JUNGLE DRUM: The Rules of the Road
LAWRENCE MASON COLUMN
As of October we have a new driver in the house. She has racked up over 30 hours in one month, so I don't think getting to 100 will be an issue. One of the 'joys' of living over the river.
She is not a stranger to driving. Five years ago I bought a Getz off a local staff member and that has been 'her' car. There have been many laps around the property, with hill starts and reverse parking and even time trials. But after a while it got boring and the Getz sat for a bit, only revived for her friends who also learnt the joys of clutch control in it.
To liven things up a bit we joined Douglas Shire Motorsports Association (DSMSA) and went to some of their events at the local track. Took her friends too. There were incidents, and bouts of competitiveness and everyone should note what a great way this is to learn car control. Even I had fun!
Now of course though, it is all about the road. And following the road rules. On your Ls and Ps, any small infraction can lead to a loss of license, so speed limits are being followed with vigour.
What a hell on earth this is. The highest speed allowable north of the river is 70km/hr. Most of it is much lower. The lead-ins to some roadworks are 20. Inevitably we end up with a good tail of traffic. I am pretty sure she is the only person who slows to 40km/hr 500m before Hutchies Bridge.
Nobody follows these insane limits. Not National Parks. Not the traffic control utes. Not Jabalbina. Not the Douglas Shire. Not Police heading further north. Not Rainforest Rescue utes. Not buses. (all personal observation) Not me either. So the question I ask is why are they there? What is the actual point of these inane limits?
And what is the point of the non spec linemarking? No rollouts for overtaking; it looks like a child did some of it. I did write to DSC last time but may as well have hit my head against the wall. They sent me the spec drawings that showed it was not in spec. Yeesh.
daintreecassowary.org.au, which seems to be a website to promote Rainforest Rescue, says that vehicle strikes are a critical threat to Cassowaries, but even with all the speedsters listed above (basically everyone except my daughter) there seems to be few deaths. There are few car accidents, but many of those are clearly not speed related.
I tried a few years ago to get some meaningful research going to find out how and why Cassowaries were hit by focussing on drivers who had actually had that experience, but nobody was interested. Unless putting more lumps of concrete on the road or driving everywhere at 20 was the solution. That makes bureaucrats and charities salivate.
I am sure this piece will drag out the 'just slow down and enjoy it all' crowd. The people who don't have businesses to run. Or don't have passengers on a bus who don't want a 30km journey to take an hour. Or they don't work for a charity, or an indigenous group, or a government department, or some employer who wants to see at least some productivity. There is not much productivity driving long distances at 40km/hr.
Nor does it make anything safer. My observations tell me that the campervans driving down the middle of the road at 40 are the most scary things on the road. For humans and wildlife alike.
As a community of drivers we must demand better from those who mark the roads (look at the Bamboo Creek turnoff markings, it is enough to make a grown man cry) and set the limits. But of course every Greenie in creation will be there screaming if the limits get raised. And the salivating bureaucrats will lap it up like Manna from Heaven.
Oh and if you are going to comment consider that I drive with high res dashcams. Nothing more annoying than a speedster who says they aren't. At least I admit it!
*Lawrence Mason has lived at Cape Tribulation all his life, and has been involved in farming, timber and tourism. He is a former board member of Tourism Port Douglas Daintree, founding Chair of Daintree Marketing Co-operative, and has been a member of both Alexandra Bay and Mossman State High School P&C. He is also a member of the Douglas Chamber of Commerce and has a keen interest in local issues.
- The opinions and views in this column are those of the author and author only and do not reflect the Newsport editor or staff.
