Our community

Your views: Jun/Jul 2022

Our readers share their thoughts on driver fatigue, e-scooters, hooning and more.

Avoid driver fatigue

I have been a driver for 55 years in trucks and passenger vehicles. Driver fatigue occurs in many forms. In heavy traffic, bad weather, bad road conditions, we tense up, become agitated, increase speed, and more concentration is required, so we become tired.

Tasmanian roads need ultra-concentration, that’s why at the end of your journey, you wonder why you’re so tired. So, let your eyes do all the work, anticipating hazards. Your body will react to any situation.

My advice is: never dwell on the destination. Avoid travelling at night because of native wildlife. Take in the journey and enjoy the trip. Stop every two hours for a ‘breather’. If you’re in a hurry, leave an hour earlier.

Greg Hyland, Devonport

Are e-scooters a safety menace?

As a motorist, cyclist and pedestrian I strongly object to the presence of e-scooters on our roads and footpaths.

As a motorist I’m horrified that scooters are used on the road – they’re difficult for drivers to see and the riders are extremely vulnerable. On footpaths they’re a continual menace to pedestrians, particularly the elderly. The safety sessions conducted by the scooter companies are a joke – I’d be surprised if more than a minority of riders attend them. Possibly the most annoying thing is the way many scooters block the footpath when parked. This is a nuisance for able-bodied people and a great inconvenience for the handicapped.

To cap it all off, the use of e-scooters does their riders no good. Apart from the risk of serious accidents, it is a substitute for much healthier walking or cycling. I very much doubt that it’s substituting for the use of cars.

Derek Walter, South Hobart

Hoon taskforce

Regarding the Budget Submission on road safety. The burn outs on all roads around the state and anti-social behaviour of many drivers requires a dedicated taskforce to address this very real issue. These people are out of control, threatening and intimidating if engaging with them and a clear danger to all other road users.

John Garrard, Port Huon

Hazard test for all

The new Hazard Perception Test is said to improve younger driver’s ability to recognise road hazards and is now available online, but for learners only.

Permitting all drivers to access this tool to check their responses would be beneficial for personal evaluation of driving skills, and maybe for those currently required to undergo medical assessment prior to licence renewal.

Ray Hernan, Tranmere

Speeding scrutiny

With the advent of braking systems, stability and traction control and lane departure warning plus improvements in tyre technology, we don’t appear to have applied this to speed limits. Why not?

Gerry Cooper

Some of our community are so impatient when driving. This lack of patience pushes speeders to think that the speed limit sign means drive at that speed no matter what.

Another reason for speeding is caused by modern cars being so comfortable and sound proofed, the driver has lost the sensation of speed and the ‘feel’ of the road. There are many reasons also why some drivers drive at a lower speed than the road rules permit. We need to demonstrate courtesy and empathy by showing patience.

The long-term solution is to lower the speed limits except on certain roads that are clearly designed and maintained to cope with higher speeds.

Michael Garner, Lymington

I’m not sure who the RACT represents any more, championing speed cameras. Exceeding the speed limit (the only offence a speed camera will ever capture) is simply NOT the root cause of most serious crashes. Don’t take my word for it – in the Road Safety Advisory Council’s Toward Zero 2017–2026 report, the contributors for casualties are inattention 26%, inexperience 26%, alcohol 21% and then speeding at 13%. Our road toll will not improve until we really focus on the 87%.

Greg Hurford