?si=RhRp6866vHFwv8Hs

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/13/australian-suv-huge-ute-obsession-roads-more-dangerous

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/17/the-cars-eating-australia-should-we-be-trying-to-reverse-our-attraction-to-suvs-and-utes

Bring the RAM around for a drive Nudie, I still have a licence.

I am just charging it at Lake George Pop's

Just what we need. More large vehicles with aggressive drivers..
When are they going to crack down on tailgating? Bigger cars and aggressive driving..
I'm starting to dread driving with large Ram type / utes 10m off my bumper.
I do the speed limit.
So many people tailgate and both of us have no hope if I have to stop suddenly for animals on the road , massive potholes etc..
I had to brake once, and the guy behind was so close he had no choice but to overtake on double lines on a blind bend. He then cut across diagonally 1m in front of my car as he pulled back in..

The only thing you can do Sue to stay safe, is to slow down to a speed that allows for their reaction time for their distance behind.
But this will annoy the hell out of them, and maybe make them really aggressive.
But if you do it where it's safe for them to pass, they can be on their way and up some one else's, bum.

We've entered the arms race. Your intuition is correct. Bigger is better. Forces are equal and opposite, F=ma. It's the peak acceleration that damages passengers.

You can understand parents joining the race. Your peers take their kids to school in Prados, Pajeros and Everests. You could all fit in a Corolla but is it worth the risk?

Do your bit to reverse the trend if you haven't got kids in tow. Get the smallest car you need. Survive on your wits.

(Interesting finding, that the drivers of larger vehicles feel invincible and are less likely to keep their hands upon the wheel!)

Nope not the truth. Actually misinformation constructed to sound like the truth.

pretty sad that people still believe this stuff.

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Ian K said..
We've entered the arms race. Your intuition is correct. Bigger is better. Forces are equal and opposite, F=ma. It's the peak acceleration that damages passengers.

You can understand parents joining the race. Your peers take their kids to school in Prados, Pajeros and Everests. You could all fit in a Corolla but is it worth the risk?

Do your bit to reverse the trend if you haven't got kids in tow. Get the smallest car you need. Survive on your wits.

(Interesting finding, that the drivers of larger vehicles feel invincible and are less likely to keep their hands upon the wheel!)

The global marketing of station wagons with big wheels has been very successful. The safety aspect however I feel is somewhat distorted. Certainly a high mass vehicle is advantageous in a head on collision with another vehicle (as long as it's smaller than yours). However, statistically the number of fatal head-on's in Australia is a minor piece of the motor fatality pie.

The biggest piece of the pie belongs to single vehicle accidents where drivers have lost control. A swerve and an over correction in a traditional car is likely to leave you with a brown undies and skid mark of both sorts. In a vehicle with higher centre of gravity on higher profile tyres and suspension, the chances of rollover are much higher. When that occurs, absorbing all the energy of that greater mass has to be done through the roof and doors - something they are not nearly as good at doing as a crumple zone and engine bay.

There are a plethora of dash cam moments of SUV's being toppled at residential intersections and highways with relatively minor shunts on the rear quarter. Similarly, watching SUV's attempting the 'Moose Test' is often somewhere between comical and scary. So for mine, it's a triumph of marketing over reality to portray SUV's as safer, but regardless, paraphrasing Ian, driving with your brain engaged is probably the most effective safety feature.

Yep. My 4x4 relies on your cars crumple zones. Just need to make sure that if I hit something make sure it's not a tree or truck.

Don't even get me started

Today's Belltower Times seems to be on trend too. Source: www.thebelltowertimes.com/300-series-owner-whacks-a-couple-of-waca-lights-on-the-front-of-his-car-over-fears-other-motorists-can-still-see/

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decrepit said..
The only thing you can do Sue to stay safe, is to slow down to a speed that allows for their reaction time for their distance behind.
But this will annoy the hell out of them, and maybe make them really aggressive.
But if you do it where it's safe for them to pass, they can be on their way and up some one else's, bum.

I pull over and let them go but often they're replaced by another tailgater..tradie commute hour is particularly bad.
I used to take it personally and get annoyed when they overtook on double lines but now I'm happy to get rid of them. I smile when I see them get past me and roar up to tailgate some other poor bugger..

Installing a switch that turns on the brake lights could be fun

And the problem with pulling over for them, is that it just encourages them to do it more.

Why they can't keep a reasonable distance until I've done my share of passing and pulled in is a mystery.

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decrepit said..
Installing a switch that turns on the brake lights could be fun

I like that idea..
Yep my van is pretty sensitive. If I do a quick jab on the brake pedal it could cause problems..

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decrepit said..
And the problem with pulling over for them, is that it just encourages them to do it more.

Why they can't keep a reasonable distance until I've done my share of passing and pulled in is a mystery.

Yep I thought that too..that's probably why they do it..

Very simple way to stop the tailgaters, change their object of focus. Once you understand the psychology of drivers one simple action causes them to back off. Wash your windscreen, the jet of water over the top of your car onto their windscreen changes their focus and they back off as they are now distracted by the water spray. Works well on the highway when your doing 140kph and they wont back off, much safer than touching your brakes.

Good one Roo, I keep forgetting that.

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Roo said..
Very simple way to stop the tailgaters, change their object of focus. Once you understand the psychology of drivers one simple action causes them to back off. Wash your windscreen, the jet of water over the top of your car onto their windscreen changes their focus and they back off as they are now distracted by the water spray. Works well on the highway when your doing 140kph and they wont back off, much safer than touching your brakes.

The only thing I hate more than people doing 5km under the limit in the right lane, is those who wash their windscreen when not stationary.

Actually, no, its the bloody Uber drivers etc who stop in a 70 zone - dead stop!! - to see where they are going next on the nav system. Maybe that's a Perth thing but my suburb is a nightmare,....

So I do hope everyone in this thread does do the speed limit, right...?

you're not a tailgater are you Mark?????

^^ depends.
If I pass you on the left, in my busted arse $1000 van then you may be in the wrong lane.
Ands should be embarrassed.


But no I don't tailgate - having your feet 20cm behind your own front bumper and zero safety features, gives you a new perspective on low speed crashes.

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Mark _australia said..

Roo said..
Very simple way to stop the tailgaters, change their object of focus. Once you understand the psychology of drivers one simple action causes them to back off. Wash your windscreen, the jet of water over the top of your car onto their windscreen changes their focus and they back off as they are now distracted by the water spray. Works well on the highway when your doing 140kph and they wont back off, much safer than touching your brakes.

The only thing I hate more than people doing 5km under the limit in the right lane, is those who wash their windscreen when not stationary.

Actually, no, its the bloody Uber drivers etc who stop in a 70 zone - dead stop!! - to see where they are going next on the nav system. Maybe that's a Perth thing but my suburb is a nightmare,....

So I do hope everyone in this thread does do the speed limit, right...?

My thoughts exactly

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Mark _australia said..

So I do hope everyone in this thread does do the speed limit, right...?

You mean "drives within the speed limit" don't you? There are roads down in the SW where the speed limit is 110kph, but sensible drivers slow down for the surrounding conditions, even in perfect weather. In NSW similar windy roads are posted at 90kph. And they wonder why the road toll in the SW is a bit high.

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Mark _australia said..
^^ depends.
If I pass you on the left, in my busted arse $1000 van then you may be in the wrong lane.
Ands should be embarrassed.


But no I don't tailgate - having your feet 20cm behind your own front bumper and zero safety features, gives you a new perspective on low speed crashes.

Hah! I had the same feeling when I used to drive a Econovan. Very sobering to see that your feet are literally hitting the same metal as the front of the car. Plus the big arsed steering wheel that you know is going to be the first thing you meet.

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Ian K said..
You mean "drives within the speed limit" don't you? There are roads down in the SW where the speed limit is 110kph, but sensible drivers slow down for the surrounding conditions, even in perfect weather. In NSW similar windy roads are posted at 90kph. And they wonder why the road toll in the SW is a bit high.

Indeed yes
but I'm referring to 3 abreast doing 90 on the freeway with nothing in front. it only takes one rude dawdler...
I am also astounded at the numbers of $200k cars in my area that can't out accelerate a truck at traffic lights. Right lane clogged.

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Ian K said..

Mark _australia said..

So I do hope everyone in this thread does do the speed limit, right...?

You mean "drives within the speed limit" don't you? There are roads down in the SW where the speed limit is 110kph, but sensible drivers slow down for the surrounding conditions, even in perfect weather. In NSW similar windy roads are posted at 90kph. And they wonder why the road toll in the SW is a bit high.

Haven't you acclimatized yet? Here, you sit up the arse of the car in front of you and then veer to the right to show him that you really mean business and want to get past. Speed limit shmeed limit. You do whatever it takes to get past the guy in front of you.

I saw one the other day where the numbnuts in the end of the chain of people in the right lane was flashing his high beams at the guy infront of him. The guy infront of him moved to the right to show that there were 2 or 3 cars in front of him, i.e. nowhere to go, yet the genius behind him kept flashing his lights.

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Roo said..
Very simple way to stop the tailgaters, change their object of focus. Once you understand the psychology of drivers one simple action causes them to back off. Wash your windscreen, the jet of water over the top of your car onto their windscreen changes their focus and they back off as they are now distracted by the water spray. Works well on the highway when your doing 140kph and they wont back off, much safer than touching your brakes.

I saw one better than that.. well, I sort of fell for it

If you see a car sitting back a fair way from a cattle truck, don't be in a hurry to overtake them The only redeeming bit is when someone else comes along and decides to overtake you and place themselves between you and the truck.

For anyone that hasn't experienced it, some cattle trucks reek and the cattle often relieve themselves and you don't want to be behind them or beside them when they do.

Heck of a way to make you want to slow down and sit way back.

There u have it. better than Roo's technique- urinate out your window if people tailgate

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FormulaNova said..

Ian K said..

Mark _australia said..

So I do hope everyone in this thread does do the speed limit, right...?

You mean "drives within the speed limit" don't you? There are roads down in the SW where the speed limit is 110kph, but sensible drivers slow down for the surrounding conditions, even in perfect weather. In NSW similar windy roads are posted at 90kph. And they wonder why the road toll in the SW is a bit high.

Haven't you acclimatized yet? Here, you sit up the arse of the car in front of you and then veer to the right to show him that you really mean business and want to get past. Speed limit shmeed limit. You do whatever it takes to get past the guy in front of you.

I saw one the other day where the numbnuts in the end of the chain of people in the right lane was flashing his high beams at the guy infront of him. The guy infront of him moved to the right to show that there were 2 or 3 cars in front of him, i.e. nowhere to go, yet the genius behind him kept flashing his lights.

Given his due though they were blue and red lights he was flashing