READERS WRITE
Page 46
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Exception—not rule
I HAVE to reply to Jim Best's article in your December 30 issue as I consider this a slight on the whole Australian road transport industry, and as a design engineer with a leading trailer manufacturer I feel I am included in the incorrect conclusion from this erroneous article.
Anyone associated with our industry will agree that most of the things listed in the article do occur, but as the exception not as the general rule.
One might as well say (from articles in your journal) that all English commercial vehicles do not have adequate power or satisfactory braking to meet the new requirements, or that all English roads are narrow, winding, hedge-edged one-lane thoroughfares, or that all English operators do not bother to operate within their licence authority, or that all English bus drivers drive excessive hours with dire results for their passengers.
There are in Australia stretches of gravel surface on minor roads, and these do quickly deteriorate during wet weather if subjected to heavy traffic. However, our major highways, while by no means up to M1 standards, are far superior to the photograph shown, which infers this is typical of our road system.
There are some discourteous drivers, but generally the Australian truck driver is regarded somewhat as the "knight of old", but maybe not quite as glamorous. There are some narrow wooden bridges over weed-choked creeks, and if you wander far enough off major roads you may find one, and we do have kangaroo as traffic hazards on some outback roads, but most of us think this is preferable to eliminating the kangaroo. I believe you have similar problems with ponies on the moors.
Our interstate drivers do drive long distances, but I would imagine that anyone trying to keep up a daily average of 700 miles would very soon have his licence suspended. Our driving code sets limits on continuous driving time (54 hours), minimum rest periods (4 hour), driving time per day (11 hours per 24 hours), and a driver must keep a personal log to prove he has not exceeded these stipulations.
Our traffic rules may be confusing to a newcomer, but would Mr. Best have fared any better in the USA or New Zealand or Canada or any other new environment? I guess any of us would find English traffic rules confusing, but one must adjust to the local ground rules. After all "when in Rome do as the Romans do".
As I mentioned previously everything Mr. Best said is true some
where, sometime, but his article, because of its inferences, is about as reasonable as "Alice Through the Looking Glass".
Most of us are glad to welcome "new chums", as they are mostly "good mates", but every so often a "whinger" turns up, and no matter what conditions he (or she) meets somehow or another it was always much better back home. I wonder sometimes how we come to get any newcomers from England if this is really the case. I hope that Mr. Best's letter does not adversely affect the decision of anyone in, the transport industry from coming to Australia, for I can assure them that while we are not a "mob" of angels we are not all as queer as Mr. Best has painted us. In fact I guess the ratio of black sheep is somewhat similar in any society.
I enclose a copy of "Australian Roads" published by the National Association of Australian Road Authorities (303 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), who would, I am sure, be pleased to answer any queries. I also add the address of the Victorian Road Transport Association (24, Easter Road, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), the local operators' association, who would also be pleased to answer queries. Both of these organizations could back up my statements, and are in a somewhat better position than I to put the complete picture for the Australian road transport industry and road authorities.
W. L. CLARK, 27 Andrews Street, Bunvood E.13, Victoria, Australia.
Cure: A passenger
AS a driver who had a slight accident from falling asleep at the wheel and also a tendency to day-dream, I was naturally interested in Handyman's article, "Deadly day-dreams", in your February 17 issue.
My personal cure for both, but particularly day-dreaming, is to have a passenger. Even without conversation, which I dislike when driving, I find that the stimulus of having a person watching me work keeps me occupied mentally and my driving becomes more precise.
I would like to see the idea developed in an article, especially in view of the owners' prohibition of lifts as an insurance and security risk. Perhaps one of your writers might be interested.
T. FORD, Stockwell Road, London SW9.