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56/ THE LATEST 58/ CHANGING GEARS 61/ MEMBER REWARDS community 65/ PUZZLES 66/ REAR VIEW

Putting a spotlight on road safety

There is no silver bullet when it comes to road safety, which is why we must look at the issue holistically in order to find solutions that reduce road trauma. We believe the Tasmanian Legislative Council’s inquiry into road safety, endorsed in June, is a key part of finding these solutions. The inquiry has been called in light of Tasmania’s tragic road safety record, particularly our failure to meet National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) targets at the end of last year. It will consider a range of issues, including road infrastructure, vehicle safety, driver education, data and research, as well as national and international best practice. We’ll be asking for input from our members and the community on how to improve road safety in Tasmania, with this information to inform our submission to the inquiry. Keep an eye on your email, our website and social media for ways to get involved.

P For more, visitract.com.au/road-safety-inquiry

the latest.

Notice of AGM and Board Election

MEMBERS ARE ADVISED that the 98th Annual General Meeting of the Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania Limited will be held in Hobart in November. Following the success of last year’s virtual online AGM, we will invite members to attend online as well as physically this year. Formal Notice of Meeting and details for member attendance will be provided in upcoming member communications.

The Constitution of the Club requires that the official Notice of Meeting, listing the agenda items, be published at least 21 days before the date of the meeting. To meet this obligation, the notice will be published in the October–November edition of Journeys as well as provided via other channels.

Should any eligible member wish to be nominated for election as a director on the Board, a nomination form can be requested from RACT’s Company Secretary via companysecretary@ract.com.au.

Eligibility to nominate for election and the election process is governed by RACT’s Constitution and Election By-laws, which can be found at ract.com.au/about-us and will be provided along with any nomination forms requested.

The closing date for completed nomination forms is two months prior to the AGM. Members who request a nomination pack will be advised of the likely nomination period on expression of interest.

It should be noted that the position of director on the Board of the Club carries with it a number of legal responsibilities, such as a requirement to act in the best interests of the Club as a whole, setting aside any contrary personal opinions a director may have. If a director has an interest in a matter or is connected with an organisation that is interested in any matter, that director will not be able to take part in any vote on the matter.

RACT is an independent voice for Tasmanians and consumers across the areas of its business activity. The Club’s business is increasingly complex and any successful nominee will need to have significant business acumen and be able to understand financial reporting in order to contribute to the Board and ensure the continued successful guidance of the Club.

Nominees must have appropriate skills, experience and attributes in order to meet directors’ duties and effectively contribute to the Board, including: accounting and finance; strategic development and implementation; risk management; WH&S and human resources best practice; legal, commercial and business acumen; advocacy, stakeholder engagement and government relations; and marketing, digital and data technology.

As part of a nominee validation process, eligible members nominating for election will need to identify and substantiate their skills, experience and attributes in accordance with RACT’s skill requirements and participate in an interview with RACT’s Governance, Remuneration & Nomination Committee to evaluate their candidacy.

Thank you

Congratulations to Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC on her recent appointment to Governor of Tasmania. We’re incredibly proud to have Her Excellency’s patronage and are looking forward to working together to support the Tasmanian community. We also send our sincere thanks to outgoing Governor of Tasmania Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner AC for her continued support during her term.

YOUR BOARD Jude Franks, West Hobart

Over the next year our members can expect… greater understanding and service delivery. We’re really focusing on what our members want and need from us so we can support them and make a difference in their lives. I’m proud to be part of the RACT community because… I was given my first membership by my grandfather when I first started driving at 17. He and my father were both 50-year members, so to be involved at a Board level and to help guide the future of a new RACT is a real privilege. My biggest goal for RACT is… to have a valued relationship with every Tasmanian and to have a significant impact on reducing road statistics and improving road safety. My favourite place to holiday in Tasmania is… the east coast. I holidayed there as a child and I’m a really coastal person. On the weekends you’ll always find me at the beach or near the water. I love Bicheno and the Freycinet Peninsula – that’s where I spend most of my time. Outside of RACT… I’ve been part of numerous boards professionally and sporting organisations when my kids were younger. I’m currently on the trust for the MV Cartela, working on getting her restored and operating back on the River Derwent. I have also spent the pandemic mentoring a lot of people in the tourism industry, helping them to seek other pathways to make their businesses work. Something people may not know is… I’m obsessed with moon photos from my view at West Hobart. I probably have a gazillion of them!

Saving at the pump

Our RACT Fuel Saver app has been downloaded more than 13,000 times. Since real-time fuel price reporting was launched in September last year, Tasmanian motorists have saved more than $19.6 million on fuel*. We’d love to hear about your experiences with the app. How and when do you use it? How much money have you saved? What improvements could we make? Let us know at advocacy@ract.com.au.

The RACT Fuel Saver is available to download via Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to ract.com.au/fuel-saver

*Accurate as of 30 June 2021.

CAR

MEDIC

QSometimes when I’m driving my steering wheel starts shuddering. What does this mean?

Richard Evans // Richmond

AIf you’re feeling a wobble or vibration through the steering wheel, at speed, it’s most likely being caused by tyre imbalance. As you can imagine, due to inconsistencies during tyre and wheel manufacturing, wheels and tyres are not perfectly symmetrical and therefore not always perfectly balanced. When tyres are fitted to rims, a balancing procedure is carried out by adding small lead weights to the edge of the rim. This means that the wheels and tyre won’t produce any vibrations when turning at speed. As your tyres wear they will become imbalanced again, therefore it’s important to have tyres rotated (front tyres to the rear of the car, rear tyres to the front) and balanced during regular vehicle services.

RACT Roadside Patrol // Grant Page

suspension and ineligibility periods will be applied. 10 100km/h. to drive an unroadworthy car. 9 If you accumulate 12 demerit points within three years then obey posted speed limit signs but cannot drive faster than 100km/h. 8 Yes, and it’s illegal 5 True. 6 Yes, motorcyclists can lane filter at speeds less than 30km/h. 7 P1 drivers must take into consideration the conditions, type of vehicle and speed being travelled. 4 40km/h. and we should always be prepared to give way to pedestrians. 3 At least three seconds and Road Safety Quiz Answers: 1 No, they must have 0.00 blood alcohol content level. 2 Yes,