137 replies to this topic

[kudu]

We are in the same boat over here in NZ. It seems every week there is a new "Record High" in petrol prices. It just pisses me off to the Max. What makes it worse is I bet the fuel company directors are probably driving gas guzzling jags and aston martins due to thier huge salaries.

[Tiny]

*Snipped* With a failing economy i would assume most aussies would agree that we need a shift from the americanised "globalism" to "localism" so world affairs do not corrupt our economy and lifestyles!

*Snipped*..... too comfortable driving when the alternative is a smelly over loaded, over priced bus or train? *Snipped* If the bus was free and on time i would catch it, but $2.60 just to get to work each day.

*Snipped* I bet pauline hanson wouldnt have problems making the decision to use local products and industries. lol. (lets not argue about her policies shall we)

I'd like to say thank you for a well worded and very sane reponse to the topic!



My thoughts on a few of the points you raised are as follows.
Localism needs to be brough to the fore and as others have said we really need to look after ourselves before we strut around to the rest of the world about how good we are. I really believe we need to impress our own citizens before those of the world.

The point you raised about public transport i belive is a major contributor to the problems that our large cities face each day. If you look back to when they Sydney harbour Bridge was designed and built ( 1926 i belive??), there was 6 lanes on the main deck, with provision to hang 4 more lanes ( 2 each side) from it. Yes.. this was thie thinking in the early 1900s when there were a total of around 3000 cars on sydney's roads at the time? ( Figues taken from my poor memory so may not be 100% accurate!). In 2000 the M5 East tunnel was opened by the long time State premier Bob Carr. You guessed it... 2 lanes each way ( Not to mention the other faults of that tunnel that i wont discuss). As others have said, if the Harbour bridge had been designed by Bob Carr, it would have been 1 lane each way!
Not only do they not think ahead when designing critical public infrastructure, they refuse to spend any money on maintaining what little public equipment is left. Look at the terrible state of the rail and bus networks across Sydney. I know that my better half spends an hour each day (Assuming there are no stuffups/murders/hooligans/breakdowns/signal failures/high or low temperatures to stop the train et.al.) to get to and from work, for what ammounts to no more than a 25 minute drive each way. You wonder why people drive?? I dont.

I dont think pauline had all the answers... but i belive that her attitude was Correct. Look after yourself before any other, get your own affairs right before you cast criticism to others, and i belive that things could be done alot differently than the current commonwealth and ( more importantly!!) State Governments are doing them currently.

Its too easy to blame "Jackboot Johnny" for all the problems we face, but remeber, Its the state Government that creates alot of teh taxes/levies/surcharges/ etc on our daily lives. Its funny that QLD can afford to give an 8Cpl rebate to its citizens while Sydney cannot even though its been proven that we are the most highly taxed state in the country. Keep an eye on your State parliament people, its not primarily the commonwealth who are screwing us!!

Regards
Tiny.

[Tiny]

Devils: I agree with what your saying in that it'll force the government to do something... But going from recent histroy that'll only mean more money from our pockets!

Ive got a feeling it'll come to things like :
"Train fares rise to cover cost of fixing the network"
"Bus fares rise to cover new fleet of CNG powered busses"
"Tolls rise on all roads to 'deter' people from dirivng.. take public transport instead"

The list could go on i belive!

Call me a pessemist but i believe I'm a realist. The last thing were ever going to hear is " THe government all take a pay cut to give more back to the people"...

Realist....

[Dr Terry]

Hi Guys.

Well said, Tiny.

Just to add to your comments regarding the shear incompetence & lack of vision our current crop of state politicians display.

A close friend of mine was involved with the planning of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, which is one of the better pieces of infrastructure seen lately in Sydney. This isn't that long time ago, late 80s from memory.

At the time I think the total cost of the project was around $700 million. The project finished on budget & on time. In the planning stages they were considering the merits of 2 lanes each way or 3 lanes each way. The cost of the extra lane each way was to have added around 10% to the project's cost, that's right $70 million to increase its size by 50%.

Now $70 million as a proportion of the state budget is peanuts, the pollies spend more than this on wining & dining annually.

The idea was knocked on the head because, the pollies (mostly rabid greenies & lefties) considered that by the year 2000 we wouldn't be depending on cars to get around. I don't know what ideas they had as alternatives but it goes to show as you how they think. In the 30s they put 6 lanes on the Harbour Bridge with room for expansion, now all we have is badly planned roads with lower speed limits than a century ago & speed humps, roundabouts & all sorts of other 'traffic calming' devices, not to mention toll roads & revenue raising cameras. Should I go on or just stop there before my blood starts to boil.

Dr Terry.

[Tiny]

Dr Terry, Once again i applaud your comments.

70 Million extra to do it right.. That beggars belief...Its not like you can add lanes to a tunnel that's been laid at the bottom of the harbour, Nor the M5 Tunnel that was bored using the same machine that did the Channel Tunnel and the Railway link past the airport. Its not just a case of whipping an extra lane on.. it just cant be done!

My father is of Italian decent, and he visited italy in his worldly travels and spoke with a guy working on a road there and asked why they were doing something so stupid as what they were doing. ( I dont recall what it was.. I think it was a 90 degree corner where the road could have been made stright and less dangerous). The Guy's answer was " if we did it propperly now, How is my son going to have a job and eat"... TO say the least dad was dumbstruck. it seems that this type of thinking is ingrained in the politicians of today.

Mate what youve said is spot on. I spend more time accelerating and decelerating for speed humps and roundabouts ( I prefer these to those FRICKING humps), chicanes etc etc etc than cruising at a fuel efficient speed.

THe M5 isnt a freeway.. we all know that.. it IS a TOLLway and also a mobile carpark. From 6Am till around 10-10:30 EVERY MORNING the tunnel moves at no more than 40Kph. If anyone's driven it they would know its a chokign nightmar of exhaust gasses and diesel smoke. In short its a JOKE.

If we were able to travel at a reasonably constant speed of around 100Kph its been proven that a propperly maintainted and tuned car emits the least ammount of pollution at these speeds. Think about that in relation to the environment, Fuel consumption, General driver's mental health etc!

BUT... it would cost another 70million to do it right... woudlnt it...
Morons.

I'll do all i can at every election to vote in some common sense, but i belive that no matter WHO is elected were still going to get shafted..

P.S - I wouldnt mind paying the tax we do today if we saw facilities and infratructure that WORKS. I'd pay for a train that ran on time, was safe and reliable. I'd even pay the tolls they charge now for roads that WORKED. Hell.. I'd even pay the % of tax that is currently on petrol IF WE HAD STUFF THAT WORKED!!!!

/end of Rant.

[Tiny]

OH... as an afterthought...

Has anyone ever noticed that as soon as REAL issues are raised like these, the absolute SHIT state of the hospitals, rail system, taxation system etc... the media break out into shouts of higher fuel prices, and bleat on about speeding drivers killing themselves etc...

Propoganda to take the public's mind from the real issues??
I'll let you decide.