Sadly, yesterday while out to view my rebuild, I came across an accident which had just happened within the previous two minutes.
Already others had stopped to assist, and although police, ses, ambulance,towing etc had not arrived all that could be done was happening, i drove past very slowly.
It was not hard to see that this was bad possibly fatal to my assessment.
I did my business close by. By now all the roads had been cut off and traffic diverted so had to make my way out by back roads. I spoke to a policeman redirecting traffic and he confirmed it was a fatal. "young people, the Fourth we have had near here in 24 hrs", his face was steeled but it begged the question .......WHY????
Whats happening with our younger people 
,
Are they driving like they do on a video game ?
Are they texting while driving ?
Or using other diversionary equipment while driving ?
Are they drug affected ?
Are they not mature enough to have command of a motor vehicle ?
Are they just showing off ?
Is peer pressure so great ?
Does testosterone rule our egos?
Are us parent to blame?
Most of us oldies?parents went thru a period that its was better to forget and many of us [me included] were lucky to have arrived on the other side, the better side of life intact. To go on to make reasonably good citizens and caring parents, or we think we did/are.
What makes us young blokes go utter Ape, and help destroy us ?
Should all young ones be made to do community volunteer work such as, st johns ambulance, ses, fire, life savers, green group etc , or maybe some military service
How can we all help to get over this bad time.......think!!!.......Joe
Hate to say it, but as poor relative said, driving fast is fun, especially when you are young and invicible. No police campaign or driver education will change this.
I am pretty sure you did the same stuff or similar when you where young.
Interesting Topic Joe.
It seems to be human nature to push all limits through ur late teens and early 20's.
If someone told me not to do something in my late teens bloody oath I was going to give it a go. All the questions you raised I thought "yes" in some way.
I think thier called generation "Z" now.- A whole new bunch of smart ass hybrid kooks that concider them selves to be invincible. [}:)]
Problem is Murry they are slow in the head they dont think they have brain failure from being dropped on there head at birth and are stupid and cant drive for ****.
in most cases.
Its there responcibility and they must learn quickly or pay the consequences
I blame the parents (as a parent myself I take responsibility!)
It comes down to one word...(Aretha Franklin sang it best!)
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
- for others
- for your elders
- for the law
- for your environment
- for your parents
and most importantly, the biggest one that is missing in this generation
- for yourself!
Too many kids are not taught that, and the role models they look up to are selling them short. Unfortunately the heroes these days are the ones that make the news for the wrong reasons...also, the kids don't have enough self-respect to seperate themselves from bad influences, which generally are the cause of these tragedies.
It isn't just the kids. There was a guy in Bundy recently convicted for a reckless driving offence who was in his late 40s or early 50s. He was heard to say something like "I'll show those youngsters how a real man does it."
Ford and Holden are making huge profits out of their V8 utes and sedans and their advertising is targeted on young male egos mostly.
If the authorities and the government were serious about road safety, they would not permit them to be registered on public roads. Due to economic impliactions and voter backlash they will just sit on their hands.
The same applies to most of the 4WDs on the road. I never trust women I see driving big 4WDs because many of them behave as if they own the road and I do not think they understand fully the limitations of the vehicle. Many men are just as bad in 4WDs.
It just begs the question:- What is the damn hurry for????
A 25 year old man with six drink driving convictions made a brief appearance in the Perth Magistrates Court this morning after being charged with his latest alleged driving offence.
Balga plasterer Mitchell Walsh-McDonald appeared on a charge of driving without a licence and arrived at the court with a group of supporters.
He was not required to plead to the charge and was granted a three week adjournment to seek legal advice.
Police claim a TV crew allegedly filmed Mr Walsh-McDonald driving a blue Holden Commodore sedan in Balga on April 20.
A police media release has claimed a copy of the vision was provided by the television crew to officers.
Mr Walsh-McDonald’s driving record, includes six drink driving convictions.
He was convicted of his third drink driving offence in 2003 after registering a drink alcohol level of 0.165 when he ran into 10 year old Jess Meehan as she cycled in Clarkson.
He was acquitted of dangerous driving that led to her death, after the jury accepted his argument that the collision was unavoidable.
He will reappear in the same court on May 22, his bail was extended.
PERTH
imagine if it was your daughter.
It also states that he had supporters.
he is 25 and should know better is is one of many examples.
I wish I knew the answer because I'm getting sick of scraping them off the road.
The first vehicle accident I attended about 25 years ago was caused by a young male driver in a stollen Monaro who lost control and wiped out a chrysler wagon with a family just heading out on holiday, killing the father and I doubt the mother survived in the front seats and leaving 2 young kids in the back seats.
The last accident I attended a few months ago, the young male driver laughed and said to me it wasn't his first accident he's had and probably won't be his last.
If only I could show him what I've seen!!
I'm the same all my cars have been big and slow.
Going slow is kinda fun. Its more fun than going fast
Easier to control the vehicle to check out the surf, or an attractive young lady with extrodinary breasts
I also like to give way and let others out, makes me feel good.
Plus i try to tolerate others driving mistakes, after all we all make them from time to time.
personally , I dont think things have changed since they invented the piston engine. maybe we are getting older and wiser.
I still love to drift around the odd corner after all these years, but I do think alot about where and when. I suppose doing it in a landyacht slows you down as you get your rush elsewhere.
Meh, I went 100km/hr last night in 2nd gear. I couldve pushed harder, but i had to turn off.
Best thing was it wasnt my car.
LAWL
I dont think preventing the younger drivers from having v6's or v8's is a solution, my wifes 4 cylinder Astra has 260kmph on the clock , believe me when you put your foot down it Goes!! . No matter what we do those idiots (cause thats what they are) young and old are still going to speed, I recon start crushing thier cars and make them watch, that will at least take them off the road for a while and it might make them think twice about doing it again.
Then again their brains dont work properly yet so that might not work either, .
I cant believe the comments bragging about speeding in someone elses car in a disccusion that is really so serious . obviously a very small under developed brain at work, how do we fix it ........ ????????????
I dont think its repairable , not untill it grows some responsabillity!!
The V8/V6 idea is irrelevant.
We mostly see Japanese cars here.. almost all 4 cylinders. Many of them (even bog standard) are capable of cleaning up an aussie V8 - especially if you put some decent corners into the equation. Most of the 'lads' aren't even interested in the sixes or eights. Too heavy, too thirsty, and to be frank, without some serious money on suspension, they handle like a boat.
By the time you have a 2 litre engine, and some testosterone, you have a problem.
A solution posed here (and immediately shouted down) was to restrict young drivers to non-turbo engines of two litres or less.
Personally, I think it's all about having an outlet, and a sense of community. Young men have a need to get their energy out/adrenaline fix. Without the need to hunt, fight, or perform physical work to survive, that energy goes miss-directed.
That's where sport is meant to come into it.. but with all the P.C. namby pamby cotton-wool BS that goes on these days, it's no wonder the lads are finding their own amusement. It's going to get worse before the penny drops unfortunately.
Now this is getting interesting, another part of the equation is the numbers of Aboriginal people who present in the motor deaths in S.A.
My children went thru very supervised learners period in NSW with log books and conditions etc. At the high school all parents of right age children had to be present at the course also, except aboriginal familys, even though there were children the same age as mine who were at the school .
I have never seen an aboriginal car with "L"plates on it. where do they learn, how do they receive their licenses. Or do they just not bother getting one. They also appear high on motor infringements
Yeah yeah I get it. But that is still no reason to blame the parents of these lunatics that get behind the wheel of any car or motorbike for that matter.
You'd think that by the time they are young adults that they would be responsible for their actions and yes some are but there are a lot that aren't.
When i think back to how i drove when i 1st got my license I shudder.. Lucky for me and all n sundry I only drove 4 cyl wagons.
A couple of girls i knew drove that way too but it seems far more common for both sexes these days.
My driving habits changed the moment I became a motorcyclist.
BTW I simply cannot understand why it is wise to only allow a 250cc for the 1st year of riding but any pimply fkwit with license at 17 (in WA) can go and get a 6ltr V8 straight off the bat. Yes i know, hotted up 4s and 6s go kn fast too but that rule has got to change. Until it does all the hot air pollies and copper's spokeman blow about road safety is just worthless.
At present, public debate addresses the horrific results of car accidents and no nearly enough is done to prevent how the situation happened in the first place.
IMHO the solution centres around;
1. Zero tolerance of stupid behaviour on the roads. Put more police on the road and put the message out that you will be caught. Give the message first hand from a police officer rather than via a note in the mail from a speed camera infringement.
2. Only enable access to the more powerful performance cars after a lengthy probation period. And only then if the drivers record is clean once that probationary period is up. Earn the priviledge of access, don't expect the right of ownership.
There would be a many more other points to add I'm sure.
I have witnessed first hand the devastation that a car "accident" can force onto someone's life and the effects are still being felt some 25 years after the event.
