Radio traffic report, a scratched CD?

[Torquative]

Just wondering if anyones ever noticed radio traffic reports just seem to be a scratched CD?

Ok my radio in my bedroom only picks up WSFM (in Sydney) clearly, so I set the alarm to radio and wake up to WSFM news at 6:30am so I know the signal is strong.

Alf Paraniki does the "Skytracker 7" traffic, and I can always tell you what he's going to say, and it will include ...

- Final 3 kays of the F3 is bumper to bumper down to the Pacific Highway offramp/down to Pennant Hills Road

- M2 is busy from the M7 interchange right the way through to the Pennant Hills Road offramp/right the way through to the Epping Tunnel/right the way through to the toll plaza

- Keeping an eye on the M4 which is banked back from the Lighthorse interchange through to Parramatta / which is busy from Prospect/Eastern Creek through Mays Hill / James Ruse Drive/ Church Street/ or the Toll Plaza

I'm serious, listen to 101.7 WSFM at 6:30/7/7:30 and you'll see its all the same.

Other stations do it too.

Sando on Triple M and Today FM says the same thing, he just makes it a bit more comical like "the final 3 kays of the F3 is like spreading butter on sandpaper" or "customers of the M4 would have more luck betting on a horse with horse flu then betting they'll be at work on time" but its still the same old reports.

Yet this morning it was same ol same ol but the journey which usually takes 45 minutes took 2 hours for no reason at all and for some reason no radio station even mentioned it which makes me think even more that its actually pointless these days.

Has anyone ever noticed traffic reports just seem to be the same thing over and over each day, or is it just me putting too much thought into it first thing of a morning??

[Wacky]

You are right, they do seem to be a bit repetitive !

One day they might actually be useful, and say "Lane Cove Road is a parking lot because the RTA can't get the light sequences right, and some idiot in a corolla doesn't know how to drive !"

One day they'll actually use their brains and provide decent alternative routes for people stuck in the moving car parks.

[steve9119]

i think you will find the trafic reports come from the "main roads department" or what ever the state managed road authority is in your area. their media reports based on simple sentance templates are sent out at regular times to media providers (radio stations). unless there is a major problem the "backed up 3 K's on the M34" is the standard langauage used with generic references to the busy roads. Taking care not to make any negative coments about the privately owned tolleways the state has sold off to private companies. As most morning radio programs are presented by 3 mildly talented talking heads (serious voice, ex-sportsman and giggling girl) with trafic reports from the "road thunders", "super cruisers" or "eye in the sky helicopter" The opportunities for original, acurate trafic reports become limited, and time consuming to create. it's more likely a sad example of the burnt out morning radio industry that is tragicaly stuck in a rut. (when i was a kid morning radio was happily presented by one anouncer and featured a pre-recorded radio serial and no prank phone calls or all the carry one we have now)

i remember here in perth a famous captain who gives trafic reports while flying over the city had his credibility crashed as an accident in the studio meant the morning listeners heard the studio anouncer telling the captain the trafic report over the intercom while a song was playing, moments later the captain was asked "how is the trafic" and he repeated all the information we just heard....

my recomendation is to move to a simple radio station, that just does time calls, music and a bit of mild chit chat. with out all the commercials and hype you may be less stressed out, happier, and more able to cope with the occasional delays in trafic. after all you're driving a nice holden, is it realy so bad if ur morning drive takes a bit longer?

cheers

[Grennan]

Yeah i love the reports here, they are on the news here on Ch 10. Every day... "Monash Freeway Outbound looks really busy *insert picture of Gridlock* and City looks busy *another gridlock..."

NO **** IDIOTS, Ill do your job for the next decade. Freeways at 5pm...****EN BUSY!!! Everyone knows it, they dont need to be told every day that they just took the busiest route to and from work.

[TheForgotten]

we don't get traffic reports up here, but the 3 major local radio stations all use the same new/sport/weather chick. the reports are always similar each day, but not identical

[tonza]

It must be true, because Super Mal in the Triple M sky patrol in Brisbane always has this to say:
- Ipswich Motorway blocked/congested/avoid at all costs
- M1 northbound over the Pine Rivers Bridge is slow
- M1 southbound very slow
- Multi vehicle pile up on the Gateway Bridge
Without a doubt you will her them mentioned EVERY morning, and then some. anyone else notice that?

[azkwazere]

i agree... but... the best part about this thread is the title:

"a scratched CD"

when did the saying go from "a broken record" to "a scratched CD?"

i mean it doesnt make sense in that they just skip, not repeat....

am i that behind?

lol

aZk.

[stocky]

i agree... but... the best part about this thread is the title:

"a scratched CD"

when did the saying go from "a broken record" to "a scratched CD?"

i mean it doesnt make sense in that they just skip, not repeat....

am i that behind?

lol

aZk.

yeah i was expecting him to mention static on the radio everyday during the report or something

[CSP]

If we had traffic reports in Canberra, it would always be:

"and the traffic situation in Canberra this morning is, no, wait, there was a few cars around but now all roads are clear"

I'm so glad I don't have to drive in Sydney or Melbourne daily

What p*sses me off is Canberrans that complain about traffic or paying $7 a day for parking 2 minutes walk from their work!

[f1tzy]

It must be true, because Super Mal in the Triple M sky patrol in Brisbane always has this to say:
- Ipswich Motorway blocked/congested/avoid at all costs
- M1 northbound over the Pine Rivers Bridge is slow
- M1 southbound very slow
- Multi vehicle pile up on the Gateway Bridge
Without a doubt you will her them mentioned EVERY morning, and then some. anyone else notice that?

dont forget the wynnum road/old cleveland road/lutwyche road congestion warnings later on in the morning

[Troy711]

If we had traffic reports in Canberra, it would always be:

"and the traffic situation in Canberra this morning is, no, wait, there was a few cars around but now all roads are clear"

I'm so glad I don't have to drive in Sydney or Melbourne daily

What p*sses me off is Canberrans that complain about traffic or paying $7 a day for parking 2 minutes walk from their work!

we do have traffic reports. 104 and 106 do them (and a few AM stations). its the same every morning

'the parkway is flowing steady up towards glenloch, as is parks way and northbourne'

[xlr8_87]

of course it's going to be the same every day...

it's not as if people go a completely different way to work/school every day!

[f1tzy]

lol they could at least spice it up tho. it gets very monotonous

[JBDrifter]

I find them fairly useful. On a regular day you can expect a lot of traffic during peak hours and you can usually plan your trips accordingly, but when there is an unusual amount of traffic building up it is good to know why and where the problem originated so you can try to work around it. Unless of course you're on your way to work... no better excuse than there was an accident on the freeway and i was stuck in traffic for an hour :P

[Garth]

dont forget the wynnum road/old cleveland road/lutwyche road congestion warnings later on in the morning

you have left out the bruce highway is backed up past mango hill, gympie road is flowing good watch out for the road works on the gateway motor way, traffic is slow on ipswitch motor way around the darra merge and the gooda merge,

it's alway's the same crap day in day out. i wonder if there is even a problem half the times.

[Julie]

I find it funny that someone under the age of 50 listens to wsfm lol

[cr212]

yeh the ones from up here in newcastle are pretty repetitive but have all the accidents which is useful when drivin around in the morning im just glad i dont live in a capital city and have to drive to and from work in peak hour traffic