The new speed zones

[XR6T0Y]

As you all know, recently there has been a cut in speed zones. As in, 90 is now 80, 50 is now 40 etc. Now along a stretch of highway about 10 minutes from me, the highway speed was once 100. It eventually dropped to 90, and now under this new thing they have brought in, is now 80.
People have always done 100 along it, as that is what they were used to. However, now that it is 80, all the 'new' drivers are promptly doing this speed, while everyone else is trying to do 100. This in itself, presents a new risk. The good ol' road rage.
Today I drove passed a fatal. Wasn't nicest to say the least, but one thing I need to get used to (will tell in future). The first fatal since I have been living here (17 years) and am currently 19. Coincidence or not, I am a firm believer that having speed limits DROPPED, is a sure fire way to cause more accidents, and as a lot of people say, revenue. Take this article for example, this is the one I drove passed today

http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/st...-crash/?cs=171

BREAKING: One dead in Lochinvar crash Save
Oct. 2, 2012, midnight

The accident scene at Lochinvar.

The accident scene at Lochinvar.

Emergency services have confirmed one person has died in a crash between a water truck and a ute at Lochinvar this morning.
See your ad here

Northbound lanes of the New England Highway are shut however alternating traffic conditions means motorists can pass the scene.

Three paramedic units and multiple police cars attended the scene.

The truck driver is reported to have suffered minor injuries. He was taken to Maitland Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.

Central Hunter Police are investigating the crash and are appealing to anyone with information to contact them.
See your ad here

Motorists using the New England Highway at Lochinvar are advised to allow additional travel time due to the accident.

Authorities have warned delays may be experienced for some time.

More to come

Now, have a look at the photo that accompanies this.
What are peoples opinions on the current sspeed zones?

Please no flaming or over the top behaviour, I would like this to stay open

[oceanwave54]

Originally Posted by XR6T0Y

People have always done 100 along it, as that is what they were used to. However, now that it is 80, all the 'new' drivers are promptly doing this speed, while everyone else is trying to do 100. This in itself, presents a new risk. The good ol' road rage.

I don't agree with the limits being lowered, but why are all the locals still doing 100 if they know it has been lowered to 80? New people to the area are doing the right thing while the 'locals' are sort of creating the risk here just because they were 'used' to it.

[EDManual]

geesh! Looks like it was on a passing lane? What time of day was it?
Someone probably fell asleep or wasnt concentrating, as is the case most of the time.

[XR6T0Y]

Originally Posted by EDManual

geesh! Looks like it was on a passing lane? What time of day was it?
Someone probably fell asleep or wasnt concentrating, as is the case most of the time.

Not to sure of how it happened at the moment. Looks like the truck might be in the wrong however.
It is in the passing lane and looks like someone was on the wrong side of the road. There was about 12 HP cars, and 4 fireies and HAZMAT when I went passed. Apparently happened just before 12, and I went passed at about 12:20. It was a ute from Newcastle Tile power (Think that's the name)

Originally Posted by oceanwave54

I don't agree with the limits being lowered, but why are all the locals still doing 100 if they know it has been lowered to 80? New people to the area are doing the right thing while the 'locals' are sort of creating the risk here just because they were 'used' to it.

People still do 100 as it's what they are used to. A lot of miners use it, along with a lot of impatient people. I have been guilty of doing it without realizing as well. Before you say anything, it's because when it opens up to double lanes, you jsut automatically speed up to 100. How it always was. Even cops used to do it

Should add as well, the wheel of the truck was laying about 50 meters up the road from the accident

[Peter B - CV8]

Geez , I stayed there on the weekend (bucks party) !!! To be totally honest I can't see the point in doing more than 80kph in that area. Oswald is just a stones throw down the road - as is Rutherford (I think) on the other side. There are plenty of side roads & property access points along that stretch of road as well. No doubt all of the above factors were given consideration when the 80kph limit was introduced.

[XR6T0Y]

They have recently done roadworks for turn bays in Windella and I THINK Winders Lane aswell (which is just up from the accident).

Only one road in Oswald is unsealed. Should be 100 from Singleton to Newcastle (with obvious speed reductions in towns such as Branxton and Rutherford etc)
The highway has quite a large bank(?) which is easy for vehicles to use should they need access to paddocks and whatnot

[XR6T0Y]

Heres another angle. This also highlights the banks on the side I was saying about

[xisled]

Dropping the speed limit is not the reason for the accident. If 1 car was speeding more than the posted limit then they may be found responsible. (Without knowing all the facts). In your second picture there is a 80 limit sign.

There is no reason why dropping the limit should have caused this accident.

On another note, looks bad and sad to see another death on the road. Over the last 48 hours, I have heard about 3 fatal accidents.

[EDManual]

there have been a heap of truck accidents in vic lately!

Especially tankers.

[XR6T0Y]

Originally Posted by xisled

Dropping the speed limit is not the reason for the accident. If 1 car was speeding more than the posted limit then they may be found responsible. (Without knowing all the facts). In your second picture there is a 80 limit sign.

There is no reason why dropping the limit should have caused this accident.

On another note, looks bad and sad to see another death on the road. Over the last 48 hours, I have heard about 3 fatal accidents.

The only reason I say it does, is because it increases road rage. I have been subject of this many times for doing the 80 there. It switches to double lanes for maybe 1-2km, and people just fly passed you

[Ben73]

Speed limit lowered, nek minnet .....

Half the people on the New England Highway are pathetic drivers honestly. Could of been a million causes to this crash.
Although I hate driving on that bit of road at 2am. 80 feels so damn slow.

I can't wait for the freeway to Branxton to open. Traffic wont be as bad on New England, plus hopefully the freeway will be safer with a higher limit. Fingers crossed 110.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by XR6T0Y

The only reason I say it does, is because it increases road rage. I have been subject of this many times for doing the 80 there. It switches to double lanes for maybe 1-2km, and people just fly passed you

I could see where the slower speed limit drivers could be road raged from a faster driver.

I agree with you on that, it would cause more road rage.

[XR6T0Y]

Heres an update of it that was on the news tonight. The clip is just under the photo

http://www.nbnnews.com.au/index.php/...ear-lochinvar/

[2011G6E]

Huh...try living in a small town with a main highway going through it.

Here on the Capricorn Highway, at night you can sit at the railway station watching trucks and cars absolutely flying through here, ignoring the 60kph limit. A day or two ago there was a spectacular accident when some 23 year old idiot flew into town from Blackwater way at about 2am when he came around a bend into town (inside the 60 zone) in what we think was a Prado (hard to tell afterwoods), got it sideways, flicked back and forewards a few times all over both lanes of the highway, then slid sideways and rolled...a total over over 2 or 300 meters before he came to rest, being chucked out of the car in the process. Maybe now the cops will come and put a few speed traps up here at night...

Lowering speed limits is a well-known "fix" for accident areas...the loooooong stretch from north of Gympie down to the four lane highway which is now 90kph and "no overtaking allowed" is mind-bending. They did it because of accidents...mostly morons pulling out in front of cars doing 100kph on the highway or overtaking in storming rain. Not sure how dropping the limit on what is supposed to be Highway One makes people use their fricking brains...

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Huh...try living in a small town with a main highway going through it.

New England Hwy is a main highway running through a number of small towns.
It also has people doing 80+ through the town centres.

I believe this road now has too much traffic for what it is. The mines have caused an explosion in traffic levels, but the road has remained almost exactly the same, just lowered speed limits every now and then.

[Itsme]

When driving you must be alert, road rules & speeds change for a reason, and most people become complacent which can be a killer on our roads.

[XR6T0Y]

I now know what happened, however I'm not allowed to say as it hasn't been disclosed by the Police yet. A mate of mine who is in the fireys was there today and saw it all (except for the event actually happening). He was there for 6 hours, and all I can say when I was talking to him about it is, I don't envy what he had to do

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by XR6T0Y

The only reason I say it does, is because it increases road rage. I have been subject of this many times for doing the 80 there. It switches to double lanes for maybe 1-2km, and people just fly passed you

I was on the road a day or so ago, and am aware of the changes, some lengths of NE HWY had the limit raised, sub standard sections not to engineering AUSROAD spec for a two laned highway - lowered.

With the soon to be renamed 'Hunter Expressway' due for completion during 2013, things in the area Maitland out to Branxton should improve somewhat. I for one will delight in avoiding the damn place. (Noted new housing developments Branxton vicinity owing I dare suggest the new road under construction).

Yes, its annoying having to seemingly go 'slow' at points, but I found most folk sat at the limit for most part, and being double demerits and all. Saw yellow HWP operating laser on the eastern (in Newcastle direction) departure of Scone in the last 200m stretch of 50km/h before the road opened up to 100km/h - he got a few folk.

I like UHF.

Most NSW highways that were traditionally 100km/h were only so in history, because up to 1979 they were in fact speed derestricted (//) (no absolute limit), thereafter Wran (Labor) removed derestriction by replacing those unrestricted zones with a blanket 100km/h - simply to reduce backlash.

NSW derestriction operated on an 80km/h prima facie basis, so in reality our 100km/h rural highways did have 80km/h speed-limits prior to 1979. (Just you could exceed it - IF it was safe to do so).

[FGII-XR6]

the biggest cause of accidents on the new england highway is driver fatigue. You have miners who work 12 hours or more then driving cdonsiderable distances home. this is a recipie for disaster.
the accident in this case looks like simple driver error though overtaking in the wrong spot causing a head on ( buy may have been a driver in a micro sleep) .
I don't feel the speed change has caused accidents but I don't feel the needed to be droped considering all the road improvments in the area recently.
the ironic thing is it was just up the road for one of the most profitable speed cameras in the state, so much for speed cameras improving safety