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Thread: Near miss.

  1. #16
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    I had to hook the caravan up to wash the dust off yesterday so decided to take it out onto the highway for a brake test. Now I didn't do a full on emergency stop but from 70 kmh anchored pretty hard and pulled up in about 75 metres. Did that twice. This was on a straight flat stretch of the Great Eastern Highway, no traffic around.
    Of course this didn't involve any reaction time as I decided when to brake, and that is the concerning issue that Ian has drawn my attention to. I usually stay at 90kmh or less when towing the 'van, much to the annoyance of other road users,
    Bueller, you will probably be conversant with the stretch of road where the original incident occurred, Toodyay Road between Northam Rd and Clackline Rd turn offs.

    Cheers,
    Geoff.

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  3. #17
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    Hi Geoff

    These are the guidelines / rules in NSW for drivers over 70.

    70-74 years old
    There are no special requirements if you’re between 70 and 74 years old, unless you hold a multi-combination (class MC) licence. If you hold an MC licence, you’ll need to pass a practical driving test every year to keep your MC licence, once you turn 70.

    75-79 years old
    When you reach 75 years old, you’ll need to have a medical review every year to keep your licence, regardless of the class of licence you hold. See Are you fit to drive? for more information.


    At nearly 72 you are right in the mid-range of persons who, if they hold a MC class licence, need to pass an annual practical driving test.



    Reaching back again into my work history -- after about age 55 there's a notable decline in a driver's reaction time and the ability to fully turn their head to look before entering an intersection and by the time a driver is about 70 the ability to really turn your head to look takes a very conscious effort.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  4. #18
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    Thanks Ian,
    I'll have to check the regulations for WA, but don't need my MC these days. Having Rheumatoid Arthritis doesn't make head turning any easier.
    Cheers,
    Geoff.

  5. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boringgeoff View Post
    Having Rheumatoid Arthritis doesn't make head turning any easier.
    Geoff
    please do me a very big favour -- from here on can you make a very conscious effort to turn your head both ways before entering intersections or crossing railway lines.
    the degeneration associated with RA is much worse than that associated with "normal aging"
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  6. #20
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    I was sent this some time ago.
    It is worth playing with but form your own opinion of its worth.

    The Reaction Time Test | JustPark
    Tom

    "It's good enough" is low aim

  7. #21
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    Thanks Chesand,
    I did the test three times and scored equivalent to ages, 45, 45 and 38. I feel younger already!
    Ian,
    I do some basic exercises when I get up in the morning, one of which is turning my head from side to side. When it's really quiet I can hear my neck creaking.

    A few years ago the company I worked for got all their employees to do a light vehicle safe driving course to allow us to drive light vehicles on mine sites.
    One of the tests was emergency braking on a gravel road. Called cadence braking, where you stand on the brake hard, then release to regain control then back on the brake again until safely pulled up. We were required to reach and maintain a given speed, 60 kmh I think, then brake when the instructor said stop. Of course we were ready for the order so the instructor had adopted a strategy that went something like this:
    Instructor "go to 60, tell me when you reach it and maintain that speed until I say stop".
    Geoff " we're at 60".
    Instructor " Hey Geoff have you seen the latest Clint Eastwood movie STOP!"
    I didn't get sucked in and got the best score of our crew, my kids and I were involved in speedway racing at the time and the instructor thought that that would have had a significant bearing on my ability.
    I was in my mid forties at the time and had been truck driving for over 20 years.
    Cheers,
    Geoff.

  8. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boringgeoff View Post
    Thanks Chesand,
    I did the test three times and scored equivalent to ages, 45, 45 and 38. I feel younger already!
    Cheers,
    Geoff.
    Using the "Enter" key on the keyboard, I get similar results to you but using the mouse, I scored as a 54 to 57 year old. Either figure makes me happy but does not encourage me to be complacent about driving. I have told my kids that they must stop me driving if I reach the stage where they consider me unfit to continue driving. I hope that I have the good sense to give it up myself if and when the time comes as my father did after being booked for the first time after a life-time of driving buses and trucks.
    Tom

    "It's good enough" is low aim

  9. #23
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    Geoff
    given the time difference, I should have been in bed over two hours ago.


    But I really need to emphasize the following

    The Australian "design driver" is based in part on the ability of the "average" 35 year old male to turn their neck and eyes to detect approaching traffic.
    The issue is that by the time the "design driver" turns about 60, their ability to detect movement in their peripheral field by turning their neck to look is greatly diminished. And by "greatly diminished" I mean a car load of 70 to 75 year olds were wiped out by a north bound heavy when leaving the "Dog on the Tucker Box" north of Gundagai to continue south towards Gundagai. The car load of "oldies" was crossing the north bound carriageway and just didn't see -- or perhaps didn't look for -- the approaching truck.
    The crash I'm referring to happened about 10 years ago.
    The Hume Highway in this location is divided carriageway with a wide, but not over-wide, median.

    Changing the "design driver" to better reflect the abilities of the retiree population introduces behavioural complications such a propensity for sub-45 year olds to tail-gate as an older driver's reaction time is nowhere as good that of a 45 year old.

    It's a Catch-22
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  10. #24
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    What's the Australian design Cyclist?

    Ducks for cover.
    Franklin

  11. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fuzzie View Post
    What's the Australian design Cyclist?
    They
    are 750 cm wide
    need an operating width of 100 cm
    are assumed to have an eye height of 140 cm -- for comparison, car drivers are assumed to have a lower eye height
    are assumed to be 175 cm high
    need an operating envelope that is 220 cm high


    and, as for many car drivers, a risk adverse brain is not required.


    in terms of biomechanics a cyclist is assumed to have the same dexterity as a car driver -- though kids under about 9 have still developing peripheral vision
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  12. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chesand View Post
    I was sent this some time ago.
    It is worth playing with but form your own opinion of its worth.

    The Reaction Time Test | JustPark
    here's another test
    The Monkey Business Illusion - YouTube
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

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