A leading American Traffic expert surveyed our transport system [roads, vehicles, infrastructure etc ] his conclusion. we have conflicting road rules because they are not tailored to the 4 rules. The road surface, the weather, the vehicle, the driver. Our speed limits are far too low on all roads. EG: The Bruce highway and Gold-coast highway, AND the new bypass into NSW can suport an OPEN speed limit in some places or at least 140KPH in perfect safety; provided the car is up to scratch [ driver responsibility ]. the driver is up to scratch [ Training before license granting ] the weather is perfect. All these things are mandatory requirments in Europe and the USA. As an example of some authorities totally disregarding their OWN laws; it's federal transport regulation that if there are road work signs erected to slow traffic down, these signs must be covered up or removed if 1. Armco is in place to prevent vehicles intruding into works area by accident 2. There is no evidence of ACTIVE road works on the site [ NO personel present or machinery movement 3. The road does not prevent a danger due to curves, new surface construction or other obsticles in the path of traffic. How many times have you travelled at 60KPH in 100KPH zone when there is absolutly nothing to indicate changes in these conditions but some idiot worker has put up signs because he might be working there next month to dig a hole in a field 30 meters from the road in a field.[ extreme example].
Lastly to prevent this post from turning into a novel. USA average wage is 1/2 ours. Our dollar is near enough to paraty. Packet of PallMall 20 cigs in USA = $4:60, in Ozz = $13:50
Carton PallMall cigs in USA [200] = $40:60
DUTY FREE IN OZZ = $70:00
USA cig is 1/3 longer than Ozz cig
Whose getting ripped off ?
I got a million of'em

Hasbeen stated:
50 years ago it was legal to drive at 100 MPH on country roads., & main highways, even dirt back roads, & you know, we didn't kill as many on the roads as we do today.

This is not so.

Speed Limits:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_Australia
Historically, Australia operated a simple speed limit system of urban and rural default limits, denoted in mph. The urban default, which prior to the 1930s was 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), applied to any "built up area" ...defined by the presence of street lighting. This limit was progressively increased to 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) over the next 30 years by each of the states and territories, with NSW being the last to change in May 1964. Outside of built up areas, a prima facie speed limit applied. In NSW and Victoria, this was 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). In the 1970s, most state prima facie speed limits were gradually replaced by absolute limits.

Road Fatalities:
(1961=50 years ago; 2008 - latest figures in report.)

1961: 8.6 fatalities per 10,000 registered vehicles; 24.1 fatalities per 100,000 population.
2008: 1.0 per 10,000; 6.9 per 100,000.
(Highest ever per reg veh. 1926: 23.1. Highest per 100,000 pop. 1970: 30.4)

http://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/49/Files/IS38_RoadDeathsB.pdf?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=2005&num=&view=

I have lost 10 friends from car accidents, but only one since 1985.

Thank you, Nanny State!

PS The facts are easy to find. I don't post much because I get tired of inaccurate and repetitious argument.

Before speed cameras vic road toll was 1,040 for the year. Now 240 for the year. It is stupid to say speed cameras don't work. All cars should have black boxes installed, and be read by police officers at will.

RE my last post. In case someone debates and says 'you were younger then and your friends who died were probably in the accident prone teenage demographic', I did a quick calculation: only one was under 24 and she was a 15 yr old school girl in a car with an adult driver. Several were alcohol related (before blood alcohol limits), two were single car accidents in the country (falling asleep?) including the most recent, 2007. One was definitely due to not wearing a safety belt when a car rolled (others in the car wearing belts were unhurt)

Why are cars manufactured to work at speeds far greater than the speed limit (barring specialist vehicles - racing and police pursuits etc.)

Why not manufacture cars with a maximum capability of say (plucking a figure out of thin air) 140km/hr to allow for those situations where speed may help avoid an accident. Someone more expert than myself may suggest a more relevant speed limitation.

But this is only one issue in reference to the nanny state. Speed limits and cameras in accident hot spots do save lives as shown by a reduction in road deaths. Point to point is more dubious because it seems more like revenue raising activity than accident prevention.

No offense my mate OUG you are however biased in the extreme about your tobacco.
Hasbeen, can we talk? you are aware I once worked on the DMR later to be come RTA.
A fellow poster I recently found out worked with me there, he continues to.
He like me saw death carnage tragic events, not as many as me, he did not do late night return to works, call outs.
Good men Police Ambos Rescuers, Firemen and road workers saw far too much.
Never ,not once, was speed not a factor, unless it was a truck driver falling to sleep.
A Nun, remember her well, climbing out of her wrecked car on its roof, looking at the 60 k speed limit and first words? wish I had taken notice.
2 of her Sisters, Convent not far away, Died with the two in the other car they head oned with.
Can you imagine the awful dreadful night? for all those above all of us?
And at another 4 in two cars dead same week.
2 young girls racing brothers in other car dead, brothers watched.
I saw 70 before stopping the count, so it was more.
Wish Hasbeen I could forget .
Nanny state?
Not for wanting to protect some one dieing
I am a petrol head, once I get behind the wheel it becomes my duty to not hurt others my right to speed is restricted to driving only me and only when safe.