safety barriers

[Mr Sensible]

Well, I know where they got the idea for those wire "safety" barriers!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Iuzgle8xY&feature=related

[bazman]

The head-honcho of every Australian state government roads department that approves and directs that these so-called "safety" barriers be installed in known high crash incident areas should be charged with manslaughter every single time they slice some poor motorist up into neat little pieces!

Have a look at the damage it does to the cabin of the truck - even a truckie wearing a fully armoured suit wouldn't come out of that in one piece!!!

So what chance do you think the average car, van, or motorcycle operator has in the same or similar situation - at very best >>> Sweet F.A.!!!!

Time to start a nation-wide petition/protest maybe?!?

[TheAlchemist]

They call it a linebacker ?!?!
At least you walk away from a hit from a linebacker!
20 Tons of shrapnel comin at ya if your on the wrong side of the fence, i think i'd rather be squished than shredded thanks.
Impressive engineering none the less but scary as hell, at least our cheese cutters up and down the highways don't have the extra mesh and solid fencing or we'd be screwed! (Not that i'd like to hit one of them either.....)

[Maj]

Figure thats for the US embassy in troubled areas , but it looks like it has a similar effect to our wire rope barriers on motorcyclists

[ROD]

Im in Tassie at the moment have noticed they have replace a lot of barriers with ropes through the derwent vally ,Im on my way up the east coast today will be intrested to see if they have up that way

[Dale]

They should put them out to sea to keep them pesky boats out ..

[Buhjones]

These barriers are front impact, and bloody effective ones at that, meant to stop ramraids and such.

Does anyone know if the Aus government has looked into the plastic A-frame covers for the cheese cutters? They are expensive but basically protect we riders while not effecting the wire ropes.

[grumpy]

These barriers are front impact, and bloody effective ones at that, meant to stop ramraids and such.

Does anyone know if the Aus government has looked into the plastic A-frame covers for the cheese cutters? They are expensive but basically protect we riders while not effecting the wire ropes.

Looks like you may have answered your own question there Buhjones when you said they are expensive. Governments and expensive for safety dont work hand in hand if it did we wouldn,t have these dangerouse cheese cutters all over the place N.Z. included our government has already said they are cheap to repair compared to the solid barriers.

[sutur]

holy shit that horrific video is going to haunt my rides.
That wire would literally score your limbs to pieces...I wasn't aware they were quite so rigid!

[Camikaze]

I have to say, I am impressed with the engineering involved there. I am curious though, would the footage look as drastic if the trucks had an engine in place during the impact? To me they look like they are just using rolling chassis and strapping weight onto the tray.

Hitting that sucker on a bike? All I think of is frog in a blender...

[GRUNTMAX]

The old safety fences we used to have were just fine, however, it is a damn sight cheaper for them to install taught wire fences that are specially designed to decapitate motorcyclists. Also, it is far cheaper for Bob Carr's rip off CTP Greenslip Insurers such as CTP Green Slip Award Defaulting QBE Insurance (Aust) Ltd if you are dead.

[Mr Sensible]

These things are turning up because they are really cheap.... half the initial installation costs and then repair is VERY cheap... few plastic guides which attach to the ground and then re-strain the wires...
so simple a kid could do it... or 4-5 council workers

Also, for what they are designed to do -stop larger vehicles leaving the roadway- they are quite effective.

For parrallel impacts (rubbing a car/truck alongside) eg when a driver falls asleep...... they'll make lots of noise to wake the driver and keep them safely away from trees, livestock etc.

I'm doubtfull that for a frontal impact (hitting with force directly at them) eg when a driver loses it on a bend and ploughs straight into them, wether they'd do squat.

We've all seen them after they have had an impact.... how saggy they are... if you hit them straight on i'm fairly confident they'll strech up and over the bonnet, and possibly the whole car. I hope no-one has to find out the hard way..... especially on some of the bends with cliffs behind the barriers!!!!

They do push the vehicle downwards, hopefully that is enough to drag the belly of the car on the ground enough to slow you down!!!

The other possibilitys are -they could break having little effect, or do what the clip shows - no good outcomes whatever happens!!!!

As for the clip, if you look at 34s to about 54s you can clearly see a radiator hose spewing hot steam in the upper lhs, means they had a real motor in them.... the barrels on the back are probably to add weight, (more force to push the truck into the "linebacker") and cause more damage.

Ultimately, if we all drove cars, they'd be ok, but then if we all drove cars why don't we all just drive safely and there'd be no need of safety barriers in the first place!!!

Or, we could take responsibility for our own actions and when we do get hurt, stop whining about our injuries and get on with life.

Alternatively, look up the "pensioners" thread.... free medical sounds good!!!

Well, that's my rant done for the day! and it's all my own opinion.... no one has to agree with me, but I sure think I'm right!!!

Also if you like linebackers check out this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzToNo7A-94

[Madmax]

Love Terry Tate!
Our office could certainly use a few like him!!!

[#CAS#]

There is no way to justify these fences, they are more expensive, and more dangerous than a simple concrete barrier. Car, truck or bike hits a concrete barrier, it either comes to a crunching halt, or it glances off it depending on the angle of impact. Hit a wire fence at any angle and it will take huge gouges out of your truck, car or rider.
Its a bitch hitting anything, but I know which I would prefer to hit.
I think you will find that there is a government minister who has a family member that owns the company that builds these fences. ;)

[GRUNTMAX]

These things are turning up because they are really cheap.... half the initial installation costs and then repair is VERY cheap... few plastic guides which attach to the ground and then re-strain the wires...
so simple a kid could do it... or 4-5 council workers

Also, for what they are designed to do -stop larger vehicles leaving the roadway- they are quite effective.

Or, we could take responsibility for our own actions and when we do get hurt, stop whining about our injuries and get on with life.

Looks like you've been out voted;
http://www.australian-hayabusa-club.com/...?tid=17397
......& as for your last statement above, "Own Actions" ?....it was some misguided incompetent public servant that put them there in the first place. Have you received your CTP Green Slip Insurance Product Disclosure Statement lately ? I suppose you're going to describe being forced onto one of these so called safety fences by some drunken cage driver as your "Own Actions"