Why 130km/h makes sense for the Hume Highway

Paxton · 02-01-2012, 12:59 PM

(Call me csv8 for this, but...)

Quote:

You don’t have to spend long in holiday traffic to realise more thought needs to go into speed zones around Australia.

Cruising along the Hume Highway (impressively now with more wire rope barriers to stop head-ons and impacts with trees, even if bikers understandably aren't fans) in light traffic on a sunny day, for example, and it’s clear there are sections that could easily handle speeds of 120 or 130km/h. Most of the dual carriageway (which is almost the entire stretch these days) could easily cope with higher speeds in the right conditions.

There’s good vision, smooth bitumen and long on- and off-ramps, all of which are conducive to higher speeds – and getting somewhere in less time.

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The Hume highway ... good vision, smooth bitumen and long on- and off-ramps. Photo: Andrew Quilty
Currently, though, the dual carriageway freeway can pose more dangers with fatigue than crawling over the at times tediously modest limit. There’s also the issue of tailgating, which is a genuine concern as drivers don’t dare risk creeping a few kilometres per hour over the limit, creating a recipe for high speed, multi-vehicle disaster.

Throw in speedo error (speedometers can be legally inaccurate by up to 10 per cent) and frustration and impatience is an increasing problem on one of Australia’s busiest freeways.

At the very least governments should investigate more European-style variable speed limits, which could impose slower speeds at night and in the rain while allowing higher speeds when it makes sense.

We already have variable limits on some inner-city freeways - it's time to expand them to country areas, allowing people to travel places more efficiently. Cars are, after all, a means of traveling places quickly.

Yet I get the impression it would be a bold government to trial higher speed limits than the current 110km/h state limit. We've been programmed to believe that anything over 110km/h is hooning even though other parts of the world - including the Northern Territory - prove otherwise.

Taken from here: http://smh.drive.com.au/roads-and-tr...102-1pho4.html

I'm all for it. I went north these Holidays (Coffs Harbour), but I've got family in Wagga Wagga, and the Hume can definitely take a higher speed limit. It is just a shame that our main artery North is still a dog track in some sections, single laned, pock marked, and slow. The F3 on the other hand is another candidate for higher speeds, especially now that it is three lanes in either direction.

Jim Goose · 02-01-2012, 01:14 PM

Variable speed limits make sence on a freeway.
Obviously if the freeway is multilaned, has good vis, break down lanes, cameras monitoring flow etc, why cant it be done?

chrisfpv · 02-01-2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Variable speed limits make sence on a freeway.
Obviously if the freeway is multilaned, has good vis, break down lanes, cameras monitoring flow etc, why cant it be done?

It could be done, but the people who know this unfortunetly are the people with no control over it.

castellan · 02-01-2012, 01:37 PM

I think it all comes down to the lowest denominator as a lot of people are hopeless and drive rubbish cars and we have to cater for people like that.
You will find people will buy the cheapest tyres and shocks they are totally ignorant numbskulls that have no idea.
So if you are a competent driver driving a FG XR6 130KM/H there is noting wrong with that at all, but the gov can make money out of you just for a joke, and they are getting away with it just like all the other bull the dictators push on us.
And we just sit by and swallow it all.
Some years ago a cop would make the decision and judge if he thought you were a problem him self. for example you driving a Datsun homer at 130 may not be a good idea.

svo supporter · 02-01-2012, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by castellan

I think it all comes down to the lowest denominator as a lot of people are hopeless and drive rubbish cars and we have to cater for people like that.
You will find people will buy the cheapest tyres and shocks they are totally ignorant numbskulls that have no idea.
So if you are a competent driver driving a FG XR6 130KM/H there is noting wrong with that at all, but the gov can make money out of you just for a joke, and they are getting away with it just like all the other bull the dictators push on us.
And we just sit by and swallow it all.
Some years ago a cop would make the decision and judge if he thought you were a problem him self. for example you driving a Datsun homer at 130 may not be a good idea.

Rubbish cars???? What do you class as a rubbish car??? One persons idea of good isn't the same as the next. That simple.

So what do you class as a competent driver???? A 40 year old, with a clean driving history that's never had so much as a speeding ticket???

What would you class as decent shocks and tyres?? Reading round the lovely interweb, everyone has a differing opinion on what's crap and what's good in this area. So this leave the door wide open for debate. Not ignorant numbskulls, as you put it.

As for speed limits. There are roads that have been upgraded in S.A and the lovely powers to be have actually lowered the speed limit. So who knows how their minds work.

flappist · 02-01-2012, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Rubbish cars???? What do you class as a rubbish car??? One persons idea of good isn't the same as the next. That simple.

Absolutely.

I heard a story of a person who wanted to connect to the internet on a Commodore 64 with a valve black and white television as a monitor.

It was perfectly good in 1984 so it still must be able to do everything the new ones do just as well if not better.

I wonder if he would have got upset if anyone said it was a rubbish computer.

Franco Cozzo · 02-01-2012, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Absolutely.

I heard a story of a person who wanted to connect to the internet on a Commodore 64 with a valve black and white television as a monitor.

It was perfectly good in 1984 so it still must be able to do everything the new ones do just as well if not better.

I wonder if he would have got upset if anyone said it was a rubbish computer.

That reminds me of my Grandma, she called in the TV repairman because she thought the TV needed to be tuned after they moved house (It was damaged during the move), anyways, he comes in and has a look, tried to tune it and it didn't do anything, result was the same.

Then she starts yelling at him saying he doesn't know what he's doing and that the TV is new, she had the reciept for it in a box, dated 1977.

ILLaViTaR · 03-01-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Absolutely.

I heard a story of a person who wanted to connect to the internet on a Commodore 64 with a valve black and white television as a monitor.

It was perfectly good in 1984 so it still must be able to do everything the new ones do just as well if not better.

I wonder if he would have got upset if anyone said it was a rubbish computer.

Lol fairest analogy ever.

Regarding the topic I've never driven on the hume but on the Calder to Bendigo I was finding it hard to drive slower than 120km-130km.

It's 110km same limit as the Princes fwy (pakky-traralgon) which is basically a deathtrap compared to the calder.

castellan · 03-01-2012, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Rubbish cars???? What do you class as a rubbish car??? One persons idea of good isn't the same as the next. That simple.

So what do you class as a competent driver???? A 40 year old, with a clean driving history that's never had so much as a speeding ticket???

What would you class as decent shocks and tyres?? Reading round the lovely interweb, everyone has a differing opinion on what's crap and what's good in this area. So this leave the door wide open for debate. Not ignorant numbskulls, as you put it.

As for speed limits. There are roads that have been upgraded in S.A and the lovely powers to be have actually lowered the speed limit. So who knows how their minds work.

Thanks bro.
Competent = knowledge, skill, capable of.
Decent shocks = good or adequate.
Decent tyres = not cheap pathetic junk that a dumb **** tight wad who goes looking for the cheapest they can get and then runs around boasting about the price he got as if it was a smart move, but the numskull would have no idea that your tyres are like a insurance policy and they may save a life. they are black and made out of rubber ?

yes ignorant most are totally.

irish2 · 03-01-2012, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by castellan

Thanks bro.
Competent = knowledge, skill, capable of.
Decent shocks = good or adequate.
Decent tyres = not cheap pathetic junk that a dumb ***** tight wad who goes looking for the cheapest they can get and then runs around boasting about the price he got as if it was a smart move, but the numskull would have no idea that your tyres are like a insurance policy and they may save a life. they are black and made out of rubber ?

yes ignorant most are totally.

Mate I've driven some old tired cars faster than 100km/h and they don't just fall off the road. It is surprising to see how slow people drive in their new cars. Big sweeping bends you will often see semi trailers overtaking the cars, because they are actually doing the speed limit and know their vehicle.

castellan · 03-01-2012, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irish2

Mate I've driven some old tired cars faster than 100km/h and they don't just fall off the road. It is surprising to see how slow people drive in their new cars. Big sweeping bends you will often see semi trailers overtaking the cars, because they are actually doing the speed limit and know their vehicle.

I have a front left shock that is not the best and it's done 70000km most think it's ok. it's not that bad but i am getting new ones.

Anyone driving along at 100km/h or faster could be ok but in an emergence situation it will not respond 100% and that could be the difference of having an accident.
Now if your incompetence killed or damaged how would you see it ?
It's not my fault ?
Pleading ignorance ?
It could be i don't care how fast you were going, the thing is someone was in charge driving on the road and someone may know the driver is just a foolish numb skull and a ignorant selfish twit.
I have seen cars driving down the road with the wheels bouncing about with the driver oblivious driving within the speed limit frowning at other cars passing him and he is thinking they are the idiots.

svo supporter · 03-01-2012, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by castellan

Thanks bro.
Competent = knowledge, skill, capable of.
Decent shocks = good or adequate.
Decent tyres = not cheap pathetic junk that a dumb **** tight wad who goes looking for the cheapest they can get and then runs around boasting about the price he got as if it was a smart move, but the numskull would have no idea that your tyres are like a insurance policy and they may save a life. they are black and made out of rubber ?

yes ignorant most are totally.

Mate, all these comments are full of holes.

What do you class as competant???? Gov't reckons once you've held your licence for 3 years or so.

Shocks. What do you class as adequate???? Some shocks create a harsh ride, yet some create a smooth ride. IMA, they should be changed every 40,000K.

Tyres... Don't even go there mate. Look round this forum for starters. People are always commenting they bought some brand name tyre cheap and swear by them. Others complain their big buck tyres are absolute crap.

Geez, I could get a flat with a you beaut modern high speed rated tyre, not feel it straight away and crash. Highly unlikely scenario, but strangely enough it has happened. So there goes that "insurance" policy quote of yours out the window.

Now back to the topic at hand.

castellan · 04-01-2012, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Mate, all these comments are full of holes.

What do you class as competant???? Gov't reckons once you've held your licence for 3 years or so.

Shocks. What do you class as adequate???? Some shocks create a harsh ride, yet some create a smooth ride. IMA, they should be changed every 40,000K.

Tyres... Don't even go there mate. Look round this forum for starters. People are always commenting they bought some brand name tyre cheap and swear by them. Others complain their big buck tyres are absolute crap.

Geez, I could get a flat with a you beaut modern high speed rated tyre, not feel it straight away and crash. Highly unlikely scenario, but strangely enough it has happened. So there goes that "insurance" policy quote of yours out the window.

Now back to the topic at hand.

OK classing competent is just that by proving your self capable.

Shocks that are not bugged or below a standard of being a joke.

Tyres yes some so called cheap are not that bad, but i had in mind the old 14 -5 inch wheels 195 etc type i bought this for the wife's car as we are getting a new car and i thought why get good ones as most people would not care less. boy it's a shocker to drive now bloody dangerous, criminal in fact i would say. before i had confidence in it's ability.

I think you are just being silly with the insurance quote and just trying to play games with nonsense.

Bucknaked · 02-01-2012, 01:44 PM

I was on the stuart highway a few weeks back. Between Darwin and Katherine, for a national highway, it was terrible. I wonder how they can maintain 130 speed limits when in the southern states, the quality of the roads is so much better than that goat track of the Stuart Highway.. Car safety has increased considerably, yet speed limits are still pretty low.

Having said that, I was happy cruising along at 120 ot 125, and I never had to bother checking my speedo every 5 minutes to see if I was going over the limit. I focussed on the road, not the speedo.

Bossxr8 · 02-01-2012, 02:12 PM