Though I look from perspective of Adelaide, about this same applies to Australia wide.

On talk back radio, one of our prominent politician was very smoothly spreading lies that government is dedicated on road safety but idiot drivers are simply unruly even abuse him on his bicycle.

My question to all. Who is an idiot, the mentally sick or unstable driver, or the political leaders who give him license and call him idiot?

Same politician and his colleges refuse to accept my idea to legislate mental screening of all new drivers and all who had a crash and or were reported as hoons or use car as part of a crime (stealing and/or street chase with police etc).

I am both cyclist and car driver (50/50). Here are some of the problems.

1. Road rules are long outdated (new cars and new traffic situation)
2. Rules allow conflict on the road.
3. Rules allow conflict of drivers with cyclists.
4. Faaaaar inadequate driver training. SA drivers get licence without an exam.
5. Combination of wrong rules, inadequate driver training, extremely poor police training and bad attitude, and drivers hatred of cyclists create very dangerous situation to cyclists and frustrating at same time to drivers.
6. There is absolutely no punishment of dangerous drivers, crash investigations not allowed to establish real cause of crash (sorry we do not have many accidents like a thunder hitting an innocent driver).
7. There is absolutely no statistic of road problems other than deaths. So no proper analysis is possible.
8. Authorities refuse to accept any sensible measures to dramatically improve road safety.
9. Tailgating is an epidemic authorities do not want to hear.
10. There is nobody responsible for anything regarding tragedies.
11. Current practice of police and courts promote (expect) speeding. European idea of safe speed: the speed within the limit, which allow driver in given driving situation, to slow down or to stop to avoid crash.
Politicians grant licence to mentally compromised drivers and call them idiot drivers. Who take responsibility for road tragedies?

Mmistrz, welcome to OLO.

I passionately share your concerns.

I could comment at great length on your list of problems. But for the moment, may I refer you to my 141 posts under ‘Putting the brakes on the road toll’ http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=2877

May I also refer you to the dismal results of my effort to raise concerns over road safety in a general thread on this forum.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=782

So don’t expect much of a response.

Being new on this forum, I do not know how it works.

I assume that there is a way to publish on forum the article and then initiate the forum by asking questions and laying the problems.

I will appreciate guidance on this.

Thanks for supporting this idea. My hidden intention was more ambitious that this comment.

It is very obvious to me that "authorities" behave very irrational, they are not fit to run such an office. They have no ability to understand the issues, nor to know what advise is good and which is bad.

Also one must know for sure where to put priority.
I have browsed through other site you refer to. There education of drivers is emphasised. I agree but it must be even more emphasised.

Back to my main issue.

Perhaps we on this forum agree that it is near impossible to find any responsible official who want to or understand how to improve dramatically road safety. It is actually very irrational and criminal to allow licence to mentally compromised drivers.

Perhaps in such a situation, it is much more sensible to let professionals to run the road safety?
They would devise the requirements like mental and physical abilities, training necessities, exam and periodical refreshing courses and tests.

Perhaps we shall demand current officials to be held responsible for each death and injury which could be demonstrated is a result of road safety mismanagement?

Lets for example the known "idiot" driver cause crash and injury or fatality. In such a case, what is wrong when minister for road safety get 15 years in isolation because one is dangerous to society. And the actual driver deprived of licence and in care of mental specialists.

Why minister and/or Premier be jailed? They said it is ok to allow a known "idiot" driver to... kill. Or what you expect from idiot driver? Giving licence to idiot drivers is a license to kill.

Let's bring hot discussion even if disagree with me but be rational. Let's name things as they should.

Mmistrz, I am sorry that we have a rather tetchy dialogue on your other thread; ‘Energy mismanagement part 2 – computers’, because we have so much in common, and passionately so, on this thread.

So if you wish to continue the discussion, please let me know. I am more than happy to have a “hot discussion” on road safety issues with you.