There’s an official training course, which teaches hazard recognition, driver awareness, crash avoidance space, vehicle control and road law knowledge.

The course should be compulsory to obtain a licence or for anyone who infringes a road rule.

During a 4km round trip to the post office this morning I encountered:

• A massive 4WD straddled five metres past the stop line at traffic lights. Pedestrians had to wade through the middle of the intersection to get past.
• A cyclist riding on the wrong side of the road.
• A semi-trailer parked three metres from the kerb opposite the post office, nearly forcing a collision between oncoming vehicles.
• Another massive 4WD going so slowly it was nearly impossible to maintain a safe distance.

The danger of slow-moving vehicles is understated. It frustrates other drivers and some may take unreasonable risks. It should be an offence to drive at more than 20pc below the speed limit for an extended period.

And why are there so many 4WDs and utes in Mount Gambier?

I could understand it at Kalgoorlie, where people had to go off the bitumen to reach many mine sites, but the reason in Mount Gambier escapes me?

Some people go through them too aggressively and some are too defensive. Not enough are sensible like me.

In Mount Gambier, authorities prefer roundabouts on major roads because truck drivers don’t like red lights.

At the town’s worst unmitigated intersection, the transport boffins reckon it will cost a million dollars to install traffic lights.

I find that hard to believe, but there are still many people who think a roundabout is a better solution, because God forbid, trucks might have to stop if there are traffic lights.

A two-lane roundabout at that site will require the compulsory acquisition of land and major engineering works, costing at least twice as much as traffic lights.

In Mount Gambier, if you see a truck approaching a roundabout on your left, don’t assume the driver will stop and give way, because he won’t.

If you are behind an elderly driver, don’t assume he will proceed through the roundabout when it is clear of traffic, because he probably won’t.

If you see a male probationary driver on the horizon to your right, it’s probably safest to give way, because chances are he’ll be in the roundabout before you get half way through.

They are no joy for journalists either.

You sort of become hardened after a while, but it’s never easy to write about a life being lost, especially if it was a young man speeding.

Nothing can restore a young life to family and friends.

When the passenger of a hoon driver dies it really rankles.

While the alleged driver has to contend with the judicial system, it’s interesting to ponder the culture that condones young people driving recklessly and the responsibility of passengers in such circumstances.

Hoon driving continues to be a major social problem.

Fearless young men continue to drive fast, often under the influence, with little thought for their own safety or other road users.

You have to wonder why the lesson is never learnt.

No amount of education, public awareness or punishment seems to have the desired outcome of preventing tragedies.

Responsibility must ultimately rest with the young people themselves.

While an intoxicated young man may have false bravado, the people around him need to step in and apply restraint.

Perhaps the government should legislate against passengers who knowingly travel with drunk drivers.

If a driver records a blood alcohol level of more than 0.1 the passengers should face the same penalties as a driver who records a blood alcohol level of .05.

That may deter some from putting themselves at risk.

I’m wearing the school uniform of St Michael’s Primary, so I think the photo was taken in 1972.

The uniform was shorts, grey shirt, red tie and blue jumper. We switched ties for skivvies a year or two later.

According to Wikipedia, the Toyota Corona was manufactured between 1957 and 2002. The word Corona is Latin for “crown”.

If I’m right about the Corona, this would be a T80 or T90.

The T80 series was introduced February 1970 as a complete redesign and was developed on a separate platform from the Toyota Corona Mark II, which became a larger, more comfortable and powerful car, where the Corona remained focused on fuel economy. Body styles were further reduced to a two door hardtop coupe, a four door sedan and station wagon.

Trim levels offered were the 1500DX, 1600DX and the 1600SL.

I blew this photo up and saw “SL”, so hopefully I’m right.

Even if I’m wrong, I want to mention the Ford Zephyr, because when I was young I rather liked them.

According to Wikipedia, the Zephyr was manufactured by Ford in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1962, it was sold as a more powerful six cylinder saloon to complement the four cylinder Ford Consul. From 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four and six cylinder versions.

If I’m right about the picture it’s probably a Zephyr 4. They were manufactured from 1962-66.

The Valiant is an AP6 model (or maybe AP5), according to my study of photos on the web. They were introduced in March 1965.

Wikipedia says the Chrysler Valiant was introduced to Australia in 1962, with production ceasing in 1981.

Initially a rebadged import of the Plymouth Valiant from the United States, where production ceased in 1976, the Valiant range was sold throughout Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

On May 30, 1963, Chrysler Australia produced the first fully Australian manufactured Valiant, the AP5.

In March 1965, the AP5 was supplanted by the AP6. The body shell was the same, but there was a new grille on the theme of the US 1964 Plymouth Barracuda, and there was new trim inside and out.

The automatic transmission was no longer controlled by push buttons, but instead by a conventional shift lever. The AP6 also included other new features such as self-adjusting brakes and acrylic enamel paint, at the time the most advanced auto finish available.

Wikipedia claims the Valiant AP6 also offered the first Australian-built V8 car.

I had no trouble identifying the other vehicle in this photo as an EK Holden.

Wikipedia says the EK of 1961 was Holden’s response to the Ford Falcon, with the availability of automatic transmission.

Another enhancement was replacing the old “vacuum” wipers with electrically operated units.

After looking at some photos online however, I think it may be an EJ Holden.

Unique Cars and Parts says: “Produced between 1961 and 1963, the EJ was the first of a bold new shape for the Holden. Gone were the fins of the previous EK model, and a new flat boot and lower roofline was created to keep pace with the more modern looking Ford Falcons.

“The EJ was designed from the Opel Kapitan, but incorporated some American influence, particularly in regard to consideration of aerodynamics. The trusty grey motor was carried over from the previous model, albeit with a few refinements.”

The EJ was introduced in 1962 and according to Wikipedia, the EH Holden was released in 1963, four years before I was born.

A total of 256,959 EH Holdens were produced and sold from 1963 to 1965, when the EH was replaced by the Holden HD series.

According to this website, many people consider the EH model to be Holden’s greatest achievement.

Apparently, selling more than 250,000 in the first 18 months of its release made it the fastest selling Australian car ever.

A far more substantial facelift of the EJ than those that had been attempted before, the “EH” featured a far more commanding look with a revised roofline and clever styling which, to most eyes, improved its looks from every angle. And the improvements were not limited to the exterior of the car. The biggest news with the new model was in the introduction of the new “Red” motor that used an oversquare design with a seven bearing crankshaft.

Being so young at the time, I don’t remember anything about these cars.

I do recall that some vehicles in the 1960s could be started without a key. The driver simply had to turn a silver-colored ignition knob.

It’s etched in my mind; I achieved this feat aged three or four and crashed into the garage.

I don’t remember that being our family car, so it was probably one that Dad brought home from work. He was a car salesman at that time.

I looked up Austin Freeway on the web and found it was a British car adapted for Australia.

Wikipedia says:

The Austin Freeway was developed by the Australian division of the British Motor Corporation (BMC), based on the British Austin A60 Cambridge. Introduced in 1962, it was offered in both four-door saloon and five-door station wagon body styles. Using the locally built 2.4 litre six-cylinder “Blue Streak” engine, it represented the first attempt by BMC to challenge the dominant Holden and Ford Falcon models in the lucrative six cylinder family car class with a locally developed vehicle. An upmarket variant, the Wolseley 24/80 sedan was also offered.

Nairn Hindaugh says: “Australians in those days were convinced that if a car was any good it had to have at least six cylinders, and these types of cars commanded about 70 percent of our market.”

The advertising jingle said in 1962:­ “Makeway for the Austin Freeway”.

That was news to me because I was in Queensland at the time and my vehicle was locked in a long-term car park in Melbourne!

The letter went on to say it’s a legal requirement to report accidents to police as soon as possible or within 24 hours at the latest unless there are exceptional circumstances.

“The driver of the vehicle is directed to attend any SA Police Station in person as a matter of urgency to report the collision,” the letter said.

I rang the enquiry number and explained my circumstances.

The officer was friendly. He said a parked car had been struck by another vehicle and someone had left a note giving my vehicle’s registration and a phone number.

He went on to say the phone number had proven to be dead.

To close the matter from my point of view however, I was required to attend a police station and give identification.

I went immediately to the Mount Gambier station and told them the story. I also gave the officer a copy of my airline travel booking.

Stating the obvious, I said it appeared someone had given false details. “Surprise surprise,” was her comment, as though this happens all the time.

I’m fairly innocent, I suppose, but I was shocked. I would never think to mislead anyone like this.

What probably happened is there were witnesses to someone colliding with a vehicle.

Rather than flee the scene, the driver must have acted contrite and scribbled a note for the absent owner, thereby mollifying observers.

Of course, he gave false details which a casual passer-by would not have thought to verify.

Lowlife.

The question followed a series of incidents in the space of a few weeks.

These included a 93-year-old man driving into a parked vehicle, an 88-year-old unlicensed driver crashing into a fence and an elderly motorist crossing the footpath and smashing into a clothing store.

Call me alarmist if you like, but I saw a pattern developing here.

Fact is, I’ve always been concerned whenever I see a motorist in a hat crouched over the steering wheel. I have a sneaky suspicion they really shouldn’t be on the road.

I know young men without fear cause most accidents, but as a proportion of the population I suspect the geriatric brigade are significant contributors.

I’ve long felt it should be an offence to drive at 20 percent under the speed limit on open roads.

People doing that without a good reason (eg towing a trailer) cause impatience and push reckless drivers to take risks. Not to mention there is no justification for it and no real safety benefit.