GRIPES

[Jerry_Atrick]

The daughter is currently learning to drive. Despite being in a rural area, there are surprisingly few quiet areas where she can drive (many of them around have signs prorhibiting driving tuition - the killjoys). So, it is straight on the roads. She has had three or four lessons, and says they say just hit the road - no tuition in terms of the basics of driving, the controls, etc... She says she has kangaroo jumped a couple of times, but hasn't stalled it yet - which is not bad.

 

I have taken her out 4 or 5 times as I am eager to get her confidence up to speed. The first time, she was all over the lane (after her second lesson). I asked her were she was looking and she said straight ahead. I then asked her where abouts straight ahead and she just said straight ahead. From where I was looking, it looked like she was looking over the bonnet to the cloest biot of black-top she could see. We pulled over at a parking spot on a flat striaght stretch and I asked here to describe to me if she were driving now, where she would be looking. She said basically over the bonnet onto the road. So, I exlaoined to her why it was important to look well ahead - even past the car/s in front and use peripheral vision and then a scan well ahead at different spots to get perspective to allow better judgment while also being able to spot potential dangerous situations and act accordlgy, and drumming into her that good drivers use their skills and experience to get out sticky situations, whereas great drivers use their skills and experience to avoid getting into them.

 

I also asked if her instructor had advised her on where she should be lookling. "He doesn't tell mae anything.. it is just get in and drive.".. Hmm.. Has he explained the controls of the car, when to use highbeams and when not to; etc.. Nope.. nothing.

 

So, while I leace the rules and driving process (e.g. when to indicate, etc) to the instructor, I take outmy daughter as much as she will let me and we focus on one technique at a time; The second time, it was combinging the forward vision and scan with checking the mirrors and building up situationa awareness. We did a couple just to allow that to sink in (while letting her know she has to concentrate on not inadvertently moving arms/hands when moving her head and therefore inadvertently steering off the intended track. I have spent time with her in the car just going through the controls so she knows what they are and when to use them.

 

Today, we did a drive on a longer A road and then on a main town road to see what she would be thrown up. She had to overtake a bicvycle with oncoming traffic, which she should excellent judgement. She also handled roundabouts and did her first 90 degree park.

 

She is still very nervous, but I can see her confdidence improving. Importantly, she is understanding that getting on with it - keeping an appropriate speed when merging, etc is better than hitting the brake whenever a situation changes.

 

We have both agreed that when she gets her license, it will be an advanced drving course. Here, you are not allowed to go on the motorways as a learner driver, even under instruction. The day you get yo8ur licence, you can pootle on a motorway.

 

No wonder people don't know how to drive onm them.

[onetrack]

There's just been the most godawful collision in Nth Eastern S.A. today, between an interstate semi, and a big freight train. The crash killed both train drivers, but the 75 yr old driver of the semi escaped with no injury. The level crossing has lights but no boom gates, it's way out in the boondocks in one of the most remote parts of S.A., on the highway between Port Augusta and Broken Hill.

 

The damage level is unbelievable, both locos are totally destroyed, dozens of rail trucks are piled up in a jumble, and the damage bill will be in the multiple millions. The truck would've been doing 100-105kmh, and the train would've been doing around 110kmh (the locos are speed limited to 115kmh).

 

The rail operators have multiple cameras in the locos, as well as other recording devices, and all the info should be readily available to determine what went wrong.

What gets me is, the crash site is open country, no trees, and it was mid-morning - and the crossing lights would have had to have been operating, they are 99.9999% failsafe.

 

All I can say is, it looks this bloke should've been taken off long-distance truck-driving 5 years ago, because its obvious he's not up to it. 

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-31/train-and-truck-crash-near-nsw-sa-border/103275502

[Jerry_Atrick]

Jesus! That sounds horrific. I know we shouldn't speculate, but given the semi driver escaped without injury (and I am guessing it was the trailer that was hit and not the cab), I would suspect he was either fatigued/asleep or under the influence of something.. There were studies years ago how if one was relaxed and did not tense up, they were much more likely tio survive accidents.

 

Condolences to the families, friends and co-wiorkers of the train drivers who died. A terrible way to end the year.

[old man emu]

9 hours ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

The daughter is currently learning to drive.

At the risk of being howled down for making what some will describe as an ne supra crepidamian statement, I suggest that for the first ten hours or so you have your daughter use a car with automatic transmission. Very few ab initio pilots start off with constant speed props and up/down Dunlops.

 

And ditch that "instructor". You've already picked that he/she couldn't teach a calf to suckle.

 

Too much to say. I'll PM you.

[Bruce Tuncks]

I'm going to a coroner's inquest about a couple who were killed by an autistic truck driver who was on the phone at the time of the collision. My anger is at all those who made it way too easy for such a guy to be driving a truck.

[red750]

My gripe of the day. The slaughter of our language.

 

I don't know if it's people for whom English is not the first language, or the effects of gender manipulation, but you see things like "A wife called his husband,". Makes my blood boil. It's like those trans-gender twits whose chosen pronoun is "them", eg Sam Smith.

[Jerry_Atrick]

44 minutes ago, old man emu said:

And ditch that "instructor". You've already picked that he/she couldn't teach a calf to suckle.

Thanks, OME.. I will always take advice; I am not an instructor (auto, flying, nor even in my profession), so am only imparting what I have learned. I may well enrol in an advanced driver training course at the same time as her.. as we can always learn something.

 

I have advised her to ditch the instructor, but her friend seems to have done very well by him, so maybe he is simply assessing where she is before putting together a plan. We have agreed a that a quick chat after the next lesson, as it is always good to get both sides of the story. I was reflecting on how, despite n a rural location, there really is a lack of places for jkids to learn to handle a car off the road. When I learned, my instructor first picked me up and drove me to Chadstone Shopping centre car park and we drove around some temproary poles he set up... I was only let on the road when he thought I was ready to be. Can't do that these days thanks to everyone having to be able to enter a shop at the drop of a hat, 7 days a week, although, that, to me, means they should be doubly sure the student has a basic grasp of the controls before being let loose.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Jerry_Atrick

[red750]

I remember when teaching my eldest son to drive, we travelled from Melbourne to the Gold Coast via the Newell Highway, and I got him do some relief driving out around Dubbo and Parkes, etc. That would have been 25 - 30 years ago. Also used empty car parks for all 3 kids.

 

Funny how you remember things. I can still remember my Dad taking me for a lesson down Swanston Street one Saturday night about 60 years ago.

[facthunter]

DECA had a driving range at Shepparton. Real helpful.. Being on most roads straight away would be too traumatic without Dual controls.  The first thing I do is explain the clutch and BRAKES and how to stop it effectively and safely.. You shouldn't be driving something you don't know how to stop safely.. Good experienced drivers can still have to make a major effort to WATCH OUT for crazy drivers of which there is no shortage. Nev

[old man emu]

2 hours ago, red750 said:

Also used empty car parks for all 3 kids.

You could've got a motel room!

[red750]

Head above your waiste, O.M.E., we're talking about teaching kids to drive.

[red750]

3 hours ago, red750 said:

My gripe of the day. The slaughter of our language.

Here's another one.

 

[facthunter]

Don't LET it bother you. There's far worse things happening you could be concerned about.  Nev

[willedoo]

40 minutes ago, red750 said:

Here's another one.

 

You see the he/him mistake a lot on social media platforms like Xcrement/Twitter. Always non English speakers and I suspect it might be the on-line translator they're using that's doing it. In the same posts, the gender will sometimes be right in one sentence but not in another.

[willedoo]

12 hours ago, onetrack said:

There's just been the most godawful collision in Nth Eastern S.A. today, between an interstate semi, and a big freight train. The crash killed both train drivers, but the 75 yr old driver of the semi escaped with no injury. The level crossing has lights but no boom gates, it's way out in the boondocks in one of the most remote parts of S.A., on the highway between Port Augusta and Broken Hill.

 

The damage level is unbelievable, both locos are totally destroyed, dozens of rail trucks are piled up in a jumble, and the damage bill will be in the multiple millions. The truck would've been doing 100-105kmh, and the train would've been doing around 110kmh (the locos are speed limited to 115kmh).

 

The rail operators have multiple cameras in the locos, as well as other recording devices, and all the info should be readily available to determine what went wrong.

What gets me is, the crash site is open country, no trees, and it was mid-morning - and the crossing lights would have had to have been operating, they are 99.9999% failsafe.

 

All I can say is, it looks this bloke should've been taken off long-distance truck-driving 5 years ago, because its obvious he's not up to it. 

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-31/train-and-truck-crash-near-nsw-sa-border/103275502

I don't know what Lindsay Transport is like these days, but back in the days when it was Lindsay Bros.Transport, they had a reputation for hiring cowboy drivers. Hence their nickname in those days of 'Upside Down Transport' from the high number of roll-overs they used to have. It used to be a common sight to see a bent up Lindsay truck on the back of another semi being hauled back to their base, which I think was Coffs Harbour.

[spacesailor]

Like the ' new hieroglyphs ' used on the mobile phone , & tablets . 

I can't make head or tail of them ,

Just haven't got the memory to keeptabs on the different languages they're using now .

spacesailor

[Litespeed]

On a new tack.

 

Today I bought some batteries, only a 8 pack of AAA. Bloody $12.00 and enough packaging for at least 24 instead of 8.

 

A joke of waste that says everything about why the world's gone to shit.

 

Mass package,mass marketing and bugger all product. And yes I had to fight to open the pack as well.

 

Almost as much packing as a new bloody phone.

[onetrack]

I would've expected the level of packing was all about substantial battery protection whilst being transported. We've already seen loose batteries bring down big aircraft.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Unless they are to comply with regs specific in Australia, that does seem lie quite excessive packaging - the protective packaging would expected to be at the carton or even pallet level rather than individual sales item level. Over here, they are just long box as per this https://www.millets.co.uk/16213190/duracell-aa-plus-100-batteries-12-pack-16213190/3548101/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhc-sBhCEARIsAOVwHuT83qZmRm4WYjxPnnwUJv_VOYWz0qZf1bx8CTsbk4Efs-9vADtfA-IaAutgEALw_wcB

 

 

[old man emu]

Mosquito coils.

 

I used to associate mosquitoes with wet places and standing water, but now I have discovered the Inland Big Grey Bastard mosquito. These things are the Jumbo Jet of the mozzie species, but despite their enormous size are as agile as a Red Bull racer. By the time you plant your foot for the first step outside, they have been in, sucked blood and received their takeoff clearance.

 

As an airspace defence system I am using mosquito coils, which I light up and they smolder away "for up to 8 hours". That is, of course, if I can get a full one separated from the pairing they come in. I guess that when these things are manufactured they start off as a sheet of paste, like a sheet of pasta, then some sort of cutter is pressed onto the sheet to make these intertwined spirals.

The problem with these coils is that the cutters don't go all the way from top to bottom. In the picture you can see where there is material between the spirals. You have to run a very thin blade along the space between the spirals to cut through that material. The problem come at the centre. When you try to separate the spirals, there is not enough gap between the ends for them to separate. Inevitably, as you try to separate them, they break off. That leaves you without that little hole, you can't put them on the stand on their tray.

[onetrack]

Time to invest in every mosquito trap known to Man, OME. I like the yellow sticky insect traps, they catch every annoying flying insect around. The ones below are my favourite.

 

https://www.temu.com/au/1-pack--unwanted-insects-with-1pc-fly-traps-indoor-outdoor-hanging-sticky-mosquito-and-fruit-fly-trap-pest-control-g-601099532933454

 

I've never seen a really effective electric/electronic mosquito trap, they reckon you need ammonia smell to attract them. They're apparently drawn to mammals due to the ammonia in sweat.

 

 

[nomadpete]

25 minutes ago, old man emu said:

Mosquito coils.

 

I used to associate mosquitoes with wet places and standing water, but now I have discovered the Inland Big Grey Bastard mosquito. These things are the Jumbo Jet of the mozzie species, but despite their enormous size are as agile as a Red Bull racer. By the time you plant your foot for the first step outside, they have been in, sucked blood and received their takeoff clearance.

 

As an airspace defence system I am using mosquito coils, which I light up and they smolder away "for up to 8 hours". That is, of course, if I can get a full one separated from the pairing they come in. I guess that when these things are manufactured they start off as a sheet of paste, like a sheet of pasta, then some sort of cutter is pressed onto the sheet to make these intertwined spirals.

The problem with these coils is that the cutters don't go all the way from top to bottom. In the picture you can see where there is material between the spirals. You have to run a very thin blade along the space between the spirals to cut through that material. The problem come at the centre. When you try to separate the spirals, there is not enough gap between the ends for them to separate. Inevitably, as you try to separate them, they break off. That leaves you without that little hole, you can't put them on the stand on their tray.

I thank my mother for my ability to separate mozzie coils.

Mum had little patience with such things.  Maybe due to the noisy young children that lived in her house.

 

In mozzie season, mum delegated the coil separation task to me - probably to keep  me busy. So I mastered this skill at about 8 years of age.

 

By the way, the stand usually has a notch intended to grip the broken bit of coil that learners seem to create.

[facthunter]

Bats eat their own weight of insects in a day. I also use the blue coloured electric zappa's Those biggies which have just discovered you OME are most likely the HEXAM Greys which went westwards.   Nev

[old man emu]

57 minutes ago, facthunter said:

most likely the HEXAM Greys which went westwards

Must have made the move west during recent wet seasons. The first year I was up here I was eaten alive by mozzies. I was worried that I might become allergic to their bite, never mind the diseases they are vectors for.

 

Yesterday I went around my bedroom and cleared the spiderwebs, then I sprayed all the corners with a surface insect spray to get rid of the flying beasties. When I got into bed, I was attacked by little brown beetles crawling into my PJs as I laying on the bed without the sheet over me. I think that the only effect of the spray was to kill the spiders. I don't mind spiders, except for the cobwebs, and they do eat some mozzies. However, because I'm living in a place that has been vacant for years, I think I need to hire some of these:

 

[facthunter]

I wouldn't recommend THAT extreme. Seal everything with good screens is a good start. and have the zapping blue lights here and there.  Nev