Time to disband the RSA?

Del2005

TheInquisitor wrote: »

They spent 55,948,000 on current expenditure e.g. advertising.

The advertising is working so well. The overtaking lane on the motorways are nearly always clear now* and the signalling on roundabouts is perfect.

*Oh wait a minute I got confused with countries that drive on the right:D

There was a drop in deaths during this period of 59. So the question is what is the value of someone's life? Is it 1,121,847?

They can't claim any of that, well maybe 1 or 2. It's better roads and cars saving lives.

daveharnett

If nothing else, they educated me on the dangers of Samantha Mumba music.

Vertakill

TheInquisitor wrote: »

There was a drop in deaths during this period of 59. So the question is what is the value of someone's life? Is it 1,121,847?

Firstly, fair play for doing the legwork there!


But are the RSA taking into consideration that there was significantly less cars on the road due to job losses and so on? And as Del2005 explains, the ever-improving safety of cars must be factored in as well.

Naturally the death rates should lower, without the RSA having to spend a penny.

So, they may be claiming a victory that belongs to the recession and other factors.

domrush

I think if all that money was spent on the garda traffic cops it'd be much better spent

Gophur

Johnny Utah wrote: »

What do the Road Safety Authority actually do (apart from running sexist ad campaigns on the radio)?

It seems to me that the RSA are the ultimate quango, and are more concerned in revenue generation and preserving their own existence rather than engaging in meaningful road safety improvement.

Is it time to get rid of the Road Safety Authority?

Maybe spend their budget on improving roads or filling in potholes?

So, what would you propose? No Road Safety Authority?

Sexist Ads? Which ones, exactly? And is the message they contain, false?

It seems the target audience, the young f*ckwits who cannot drive without putting others' lives and health in danger, are upset about the messages being transmitted by the RSA.

The RSA are trying hard to promote road safety. Any road death is a road death too many. If it means slowing down young male drivers, then so be it. If it eventually means limiting young males drivers, then so be it.

You might not like the message but the facts are hard to ignore. Young male drivers are the single biggest danger on our roads. Young male drivers seem to fail to realise they actually have to share the roads with everyone else, they do not own a single cm of the roads.
Using them is a privilege, not a right.

As long as we have idiots causing mayhem, you will have the RSA messages.

sean1141

Gophur wrote: »

Sexist Ads? Which ones, exactly? And is the message they contain, false?

It seems the target audience, the young f*ckwits who cannot drive without putting others' lives and health in danger, are upset about the messages being transmitted by the RSA.

He drives she dies.. utter crap.. yes 17-25year old males may be the high risk group but that dosent mean every guy up too 25 is a ''f*ckwit'' as you put it:rolleyes: i drove from the age of 18 to 25 without a crash or any incident as did many others i know. now there was also a few who were the f*ckwits you describe and these are nearly all in graves now:( so a better add would be f*ckwits drive she dies! that will be true and no one will have a problem with that.
also on another note about 80% of drink driving convictions on the local paper in the last six months have been foreign nationals.. now why dont the rsa have an add campain naming these as the main cause of drink driving?? because there would be uproar... or maybe its not the same in other areas??

Cuddlesworth

TheInquisitor wrote: »

Number of Staff in RSA 170

Wages and expenses for 2009 were 5,436000 and 351000 respectively

Average Wage of someone working for the RSA in 2009 was E31,976. Average expenses were E2064

They spent 1609000 on capital expenditure e.g. road signs etc

They spent 55,948,000 on current expenditure e.g. advertising.

Total expenditure for 2009 was 66,189,000.

There was a drop in deaths during this period of 59. So the question is what is the value of someone's life? Is it 1,121,847?

Here are the facts and the figures, took me a few min to break down from this document page 25 onwards

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=12421&lang=ENG&loc=1512

If the value of someone's life is less than the figure above then the RSA should be abolished. If its above it should be kept. However let me point out the law of diminishing returns will set in incredibly quickly. For instance there is no way the number of road deaths will drop by 59 again in a year .

So is someone's life worth more than 2,3,4,5 million? Maybe the RSA was a great temporary organisation to have to instill safety in Irish people, and that now is should be brought back into the transport department with a much smaller team and budget. I don't know and i'd hate to be the person that can make the decision as to the value of someone's life.

The only thing i know is there is a value...

What makes you attribute the drop in road deaths with the RSA? Nothing to do with the new motorway that opened last year then? Monday would be way better spent on improved road's then on advertising campaigns while there are potholes bigger then my wheels out there.

Viper_JB

Gophur wrote: »

So, what would you propose? No Road Safety Authority?

That is exactly the proposition, the RSA have no connection to reality, it's run by people who get driven everywhere, not by real road users. The money would be better spent on getting Biffo liposuction.

Gophur

Viper_JB wrote: »

That is exactly the proposition, the RSA have no connection to reality, it's run by people who get driving everywhere, not real road users. ..............

I'm sorry, but your reply makes no sense.

SV

Gophur wrote: »

I'm sorry, but your reply makes no sense.

It makes perfect sense.
Unless you think you can base your entire opinion off statistics?

Mimikyu

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Gophur

SV wrote: »

It makes perfect sense.
............?

Really?

What does

......it's run by people who get driving everywhere, not real road users.

mean?

Gophur

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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I would say "young drivers" do not want to listen to anyone. They're inexperienced, naive and , many of them, incompetent. Who will they listen to?

As for "Drink aware"? Abuse of alcohol is as prevalent today as it ever was. The only restriction is the amount of money to spend.

Viper_JB

Gophur wrote: »

I would say "young drivers" do not want to listen to anyone. They're inexperienced, naive and , many of them, incompetent. Who will they listen to?

You really think Gay Byrne is the answer to that question?

....and just for the record I did fix my post there :P

um7y1h83ge06nx

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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All that post is excellent stuff.

I completely agree that young people don't want to be spoken down to. Any organisation should know that this approach rarely works with people, I have no idea what the RSA is thinking taking this approach. Surely some-one in it has extensive prior management experience that would realise this?

Mimikyu

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Gophur

Viper_JB wrote: »

You really think Gay Byrne is the answer to that question?

...................

Gay Byrne is only a very small part of the RSA. It's convenient for some to pick on his comments and use it as a way of criticising the RSA. One would be much better off going through the RSA website and seeing what they actually do.

Noel Brett is doing a good job. I disagree with the way they are tackling the issue of excessive speed (not necessarily breaking speed limits), but, on the whole, the RSA are doing a good job.

As for Gaybo? He's in his 70's, he's a motoring enthusiast, albeit it for vintage motorbikes, but he, as a road-user, is as entitled to his opinion as any 20 year old. I wouldn't recommend getting too het up about anything he says, he carries little influence.

Gophur

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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And you start off by contradicting yourself (and agreeing with my comments!)

SV

Gophur wrote: »

Really?

What does


mean?

who get DRIVEN everywhere, read the edit.

Gophur

Viper_JB wrote: »

....... the RSA have no connection to reality, it's run by people who get driven everywhere, not by real road users. .............

Noel Brett has a chauffeur?

Mimikyu

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limklad

Th whole RSA ads needs an attitude revamp not disbandment.

There is more than reckless young drinking male drivers. There everybody else poor driving. All their ads about drink driving is towards young men.

• There dangerous women drivers with kids on the phone, pulling out in front of oncoming cars on the road.
• They are women drivers who put their kids in danger by not paying attention on the road, but instead be giving out to them or other passengers or on the phone while driving taking their attention from the road.
• There the idiot drivers who drive half way on hard shoulders on main road swerving over and back.
• There drivers of all ages who constantly vary their speed without any cause when they are driving on wide near perfect straight roads going from 100kph to 40kph for no reasons.
• They are those who are been overtaking, they speed up causing a danger on the overtaking vehicle.
• They are drivers who cause tail backs and then cause traffic chaos in towns and villages as they bring that traffic with them.
• Women who encourage/demand their men to drive at night when they cannot find a taxi to go home after a night out. Personally, I want the same penalty points and fines to be added to passengers driver licence who get into cars where the driver has been drinking. This will have a major impact and will reduce drink driving, just as passenger can be fined for not wearing a seat belt. Passengers need to take more responsibility for their bad decisions making as well as the drivers for theirs. Safety is everybody issue, not just the drivers.

This morning on the TodayFM news.
http://audioserver.todayfm.com/audio/bk200710_8.mp3 (31mins 11 seconds in)
They read out that a survey found that 1 in 3 men do do not feel safe as passengers when their female partner/girlfriend is driving. That they tend to keep their hand on the hand brake or gripping/cling to their seat.

1. They said their other half are not paying attention (lack of concentration) to the road
2. Braking too late
3. They "flick the accelerator" rather than drive at a constant speed.
4. driving on rumble strips or over the continuous white line, or other road markings.
5. Driving too close to other cars.

The RSA also need to get the fact that enforcement of current rules are not been done as been done in other countries.
Speed is not the main killer of Drivers, it is ARROGANCE and IGNORANCE or other users of the road and to themselves.
The Motorway is proof of that, good quality roads and overtaking lanes to pass out bad/poor drivers. It is on bad back roads or towns where most accidents are caused, people not paying attention to their driving and to other road users.

The RSA and the government need to get the Fact and the POINT, that many Irish drivers "DO NOT KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD" properly or do not care for it.

um7y1h83ge06nx

Gophur wrote: »

Gay Byrne is only a very small part of the RSA. It's convenient for some to pick on his comments and use it as a way of criticising the RSA. One would be much better off going through the RSA website and seeing what they actually do.

Noel Brett is doing a good job. I disagree with the way they are tackling the issue of excessive speed (not necessarily breaking speed limits), but, on the whole, the RSA are doing a good job.

As for Gaybo? He's in his 70's, he's a motoring enthusiast, albeit it for vintage motorbikes, but he, as a road-user, is as entitled to his opinion as any 20 year old. I wouldn't recommend getting too het up about anything he says, he carries little influence.

The thing is that as the public face of the RSA he should be completely congruent with the rest of the organisation. If after listening to Gay Byrne and you need to go to the RSA website to see what their organisation is about, then he's doing a poor job.

If the leader of one of our political parties was making statements that weren't congruent with his/her parties values and aims, they would be hauled aside pretty quickly by their chairman.

Viper_JB

Gophur wrote: »

Gay Byrne is only a very small part of the RSA. It's convenient for some to pick on his comments and use it as a way of criticising the RSA. One would be much better off going through the RSA website and seeing what they actually do.

He's their public spokes person...he's all the majority of people see or hear when it comes to the RSA....

again you're blaming younger drivers for all the problems on the road, you expect them to goto the website and read through the RSA's justification for their massive expenditure taking all that into account the next time they hit the roads? if not...and they don't listen to the ads...and they are apperently the biggest hazard on the roads and by your admission then what function to the RSA provide?

and if we're going to generalise here I find that older drivers who are set in their ways are far less lightly to listen to people when being advised on how to drive safely.

sentient_6

While making a few phone calls recently about doing the RoSPA advanced driving test one guy i got through to randomly told me Gay Byrne holds the RoSPA gold standard. (wow i was so impressed ) but if he as tested fair & square it at least means his driving is fairly impeccable. I'm not defending him being part of the RSA at all, just mentioning a point to those who wonder where he gets off.

biko

As I see it two things are responsible for most fatal collisions: drink and speeding. I don't really see a way to combat inexperience/overconfidence because young guys are often "full of themselves" (I know I was, but was never in a crash).

For instance young guys in a survey said they would take more risks after seeing the RSA ads (I'll see if I can find that survey) when the numbers show they are at fault:
In a response to the complaints, RSA chief Noel Brett said more than two thirds of female passengers killed between 1998 and 2009 were being driven by a male driver.
"At the risk of offending male sensitivities, women need to know that they are being killed through male-dominated driver errors such as speeding and drink-driving," Brett said.
"Unfortunately the facts speak for themselves," he continued. "Males are massively over-represented as the drivers involved in fatal collisions in Ireland, accounting for 80% of the drivers in fatal collisions, compared to 20% for female drivers."***

If we disband the RSA and put the money on GPS tracking devices installed on leaner cars and new drivers up to 5 years instead. Then an automated system for fining the speeders. Alternative restrict the power of cars for the first 5 years to 1 litre or 40kW.

More Garda on duty at night around pubs. Also on duty early Saturdays and Sundays to prevent second day drunks.

Personally, I want the same penalty points and fines to be added to passengers driver licence who get into cars where the driver has been drinking. This will have a major impact and will reduce drink driving, just as passenger can be fined for not wearing a seat belt. Passengers need to take more responsibility for their bad decisions making as well as the drivers for theirs. Safety is everybody issue, not just the drivers.

Good idea, if all passengers risk points they're less likely to get into the car.

sentient_6

In my opinion the only people still left drink driving in this country are the ones who've been doing it all there lives. For the most part i think the message has got through the 'younger generation'. Of course speed is a different story. But i also think everyone speeds though, its just if your relatively inexperienced behind the wheel you've more chance of loosing control of the car.

I think a few changes in the driving test wouldnt go astray. Why is it i didnt go above 60kph my whole test?! You should be taking out a main road, asked to overtake, perform an emergency stop etc etc.

gbee

Rosser wrote: »

That's a total fairy tale, where exactly did you see that, out the window of your Micra?

I can collaborate this phenomenon ~ it has come up a few times and the stories suggest it is the same driver moved around the country ~ where have we heard this before?

BeardyGit

Rosser wrote: »

That's a total fairy tale, where exactly did you see that, out the window of your Micra?

That statement and adjoining question goes to show two things:

1. You've not experienced something, so you think it doesn't happen. If a tree falls in the woods and there's nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound? Damn right it does. Many here on boards.ie have experienced the unmarked car driving up their holes looking for an easy ticket.

2. You've an apparent prejudice to folks who drive micras. That's just plain ignorance on your part. It hints that you might have the stinking kind of attitude that's responsible for a lot of the crap driving we all see each day.

I drive my wifes micra once in a while and it's incredible to see just how stupidly other drivers react to a Micra (for example - there are others that experience similar treatment I'm sure) on the roads. I don't hold anyone up. It accelerates up to speed just as fast as other reasonable drivers do when moving off from lights and the like, and holds a steady 120KPH on the motorway without trouble) but for some reason there are gob****es all around this country who just can't share roadspace with a micra.

That kind of stinking attitude and the often aggressive and sometimes downright dangerous carry on from other (almost exclusively male) drivers when in the vicinity of a micra has me looking around for another small car she'll be happy to drive.

What does that have to do with the RSA?

Well, the one thing the RSA just can't do is change peoples attitudes. Assholes with stupid and ill-formed opinions about the other motorists around them abound on the public roads. I've been that asshole of course, but experience and maturity mean my dickhead-behind-the-wheel alterego doesn't make as many appearances as he once did.

Did the RSA contribute? Did they ****! And they can't either. Assholes with asshole attitudes will hopefully gain enough experience in time to mellow out behind the wheel, hopefully without hurting anyone in the process. But the RSA won't have any part to play in that.

Blind corners taken too fast, undertaking, tailgating and bad driving in adverse weather are the things people need to be reminded about, not this whole "He drives, she dies" tripe. The RSA need to take a good long look at themselves - They're currently a waste of time, taxpayers money and a source of irritation to the motoring community at large.

Mimikyu

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