RACQ Clubhouse: Email roadahead@racq.com.au. Mail The Road Ahead, P.O. Box 4, Springwood, QLD, 4127. Please include name and address. Letters will not receive an individual reply and should be no more than 120 words.
Grateful travellers
After a caravan trip to Cairns, we were 150km north of Rockhampton when our tow vehicle overheated. We called RACQ; a tow truck was sent from Rocky and we were put up in a van park for two nights. As mechanics in Rocky couldn’t look at our vehicle for a week, we again called RACQ.
The next day they towed us from Rocky to Bundaberg and our vehicle was taken to our mechanic. Because we had RACQ Ultimate Care membership our towing costs were covered for the long trip home. We’re so thankful for their care when we needed them.
JANISE KREBS, BUNDABERG
Driving skills invaluable
In the early 1970s I chose a school elective to attend an advanced driver training centre in Shepparton, Victoria. As a 14-year-old I knew everything, so the advanced driver training was a valuable lesson in humility. The lessons learned saved mine and other lives, numerous times. Years later, in the army, I undertook advanced driver training in trucks and four-wheel drives. Again, lessons learned saved mine and countless other lives, as in future years I chose a career in the operation of heavy vehicles, including road trains.
These days I’m seeing many young drivers making dangerous and potentially fatal choices with their driving skills. I’ve always been in the vanguard for advanced driver training and the RACQ Mobility Centre offers all drivers the opportunity to learn life-saving skills that they can apply to enhance their driving. I strongly believe that advanced driver training should be mandatory for all drivers. I wish that there were such mobility centres in all the major cities of Australia and throughout our State.
PETER TERRILL, COOROY
Be a responsible driver
I agree with Howard Griffin’s letter (Autumn TRA 2024) regarding bad driving habits being passed on. Sadly, many young drivers don’t value or respect their own lives nor those of their mates. It is such a sad state of affairs when the rest of us see the carnage and unnecessary loss of so many lives on the roads. A driver licence, once earned, is not something to be taken for granted. It is not an entitlement, it needs to be appreciated because it has given you permission to drive.
If you are old enough to attain a driver licence, you should be sufficiently responsible to use common sense when driving. If only it could somehow be instilled in young drivers’ minds that life is extremely precious and fragile, treat it kindly and remember that this life we’ve been given is not a dress rehearsal, it is the only one we get.
JULIE BERRY, KINGAROY
Clothing concerns
While there are real problems concerning scooters, e-bikes and bikes generally, I am appalled by the number of riders and pedestrians dressed in black or dark clothing.
It might seem to be fashionable, but it makes them harder to see, more particularly in poor light or at night.
KERRY HERRON, PARADISE POINT
Missed opportunity
I agree with Kevin Austin’s idea of a ‘no-frills’ Aussie-built car (Winter TRA 2024), but for different reasons. Many years ago there was a big push by road traffic authorities to remove 'old unroadworthy bombs' from our roads and fair enough too. However, forcing people already struggling with other financial burdens of everyday life to purchase a new or newer vehicle was out of reach. I felt that if Ford/Holden (in operation at the time) could have produced a lean, bare-bones yet roadworthy version of their popular Falcons or Commodores at half the price of new overly accessorised models then many more old bombs would be dispensed with. It's too late now as we have no car manufacturing industry nor vision for anything similar in the future.
NIGEL TICE, PALM BEACH
Delay on highway
While travelling to Brisbane recently I had the unfortunate experience of being held up in a long line of vehicles for over six hours. We were initially told by police it would be a delay of two hours tops. That was the last time we saw anyone in authority. No one came back with an update or to check if everyone was okay. There was no phone service and as the evening went on it got very cold. I understand that this was a serious fatal accident but surely it would be reasonable procedure to try to clear one lane and get the traffic moving again, even if it’s slowly. If these long delays are unavoidable then emergency services need to put some procedures in place to keep travellers informed and checked so that another tragedy does not occur while we all wait hours in our cars, miss our motel bookings and have family members at home worried about where their family is and why they haven’t been contacted.
GRAHAM COLLINS, FRESHWATER
Vulnerable road users
I am writing in appreciation of the article “Pushing for safer roads” (Winter TRA 2024). Having seen the independence that kids have travelling to school on foot or by bicycle in Europe, I always wanted to foster that in my kids. However, I’ve received comments that it is too dangerous. I was surprised to learn that at 50 km/h a pedestrian has an 85% chance of dying if hit by a car. At 40 km/h it’s 35% and at 30 km/h it drops to 10%. Even with good brakes in cars, there is an issue with ‘thinking distance’ before braking. I can see why we don’t let kids walk or ride to school anymore, which would reduce a lot of congestion on roads. A speed limit of 30km/h on minor suburban roads doesn’t seem too crazy now. Especially when it makes minimal difference to the travel time to get to a main road by car.
TRAVIS BASSETT, BRISBANE
Jail as DUI punishment
As a police officer years ago, I dealt with many instances of DUI and the annoying factor was what could be called recidivism. This was the selfish and contemptuous behaviour of drivers being caught for six or seven offences, many still driving after their licence had been revoked. They refused to accept the laws applied to them. I have for decades proposed that DUI should be made a criminal offence, with mandatory jail sentences increasing as each offence occurs. On the first offence, impose a criminal conviction coupled with a severe fine and thereafter bring in jail sentences, commencing at three months. At the second offence make it nine, seeing as the offender failed to take the first case seriously.
ROGER DESHON, TOOWOOMBA
Spare a thought
Want a spare tyre? Then don’t buy electric. It is concerning to see the number of new cars coming into the country without a spare tyre, not even a space-saver spare. There is a huge push to electrify our vehicle fleet, but I don’t think there is one electric vehicle on the market that has a spare tyre. If you are a city driver, this may not be a huge issue. But if the industry wants widespread adoption of electric vehicles, then obviously there will be a push for rural and remote drivers to go electric. Just imagine coming home to the station after a day in town and getting a flat. No mobile phone reception, no internet, with a car full of kids and it’s getting dark. I wouldn’t wish that on my family. No one in their right mind in the bush will even consider a vehicle without a spare tyre.
PETER CRAWFORD, MOUNT MARIA
Want a spare tyre? Then don’t buy electric. It is concerning to see the number of new cars coming into the country without a spare tyre, not even a space-saver spare. There is a huge push to electrify our vehicle fleet, but I don’t think there is one electric vehicle on the market that has a spare tyre. If you are a city driver, this may not be a huge issue. But if the industry wants widespread adoption of electric vehicles, then obviously there will be a push for rural and remote drivers to go electric. Just imagine coming home to the station after a day in town and getting a flat. No mobile phone reception, no internet, with a car full of kids and it’s getting dark. I wouldn’t wish that on my family. No one in their right mind in the bush will even consider a vehicle without a spare tyre.
PETER CRAWFORD, MOUNT MARIA
Registration suggested
Following on from "Show courtesy to pedestrians" (Autumn TRA 2024), I suggest that motorised vehicles which can travel at fast speeds should be registered and have third-party insurance. Should someone be badly injured by one of these vehicles there should be accountability and cover for injuries incurred. Having a registration for individuals abusing road rules and registration plate would help to report culprits.
JAN BECKETT, NOOSAVILLE