really high.

They visually appear a much bigger car. Knowing how carmakers think - people will pay more for a bigger car. So this seems to be pretty universal so clearly if they make them visually bigger they make more profit.

I looked at the specs and they are marginally higher but not much.

2005 Hilux Height 1780 Ground clearance 225

https://www.carsguide.com.au/toyota/hil ... sions/2005

2021 Hilux Height 1795 Ground Clearance 247

https://www.carsguide.com.au/toyota/hil ... d=xITQZdDM

[brumby33]

One thing I've found on some of those 4X4 Utes like the Hilux and especially the Hilux, that entry is very tricky. I don't know of other makes but with the Hilux, the floorpan is higher than the door entry sill. I think it's designed that way so that if you go through water crossings and you open the doors, water will flow out completely instead of sloshing around in deep foot wells. So floor to roof is actually quite shallow and there's no foot well to place your feet as you try and get into the drivers seat.
I couldn't work out at first why i couldn't comfortably climb in the 4 x 4 Hilux ute we had at work but i could easily get into the Toyota Yaris, it's because the foot well is higher than the entrance...I would never buy one for that point alone. Thank God it went to the maintenance section and we got a new Yaris instead....happy days!!

brumby33

[mikesbytes]

[Thoglette]

"we had to relocate ... miles of freeway"
"it's a political issue" "there's plenty of opposition from cars and airplanes"
"as long as the private sector does it, I have no problem" (v.s. everywhere else in the world)

Genuine High speed (200mph) end to end is bloody expensive. Where as 200kph on the straights (slowing down through the difficult bits) is cheap.

Same problem here with SYD-MEL - there's a hundred or so km of difficult terrain which accounts for the majority of the cost. Drop the speed over those and suddenly it's not so expensive.

[rkelsen]

Buying competing services and shutting them down in order to force people to use your products and services is outright fascism.

A true 'free market' capitalist would never do that.

"as long as the private sector does it, I have no problem"

[Thoglette]

Buying competing services and shutting them down in order to force people to use your products and services is outright fascism.

I realised I forgot that bit.

Whereas here they got the government to do the digging up and the burning of trams. Although the WA govt did outsource the neglect and abandonment of our “teir 3” railways.

And the Feds paid for all the interstates. (Ditto here) That isn’t evil socialism but building rail lines is, somehow.

[g-boaf]

Genuine High speed (200mph) end to end is bloody expensive. Where as 200kph on the straights (slowing down through the difficult bits) is cheap.

Even France doesn't do 200mph end to end:




For a good 15 minutes from the start on the second video the train is moving at normal "classic" line speeds. Then it enters LGV Rhône-Alpes.