A teenager has been arrested after allegedly modifying a vehicle to make it look like a firefighting truck and then responding to emergencies around Melbourne.
Police say they are shocked at the lengths the 16-year-old has gone to make the modifications – fitting it with a spotlight, working siren, and flashing emergency lights.
Officers estimate that the price of the truck and its alterations would cost $100,000.
Images of the truck driving at high speed were caught on dashcam as the teen allegedly responded to crashes throughout the night, getting out to help victims.
He is said to have been wearing a hi-vis shirt throughout.
The truck was fitted with a spotlight, sirens and emergency flashing lights to make it look like a fire truck
Leading Senior Constable Fritz Ebert said it was certainly the first time he had come across such an incident.
“It would seem he’s been attending, trying to get vehicles out of the way and then getting out and I guess pretending to be an emergency service helping away at a scene,” he said.
“I’ve been in the heavy vehicle unit for five years, now in my sixth year, I’ve never seen or had anything reported like this.”
The youngster was arrested at about 2.30pm today and taken to Caulfield police station, where he faces being charged with reckless conduct endangering people.
Allegedly the first thing he said to police was; “I think I’ve been doing something stupid.”
No, not all, he is just a public-spirited young man! Said nobody ever!
$100,000 worth of truck; where he get the money for that?
Spend time at a busy airport and you’ll likely see an aircraft go-around. Find out why airplanes go around and how the maneuver enhances safety.
Go-Around Terminology
Go-Around terminology can be confusing. There are a few terms different terms used (and misused), so let’s clear things up!
Go-Around
Go-around is the general term used when the decision is made to discontinue a landing. A go-around can be accomplished anywhere along the final approach course and even after the aircraft touches down on the runway.
After initiating a go-around, the crew will begin to climb the aircraft, following instructions of air traffic control. They may fly a published missed approach procedure (a charted route) that will guide them safely away from terrain and other air traffic.
“Go-around” is also the standard international terminology used for communication between pilots and controllers. Example: “Aerosavvy 101, zombies roaming the runway. Go-around.”
Why are they called Go-Arounds?
Aircraft at smaller airfields typically fly a rectangular traffic pattern (or circuit) around the runway in preparation for landing. If the pilot decides not to land, the aircraft climbs and rejoins the pattern to go around the circuit and make another approach. Although airliners rarely fly a traditional traffic pattern, the maneuver is still called a go-around.
Rejected or Balked (Baulked) Landing
A rejected landing is a go-around that begins at very low altitude after the pilot has made the decision to land.
In some cases, an aircraft will actually touch down on the runway during a rejected landing. There are situations where getting the aircraft back into the air is safer than completing the landing.
The terms rejected landing and balked (baulked in the UK) landing are essentially interchangeable. Usage and precise definitions vary by region. Aviation regulators (FAA, EASA, etc) and aircraft manufacturers use the term “balked landing” when discussing aircraft performance requirements during low altitude (or after touch down) go-arounds.
Other Go-Around Terminology
Navy aircraft use different terms for go-arounds and balked landings.
Wave Off – When the Landing Signal Officer orders a pilot not to land on the aircraft carrier, it’s called a wave off. Similar to when an air traffic controller orders an aircraft to go-around.
Bolter – A carrier landing attempt in which the tailhook fails to engage an arresting wire, requiring a go-around. This is similar to a balked landing.
Until a few years ago, U.K. Royal Air Force controllers would order a pilot to “Overshoot” when a go-around was necessary. A few pilots tell me that “overshoot” is occasionally heard in Canada. “Go-Around” is now the standard international phraseology.
Canadian air traffic controllers will sometimes say: “Pull up and go-around” when ordering an aircraft to go-around. I suspect the “pull up” part is an attempt to get the pilots moving in the right direction while they think about the go-around. 🙂
Here’s an interesting phraseology variant from the UK. When ordering a flight to go-around, controllers state: “AeroSavvy 101, go-around, I say again, go-around. Acknowledge.” The controllers want to make certain the pilots confirm and execute the maneuver.
Missed Approach
The term missed approach is often incorrectly used to describe a go-around. The terms are not interchangeable. A missed approach is a published instrument procedure that begins after the go-around is initiated.
When pilots fly an instrument approach to a runway, they follow a detailed route displayed on an approach chart. If the pilots are unable to land when reaching the runway, they perform a go-around. After initiating the go-around, the approach chart has a Missed Approach Procedure that guides the pilots safely away from the runway, terrain, and other air traffic.
If a crew needs to abandon an instrument approach, they will alert the controller: “Metropolis Tower, Aerosavvy 101 is going-around.” Tower will then provide guidance. They might give the crew a specific heading and altitude, or say “AeroSavvy 101, fly the published missed approach.” The latter instructs the crew to follow the published missed approach procedure on the chart.
The image below shows an approach chart for Singapore’s runway 20C. The image on the right is the same procedure displayed on a 767 navigation screen. The Missed Approach Procedure (MAP) is highlighted in yellow.
Singapore runway 20C approach chart and the same approach on the aircraft navigation screen. The missed approach procedure is highlighted in yellow. Click for larger image.
To summarize: When pilots on an instrument approach are unable to land, they will first initiate a go-around, then fly a published missed approach procedure or follow the controller’s instructions.
A Go-Around Is Not an Emergency
When pilots go-around, they are avoiding a potentially hazardous situation. Flight crews are encouraged to go-around any time they are uncomfortable with an approach or landing. There are no penalties or paperwork involved when a pilot chooses to discontinue an approach.
When in doubt, Go-Around!
Excellent guidance for every pilot, regardless of experience level and equipment.
Why Do Pilots Go-Around?
There are several reasons why a pilot or air traffic controller may want an aircraft to go-around.
Unstable approach – Most airlines require aircraft to be stabilized by 1000 feet (about 3 miles from the runway). A stabilized approach means the aircraft is at final approach speed and fully configured with landing gear and flaps extended. Studies have shown that unstable approaches are a causal factor in many landing accidents. If the aircraft isn’t stable by 1000 feet, a go-around is usually required.
Spacing/Separation – Air traffic controllers try to keep landing aircraft separated by 3-5 miles. This gives an aircraft enough time to land and exit the runway before the next aircraft lands. If spacing becomes too close, the tower controller can order a flight crew to go-around.
Stuff on the Runway – Ground vehicles, aircraft, trash, and even animals on a runway will cause pilots to go-around.
Aircraft Mechanical Problem – Although rare, a flight crew might discover a mechanical problem on final approach (perhaps a flap or landing gear issue). Going around will give the pilots time to troubleshoot the problem so they can return for a safe landing.
Weather Below Minimums – Instrument approaches often specify a decision altitude where the flight crew must be able to see the runway to land. If the pilots are unable to see the runway when the aircraft reaches decision altitude, a go-around is required.
Ugly, Nasty Weather – Gusty winds or turbulence can make landing a real challenge. Wind shear (sudden change in wind speed or direction) or other severe weather can cause a flight crew to initiate a go-around. Pilots use on-board weather radar and wind shear detection equipment to aid in making the land or go-around decision. Here is a video demonstrating predictive wind shear warning technology on a Boeing 767. Pilots test this equipment daily.
How Do Pilots Go-Around?
The go-around is a safe and smooth maneuver that airline pilots practice in the simulator. A go-around early in the approach phase will often go unnoticed by passengers.
Specific go-around procedures vary by airline and aircraft type. Different planes have different buttons, procedures, and terminology. The following is a generic go-around procedure for an AeroSavvy Airlines Boeing 767 (flown by our best crew).
The go-around begins 100 miles from the airport.
About 100 miles from the destination, a flight crew will do an approach briefing. They spend a few minutes reviewing airport-specific charts and procedures necessary for landing. Arrival routing, updated weather, runway conditions, and taxi routes are discussed.
The crew also reviews the go-around and missed approach procedure for the expected runway. We always plan for a go-around.
Let’s get out of here!
We’re on final approach and Metropolis Tower has cleared us to land. The runway lights are in sight!
As we descend below 200 feet, we hear our call sign on the radio:
“AeroSavvy 101, Metropolis Tower. Aircraft on the runway. Go-around. Fly the published missed approach.”
The crew responds: “Metropolis Tower, AeroSavvy 101 going around. Flying the published missed.”
Go-Around Procedure
A well-rehearsed, scripted procedure now takes place on the flight deck. The script is spoken out loud as the crew performs the actions.
PF=Pilot-Flying
PM=Pilot-Monitoring
🛫 PF: “Go-Around Thrust” The pilot-flying presses one of the go-around switches on the thrust levers. This signals the autothrottles to advance to go-around thrust and places the flight director in go-around mode to provide pitch guidance for the climb. The pilot-monitoring confirms the thrust levers advance to go-around power.
The pilot-flying (or autopilot) begins to pitch the aircraft up to begin the climb.
🛫 PF: “Flaps 20” Pilot-monitoring selects flaps 20. This retracts the flaps from the landing position to the go-around position.
🛫 PM: “Positive Rate” Pilot-monitoring confirms the aircraft is climbing and says “Positive Rate.”
🛫 PF: “Gear Up” Pilot-monitoring positions the gear handle up to raise the landing gear.
At 400 feet above ground, the pilot-flying calls: “LNAV” (pronounced el-nav). Pilot-monitoring activates the flight director system’s Lateral Navigation (LNAV) mode. This provides the pilot-flying (or autopilot) guidance to fly the programmed missed approach procedure.
At 1000 feet above ground, the pilot-flying accelerates the aircraft and calls for the flaps to be retracted.
That’s it! The crew will continue to fly the published missed approach procedure until the air traffic controller decides how to merge the aircraft back into arriving traffic. In most cases, controllers will immediately issue heading and altitude instructions.
This fun dance happens a few times every day at busy airports all over the world.
Here’s a 2-minute video demonstrating what a go-around looks like on a Boeing 757 & 767 Electronic Attitude Direction Indicator (EADI):
What does “TO/GA” mean?
Many high performance aircraft have a switch and/or thrust lever position labeled “TO/GA.” This odd assortment of letters is an acronym for TakeOff/Go-Around (pronounced “toga,” like the ancient Roman garment).
The exact function of the TO/GA switch varies on different aircraft models. In general, the dual-function TO/GA switch signals the autothrottles and flight director to provide takeoff thrust and guidance when on the runway, or go-around thrust and guidance when on an approach.
TO/GA PARTY!
Go-Around Switches and Thrust Lever Detents
Here’s an assortment of Go-Around and TO/GA buttons. Different aircraft manufacturers have different philosophies about the best way to trigger a go-around. Boeing, Embraer, Gulfstream, and a few others prefer a button or switch. Newer Airbus aircraft have a thrust lever detent (position) that triggers the go-around mode. Pilots are usually trained and assigned to one aircraft, so they don’t have to worry about getting confused. Although I fly both the Boeing 757 and 767, they have identical cockpits so the procedure and button positions are the same.
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Boeing 737 MAX TO/GA Button
Go-Around From the Passenger Seat
The go-around is easy for the people in back. Many passengers don’t even realize they’ve done one! Here’s what to expect if your flight crew needs to perform a go-around:
Approaching the airport for landing, passengers usually hear a flight attendant chime (ding-ding) followed by an announcement to fasten seat belts and assure tray tables are in the upright position. If all goes well, the aircraft will land in the next 5-10 minutes.
If the flight crew needs to go-around, they won’t have time to tell the passengers (they’ll be quite busy). The first indication the aircraft is going-around is the sound of the engines increasing thrust. The aircraft will pitch up slightly and begin a shallow climb, followed by the sound of the gear being retracted. The crew will then retract some or all of the flaps.
The plane will make a few turns then fly 5-10 miles downwind before lining up with the runway for another approach. The flaps and landing gear will be extended back to landing configuration.
A go-around will add 15-30 minutes to the flight, depending on airport traffic. Think of it as a free sight-seeing excursion, courtesy of your airline!
Ken Hoke has been flying for over 30 years. He’s currently a Boeing 757 & 767 captain flying international routes for a package express airline. In his spare time, he writes AeroSavvy.com. Follow Ken on Twitter, Facebook,Instagram and YouTube.
Airbus launched the A380 a decade ago with high hopes for the rise of the super jumbo, but demand is dwindling. So what now for the future of the ultra-size market?
When Airbus first launched the A380 the marketing team at the European manufacturer had a field day. From bowling alleys to cinemas, the Super Jumbo was set to become the cruise ship of the skies. However, with the exception of First Class showers, bars and even a small art gallery, such innovations have been ignored by operators in return for maximising seating capacity to deliver the best economics to the airlines and comfort to passengers.
But far from its maximum capacity of 853 passengers, all the airlines to operate the type have decided upon three or four class arrangements seating around 500-500 passengers, with the most densely configured aircraft – one of a number of layouts for Emirates Airlines – providing 615-seats in a two-class offer. The lower-end of this market is also served by the Boeing 747-8I, the passenger variant stretch of the famous Jumbo Jet.
The demand for airliners in the ultra-sized market was always going to be small relative to other sectors, especially as developments with engine technology have allowed widebodied twins to fly as far, but significantly more efficiently than the four engined A380s and 747s. Airbus claimed a strong need for the Super Jumbo to support airport congestion and serve hub to hub markets.
Boeing agreed in principle, but disagreed on the size of the market in favour hub-buster smaller aircraft that would enable airlines to fly non-stop long-haul point-to-point services between non-hub airports, but still kept its toe in the water with the 747-8, which with a further extension to the upper deck of the aircraft added a further 50 seats versus the popular 747-400.
As we now enter the tenth year of A380 operations it is clear that the aircraft has not been the commercial success that Airbus hoped, although you certainly will not be hearing an executive of the company stating this publicly.
Since its entry into commercial service in October 2007 with Singapore Airlines, the manufacturer may have added to its backlog, but the almost all of these orders have come from repeat customers and the majority have been from the largest operator Emirates Airline. In fact over the past two years Airbus has added just two units to its backlog as Emirates has grown its overall commitment to 142 aircraft, of which more than 80 are already in service.
Only 13 airlines currently operate the A380, with nearing 200 aircraft now in service. The outstanding Airbus orderbook of around 120 aircraft includes orders that are unlikely to be fulfilled including aircraft for Virgin Atlantic Airways and additional commitments from existing customers such as Air France, Qantas and Singapore Airlines. All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the only new customer for the type with three aircraft due in 2019, although the orderbook does include aircraft with lessors Air Accord and Amedo that are yet to be placed.
A closer look at A380 operations shows that the aircraft has partly delivered on the Airbus promise of hub flying, with Dubai International, London Heathrow, Singapore Changi, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Sydney airports the largest gateways for A380 operations this winter. The aircraft has certainly allowed airlines to boost capacity on busy routes such as Emirates between Dubai and the UK, while British Airways and others have used the aircraft to merge two rotations into one and redeploy assets elsewhere.
However, it has become clear that for many airlines the aircraft is just too large to sustainably serve markets. An example is Malaysia Airlines which has already dropped the aircraft from the Kuala Lumpur – Paris market and will soon replace its remaining aircraft on the Kuala Lumpur – London route with smaller twin-engined aircraft.
The Asian carrier has been seeking to find new owners for its aircraft for a couple of years without success and with the slow sales of new aircraft and recent news that Singapore Airlines will not renew the lease of its first A380 when its ten-year deal expires next year, has led many analysts to suggest the end of the line for the Super Jumbo.
But is it really that bad when you consider the huge investments airports across the globe have made to handle the larger jets? Singapore Airlines has confirmed that although it will likely retire some of its early production A380s, it remains committed to the aircraft and still sees a role for the aircraft, particularly on high-demand routes to slot-constrained airports. Meanwhile, Emirates remains as committed as ever to the programme with its chief executive officer, Sir Tim Clark, stating recently that the world needs more A380s as airports get increasingly congested.
Malaysia Airlines may have even found a new market for the aircraft with chief executive officer, Peter Bellew, revealing at World Routes that Malaysia Airlines was in the process of establishing a sister airline venture that would take over the operation of its A380 fleet and operate them for specific missions (such as Hajj and Umrah) and on wet-lease agreements for other operators not wishing to fully commit to acquiring their own aircraft.
The former Ryanair executive has subsequently confirmed detailed discussions with Airbus over the proposal and is understood to be currently looking at configuration options to make these aircraft suitable to customers – this included maintaining their current 496-seat layout, a 605-seat two-class option and a 700-seat, all-Economy offer ahead of the launch of the new business.
“I think it if you take a five-to-six-year view of this, there is enough volume of very predictable movements of people related to religious pilgrimage and other short- and medium-term wet-lease use of these aircraft to probably sustain a fleet up to 20 aircraft globally,” he said.
Boeing may not have invested as heavily in the ultra-large sized aircraft market, but is witnessing the same demand issues as Airbus. Only Air China, Korean Air and Lufthansa have signed up to the 747-8I Intercontinental, the passenger version of the aircraft, and just 36 aircraft are in service. Interestingly two of these three operators are also customers for the A380.
With Airbus having dropped plans to produce a freighter variant of the A380, Boeing has been able to grow its 747-8 customer base, with over 70% of the 110 aircraft in service being dedicated freighter aircraft serving with the likes of AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Atlas Air, Cargolux, Cathay Pacific Cargo, Korean Air Cargo, Nippon Cargo Airlines, Saudia Cargo, SilkWay Airlines and Volga-Dnepr Airlines. A recent deal from UPS Airlines, originally a customer for the A380 freighter has guaranteed 747 production for at least a couple more years.
The Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8I have shown their adaptability to serving different markets through the scheduled operations of their existing customers. During nine years of service the A380 has flown to 75 different airports, albeit many of these were special one-off promotional rotations from Emirates Airline. Meanwhile, the 747-8I has seen service in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas over the past 4+ years, most famously a special ‘Siegerflieger’ themed aircraft flying Germany back from Brazil after winning the 2014 Football World Cup.
The majority of A380 missions have been between hub airports with the three busiest routes for the aircraft linking the world’s two busiest international airports (Dubai International – London Heathrow) and on the Singapore Changi – London Heathrow and Dubai International – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi city pairs. The A380 and 747-8I have both also been used to meet high demand in short-haul markets with Air China and China Southern Airlines using the equipment heavily along the largest domestic corridors in mainland China.
This winter the Airbus A380 once again holds the right to operating the world’s longest regular scheduled service by distance after Emirates Airline introduced the type on its Dubai – Auckland non-stop service in late October, replacing the smaller 777. This route (at 14,193km) had replaced the Qantas Sydney – Dallas link (at 13,802) as the world’s longest, a route that has also been flown using an A380 since September 2014. The Super Jumbo will retain this record through to February 2017 when Qatar Airways inaugurates its own link to Auckland from Doha’s Hamad International Airport using a 777-200LR.
Interestingly, Doha will also become the destination of the shortest regular A380 scheduled service this winter after Emirates Airline introduces the type on one of its nine daily flights between Dubai and Qatari capital from December 1, 2016. At just 379km it may seem strange to use a long-range aircraft on such a route, but Emirates says it will allow it to meet peak morning demand on the route and supports wider long-haul fleet utilisation.
It is clear that market conditions and competition from other aircraft programmes has limited the need for ultra-large airliners such as the A380 and 747-8I. However, as the global industry continues its rapid growth and with airport congestion likely to remain and potentially further develop as a major constraint on the system, there could be a future rise in demand for these airliners.
There are certainly hub-to-hub markets that easily support such high-demand airliners and an increasing number of city pairs that could also support such aircraft. That is why both Airbus and Boeing are keeping their options open and, despite sales challenges, will be working hard to support demand for both new and secondhand equipment.
This article is sourced from an original feature by Richard Maslen that appeared in…ROUTES NEWS – ISSUE 7, 2016 – Click here to view the magazine.
Yesterday we spoke of a possible scenario which resulted in the crash of a light aircraft shortly after leaving Essendon airport (YMES).
The original theory
When going through the checklist for a single engine failure, the pilot must ‘feather’ the engine/propeller of the failed engine, retract the undercarriage, and put the nose down for more level flight.
To “feather” a propeller means that the blades are turned such that their mid-to-outer section is aligned with airflow and they create minimal air resistance. This is done when the engine is shut down (or fails) so the propeller will create minimal drag.
A feathered propeller, minimising its profile to airflow
The landing gear is retracted also to minimise drag. These actions along with reducing the rate of climb, allow for the remaining engine to utilise maximum power to keep the aircraft in flight.
It is possible that none of this happened, it appears that either the pilot was not able to do this or he was prevented from running the engine failure checklist.
Industry experts believe the functionality of the plane’s auto-feathering feature, and how the engine was feathered, are the most crucial aspects of the crash.
It is possible the engine that failed did not auto-feather, or could not be feathered by the pilot. The result of the propeller not feathering correctly could have resulted in a windmilling propeller producing significant additional drag and have a deleterious effect on aircraft controllability.
A modified theory
There is a possibility of a second and possibly more immediate cause of the accident. However, before discussing this possible scenario, let’s have a quick look at take-off speeds in relation to engine failure.
V1 is the takeoff decision speed – if an engine failure occurs below this speed you abort or reject the takeoff (RTO). If engine failure occurs above this speed you must continue the takeoff.
Vr is the rotation speed – where the nose gear is raised off the runway surface but must allow the aircraft to accelerate to V2 before the aircraft reaches 35ft above the takeoff surface.
V2 is the takeoff safety speed – this minimum speed must be reached before the aircraft reaches 35ft above the takeoff surface with one engine inoperative.
Therefore if an engine failure occurs before V1, the takeoff roll is aborted.
If the engine failure occurred after V1 or Vr the takeoff was continued. However, if due to drag from a wind-milling (un-feathered) propeller, flaps extended and with the landing gear still extended, total power loss is not 50%, but can be as much as 80% even with the remaining engine operating at full power.
If the aircraft did not reach V2 it may not have enough airspeed to keep it airborne, eventually suffering a stall and crashing. The stall speed for a King Air B200 is 86 mph (75 knots, 139 km/h) IAS with flaps down.
In the video(s) of the incident, it appears that the landing gear was retracted, thus reducing drag.
The operator of an airport fire engine that ran a red light and killed three people in a crash has been ordered to pay $160,000 to the Commonwealth for breaching the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Renowned architects Greg McNamara, his wife Lena Yali, and Kevin Taylor died when the fire truck, which was on its way to assist at a fire at Wyuna, collided with their car in Darwin in 2011.
The airport fire trucks occasionally assisted on jobs outside of the airport grounds.
Airservices Australia admitted fault in 2013 during a coronial inquest, and conceded the training provided to drivers was not adequate.
But the legal battles have continued, as federal workplace safety organisation Comcare launched additional action against Airservices Australia earlier this year.
They argued it breached the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The main argument was that Airservices failed to give appropriate training to its employees and did not identify risks to its employees or other road users.
Justice John Reeves today handed down his judgment finding Airservices breached the act and ordered it to pay the fine.
Justice Reeves noted the “airport fire engine was much larger than the majority of other vehicles driven on public roads, and the potential for serious injury and damage if they come into collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian is obvious”.
No railway journey on Earth can match the Trans-Siberian stretches between Moscow and Vladivostok. It is not just its vast length and the great variety of the lands and climates through which it passes. It is not just its history as the line that linked the huge tracts of land which are Russia. It is a dream which calls countless travellers to the adventure of the longest railway in the world.
Speed kills. Speed cameras save lives. We have heard it all before. But, two-hundred and forty-nine people people died in fatal traffic accidents on Victoria’s roads last year — a 2.5 per cent increase from 2013’s figure.
This is despite a record number of fixed and mobile speed cameras deployed on roads in Victoria, and around Australia.
For years, the governments have been claiming that speed cameras save lives and that speed is the greatest common factor in fatal car accidents.
But with road deaths on the rise, could it be that speed cameras actually don’t save lives and in fact are contributing to our road toll by breeding poor driving practises?
Since Saab introduced seat belts as standard in 1958, occupant safety has been improving every year, and the sedans, wagons, utilities and SUVs we drive today are safer than ever. And safer cars will undoubtedly go further in reducing the road toll than speed cameras.
Speed cameras certainly have their place in society, but not with the draconian enforcement of low-level speeding and covert tactics, such as hiding in bushes and unmarked mobile speed cameras, as occurs in Victoria, at least, more needs to be done.
The proof is in the numbers. People are still crashing, they are just safer doing so.
The figures show that revenue from speed cameras alone — on the spot police fines are not included in this figure — in 2010 was around $236 million. Fast forward to 2013 and that figures jumps a whopping $57 million to $293 million. Imagine ripping almost $300 million from government coffers; speed cameras have become like a drug addiction that governments can’t help but feed off.
Included below is a graph (click here to see larger version) that shows the relationship between hospital stays shorter than 14 days, longer than 14 days, fatalities and revenue from speed cameras. The graph shows that the increase in revenue from speed cameras isn’t commensurate with a reduction in hospital stays. Hospital stays of fewer than 14 days and more than 14 days during this period trended steady.
When asked about speed cameras and levels of enforcement, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Regulation told CarAdvice:
“Broadly speaking the rate of people being fined by cameras is not changing, but as the population grows, so too does the number of fines issued.
“The overall number of infringements issued annually is increasing as Victoria’s population grows and there are more cars on the road.
“Over 99 per cent of vehicles passing fixed cameras and over 98 per cent of vehicles passing mobile cameras comply with the speed limit.
That’s because people know that they are there. Drivers slow down for the cameras, and then once past them, they resume their normal driving habits – Ed.
“Fixed and mobile road safety cameras reduce speeds and cut road trauma because they are placed in high-risk or high-speed areas, areas with history of road trauma, or areas that will provide a road safety benefit.
This is not always so! In 2011 a NSW review of the placement of speed cameras was carried out by the Auditor-Generals Department, and a large number of cameras, 38 in fact, were identified as being placed to interrogate the speed of a large number of passing vehicles, or where the speed limit had been reduced from a higher limit; e.g. passing from a 90kmh zone into a 70kmh zone, with no identified high risk factors or adverse trauma history – Ed.
“100 per cent of the money from camera fines is allocated to the Better Roads Victoria Trust Account. The funds from this account are used to improve road safety for all road users.”
With an enforcement focus skewed on speed, ask yourself this question: how many speed cameras did you travel through (whether it be a fixed or mobile one) in the past month? Now, ask yourself how many times were you stopped to be tested for drugs or alcohol over the same period?
Similarly, in the past 10 years, how many times did you undertake driver training to improve your skills?
The unfortunate reality of speed camera-biased enforcement can be demonstrated with the tragic death of pedestrian Anthony Parsons and husband and wife Savva and Ismini Menelaou, who were passengers in a Ford Falcon struck at the intersection of Warrigal and Dandenong roads in Oakleigh, Victoria last year.
Brazilian national Nei Lima DaCosta was high on ice and drove through one fixed speed camera at 30km/h over the speed limit minutes before careering through the intersection of Warrigal and Dandenong roads at 120km/h (40km/h over the speed limit) through another speed and red light camera. He killed three innocent people. These two cameras did nothing to help save the lives of three innocent people.
This particular example illustrates why so much more needs to be done on enforcing and dealing with poor driving, whether it be due to drugs, lack of skills or visible policing.
There seems to be a reluctance, at least in Australia for police to perform in a pro-active role. Whenever police are seen on highways, it is always in the role of enforcement, speed checking, number plate recognition activities and the like, revenue raising activities – Ed.
Speed cameras alone will never be a useful immediate enforcement or protection tool against drivers excessively speeding, or people who don’t know how to drive to start with.
Those people that use the idiom “don’t speed and you won’t get caught” simply don’t understand the reality of driving safely. If I had the preference of watching the road or my speedometer, I know which one I would choose.
What is needed is an overhaul of driver training, the proper blitzing of drink and drug driving testing, along with the removal of low level speed enforcement. Who would have an issue with being stopped twice a day for drug or alcohol testing if it meant impaired drivers were taken off the road more promptly?
We also need more transparency on where the money generated from speed cameras goes and where it should be spent.
With all the roads around NSW in such poor condition, serious doubt has to raised as just where income from fines is actually spent on – Ed.
Primarily, the Russian people have only been driving for a short time. Prior to the fall of communism in 1989, private ownership of motor vehicles was severely restricted by cost, but more importantly, to restrict the free movement of the population within the former Soviet Union. Access to motor vehicle ownership in the last 27 years has increased exponentially! What has not increased however is the skill, ability, psyche and consideration that goes with the operation of a motor vehicle. Accompanied by this, is a distinct lack of experience, discipline and courtesy needed when driving on a public road.
There also appears to be no concept of consequence in Russia. This results from a lack of lateral thinking which is not nurtured in Russian society as well as their education. So they drive like aggressively without regard for road rules believing they’re not causing any harm. Russians believe the bigger the car they drive, the safer they are. Hence why drivers of 4x4s tend to be even more aggressive then drivers of a Fiat Punto.
Russia: The only place where you can be rear-ended whilst overtaking, driving the wrong way up a one way street!
Corruption
Corruption is rife in Russian which means that money can buy anything, including a driver’s licence. Russian get drivers licences with no knowledge of road rules or even the ability to drive a car! As a result there is little reason to learn the highway code. Thus everyone has their own view as to what the laws of the road really are. Continuing with corruption, if you drive like a idiot and get stopped, you can generally bribe your way our of being punished. Thus there is basically no fear of punishment which reinforces the belief that Russian drivers can behave at the wheel as they wish with impunity. Police are generally nowhere to be seen. They might occasionally pull you over nearer the centre of a city by being flagged down but a police car pulling someone over? Never! There are no cameras, except around the city centre but even if you are sent a fine, there is no system in place to actually guarantee payment of that fine. Many Russians who have been sent a fine have never paid it. So again, you can act without fear of punishment,
“There are only two types of Russians – those who give bribes and those who take them.”
So all in all, this theme finds its way into the Russian psyche. The Russians are not stupid because, if you are stupid, you still know the difference between right and wrong. 80 years of communism has lead Russians to be disillusioned and somewhat primitive. There is a big difference.
Driving in Russia is hazardous: Last year, 200,000 traffic accidents killed 27.025 people in Russia in 2013. Addressing those high levels, President Dmitry Medvedev blamed the “undisciplined, criminally careless behaviour of our drivers,” along with poor road conditions. However, Medvedev made no mention of the totally dysfunctional Russian traffic police!
Russians consistently ignore red lights, overtake on the inside, overtake on the outside when unsafe or blind, speed and couple this with little or no technical expertise or driving ability, this is a recipe for disaster!
While accepting that drivers certainly play a role, Medvedev did not mention Russia’s traffic police, which, “is known throughout their land for brutality, corruption, extortion and making an income on bribes.”
According to information published by New Times(2009), one day’s corrupt income for a traffic policeman is $1000. Everyone regards the law enforcement agencies, chiefly the police, as extortioners in uniform and it is generally recognised that a policeman’s official salary is only part of his income. Medvedev’s police reform, carried out by the police establishment itself, has failed. The overwhelming majority of Russians have no more faith in the police than they did in the Soviet past.
Russia ranks 133rd among the world’s nations in corruption (where number one is the least corrupt), according to Transparency International. So going to the police with a legitimate complaint is far from sure to produce a good result.
In addition to authorities they deem untrustworthy, Russian drivers must contend with the possibility of being attacked by another driver. The below video compiles fights between drivers that feature crowbars, slapping, punching, and worse.
Then there are pedestrians who get themselves hit by cars on purpose, for a payoff. A video compilation (below) of failed scams offers a few examples.
Overall, in a country where traffic conditions are horrible, insurance scams and roadside fights are always a possibility, and the police are widely viewed as corrupt, video evidence of one’s innocence can be a very valuable thing.
There are are number of things which also contribute to this situation:
Harsh climate. It means foggy mornings in the summer, rainy autumns, snowy winters notorious of its blizzards and ice, springs with huge lots of wet dirt.
Poor road conditions. Yes, that is no secret, that the bigger part of roads in Russia are not good. Perestroika, the crisis of 90’s and other economic problems including theft and corruption inside the Road construction department resulted in poor roads conditions
Large distances. It is much more easy and convenient to build and service roads in a small country, neither in Russia where distances between settlements sometimes can be counted in hundreds of km. Living in Siberia, one can take a ride from one city to another and not see civilisation for hours with only taiga forest around. In Australia, large distances are also an issue, but Australians do not have the poor driver behaviour as exhibited in Russia!
The Russian government did not expect people to have so many cars. The number rose dramatically over the last 25 years. In the west, the culture of proper driving was formed over a longer period, while in Russia it just boomed. The problem is much worse for big cities of 1 million citizens or more. Here we see too many cars on tiny roads and a lack of parking spaces. It makes people nervous while driving.
The other factor is culture. Russian people today haven’t learned to respect each other. And they won’t until the economic situation improves.
Vehicles and Vodka
Russia has a long history of alcohol consumption. The average Russian drinks 20 litres of pure alcohol per annum, nearly twice as much as their nearest rival. This of course carries onto the streets of Russia.
According to data, the number of drunk drivers has been steadily increasing in the past few years. In the last eight months of 2012, the number of accidents caused by drunk drivers rose by 3.5%. In that time, there were 152 alcohol related accidents in Moscow, which caused 15 deaths. And Moscow is far from being the worst city in Russia: in the Krasnoyarsk region there were 433 drunk driving accidents over the same period.
Some worry that stricter laws will mean serious punishment even for drivers who don’t drink, since Russia’s laws don’t specify a blood alcohol level at which one is considered drunk. United Russia lawmakers think that establishing specific criteria for drunk drivers is essential to the success of a stricter law. A threshold is important because human blood will always contain some alcohol, which could be detected in blood tests. Russia had an alcohol limit until 2010, but then-President Medvedev thought drivers interpreted the law to mean they could drink up to that point, and changed the law to zero-tolerance.
On the other hand, people who knowingly drink and drive might not be deterred by the new law at all. The police say people who regularly drive under the influence and accumulate suspended licenses for years simply ignore the sanctions (such as the driver in the recent accident in Moscow, whose license had been suspended in 2010 for drunk driving).
In the past two years, more than 18,000 drivers have had their license suspended for drunk driving. Among those drivers, some had been punished for drunk driving 100 times or put in administrative arrest 16 times for driving without a license. The law has no effect on this type of person, so a completely different approach is needed with them. It has been suggested that if they can’t stop themselves from drinking and driving, they need to be under the strict control of the courts and medical staff.”
The Russian Dash-Cam
In Russia, everyone should (and does) have a camera on their dashboard. It’s better than keeping a lead pipe under your seat for protection (but you might still want that lead pipe).
The conditions of Russian roads are perilous, with an insane gridlock in the city and gigantic ditches, endless swamps and severe wintry emptiness of the back roads and highways. Then there are large, lawless areas you don’t just ride into, the police with a penchant for extortion and deeply frustrated drivers who want to smash your face.
Psychopaths are abundant on Russian roads. You best not cut anyone off or undertake some other type of maneuver that might inconvenience the 200-pound, six-foot-five brawling children you see on YouTube hopping out of their SUVs with their dukes up. They will go ballistic in a snap, drive in front of you, brake suddenly, block you off, jump out and run towards your vehicle. Next thing you start getting punches in your face because your didn’t roll up your windows, or getting pulled out of the car and beaten because you didn’t lock the doors. These fights happen all the time and you can’t really press charges. Point to your broken nose or smashed windows all you want. The Russian courts don’t like verbal claims. They do, however, like to send people to jail for battery and property destruction if there’s definite video proof. That is why there’s a new, growing crop of dash-cam videos featuring would-be face-beaters backing away to the shouts of “You’re on camera, fucker! I’m calling the cops!”
Dash-cam footage is the only real way to substantiate your claims in the court of law. Forget witnesses. Hit and runs are very common and insurance companies notoriously specialize in denying claims. Two-way insurance coverage is very expensive and almost completely unavailable for vehicles over ten years old–the drivers can only get basic liability. Get into a minor or major accident and expect the other party to lie to the police or better yet, flee after rear-ending you. Since your insurance won’t pay unless the offender is found and sued, you’ll see dash-cam videos of post hit and run pursuits for plate numbers.
And sometimes drivers back up or bump their pre-dented car into yours. It used to be a mob thing, with the accident-staging specialists working in groups. After the “accident,” the offending driver–often an elderly lady–is confronted by a crowd of “witnesses,” psychologically pressured and intimidated to pay up cash on the spot. Since the Age of the Dash-cam, hustle has withered from a flourishing enterprise to a dying trade, mainly thriving in the provinces where dash-cams are less prevalent.
And then, sometimes, someone will jump under your car at a crossing, laying on the asphalt, simulating a badly hurt pedestrian waiting for that cop conveniently parked nearby. This dramatic extortion scheme was common, until the Age of the Dash-cam. Oh, and there are such juicy, triumphant tales about of would-be extortion victims turning the scheme around and telling the cast members to pay them money or they’re going to jail for this little performance! Don’t try it.
While those lucky enough to traverse the Russian roads with an American or other Western passport are hassled less, the Russian Highway Patrol is notorious throughout their land for brutality, corruption, extortion and making an income on bribes.
Russian websites go for the uncut, the horrible accidents–trucks flipping over, people being smashed into pieces and sedans flying up in the air and exploding. Given that television programing is mostly vacuous and heavily censored, dash-cam videos are very popular in Russia. It’s uncensored–drama, comedy, tragedy, horror, thriller and educational genres fused into one super-genre of “dash-cam.” Who needs Klitschko when you can watch to tough guys box in the street?
To better understand and navigate this “community service”, here’s a Russian Dash-cam Video Thesaurus for the blog tag cloud. It is comprised of purposely misspelled hick and thug slang and phrases used sarcastically…while people die. Ah, Russian humour.
поциент – “Patient.” The poor bastard, the dumb idiot in the video getting pulverized, run over or smashed into. A wordplay of “potz,” the Russian translation of the Yiddish “schmuck.”
летчик – “Pilot.” The idiot who zooms by and crashes in the grand finale of a video.
слабоумие и отвага – “Courage and dementia.”
последние секунды жизни – “Last seconds of life.” Videos featuring persons before and after fatal accidents.
кетай как всегда пиздец – “China is always fucked.” Clips from China that feature severe crashes and frequently feature passersby ignoring the bodies and car debris.
кирпичи – “Bricks” (as in “shitting bricks.”) The audio track often features the driver panting or shouting the entire Russian vocabulary of swears at the top of their lungs. Used for videos with near misses or close shaves.
железобетонное очко – “Anus of Concrete.” Honorific given to drivers who, faced with sudden danger like a huge truck coming head-on, remain calm, only saying “shoot” or “darn” quietly in the background, and efficiently steer away from danger, displaying some seriously fucking great driving skills.
наварра – The infamous video featuring a black Nissan Navarra SUV swerving to the oncoming freight liner and being smashed into a cloud of small pieces. It is the metaphor for a gruesome, intense, fatal accident.
But there are moments of humanity among the Russian people,. At a city accident scene, you could see as many as twenty cars pulling over, drivers running out to the scene. This comes from the recognition of the fact that on a 300-mile stretch of uninhabited territory, help can only come from passing vehicles and not emergency services. Most Russian long-distance routes East of the Ural Mountains are that way. There is really only one highway like that in North America: the Western Canadian to Alaskan Stretch of the Pan-American Highway. The camaraderie between strangers, shoveling the snow and hailing a freight truck or tractor to pull the car out. The kudos. The cheers. The knowledge that you could be very well be next.
And don’t you forget it. Aside from the kindness of strangers, it’s just you and that little gadget versus the hell that is the Russian people on the road.
The Forth Road Bridge is to remain shut until the new year after faults were discovered in its steel work, Scotland’s Transport Minister Derek Mackay has said.
The decision to close the bridge was taken by the Scottish Government after inspections carried out by specialist engineers and following advice and
assessment of the fault by independent experts.
Work is already under way to repair the crossing and it is expected to be reopened to traffic in January.
The complete closure of the bridge came into force at midnight, with major tailbacks experienced on diversion routes at rush hour.
Mr MacKay said the decision was “not taken lightly”, and steps are being taken to lessen the impact of the closure.
The problem was first identified during a routine inspection on Tuesday.
Traffic was restricted that evening but it was later decided that the bridge should be closed entirely.
Additional rail, ferry and park-and-ride facilities are to be put in place.
Emergency service vehicles will still be able to use the bridge when responding to calls.
Engineers said a 20mm crack in a truss under the southbound carriageway close to the bridge’s north tower could not have been predicted and happened quickly.
Continuing to allow traffic to use the bridge would “increase the risk of causing extensive secondary damage to the structure”.
Mr Mackay said: “Every effort is being made to open the bridge as quickly as possible but safety is the main priority, however these works are weather dependent given the height and location of the bridge.
“We are aware of the potential economic impact, for strategic traffic in the east of Scotland and on people living in local communities.
“This is an unprecedented challenge in the maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge. On balance following advice from engineers and independent experts, the full closure is essential for the safety of the travelling public and to prevent further damage to the structure of the bridge.
“The bridge operators Amey have a robust inspection team in place and these defects are problems that have only occurred in the last number of weeks.
“We are taking every step we can to lessen the impact of this closure. Action now will mean that any closure is much shorter than it might be if we waited.”
Chartered engineer Mark Arndt, from Amey, said: “This is a complex engineering challenge. The component failure is in a difficult-to-access location and our response is also highly dependent on weather conditions.
“We continue to work around the clock on inspections, assessments and calculations along with the development of designs to effect the necessary repairs, while at the same time mobilising all the resources required to reopen the bridge as soon as is possible.”
In the last two weeks Sydneysiders have witnessed two fatalities and a serious injury as a result of collisions between bicycles and heavy vehicles. These tragic accidents stimulate people’s compassion and calls for action.
The NSW Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay has suggested a licensing system for cyclists, saying “We will look at it on a safety basis.” But there is no evidence to suggest that licensing would have made any difference to the incidents over the last few weeks or would contribute to a change of culture on Sydney’s roads. The fact that there are a host of operational challenges and impracticalities to the licensing of cyclists creates an unhelpful distraction from what should be the government’s first priority – making our roads safer.
With safety as the priority for all road users, Bicycle NSW recommends that the NSW Government immediately follow the lead of Queensland in trialling minimum passing distance legislation, requiring a minimum of one metre when a motor vehicle overtakes a bicycle rider. This will provide motorists and cyclists alike with certainty over what is a safe passing distance. We believe this simple message can save lives when it is fully implemented and becomes part of Australian driving behaviours.
In addition the government needs to continue the focus on encouraging mutual respect between all road users and the importance of everyone obeying the rules. Bicycle NSW in partnership with the NSW Centre for Road Safety, the NSW Police, NRMA, Subaru and Toll Holdings is a proud supporter of the “It’s a Two Way Street – Show Mutual Respect” Campaign led by the Amy Gillett Foundation.
But by far the most effective safety initiative is the creation of a safe network of separated and connected bicycle paths in and around our urban centres.
Other safety actions Bicycle NSW believes require greater attention are educating all road users on the rights of others to safely use the roads, practical training programs to develop rider skills and knowledge as well as education to increase awareness around the importance of visibility by wearing a light and bright reflective clothing; obeying the road rules, riding in a predictable manner, giving hand signals; and planning your route using quieter streets, separated bicycle lanes andshared paths.
Governments at all levels around Australia have committed to plans and targets to increase bicycle usage because of the significant contribution that bike riding can make to reducing transport congestion, improving our health and enhancing the liveability of our urban spaces. Registration or licensing of bikes or riders should not be considered as a priority. The focus for action should be on solutions that will encourage bicycle riding and create a safer environment for everyone to respectfully share our roads.
George Brown is a decorated soldier and health professional and 40 year veteran in the field of emergency nursing and paramedical practice, both military and civilian areas. He has senior management positions in the delivery of paramedical services. Opinions expressed in these columns are solely those of the author and should not be construed as being those of any organization to which he may be connected.
He was born in the UK of Scottish ancestry from Aberdeen and a member of the Clan MacDougall. He is a member of the Macedonian community in Newcastle, and speaks fluent Macedonian. While this may seem a contradiction, it is his wife who is Macedonian, and as a result he embraced the Macedonian language and the Orthodox faith.
His interests include aviation and digital photography, and he always enjoys the opportunity to combine the two. Navigate to his Flickr site to see recent additions to his photo library.
Џорџ Браун е украсени војник и професионално здравствено лице и 40 годишен ветеран во областа на за итни случаи старечки и парамедицински пракса, двете воени и цивилни области. Тој има високи менаџерски позиции во испораката на парамедицински услуги. Мислењата изразени во овие колумни се исклучиво на авторот и не треба да се толкува како оние на било која организација тој може да биде поврзан.
Тој е роден во Велика Британија на шкотскиот потекло од Абердин и член на Kланот MacDougall. Тој е член на македонската заедница во Њукасл, и зборува течно македонски. Иако ова можеби изгледа контрадикција, тоа е неговата сопруга кој е македонски, и како резултат научил македонскиот јазик и ја примија православната вера.
Неговите интереси вклучуваат авијација и дигитална фотографија, и тој секогаш ужива во можност да се комбинираат двете. Отиди до неговиот Фликр сајт да видите последните дополнувања на неговата слика библиотека.
Discussion on the law that applies to or affects Australia's emergency services and emergency management, by Michael Eburn, PhD, Australian Lawyer. Email: meburn@australianemergencylaw.com
Oh, let's see...distinguished Gen-X'er, frustrated writer and mom living in the confines of a small town that thinks it's a big deal. And have I mentioned Walmart yet?
Navy aircraft use different terms for go-arounds and balked landings.
Ken Hoke has been flying for over 30 years. He’s currently a Boeing 757 & 767 captain flying international routes for a package express airline. In his spare time, he writes 
Posted on Friday 4 December 2015
Words, By George! 