I live off one of the busiest roads in Sydney. Because of the positioning of our home the noise isn't all that bad however, the volume of traffic is. The problem with this road is that it is a feeder road to a motorway which takes traffic north to the Central Coast or if you decide not to proceed on to this motorway one ends up on another major highway which will take you into the city of Sydney, about 20 minutes. Traveling on the main road near home is an experience in itself. Traffic lights adorn every second block whilst school (school zones) adorn every forth block. To my amazement there is only one red light camera between home and work, on this road. 
Now this road is also used daily by hundreds of trucks and driving along side of trucks requires special considerations. Every day I watch cars battling with these huge vehicles, refusing to share the roadway with them or even give way to them. I always find this incredible because trucks, rigs, prime movers, trailors and commercial trucks (what ever else you may call them) are not like cars in the way they operate and have a lot of momentum; they are not as maneuverable and take a lot longer to stop then smaller cars because of their weight. Logic dictates that they need more space than the rest of us however, I am constantly amazed just how many car drivers give little or no thought as to how to share the road with them. I understand that it's a daunting thought having a big rig slowly climbing a steep hill in front of us. Like everyone else I hate the thought of being trapped behind then too however, common sense demands that in many cases we have to exercise patience and understanding with these drivers. Their job must be hard enough as it is and NRMA statistics show that in most cases truck drivers are generally better and more exoerienced drivers than the rest of us however, we have to remember that whilst they are professionals they are not perfect and can make mistakes too. So what's the problem? People still continue to cut in front of them or tailgate them or insist in overtaking...beats me why.
Today I was coming home from work mid-afternoon when a car with the dreaded "L"plates zoomed in front of me. I watched in horror as the young driver moved between two enormous trucks, one being an oil tanker and the second was a prime mover. The young driver looked no more than about 17 years old or so. With the cocky confidence of youth he sat between the two trucks doing 80 kms per hour, moving slightly to the left and then to the right. I breathed in slightly, mentally willing the kid's Honda to become shrink. Remarkably the smaller car remained the same shape. One more coat of paint or even a window sticker on the prime mover, the oil tanker or the Honda and there would have been a major accident I am sure. The senior driver in the Honda looked old enough to be "L" plater's Dad.....his hair was changing colour as I watched. One minute it was brown and the next it was turning grey. I could feel the dreaded pit of horror entering my stomach when I realized that I had all that ahead of me now that darling daughter had decided to learn to drive. I have just bought her a car, she has her L" plates, she just needs a volunteer to take her driving lol. My son (Mr A) was so easy to teach driving to that it was a pleasure to take him out. Daughter (Ms K) had been there and done that (with her father) before. Her father (phlegmatic by nature) became so traumatised with her attempts at a three point turn or lane changing that he has been reluctant to take her driving ever since. Even the sight of her holding a car key sends him pale lol.
Anyway, I have learned a lot by driving regularly all over New South Wales. I have especially learned to avoid busy roads where possible and to share the roads with truckies so that we can all drive comfortably together. These photos were taken in Vanuatu 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment