OPINION: Chain of responsibility seems to have fallen by the wayside as road authorities take the easy road.
At the dawn service at my local Anzac remembrance, the master of ceremonies commented on being proud of our service people, both current and past, and went on to suggest we should conduct ourselves in a manner that would make those who have gone before us proud. In so many ways it’s a forlorn hope.
I’ve been contacted by Paul who read the article in which I commented on the size of penalties awarded against those of us in road transport who have sinned against road transport law.
Some couple of years ago there was debate – principally originating from Victoria I think – where there was concern regarding truckies doing what was termed ‘nose to tail shifts’. Essentially it concerned drivers doing a 12/14-hour shift, having the mandated seven-hour break and then taking off again. The reality of that situation is that if one has taken the minimum short rest breaks, the rule of maximum of 12/14 hours in a 24 period would come into play. The debate was instigated by enforcement people concerned that such drivers would be fatigued. All this goes to prove is that it is not only drivers of trucks who can be unaware of the complexities of road transport regulations.
Eastern states bureaucracy
Paul was one who undertook a nose to tail operation way back in January 2022. And that, folks, is considerably more than 12 months ago. It took over 12 months to issue a penalty to Paul. But talk about prejudice against people in this industry by eastern states bureaucracy. That action of Paul’s would be quite legal in Western Australia (read: considered safe) where he was operating to and from. But get this, the fine is not only four demerit points but a whopping $17,240! Alcohol-impaired drivers never get those financial penalties. And the other thing, Paul said nothing about any chain of responsibility action. Is this just another case of bureaucrats picking low hanging fruit? Previously Dan has raised the issue of enforcement backing off its responsibility to go up the ladder chasing up chain of responsibility actions.
On top of that insult, we’ve got an organisation called the National Transport Commission that has been given the responsibility of reviewing eastern states’ heavy vehicle regulation. It’s been carrying that obligation for years with no visible outcome – beyond the hairbrained suggestion that the legal maximum hours be reduced. Talk about a limited connect between renumeration and productivity.
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Still on bureaucracy. Graeme, whose extremely responsible business is being severely downsized, is reported making a statement that goes as per quote, “Compliance has done nothing for this industry – the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is the greatest debacle I’ve ever come across”.
The NHVR seems determined to reinvent the wheel in its pursuit of alternative fatigue management proposals. This economy has been undermined by the excessive cost of doing business. But instead of pursuing a level playing field, bureaucracy is being allowed to continue with programs that allow some sections of business via chequebook diplomacy to gain competitive advantage over less affluent opposition. Secondly, it allows bureaucracy to maintain its status quo. As my mate Rod from across the ditch exclaims, the majors will mop up the slack with imported labour.
Tailgate bullies
Tailgating – a difficult problem to resolve as it is so often in the eye of the beholder, but not always. Definitely tailgating – the heavy vehicle going south through road works on the southern Gold Coast. Speed limit 60km/h and traffic flowing at that. A light vehicle following a heavy. A second heavy was so close to the back of the light vehicle that the light vehicle took ill-considered evasive reaction into the second lane coming very close to collision with a truck in the adjacent lane. The industry is in enough trouble with reputation without this sort of bullying.
Here’s a different story. It’s night in wet country Victoria and a heavy vehicle gradually closes on a sedan. The sedan’s incompetent driver attempted courtesy by slowing, or was its driver intimidated simply by having the heavy behind? All good, except that overtaking for the heavy was not safe. The slowing process continued for some 10km before changing of routes in a country town resolved the situation.
I also consider that so-called road safety experts’ regular advice to simply slow down has an impact on real tailgating. There needs to be an attempt to educate about the road safety impact of friction in traffic flow.
Ah Peter, I’m convinced that your wish that we conduct ourselves in a manner that would make our forebears proud is something of a forlorn wish. My recommended reading this month: Australia’s Secret Army by Michael Vetch. It is the story of Australia’s coast watchers. We’ve certainly had our heroes, but we’ve also had our share of ‘drips under pressure’. They haven’t all been from the grass roots establishment and they’re not all from the grass roots brigade now either.
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KEN WILKIE has been an owner-driver since 1974, after first getting behind the wheel at 11. He’s on his eighth truck, and is a long-time Owner//Driver contributor. He covers Rockhampton to Adelaide and any point in between. His current ambition is to see the world, and to see more respect for the nation’s truckies. Contact Ken at ken@rwstransport.com.au