School zones - speed related

[pandaman]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

IMO speed limits around schools should be 60kph. They were when I was at school and this was per ABS! I, like the rest of my school friends were not hit by cars. Why? We were taught of the dangers of the road. Unlike today.
I refer you to the latest TAC commercial where the girl gets hit. They change one fact of 5klms and she only gets bruses. How about you look both ways and get no injuries at all!

This makes me soo angry. Look Left and right. No injury then!

I agree to an extent, but a combination of educating the little buggers and slowing down for them would only serve to decrease the chances of an accident yeah? Believe me, almost skittling someone is NOT a good feeling.

[pandaman]

Originally Posted by GMH8TR

Pandaman - Much as I hate the fact that ACT School Zones operate all day, I find it easier to live with than when I lived in Sydney with the Morning/Afternoon schedule. I don't have to look at my watch in the ACT, I just know its 40km zone.

That is a good point, I actually prefer them too, I was just pointing out that the difference between states can cause confusion.

[TheSneakiness]

Problem is education though.

How many of the little buggers do you see just run onto the road without even looking?

And the worst thing is too, that most of them pause when they see you coming.

As LTDHO said, and the way I was taught, was to look left, right, left again and then cross. I believe it was at the Dandenong Traffic Centre (some pedestrian/vehicle kiddies training thing) way back when (1990 or something like that).

[Psycho Chicken]

Perhaps if there was some way to fine kids for not looking both ways before crossing they would enforce that?

[FPV8U]

As LTDHO said, and the way I was taught, was to look left, right, left again and then cross. I believe it was at the Dandenong Traffic Centre (some pedestrian/vehicle kiddies training thing) way back when (1990 or something like that).

Not sure if it has changed since but im only 17 and went through similar training.

They change one fact of 5klms and she only gets bruses. How about you look both ways and get no injuries at all!

I hate that add, such a stupid stiuation to use as an example!

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

Perhaps if there was some way to fine kids for not looking both ways before crossing they would enforce that?

Well if it's good enough to fine drivers for speeding then its good enough to fine kids who delibrately be stupid ie (high school/college).

[Scott]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Well if it's good enough to fine drivers for speeding then its good enough to fine kids who delibrately be stupid ie (high school/college).

I don't think they deliberately get run over.

[svo347]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Well if it's good enough to fine drivers for speeding then its good enough to fine kids who delibrately be stupid ie (high school/college).

Strangley enough, after driving past edith cowan university, there is no speed restriction zones at all.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by GMH8TR

I don't think they deliberately get run over.

That wasn't my point. There's morons who delibrately stroll in front of your car. Their intent is not to get run over but be a smart ИИИИ.

Originally Posted by svo347

Strangley enough, after driving past edith cowan university, there is no speed restriction zones at all.

In the ACT they have speed limits for college and high schools. I think uni does aswell. I know at CIT(ACT equiv of TAFE) it is 40km/h. Our zones are in force from 8-4 I think.

[Iphido]

Wrap the kids up in more cotton wool.

How about clamp down on illegal u-turns, double parking, irratic driving, parking and standing in bus zones, distracted driving, illegal parking, reversing with out looking behind, 4wd etc in school zones first. This is where the fatalies and injuries come from.

Notice how there aren't calls for that? Parents change? No way! Either the kids or the rest of the traffic. The kids are okay most of the time, its the bloody parents! I call for cameras to watch for behavior like this and send parents fines through the mail. Or allow supervising teachers/lollie pops to give written warnings which result in vechicals being banned from school zones.

[chief]

Some pedestrians think the paint is going to save their life and they can step out onto the road at any time they want. That annoys me.

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by chief

Some pedestrians think the paint is going to save their life and they can step out onto the road at any time they want.

Ain't that the truth.

[muppet]

I was stopped at a crossing today one controlled by traffic lights.This crossing is just down the road from a high school and it is a 40k zone. a great big group of kids crossed the road then the lights went green for the cars to go and these 4 stupid girls about 13 or 14 years old just walked strait out accross the crossing like they owned the place . The cars had allready started to move off, that did not worry them they just kept comming. Every one stopped and let them get accross to the middle of the road. This road is 4 lanes wide with a median strip in the middle so they stopped in the middle because the cars on the other side were allready moveing. I was in the right hand lane so I wound down my window and yelled at them to "grow a brain" as I went past. They turned around and stuck their fingers up at the next 4 or 5 cars that went past . And people wonder why these morons get run down I am amazed at the atitudes of young kids it's like they think they wont get hurt if a car runs them over. It's like nobody has ever told them that cars are killing machines. Oh well I hope they don't end up finding out the hard way. I have personally seen someone get run down and killed . It was a drunk bloke stumbleing along the side of the road and he stumbled a bit to far and fell in front of an xb falcon. It dragged him 30 meters down the road and he ended up stuck under the diff. They had to jack the car up to get the body out. I felt sorry for the driver he was a mess he couldn't even stand up when he got out of the car .We all thought he was drunk but he was just in shock. No one should have to endure that. One second he was driveing down the road doing the speed limit the next he had killed someone. No body should have to live with that.

[pertuan]

25km is WAAAAYY too slow. On a MTX you'd need to be in 2nd gear... and thats the power gear. You'd be spending a heap of time looking at your speedo just to make sure you're actually going 25.

40km is fine. But they should make it only during the hours where school kids are actually out. Near my parent's house, the school zone is constantly at 40km. Even at 2am when there are NO kids around. Thats just silly. And I always see mothers in big ИИИИ Landcruisers burning by at 60km or more. They're in big high cars/trucks which already makes it hard for them to see little kids and they are speeding. Thats just wrong. I too get them riding my ИИИИ so closely that I can clearly see that Toyota badge in my mirrors.

Education to the kids is also a key. I remember when I was little, I'd never cross the street without looking both ways and I wouldnt even cross the street if I reckon there were alot of cars around.

[slipper]

Originally Posted by ltd

No, again you're mistaken, I don't have any problems reading signs when they are visible. Where did I say I have no problem reading other obscured or otherwise signs that indicate anything else but a school zone? Don't make facts up or base your evidence on supposition to support your lacklustre arguement.

Stop being such a pussy ltd. Back in post #32 you stated that school speed limit signs can be obscured by trees etc. That is correct, no argument from me. I then asked you how this differs from any other speed limit sign; why the need for flashing lights (at huge cost)? Rather than an answer, you threw a hissy fit.

Originally Posted by FASTXR

No, I don't need flashing stimuli every time I come across a stop sign, but then again I don't know of too many stop signs that only operate at certain times of the day and certain days of the year either!

Seeing a sign and checking your watch can be terribly difficult...

[pandaman]

Originally Posted by slipper

Seeing a sign and checking your watch can be terribly difficult...

Not at all, but when the time on your watch is 5 minutes faster than the one the copper is wearing things can get interesting.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by pandaman

Not at all, but when the time on your watch is 5 minutes faster than the one the copper is wearing things can get interesting.

Simply solved. Lets have a clock on each speed sign as well as bells and flashing lights.

This discussion is dealing with the problem rather than the cause which is huge numbers of drivers who shouldn't even be licensed to drive because they do not have the level of awareness and responsibility to drive. Not that they're aggressive - they're vague, unalert and unaware and really have nfi. Its basic common sense to be extra alert when passing a school and slow to a speed where you can stop if something suddenly happens. How many people pass a stopped bus with their foot flat on the throttle when they should be thinking 'is somebody going to step out from in front of that bus?' for example, and slow down and be ready to brake. Not that many I suspect.

Too many cars in the hands of fools is the reason these limits are being imposed but better driver education would be more productive than reducing the limit to a crawl. In a lot of accidents outside schools the vehicle is in fact doing less than 25k - its the state of the driver's brain that's the problem.

[xurbanx]

My car goes slow enough as it is on a 40km during school hours (: There were soo many times I've felt like sticking my arm out the window and point at the 40kmph speed limit to those nasty tailgaters >.<

But 25kmph, I reckon thats a bit slow. 40's alright =D

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by slipper

Seeing a sign and checking your watch can be terribly difficult...

It is when you ride a motobike, and watching for kids that don't look first and car doors that open...

Originally Posted by chief

.....they can step out onto the road at any time they want. That annoys me

Yeah, the menality is that cars are to giveway to ped's not the other way..

[ltd]

Originally Posted by slipper

Stop being such a pussy ltd. Back in post #32 you stated that school speed limit signs can be obscured by trees etc. That is correct, no argument from me. I then asked you how this differs from any other speed limit sign; why the need for flashing lights (at huge cost)? Rather than an answer, you threw a hissy fit.

Seeing a sign and checking your watch can be terribly difficult...

There are several people in this world that I find obnoxious and you are all of them.

And I answered you in my last post about how it differs from other signs.

Hissy Fit?
That's a good one.
Before you start waxing idiotic once more perhaps you should remove your head from your ИИИИ and actually read other peoples posts before making a judgement on the first two sentences.
Honestly, I don't know what makes you so stupid, but it really works.
If you're so against state governments spending money on safety perhaps you should take up your true calling and work in the PR department of Peter Beat-offs government. Then you can espouse your nonsense to the community whilst simultaneously earning up to 80k p.a. This is more than any intellectual midget has accomplished before so you will be setting a record.

[ltd]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

It is when you ride a motobike, and watching for kids that don't look first and car doors that open...

Yeah, the menality is that cars are to giveway to ped's not the other way..

Don't worry, slipper is obviously someone who doesn't actually drive, and therefore has no experience negotiating a busy school zone. Obviously this person has an rta road rules book that he is using as a reference to his otherwise nonsensical ideas.

Slipper, save your breath...You'll need it to blow up your date

[stockel]

I can't be bothered reading all this ИИИИ so i'll just put in my 2c:

I made it to adulthood just fine without school zones, i agree on the darwin thing, the way the world is going i don't know how we are going to get rid of the dipИИИИs soon.

Explain why we need a 40kph zone on the princes hwy when there are barriers AND an overpass AND traffic lights AND a highway (your not supposed to wander around on those), AND probably a lollypop person.

Also agree with someone else that you usually don't know you're in one until too late (re speeding fine), if your still doing 60 or 80 in the school zone by accident then the 40 limit is probably unnessasary anyway (assuming that you drive according to the conditions, i.e people and cars close to road etc..).

By the way i like kids, and NO I DON'T HAVE ANY! And have witnessed first hand what happens when people mess with cars/trains so don't anybody go getting on their high horse - you've been warned!

I just realized I have even factored in the possible 25kph into this post......mmmmmmmm :yeees:

[The Monty]

I think 40 K zones are just fine. I know of a few school zones on Highways, can you imagine doing 25 on a bloody highway? You sit on 100, get a sign saying 25K's ahead, then the school speed limit sign about 50 metres down the road. Good luck trying to save your brakes, or having the guy behind you run up your a*** because you have to slow down so fast. Just my 2 cents anyway. I would like to know how many deaths or children hit in schoolzones by cars actually doing the 40 posted speed limeit. I would say there has been a dramatic impprovement over the old 60 zones, but I see no evidence that supports a move to take the zones down to 25.

[FordGuy]

Originally Posted by flappist

FORDGUY there are a few things you don't understand.

1) Australian schools are not like american schools with big signs, bright yellow schoolbusses etc, many are on main highways. Whe do not have an interstate system like you guys, multi lane roads sometimes go through the middle of town and actually dissect schools.

2) Australian humour, terminologies and speech is very different from USA. It is very common for you guys to not understand what we actually mean.

e.g. Calling someone a bastard in USA is always an insult. Here it can mean many things from a personal insult to strong compliment.

When I read SVO 347s reply, to me it said "Children are important, I am not upset with the limit being dropped".

This is an Australian forum and most on here are Australian so if you see a comment that to you seems antisocial or insulting, sit back for a minute and see if WE take it that way and if so please join in the retaliation.
You will get used to us eventually.

Don't feel too bad, we have as much trouble understanding you guys too, I have got myself into lots of trouble because of this over the years.....

As far as the AK47 slur, come on, you live in Florida not Kentucky, your guns would be Colt & Glock & Sig & Beretta (just like mine), not cheap chinese crap.

I never said anything regarding an AK47 but anyway thanks to you as well for clarifying SVO 347's comments.I think I may have jumped to the wrong conclusion for which I apologize to all on this thread.

[svo347]

no need mate. appology accepted and i retract my comment..

[red_hotxr6]

Come on guys, it gives you time to change the cd.

[coolcanberra]

Then try NSW revenue Raising
Speed Camera in force 6 months AFTER $2 million kiddie overpass built , and fenced.
Kiddie zones enforced at 'declared' periods, ie when school was not going to open until a week later.
Contray to logic, street parking installed opposite school (so the carpark dropoff area could be sold for $$townhouse development - decrease visibility.
The truth that speeding is NOT NOW the #1 cause of injury - Mothers in 4WD tanks reversing and double parking etc are now the villans.
And the drop to 0.05 instead of 0.08 discriminates against women, yet we know fatigued drivers (or mothers) can be worse than 0.08.
Ignoring changes in speed zones are dangerous.
Too cheap to spend on zig-zag fences or driver education.
Or should you become an accident victim, the hospitals may be on 'bypass' or negligence, which IS killing people.