Moron Motorists #3

[bychosis]

AEB for RAV4 came in 2015 and not standard across the range. Being rear end while stationary is probably my biggest fear. Not much you can do. Glad you came out relatively unscathed and the Subaru's protective shell worked!

You can see them coming (if you happen to look in the mirrors) and nothing you can do but brace for impact and hope for the best.

We got hit reat end a few weeks ago, had no idea what happened initially. I was passenger and kid on Ls in driver seat. In a manual and learner stalled on taking off from the lights. Neither of us was looking in the mirrors. It felt like a pretty big impact, but no airbags, the hatchback that hit the steel rear protection bar on my ute was still drivable a d basically intact so must not have been too hard. Still, both of us had sore necks for a few days.

[queequeg]

That is a bugger. Do you have an opportunity to upgrade to the 2.4 Turbo XT this time ?

The car is at Manheim waiting for an assessor to look at it. Once they declare it a total loss, we can start planning what to do. I have new for old replacement, so my assumption is I could upgrade to the 2.4T XT if I paid the difference, which is $5250 retail difference.
If they give me this as an option, I'll go do a test drive and make a decision. I honestly don't know if I can justify spending $5250 on myself when I have a mortgage, even with the cash sitting there. On the other hand, life is short.

[Andy01]

That is a bugger. Do you have an opportunity to upgrade to the 2.4 Turbo XT this time ?

The car is at Manheim waiting for an assessor to look at it. Once they declare it a total loss, we can start planning what to do. I have new for old replacement, so my assumption is I could upgrade to the 2.4T XT if I paid the difference, which is $5250 retail difference.
If they give me this as an option, I'll go do a test drive and make a decision. I honestly don't know if I can justify spending $5250 on myself when I have a mortgage, even with the cash sitting there. On the other hand, life is short.

Fair enough. I must say that there are times when some extra grunt in my Outback would be welcome (like overtaking on country roads), but most of the time the no-turbo is OK. As you say, hard to justify the extra spend unless you are a rev-head or regularly loaded up a bit.

[Thoglette]

Weaving in and out of traffic, clipping some, while missing a front wheel … in a truck-and-dog

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-20/ ... /104003450

[elantra]

Weaving in and out of traffic, clipping some, while missing a front wheel … in a truck-and-dog

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-20/ ... /104003450

You see a lot of dodgy stuff on that motorway but that is…. different !
At least he confined his antics to the motorway.
The list of driving infringements is going to be very long. Starting with unroadworthy vehicle- missing front tyre.

[MichaelB]

Weaving in and out of traffic, clipping some, while missing a front wheel … in a truck-and-dog

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-20/ ... /104003450

And bailed out of a moving truck !!

[queequeg]

That is a bugger. Do you have an opportunity to upgrade to the 2.4 Turbo XT this time ?

The car is at Manheim waiting for an assessor to look at it. Once they declare it a total loss, we can start planning what to do. I have new for old replacement, so my assumption is I could upgrade to the 2.4T XT if I paid the difference, which is $5250 retail difference.
If they give me this as an option, I'll go do a test drive and make a decision. I honestly don't know if I can justify spending $5250 on myself when I have a mortgage, even with the cash sitting there. On the other hand, life is short.

Fair enough. I must say that there are times when some extra grunt in my Outback would be welcome (like overtaking on country roads), but most of the time the no-turbo is OK. As you say, hard to justify the extra spend unless you are a rev-head or regularly loaded up a bit.

So,l I dropped into the dealer yesterday and drove a Sport XT (which is all they had). Anyway, the Turbo motor is so much nicer to drive. Once insurance tells me what is going on (car is being assessed at the moment), I'll be asking if I can do the upgrade and pay the difference in price I seriously had my mind made up barely 500m down the road into the test drive!

The most significant difference was that from a standstill you don't have to have the rpm up anywhere near as high. The Turbo just smoothly accelerates off the line with a low growl rather than the 4000rpm in the 2.5. The gearing ratio on the XT different too. I could feel that. Much more torque in the low end

[Andy01]

Good to hear - I hope it works out for you.

[Anrai]

Popping into the right thread this time
Near 7 months into stated illegality (I have to assume they were already technically illegal but there wasn't a specific code before,) the kids on the 2-stroke converted bikes have decided it's worth the risk after all. Saw two of them riding the cycleway together a few days ago, and heard what sounded like the whole posse (I've seen 4 together previously) riding around the streets 10:30pm last night.
I wouldn't mind so much if they weren't unnecessarily loud and I didn't know they're in the habit of riding the pedestrian ramps outside the local 24hr Kmart while shoppers are there.

Perhaps unrelated but I've also sighted a proper dirt bike on the cycleway about a week ago.

[bychosis]

Had a ute pull out in front of me today. Him about to left turn at a give way, me about to go around a 90degree bend (road continuing). He would have looked where I was coming from (for cars). Yes, I didn't have my light on and my jumper wasn't hi vis but he had no idea and I don't think could see who it was that called out as I pulled alongside his door. Yes, I could have braked behind, but wanted to make a point.

[queequeg]

Good to hear - I hope it works out for you.

Insurance confirmed today that the car is a Total Loss, so I should get a call this week from the recovery team to sort the new car.

[jasonc]

Good to hear - I hope it works out for you.

Insurance confirmed today that the car is a Total Loss, so I should get a call this week from the recovery team to sort the new car.

well that should be a quick outcome

[Andy01]

What is the delivery time on a new Outback now ? Two years ago it was 2-3 months (which was one of the shorter deliveries at the time).

[jasonc]

[find_bruce]

Yet to learn that advertising, like a tracer bullet, points both ways. I assume you're going to report it to their employer, not just to police

[jasonc]

Yet to learn that advertising, like a tracer bullet, points both ways. I assume you're going to report it to their employer, not just to police

the website seems to suggest a one man band. have reported to the police.

[g-boaf]

Amazingly talented driving:

https://www.news.com.au/national/queens ... 72b9176244

And people keep asking for higher speed limits in this country.

And another skilled example:

https://youtu.be/SCL68indygs?si=C0j13ZGrSydIbpy8&t=356

This one and the McLaren after it are interesting: https://youtu.be/SCL68indygs?si=XpWVnYJ1dyCdPEgW&t=94

[elantra]

Amazingly talented driving:

https://www.news.com.au/national/queens ... 72b9176244

In some states (NSW I think) P-plate drivers are not supposed to be driving at more than 90 km/hr, which automatically infers that shouldn’t be in the passing lane passing a vehicle (large truck) which is probably travelling at or near the speed limit.

[CmdrBiggles]

Amazingly talented driving:

https://www.news.com.au/national/queens ... 72b9176244

And people keep asking for higher speed limits in this country.

And another skilled example:

https://youtu.be/SCL68indygs?si=C0j13ZGrSydIbpy8&t=356

This one and the McLaren after it are interesting: https://youtu.be/SCL68indygs?si=XpWVnYJ1dyCdPEgW&t=94

I am in absolute, shocked disbelief at those scenes. Aren't dashcams wonderful?

[antigee]

half minded to put this in "war on motorists" but the police officer's comments swayed me:

"Drivers in the nation's capital are on notice – those who exceed the speed limit by 45km/h can now have their vehicle impounded for up to 90 days and their licence suspended on the spot under new police laws.
But it's those caught engaging in hoon behaviour in the Australian Capital Territory – including street racing, burnouts, donuts, and drifting – who have the most to lose, risking fines of up to $16,000 or a prison sentence of up to 12 months."

....."Police seized more than a dozen cars in January 2024 after Summernats attendees spilled onto Canberra streets, performing burnouts and donuts on public roads"......

"Australian Federal Police's Acting Inspector Mark Richardson told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper the drivers were a "sub-species of the human race" following the events.

"If we set up an IQ test station at the border instead of a vehicle-testing station, we’d halve our problems,” Acting Inspector Richardson said at the time.

"I don’t know what goes through their mind, but they just haven’t evolved very far."...

https://www.drive.com.au/news/lengthy-p ... -act-laws/

[MichaelB]

...

"Australian Federal Police's Acting Inspector Mark Richardson told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper the drivers were a "sub-species of the human race" following the events.

"If we set up an IQ test station at the border instead of a vehicle-testing station, we’d halve our problems,” Acting Inspector Richardson said at the time.
....

BRAVO, never truer words spoken ....

[Mr Purple]

Currently on holidays in Noosa - home of the ‘paint is not infrastructure’ bike lanes.

Nice wide roads, decent bike lanes but no protection. I spent the last 5km of today’s ride stuck behind an SUV driver who didn’t leave the bike lane once.

Pretty much every driver just randomly weaves in and out of the bike lane whether you’re there or not. It’s not rare to get a 30cm pass when you’re at the far left of a 2m wide shoulder. Just awful.

[jasonc]

...

"Australian Federal Police's Acting Inspector Mark Richardson told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper the drivers were a "sub-species of the human race" following the events.

"If we set up an IQ test station at the border instead of a vehicle-testing station, we’d halve our problems,” Acting Inspector Richardson said at the time.
....

BRAVO, never truer words spoken ....

as i've been saying for many years - psychometric testing for all license holders. will dramatically reduce the amount of vehicles on the road, and the amount of issues caused by those people

[bychosis]

...

"Australian Federal Police's Acting Inspector Mark Richardson told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper the drivers were a "sub-species of the human race" following the events.

"If we set up an IQ test station at the border instead of a vehicle-testing station, we’d halve our problems,” Acting Inspector Richardson said at the time.
....

BRAVO, never truer words spoken ....

While I don't disagree completely I suspect this person has probably said exactly the same thing about bicycle riders at some point after one went through a red light. Not the sort of language I like coming from a person with some form of power amd seniority.

[g-boaf]

half minded to put this in "war on motorists" but the police officer's comments swayed me:

"Drivers in the nation's capital are on notice – those who exceed the speed limit by 45km/h can now have their vehicle impounded for up to 90 days and their licence suspended on the spot under new police laws.
But it's those caught engaging in hoon behaviour in the Australian Capital Territory – including street racing, burnouts, donuts, and drifting – who have the most to lose, risking fines of up to $16,000 or a prison sentence of up to 12 months."

....."Police seized more than a dozen cars in January 2024 after Summernats attendees spilled onto Canberra streets, performing burnouts and donuts on public roads"......

"Australian Federal Police's Acting Inspector Mark Richardson told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper the drivers were a "sub-species of the human race" following the events.

"If we set up an IQ test station at the border instead of a vehicle-testing station, we’d halve our problems,” Acting Inspector Richardson said at the time.

"I don’t know what goes through their mind, but they just haven’t evolved very far."...

https://www.drive.com.au/news/lengthy-p ... -act-laws/

About time but people are plenty upset.

From the comments:

I also think having a car impounded for 155 km/h in a 110 km/h zone is bit mean

How else are they supposed to "enjoy" their car. Of course enjoyment involves burnouts and speeding on public roads. Surprising nobody rolls out the "w" word in the comments.