Search

“Miracle”: 1-year-old baby survives two days beside highway during hurricane

A one-year-old baby has been found alive on the side of a highway after surviving two days of dangerous hurricane conditions between the Texas and Louisiana border in the US. A truck driver spotted the one-year-old on a major highway, just a few kilometres where the boy's four-year-old brother was tragically found dead in a lake. The one-year-old had to survive stormy weather as Hurricane Beryl inundated the area with heavy rain and high winds, but was relatively unscathed when he was found. The truck driver recalled the moment he found the child to local news station KPLC, saying, "There was a little boy sitting down in the embankment there." "As I approached him, he smiled at me and then he started crying and walked toward me. Once he walked toward me, I grabbed his hand and he stopped crying at that point." Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary “Stitch” Guillory said the baby had a few insect bites, but otherwise seemed well. “This kid spent two days out in the weather on the side of the highway,” Guillory said while becoming emotional. “Thank God that trucker seen him. When you look at the video, here he was, you know, crawling toward the highway." “We look at this one-year-old as our miracle baby because he was still alive.” The children’s mother, 25-year-old Aaliyah Jack of Lake Charles, has been charged with failing to report a missing child, while the child's grandmother is fighting for custody of the infant. Image credits: News15

Caring

Couple's retirement plans "ruined" after investment fail

A couple from Brisbane claim their retirement has been "ruined" after an investment went wrong. After first visiting Coffs Harbour in 1976, Raymond and Wendy Dibb saw potential in the area, land-banking 2.7 hectares of rural acreage in the late 1980s. The couple bought the land in Korora for $118,000 in 1988 and sat on it for decades, waiting for the day they could make their retirement fortune by subdividing and selling it off. However they never got the chance, as the land was compulsorily acquired by Transport for NSW back in 2021 in order to make way for the Pacific Highway bypass. The $2.2 billion highway is now currently being built over the top of the block, which will be the site of a major intersection when the project opens to traffic in late 2026. The couple believed the land was worth a hefty $5.5 million, although Transport NSW valued it at just $1.062 million back in 2021. A gruelling three-year legal battle finally ended in the NSW Court of Appeal on June 28th, with the Dibbs being awarded $1.359 million in compensation, although they argued they deserved more. “This was a pretty significant financial transaction that’s really gone bad for us,” Raymond Dibb told the <a title="www.smh.com.au" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/couple-loses-property-fight-after-highway-swallows-5-5-million-dream-20240703-p5jqrx.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Morning Herald. </a>“And it’s got nothing to do with our investment choices." “We’re talking about landowners just minding their own business, and someone comes knocking on your door, saying, ‘We’re going to take your land’”. Mr Dibb slammed the entire process of the acquisition, saying that he believed an independent body should conduct compulsory acquisitions rather than the government. In the Land and Environment Court, Justice Nicola Pain ended up increasing the couple’s compensation to $1.42 million after it was determined the land could have produced seven residential lots with less risk and cost. She found they were also entitled to money to cover fees and stamp duty on a replacement block for their land bank, which the couple argued they would need to buy to delay paying capital gains tax. Transport for NSW argued that they should not have been granted any money for stamp duty, with Justices Kristina Stern, Anthony Payne and Jeremy Kirk agreeing. This was stripped from the award and they refused to revalue the block of land. The couple were also ordered to pay the government’s costs of the two-day appeal. Mr Dibb is considering seeking leave to appeal against the High Court’s decision. He added that the couple’s retirement plans had been ruined by Transport for NSW, which originally offered just $470,000 for the land back in 2019. A spokesperson for Transport for NSW said the government body “empathises with residents and landowners affected by property acquisitions” and said they always “try to minimise the need for property acquisition”. Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Family told to make way for highway project hours after moving in to new home

Hours after picking up the keys to his newly-built family home, Anil Konda was informed that his whole property would be used in upgrades to Queensland’s Bruce Highway. After putting down an initial deposit on the land in Griffin, in Brisbane’s north, Mr Konda relocated his young family of four to Queensland, and they found a rental to stay in, a new school for the kids, and endured 11 months of building delays before stepping into their new home. But their good news was short-lived, with the state government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) sending an email requesting Mr Konda to call them for more information on the “future land requirement” before calling him that afternoon. "When I asked specific details like, 'How is it impacted? Am I going to lose a certain amount of land?', they told me like it's going to be the entire thing," he told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-19/qld-home-owners-angry-bruce-highway-update-land-resumption/101549992" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. "The entire house has to be taken out." Mr Konda said the family wanted to see the construction of their new home in person since it was their first house, and that even if they can live in their home for the next few years, they know it will be taken away. “They just took away the joy of our new home,” he said. "We don't have the belongingness (sic)." But Mr Konda’s family isn’t alone. Their home is part of the relatively new Aspire development, where there are still vacant lots, houses in the midst of construction, and residents who have mostly moved in within the past few months. A TMR spokesperson confirmed that the owners of 24 residential lots have been contacted about the plans. Charmaine and James Jackson are owners of another of the affected blocks of land, which they purchased and built their dream home on in 2021, the same year they had their second child. "It was eight days after he was born we went to the office to pick out our tile colours, our paint and everything like that," Mrs Jackson said. With their youngest just turning one, they had hopes of staying in the home until both boys had left school. "I just need an explanation," Mr Jackson said. "How could this have happened where you've allowed people so freshly to have built new houses only to tell them that they're going to be torn down in the middle of a housing crisis." After receiving the email, Mr Jackson contacted TMR to ask why the title was allowed to be registered. "They said when Aspire put in the planning application we didn't have planning up-to-date at that time to confirm any impacts," he said. Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the highway project was still in its very early planning stages, and that more specific numbers of residents who will be impacted will be determined as planning progresses. "If we do require someone's property, we get independent evaluations and market rates, so that we make sure that people who are impacted in the end, that they are looked after and that they get fair value and compensation,” he said. "It's never a good process and of course these are relatively recent approvals by the local governments involved, so I can appreciate why they would feel aggrieved by the process." Image: ABC News (Facebook)

Real Estate

Get out your glitter and head down the Atlanta Highway – the B-52s are setting out on their final dance party!

After 45 years together the B-52’s have announced they are unplugging and de-wigging for their final US tour. “No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it’s time for one last blowout with our friends and family… our fans,” <a href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/b-52s-farewell-tour-2022/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referra">said Fred Schneider</a>. Who was to know that an impromptu jam session in 1976 in the American college town of Athens, Georgia, would be the foundation of a 45-year career? The innovative band that formed in 1976 originally consisted of Cindy Wilson (vocals and guitar), Kate Pierson (vocals and keyboards), Fred Schneider (vocals), Ricky Wilson (guitar) and Keith Strickland (drums). The world’s introduction to the B-52’s was the almost seven-minute song Rock Lobster. An unexpected hit, this uplifting musical concoction is comprised of a baritone-tuned Mosrite electric guitar riff, interspersed with stabbing Farfisa organ accents, and an array of vocal interplay with jazz-esque backing vocal parts. These are interspersed with Pierson’s dolphin like vocal sounds while Schneider’s unique lead vocal spoken delivery offers lyrics about a crustacean. The accompanying video presented a mixture of pop culture’s past with 1950’s cartoonist hair styles, surf culture, combined with uniquely erratic choreography, but musically there are elements that serve as a disruption to pop music. Rock Lobster reached number one in Canada, three in Australia, 37 on the UK singles charts and 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100. <h2>Influences and scene</h2> The band’s influences draw from diverse sources across pop culture, such as B-grade movies, Captain Beefheart, 60’s dance moves, Dusty Springfield, comic books, animated cartoons, the composer Nino Rota (Fellini films), pulp science-fiction and Yoko Ono. This is perhaps best illustrated in the song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VujxeH8uK_Q">Planet Claire</a> (1978) which opens instrumentally with intermittent radio frequencies that fade to a central guitar riff derived from Mancini’s Peter Gunn theme, then bongos and keyboards stabs, and Pierson’s mesmerising unison singing (chromatic long notes) with the DX7 keyboard part. This is followed by witty, farcical lyrics with an abundance of sci-fi references: satellites, speed of light, Mars. The B-52’s emerged from the 1970’s New Wave (rock) scene with their own combination of non-threatening post-punk and alternative surf rock musical aesthetics. Subversion was in the form of less musical dissonance and less density, more freedom, more harmonies, more play. Less aggressive, more diva, with an infectious enthusiasm. They created their own niche that was unquestionably southern, and importantly broke new ground as LGBTIQ+ icons, by infusing an uncompromisingly camp and queer sensibility into pop culture. From 1979 to 1986, the band recorded four studio albums that were best known for dance grooves, featuring the distinctive vocals of Schneider using sprechgesang(a spoken singing style credited to Humperdinck in 1897 and Schoenberg in 1912), the highly experimental vocal approaches of Pierson, growls and harmonies by Wilson, and Strickland’s surf guitar riffs. They made novel instrumentation choices: toy pianos, walkie talkies, glockenspiels, and bongos, coupled with the innovative use of up-cycled fashion and costumes evoking individuality and liberation. The exception was the EP Mesopotamia (1982) produced by David Byrne, a significant departure from their previous song production. Most noticeable is the slower tempo of Mesopotamia, 119 beats per minute (BPM) compared with Rock Lobster’s (1978) 179 BPM and Private Idaho’s (1980) driving 166 BPM tempo. Mesopotamia features additional synthesizer parts, poly-rhythmic beats (the combination of two or more different rhythms following the same pulse) and world beat influences. On the surface the B-52s lyrics could be misconstrued as merely comedic, or nonsensical, however there are deeper underlining lyrical meanings that speak for the marginalised, referencing the band’s political ideology: environmental causes, feminism, LGBTIQ+ rights, and AIDS activism. <h2>Late 1980s and early 1990s</h2> Bouncing Off The Satellites took three years to complete and was released in 1986. Sadly, Ricky Wilson died from HIV/AIDS related illness in 1985 just after the recording sessions were complete. The B-52s reshaped the band with Strickland switching from drums to lead guitar. Later, the band also added touring members for studio albums and live performances. The B-52s album with the greatest commercial success was Cosmic Thing (1989) co-produced by Don Was and Nile Rodgers. The single Love Shack, went double platinum, reached number 1 for eight weeks, and sold 5 million copies. The song opens with engaging drum sounds at an infectious dance tempo of 133 BPM (beats per minute). Schneider’s distinctive vocal enters, then the bass and guitar parts. The arrangement places the hooks at the front in the song, with chorus vocal parts in 4ths. Adding to the infectious groove is the live band sound featuring real brass section, and bass guitar and a bluesy guitar riff with crowd noises in the background. The alluring backing vocal parts on the lyrics “bang, bang, bang, on the door baby” are clearly reminiscent of the Batman television theme music. <h2>Into the 21st century</h2> In 2008 the band re-emerged from a 16-year recording absence with the 11-track album Funplex. There are notable modifications to the B-52s signature sound. Funplex is not the frenetic and spontaneous party music of previous albums. There are a few adaptations vocally too, with a change of roles with spoken word from Wilson and Pierson. The band has toured every summer, with a variety of other bands on the circuit, the Tubes, Go-Go’s, Psychedelic Furs and KC & The Sunshine Band building new audiences. Their appeal is still broad. In 2020, Rock Lobster was used in Australia for an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-VHByOdHmg">Optus ad</a>. The farewell tour billed as “their final tour ever of planet Earth” commences in August this year in Seattle. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/get-out-your-glitter-and-head-down-the-atlanta-highway-the-b-52s-are-setting-out-on-their-final-dance-party-182934" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Truckies’ plan to block highways around the country

Many Aussies are furious at a plan launched by Australian truck drivers to block all of our major highways and to disrupt food supplies, as part of a nationwide protest against lockdown. The truck drivers have released a series of videos online warning about the strike which will reportedly 'block every highway entering every state' next Tuesday, August 31, bringing logistics operations to a halt nationwide. They say in one of the videos, they are 'planning to shut down the country' to 'remove the s**t government'. Outraged Aussies have blasted the plan as 'selfish' saying it could leave millions of families in COVID lockdowns around the country without essential goods. The truck drivers say the they are protesting against COVID lockdowns and vaccine mandates. They’ve received support from truck drivers from overseas who’ve offered hacks for how to ensure the trucks are impossible to move. Talk of a protest from truck drivers flared within the industry after some legislation was passed mandating vaccinations for authorised workers who cross state borders – which includes truck drivers. Those involved in the rally launched a GoFundMe page to support them financially but it has since been taken down. Aussies slam the plan on social media Many Aussies are upset by the truckies’ plan and they’ve taken to social media to register their concerns: 'How long before the good people of Australia turn against truck drivers for starving their families? Stupid anarchy and terrorism - domestic terrorism,' one tweeted. 'How incredibly f**king selfish. Have the disadvantaged, elderly and our farmers not suffered enough over the past few years?' another wrote. 'Now a bunch of truck drivers want to strike and cause even more suffering to those who can't stock up on everything they need. Causing panic buying and food shortages because some bloke is upset by the government? How is that going to help?' a third added. Truck drivers from around the world have offered support Truck drivers from around the world have praised the plan with some sharing hacks for how to make sure the protest works. In a video posted on Twitter, an America truckie gave details about how the best way to prevent trucks from being towed away would be to remove the ‘caging bolts.’ He wrote: ‘Hey to all my Australian truck drivers, this is just a quick tip. If you do want to leave your truck somewhere and you don't want a wrecker driver to be able to remove it, make sure you go to your air chambers and take the caging bolts home with you. 'Because there is no way the wrecker drivers that the government calls are going to have thousands of these, and with no supply line on the air chamber - no one is moving that f**king truck.' Legislation comes in on August 30 New legislation comes in on Monday August 30 which states that authorised workers from COVID hotspots cannot leave their LGA for work unless they have received one dose of the vaccine or have a medical certificate. Similar rules apply for freight workers entering Queensland, while other strict COVID restrictions, such as mandatory testing, govern entry requirements to other states. Anti-lockdown protesters support the plan As well as some overseas drivers, a number of anti-lockdown supporters jumped in to support the truckies’ plan. Some wished them good luck, while others applauded their devotion to 'freedom' and rebellion against 'tyranny' and COVID vaccines. But other Australian truck drivers who are against the protest, asked their colleagues to change the plan. One truck driver begged them to consider whether it was 'hypocritical or heroic' to protest against lockdowns by pushing their own agenda. In his own video he said: 'I believe everybody has a choice and I understand your argument but denying your fellow Australians of their right to choose and to work and to eat defeats your whole argument…are you heroes or hypocrites?' 'It's on. The truckies are doing it. The truckies are going to shut down the country,' he added. ‘What that means is you need to go shopping now, get what you can for the next week or two, load your fridge, freezers.’ NSW Police have said they are aware of the planned protest and 'will continue to ensure compliance with the public health orders'. Photos: Twitter

News

Woman forced to deliver baby on side of busy highway

When Brittney McCauley went into labour this morning, her partner James thought it would be a straight drive to the hospital, but as they travelled 30 minutes from their home in Shell Cove to Wollongong Hospital, their baby didn’t want to wait. Brittney and James were forced to pull over on the side of Princes Motorway to deliver baby Alby. "I'm like, alright, this is on. This is on," James told 9News. Brittney was determined to make it to the hospital but life had other plans. In a stroke of pure luck, their midwife Kylie Hazelton caught up with them on the road. "I just remember James saying to me, 'you're not going to believe who's here'," Brittney said. "I turned around and looked and yeah, Kylie was walking over." Kylie arrived right on time and helped deliver the healthy 3.7kg baby in the backseat of their car. "It was beautiful, really, really exciting," Kylie said. After being checked by paramedics, Brittney and Alby were taken to Wollongong Hospital. Then, later, Alby was taken home to meet his two brothers and sister. "I'm not surprised that he made an entrance like this," Brittney said. "We are a pretty crazy family so he fits in perfectly."

Family & Pets

Driving along Central Otago highway

Justine and Chris Tyerman continue their ‘age-inappropriate’ road trip in a mini campervan, revisiting places in Central Otago Justine last travelled as a child... Driving along magnificent stretches of Central Otago highway without a care in the world, the sun streaming down from a clear, blue, autumn sky, we encountered some extraordinarily-friendly gestures from the occupants of other bright green and purple rental vehicles approaching or passing us on the open road — waves, thumbs-ups and beaming smiles. We reciprocated, being careful to arrange our fingers in a non-offensive configuration, of course. We had such enthusiastic responses it inspired us to be even more inventive so I held up a “Kia Ora” sign, assuming most of them were visitors to Aotearoa. After many such greetings over the next few hours, we decided to call this phenomenon the “JRW”, the JUCY Recognition Wave, brand recognition and brand bonding on a grand scale. I also detected expressions of surprise and/or amusement on the faces of the invariably young occupants of the other vehicles as they glimpsed a couple of oldies travelling in a mini-camper. Did they think we were cool... or crazy? And did we care? Not two hoots! We were like a couple of teenagers on their first roadie as we meandered our way from Wanaka to the Catlins, revisiting places in Central Otago last travelled as a child. In those days, the narrow, winding Cromwell Gorge road was just another obstacle to endure on our long car trips from Dunedin to our little crib in Arrowtown. But the old road is long gone now, submerged by Lake Dunstan — and the new road is straighter and much higher up the side of the gorge wall, closer to the craggy, weathered mountain tops that used to tower above us. Fifteen minutes from Cromwell, the curved rim of the Clyde Dam loomed into view, the 103m-high concrete gravity structure that holds back the 26 sq km hydro-power storage reservoir of Lake Dunstan. Shortly after the completion of the Clyde Dam in 1993, we had a guided tour of the power station including a walk-through of the dimly-lit, vibrating interior corridor of the dam wall. I doubt I would do that now having researched the history of the dam construction in PM Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” era, the discovery of fault lines above the one million cubic metres of concrete and steel dam and the safety compromises made back then. Clyde has transformed itself into a seriously-classy village since the days we used to drive through the sleepy settlement stopping for a cuppa beside the river. Now the start and end point of the immensely-popular 152km Otago Central Rail Trail, Clyde has a great range of accommodation and eateries including Olivers, an upmarket craft brewery, bar, bakery-café, and gourmet restaurant with boutique accommodation, located in the old stone, gold rush-era general store. Six or seven minutes further on is Alexandra whose claim to fame in my teenage years was the October Blossom Festival. I seldom managed to get there because I was always in Dunedin, buried in my books, studying for end-of-year exams. Alexandra reached its heyday during the late 1800s when huge gold dredges worked the mighty Clutha River/Mata-Au. The most successful dredge was the “Dunedin”, which extracted around 528kg of gold. Today Alexandra is known for its pinot noir vineyards and apricots, peaches, cherries and apples. In mid-winter, we used to go ice skating on nearby Manorburn Dam, the largest natural ice skating area in the Southern Hemisphere. The dam has been a popular place to skate and play ice hockey and the game of “curling” since the late 1880s. Parts of the dam still freeze over but most people now go to the artificial rink in town. They sure knew how to build beautiful bridges in the old days. The graceful stone towers of the historic bridge over the Clutha River/Mata-Au, built from 1879 to 1882, still stand strong and proud in New Zealand’s swiftest river. The vivid turquoise of the Clutha against the bright gold of the autumn poplars and willows on the riverbank, with the deeply-weathered rocks on the hillsides above, is stunning. The replacement bridge, built in 1958, looked so utilitarian and ordinary by comparison. We stopped for morning tea beside the river, soaking up the warm autumn sun. The little kitchen with its gas cooker, fridge and sink tucked into the back of the JUCY Cabana was incredibly convenient when we wanted to take a break in a beautiful spot. Near the bridge, van-loads of excited cyclists were setting off to do the Roxburgh Gorge Trail, a 34km ride along the Clutha River from Alexandra to Lake Roxburgh Dam with a boat link in the middle. Combining fascinating goldmining era history, stunning scenery and wildlife, this is definitely top of my must-do list. A remote wilderness experience with no road access, the trail passes through what’s described as New Zealand’s “Grand Canyon” with rocky bluffs 350m high on both sides of the river. I’ve always regarded Roxburgh as the heart of Central Otago, “well-suited to the making of Westerns”, my father used to say whenever we drove over the wild, barren landscape scattered with jagged, grey-brown rocks. Roxburgh’s hot, dry summers and cold winters are ideal for growing apricots, apples, pears, raspberries and strawberries. We used to stop to pick sturmer apples at a friend’s orchard there. Roxburgh is near the site of the earliest of the large hydroelectric projects in the South Island. Opened in 1956, the concrete gravity structure dams the Clutha River/Mata-Au, 9km to the north of the town of Roxburgh creating a lake 30km long. The land flattens out towards Raes Junction so we took a detour just before Lawrence, opting for the Tuapeka West Road to Balclutha. What an incredible contrast. Suddenly we were surrounded by rolling green pastures populated with well-fed sheep and cows and barely a rock or weed in sight. A huge dairy factory stood in the middle of nowhere. At Balclutha, we headed towards Kaka Point and the much-anticipated start of our Catlins adventure, all new territory for us. I stood there gazing at the silvery sea and white sands of Molyneux Bay on New Zealand’s south-east coast. It all seemed far too easy to have left the snow-capped mountains of Wanaka in the morning, traversed the wild and arid heart of Central Otago and the verdant pastures of Tuapeka, and arrived at the seaside by lunchtime. That’s one of a myriad of things I love about our Aotearoa backyard. The contrasts are huge but the distances are not... Next story: The Catlins Read the first of Justine’s road trip stories <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/exploring-our-own-backyard" target="_blank">here</a>. Factbox: • Pick up a JUCY campervan, 4WD, people-mover or car from <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.jucy.com/" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">JUCY</a> Rentals at Queenstown Airport. We’ve tried them all but this time we had a two-berth JUCY Cabana mini campervan with a double bed and a little kitchen, which gave us the freedom to camp out whenever we felt like it. The Cabana is not self-contained so we stayed at camping grounds and met some awesome people along the way. We liked the ease and manoeuvrability of the basic little campervan and the freedom of not being tied to an itinerary or pre-booked accommodation.

International Travel

Five-year-old boy pulled over on the highway while parents were at work

A five-year-old boy was caught behind the wheel of his parents’ car on a highway. Utah Highway Patrol trooper Rick Morgan pulled over the SUV when he spotted it weaving in and out of lanes on the freeway at 50km/h. Morgan said the car was swerving so badly he thought the driver needed medical attention. The trooper was shocked to find five-year-old Adrian behind the wheel, who was sitting on the edge of his seat to reach the pedals. “Where did you come from? How did you get this car?” Morgan could be heard asking the boy in a dash camera footage. The boy told police he had left home and drove the car about three miles through the city of Ogden after his mother refused to buy him a Lamborghini. He said he was going to his sister’s house in California and wanted to buy the luxury sports vehicle there. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> His story is that he left home after an argument with Mom, in which she told him she would not buy him a Lamborghini. He decided he'd take the car and go to California to buy one himself. He might have been short on the purchase amount, as he only had $3 dollars in his wallet. — Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/UTHighwayPatrol/status/1257388985002930178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2020</a></blockquote> “He might have been short on the purchase amount, as he only had $3 dollars in his wallet,” Utah Highway Patrol said on Twitter. The boy and his family are being interviewed by police, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/05/baby-driver-utah-police-boy-five">The Guardian</a> reported. Both parents <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52548236" target="_blank">were at work</a> and the boy was reportedly <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/utah-boy-family-car-buy-lamborghini/">left in the care of his sister</a> when he took the car keys and left.

Travel Trouble

Four police officers killed in Melbourne highway truck crash

The Porsche driver who fled the scene of the accident that killed four Victoria police officers in Melbourne has made contact with police, Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said. The crash happened on the Eastern Freeway near Chandler Highway at about 5.40pm Wednesday after two officers pulled over the Porsche 911 for speeding and decided to impound the vehicle. After two other officers were called to assist, a large refrigerated truck from a poultry company drove at 100 kilometres per hour into the four police officers. Commissioner Ashton said they believed the driver of the Porsche was uninjured and fled the scene on foot. A male truck driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The police officers, including two male constables, one female senior constable and one male senior constable, were killed. On Thursday morning, Commissioner Ashton said the Porsche driver had an extensive criminal history and tested positive for “some type of drug” after police intercepted him. Investigators had since <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-23/victoria-police-officers-killed-kew-eastern-freeway-crash/12175656" target="_blank">made contact with the person</a>. “There have been some images placed on Facebook that appear to have been taken by this individual at the scene, before he has left the scene,” Commissioner Ashton said. “Some of those photographs were circulating last night online. “We are talking to Facebook this morning about removing them.” The incident is being investigated by the homicide squad and the major collision investigation unit.

News

“Highway robbery”: This Aussie city charges motorists $31.41 an hour for off-street parking

In a move that’s been described as “highway robbery”, Brisbane CBD is charging motorists the highest short-term off-street parking rates in Australia at an average of $31.41 an hour and $18.30 for just 30 minutes. Queensland’s motoring group RACQ’s latest CBD Parking Prices Report revealed that the most expensive 30 minute and one-hour parking in Brisbane was at the Treasury Hotel, where motorists pay a massive $50. Care Park on Tank Street has the most expensive all-day parking at $97. In surprising news, Brisbane also has the cheapest on-street parking at just $5 an hour compared with Melbourne and Sydney at $7 an and $7.40 an hour. RACQ spokeswoman Renee Smith said that Brisbane drivers pay the highest rates and that it punishes businesses in the CBD. “It’s highway robbery for motorists and what we end up seeing is CBD shops and restaurants punished because people can’t justify the cost of a visit,” Ms Smith said in a statement to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/highway-robbery-brisbane-cbd-named-australias-most-expensive-offstreet-parking-at-3141-an-hour/news-story/57eb61949c95a0d3725098e76425b3b8" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “Drivers will also be appalled to learn parking all day in Brisbane, at $76.77, is only on average $1 cheaper than in Sydney. The price jumped more than $4 in the past year. If we don’t see better parking rates in the city, more and more drivers will favour suburban shopping centres where parking is either free or much cheaper.” Smith said that it was encouraging to see the number of parking stations charging the maximum fee of $89 a day has dropped from seven to four in the last year. “Drivers still need to employ frugal tactics in order to avoid being stung at the exit station, including booking ahead online and taking advantage of early bird rates,” she said. The most expensive off-street places to park all-day in Brisbane <ol> <li>40 Tank Street – Care Park at $97</li> <li>Eagle Street Pier – Wilson at $89</li> <li>Waterfront Place 1 Eagle – Wilson at $89</li> <li>Central Plaza 2 – Wilson at $89</li> <li>363 Adelaide Street – Wilson at $89 </li> </ol>

News

“How can this happen in broad daylight?”: Car flips over highway median strip

A dashcam has captured the shocking moment a car flipped over a Perth highway median strip. The incident has left many bewildered as to what caused the car to flip on such a straight stretch of road. In the footage, a blue sedan can be seen flying through the air after flipping from the right side of Perth’s Roe Freeway. The car then bounces a number of times as it lands on the other side of the median strip, narrowly avoiding incoming traffic. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDashCamOwnersAustralia%2Fvideos%2F1794092833983682%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> On Tuesday, the footage was shared to the Dash Cam Owner Australia Facebook page, where it was revealed that miraculously there were no major injuries. “Very fortunate that there was no trees or lamp posts where they crashed. It would have been a whole lot worse for those involved if they’re had been,” one viewer commented. Many viewers were divided as to how the incident was caused. One viewer suggested a tyre blow out could have been responsible to making the car flip, while others thought that the driver may have lost control of the car after clipping another vehicle during a lane change. What do you think is the cause of the incident? Let us know in the comments below.

Legal

Can you spot the typo in this Melbourne highway sign?

VicRoads has copped a bit of heat on social media this week after motorists and local residents noticed an unfortunate typo on a newly-erected highway sign. The sign appears on the Monash Freeway, directing drivers to the Springvale Road exit to ‘Glen Waverly’. But it seems the signwriter left out an ‘e’. <img width="316" height="421" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7818221/glen-waverley.jpg" alt="Glen Waverley"/> Image credit: Facebook / Glen Waverley Community And Glen Waverley locals are not happy about it. “What a disgrace!” one man commented on the Glen Waverley Community Facebook page. Interestingly, there is a “Glen Waverly” out there, but it’s a rural holding about 1400km from Melbourne’s south east in the NSW Northern Tablelands. VicRoads Project Director for South Eastern Projects, Ray Paterson, <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/" target="_blank">told Herald Sun</a> the sign would be fixed as soon as possible. “We’re aware of the issue with this Monash Freeway exit sign and apologise for any confusion this may have caused drivers,” he said. “The sign will be corrected within the next week.” What are your thoughts?

News

P-plate driver caught on camera swerving across highway whilst eating bowl of cereal

A P-plate driver could receive a hefty fine after being caught on camera eating a bowl of cereal while driving and swerving across a busy highway. The driver, whose behaviour was described by police as “ridiculously dangerous” was caught swerving while travelling along Marmion Avenue in Perth. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F7NewsBrisbane%2Fvideos%2F2072476032776519%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> The driver was holding her bowl in one hand and her spoon in another, appearing to be steering the car with her legs. The footage was posted online and sent to WA’s Police Commissioner Chris Dawson. “The report I got was that the driver (who witnessed the incident), who had their passenger take a photo of this, noticed because the car was weaving across the lane,” Mr Dawson told Seven News. Mr Dawson said her driving was extremely dangerous and said the police had the registration number. “You can't be driving a car and eating your brekkie at the same time,” he said. It is likely the driver will get a charge of careless driving which could even result in the loss of her license. Last month, a woman from Perth received a fine of $400 when she was caught driving and blatantly using FaceTime. The woman also lost three demerit points. Have you witnessed any dangerous driving behaviour like this before? Tell us in the comments below.

Insurance

Semi-trailer pushes car down Sydney highway in horror incident

Shocking footage shows the moment a huge B-double truck pushes an Uber car down a busy Sydney highway after an accident in which no one was miraculously injured. Inside the car, a newlywed couple were travelling to Sydney airport as they were at the conclusion of their honeymoon. Somehow the Uber ended up sideways in front of a huge truck and was pushed down the Princes Highway at Sydenham for 30 metres. The car was then pushed into a side street, near a power pole. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fniall.little%2Fvideos%2F10154879264126442%2F&show_text=0&width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> Witness Niall Little saw the shocking incident after he was closing his workshop when he heard tyre screeches and started filming it on his phone. He told Channel Seven, “It seems like the car was changing lanes and just the front of the truck clipped the car, and just basically locked in the front and kept on pushing.” The Uber driver and two passengers all escaped with just bruises and were assisted by witnesses after the terrifying ordeal. Sam Broome told Seven she was about turn on to the highway when she saw the events unfolding. “They were pretty upset, pretty shaken, pretty shocked,” she said. The day after the incident, police went to the truck company's Warwick Farm headquarters to interview the driver and management. Video credit: Niall Little via Facebook

Insurance

Dash cam smash horror – elderly couple left for dead on Queensland highway

Dashcam footage has captured the moment teenagers in allegedly stolen cars caused a horrific car accident before fleeing the scene. An elderly couple, aged 69 and 72, were driving along Bruce Highway near Townsville, when a stolen car sped past a truck on the wrong side of the road. Moments later, a second stolen car following in the wrong lane uncontrollably swerved out of the lane to avoid colliding with an oncoming truck. The car then crashed at high speed into the rear of the elderly couple’s car. Both cars crashed into the side of the road, with the victims' car flipping multiple times. On Monday, footage of the horrific incident was released by Queensland Police. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FQueenslandPolice%2Fvideos%2F10156277930308254%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="295" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> Alongside the video, Queensland Police Service wrote, “Police have released dashcam vision of an alleged stolen vehicle involved in a serious high speed traffic crash on the Bruce Highway near Coolbie on December 22. Two teenagers have been charged in relation to the incident, anyone with further information is urged to come forward.” Police said those responsible for the crash fled the scene without checking on the victims. They have since charged two 16-year-old boys. Detective Inspector Leonie Steyger told the Townsville Bulletin that the crash was an “inexcusable event”. The elderly couple were fighting for their lives but have since been released from hospital.

Insurance

Police reveal new tactic to catch out drivers

Queensland Police revealed that they are considering a controversial new tactic to catch out drivers who are using their mobile phones behind the wheel. The camera technology is a world-first, capable of photographing drivers who are using devices, and work in a similar style to traditional red-light cameras. Trials of a similar technology are currently happening in Victoria, with Queensland Assistant commissioner Mike Keating saying he plans to keep a close eye on it. “We will monitor that trial and see how it looks in terms of effectiveness and if we see some benefit in it, then certainly we’ll take it to the government in the future,” Mr Keating said. 226 people have lost their lives on Queensland roads so far this year, with Commissioner Ian Steward declaring he wants all motorists to exercise caution on the roads. “I’m making an appeal to every person who uses our roads, I would like you to give your emergency services, police, fireys, ambos a Christmas present,” Commissioner Stewart said. “That Christmas present is that we do not have to go out and deal with the trauma of one more road fatality or one more road crash this year. “Not only would it be a present to your emergency services, but a present to every family member who has been affected by road trauma in the state.” What are your thoughts? <a href="https://oversixty.disconline.com.au/car/new_quote.jsp?hSty=EXOS&cgpCde=00272&hCenCde=10737&LinkId=12071&utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=insurance&utm_medium=in-article-banner-car-1&utm_content=car-insurance" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.oversixty.com.au/images/EditorialAddon/201706_CarInsurance_EditorialAddon_468x60_1.gif" alt="Over60 Car Insurance - Get a quote!"/></a>

Insurance

What you should do if your car breaks down on a busy highway

It is always unfortunate when you are driving your car and you encounter an issue, such as a flat tyre or running out of fuel. The stress in these situations is significantly heightened when you face the issue on a major highway. Follow these steps to respond safely if you ever breakdown on a major highway. 1. Turn on your hazard lights It is important to respond immediately if you notice something is wrong with your car while you are on a busy highway. If your car is beginning to slow down due to the issue or you need to move off the road, turn your hazard lights on to safely communicate with other motorists about your situation. 2. Look for a safe spot to pull into If there is an emergency lane, pull into this so you can have a safe distance between your vehicle and the fast-flow of traffic. If there is no emergency lane, pull over and park on the far left-side of the highway as safely possible. If the opportunity permits, stop near an emergency roadside telephone so you can call for assistance if you don’t have a mobile in your car. Once you have parked, put the handbrake on and face your wheels away from the road so you don’t roll into traffic if someone rear-ends you. 3. Call for help Once you have parked safely away from the traffic, call for assistance. If you are in a severe emergency call 000 immediately. If no one has been injured and it is not the result of an accident, call for your Roadside Assistance as they are able to deal with standard breakdown difficulties. Roadside Assistance generally covers faulty batteries, flat tyres, minor roadside repairs and towing. Roadside Assistance ensures you have extra peace of mind while you are on the road. 4. Stay inside the vehicle and wait If you are parked in a reasonably safe spot well out of way of traffic, your safest bet is to stay inside your car with your seatbelt on and the doors and windows locked until your help arrives. If there is a logical reason for you to leave your car, only do so if you have thoroughly checked that there is no oncoming traffic. If you have a high visibility vest in your car, put it on before exiting your car and exit from the passenger (non-traffic) side. Never try to cross a busy highway on foot.

Insurance

The terrifying moment a truck driver tailgates a car in the middle lane

Footage on a busy Melbourne freeway has shown the moment when a driver of a 50-tonne truck tailgated a small car. Brett was a passenger in a nearby car and started filming the incident after becoming alarmed by the truck driver’s dangerous behaviour. The drivers were on Princes Freeway near Little River when the footage was recorded. “It was so dangerous, I've never seen anything like it on the road,” Bret told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/37345283/melbourne-cctv-of-freeway-road-rage-little-river/" target="_blank">Seven News</a>. In the video, the onlooker says, “Oh my god, this is unbelievable. That is scary.” <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" width="600" height="573" scrolling="no" id="molvideoplayer" title="MailOnline Embed Player" src="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/1548995.html"></iframe> The Honda HRV is believed to be sitting on the speed limit of 100km/h when the truck gets daringly close before swerving into the right lane to overtake it. In this section of the freeway, trucks exceeding the weight of 4.5 tonnes are banned from driving in the right lane. According to Acting Senior Sergeant Jason Van Doren, the truck driver’s behaviour poses a great risk to other motorists. “We've got a small vehicle, a truck weighing 45 to 50 tonnes right behind. Recipe for disaster if something goes wrong,” he said. Social media users have had a mixed response to the footage with some rushing to the defence of the truck driver, saying the small car should have moved into the left lane. “I don't condone what the truckie was doing but why can't that car move to the left obviously doing under the limit as truck is limited to 100,” one wrote. Many agreed that both the car and truck driver were at fault. “Both drivers are in the wrong. The truck driver should not be tailgating like that but at the same time the car driver should have moved over to the left lane to allow the truck to pass considering the truck is not allowed to use the right-hand lane. If the car had of been driving in the left lane the truck could have legally overtaken them,” another said. Truck drivers caught in the right lane between Western Ring Road and Lara on Princes Freeway can be fined up to $350. Who do you think is in the wrong? Let us know in the comments below.

Insurance

Police highway patrol controversially given shiny new BMWs

Police highway patrol units in Australia are set to replace their Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore pursuit cars with a fleet of shiny new vehicles from BMW. With local production of the Falcon winding up last year and Commodores reaching the end of its current line, Victoria Police Highway Patrol is moving to source specialised foreign vehicles to carry out highway police work in the future. Highway cops in NSW and other states are expected to follow suit, with BMW one of the few car manufacturers still designing vehicles specifically for police work. <blockquote class="twitter-video"> Victorian Police are getting some flash new wheels! They’re replacing their current cars with luxury BMW 5-Series Highway Patrol cars. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sun7?src=hash">#sun7</a> <a href="https://t.co/fDusqj7ecr">pic.twitter.com/fDusqj7ecr</a> — Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/910234371277205505">September 19, 2017</a></blockquote> Victoria’s Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said the BMW cars were a perfect fit, meeting the operational requirements for highway patrol vehicles. “BMW is the only company to date that has been able to provide a factory fitted ‘police pack’ making the commercial agreement an extremely attractive value for money decision,” said Assistant Commissioner Fryer. The BMW 530d vehicle retails for $120,000, however it is understood that the police have sourced a cheaper model with most of the luxury features of the car removed. The new BMW vehicles will reportedly only be used by specialised highway patrol units, with officers on general police duties set to continue to drive standard vehicles sourced from manufactures like Toyota, Hyundai and Volkswagen. What are your thoughts? Do you think highway cops should be using BMWs?

Legal

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

“Miracle”: 1-year-old baby survives two days beside highway during hurricane

Couple's retirement plans "ruined" after investment fail

Family told to make way for highway project hours after moving in to new home

Get out your glitter and head down the Atlanta Highway – the B-52s are setting out on their final dance party!

Truckies’ plan to block highways around the country

Woman forced to deliver baby on side of busy highway

Driving along Central Otago highway

Five-year-old boy pulled over on the highway while parents were at work

Four police officers killed in Melbourne highway truck crash

“Highway robbery”: This Aussie city charges motorists $31.41 an hour for off-street parking

“How can this happen in broad daylight?”: Car flips over highway median strip

Can you spot the typo in this Melbourne highway sign?

P-plate driver caught on camera swerving across highway whilst eating bowl of cereal

Semi-trailer pushes car down Sydney highway in horror incident

Dash cam smash horror – elderly couple left for dead on Queensland highway

Police reveal new tactic to catch out drivers

What you should do if your car breaks down on a busy highway

The terrifying moment a truck driver tailgates a car in the middle lane

Police highway patrol controversially given shiny new BMWs

Our Partners