11 July 2013

ACT Chief Minister apparently unconcerned by mass dangerous driving

| TenPro
Join the conversation
31

On 14 June 2013 I sent the ACT Chief Minister the following email:

==============start email================
Chief Minister

Urgent action required! Danger to life and property in the Homeworld carpark

Some time ago the rows in the Homeworld carpark in Tuggeranong were changed from 2 way to 1 way. (I make this statement assuming that my interpretation of the evidence is correct. Prior to the change there were no markings on the bitumen and no signage. After the change there were arrows on the bitumen indicating one way only, and at one entrance/exit there was a sign erected indicating that users must turn left only into the main part of the carpark. To me there is no contradiction in these measures in this carpark. However, based on my extensive use of many other carparks in Canberra it is not uncommon for the bitumen/concrete markings and signage to be clearly contradictory. It is as if there is no ACT Government legislation or regulations governing such things. So my interpretation of the evidence may not be correct. However, for the purposes of this letter to you I am going to assume that it is.). I do not know why this was done as I have used this carpark for many years and it worked fine the way it was. Initially when the changes were made by the owners of the carpark, Mirvac, small white arrows pointing in one direction were painted on the bitumen in the middle of each row. For me this was sufficient to communicate the new situation. However, due to the epidemic of stupidity and disrespect that has swept the Australian community over the last couple of decades or so, this made no difference to the behaviour of a large proportion of the users of the carpark who continued to travel in both directions.

Then some time ago the small white arrows were replaced by large yellow arrows, and a sign was erected at one entrance/exit indicating that users must turn left only into the main part of the carpark. However, this still made no difference to a large proportion of the carpark users.

Then, just recently, a second sign has been erected at the same entrance/exit indicating that users must turn left only into the main part of the carpark. As was to be expected, this small change has not made any difference to the carpark user’s behaviour.

Based on many months of observation, I estimate that at least 50% of the carpark users travel the wrong way along the one way rows. This represents a very large number of drivers travelling the wrong way along our streets.

This is an urgent issue as, clearly, large numbers of drivers travelling the wrong way along our streets presents a serious danger to life and property.

I request that the ACT Government take urgent effective action to remedy this extremely dangerous situation.
==============end email================

To date, almost 1 month later, I have not received a reply. Apparently the ACT Chief Minister is unconcerned by mass dangerous driving on ACT roads that endangers life and property .

Of course this is only to be expected given the generally appalling management of the usage of ACT roads exercised by the ACT government.

Join the conversation

31
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Alderney said :

And to the individual who stated that it is safe to, and there is enough room to, pass going both ways (even SUVs), try telling that to the plod when travelling down the Monaro the wrong way at 3 am. Just because you perceive it safe doesn’t make it so. The limited times I visit the Homeworld car park I travel around on the right-hand side of the carriageway, because I am entitled to under the law. If I encounter you on the left going the wrong way and we collide, guess whose going to get the neg driving ticket? (The cops will attend because I’m sure I’ll be able to smell alcohol on your breath).

Who, me?

I reckon you’d have a pretty hard time smelling that alcohol, considering you’re talking to a non-drinker here. Perhaps it would be your own breath you could smell?

I’ve also previously stated, I used to work in Homeworld, and park in that carpark. I can assure you that the Police have no legal jurisdiction to write tickets for driving the wrong way here. This is confirmed by a conversation a customer had with 2 cops in front of me. Their reply to her complaining about someone driving the wrong way… “Sorry ma’am, because it isn’t a government road we can’t impose fines.” The best they can do is warn someone verbally – which I have also seen.

In your story of you travelling on the right-hand side of the carriageway every time you visit, if you seem to think the road rules apply, you could technically be ticketed for unreasonably obstructing other traffic.

I can assure you the line markings are of importance to insurers. given i was hit in a car park recently by a vehicle on my left at a completely unmarked carpark intersection. The other person complained she had right of way (base on the fact everyone drives this way without stopping), however the law is give way to your right on unmarked intersections. Also she’d have been able to stop if she slowed down.

So OP just get on with life, knowing if an accident occurs the other party will be at fault. I’d be more worried about speeding in car parks myself.

Alderney said :

beardedclam said :

So the Chief Minister still has no sway, would the road standards be enforced by the boys in blue?

Are you suggesting The Chiefly One uses her political position to corruptly influence the police?

How did you get that?
Pretty sure I was asking if the Boys in Blue enforce the road standards you mentioned. Because I doubt the Chief Minister would be out patrolling carparks.

beardedclam said :

So the Chief Minister still has no sway, would the road standards be enforced by the boys in blue?

Are you suggesting The Chiefly One uses her political position to corruptly influence the police?

p1 said :

beardedclam said :

p1 said :

beardedclam said :

Are you serious?
You are drawing a long bow there. People driving through carparks at 5-10 kph within the boundaries of a privately leased block does not reflect the driving on our roads.
No wonder you didnt get a response. I would be very surprised if the ACT Government had any authority to do anything about this scenario.

Try driving drunk and at speed in a privately owned (but publicly accessible carpark and see how much authority the government has on the matter.

But thats not at all what this is about. If that was the original article, there would have been a different reply, however its not. Can you see the difference?

How is driving the wrong way down a one way road (in a car park) substantially different from speeding (in a car park)?

You originally stated a drunk person speeding through the carpark. The initial theme was drivers, driving at carpark speed and not drunk following signs. Oranges and apples champ. Its only recently you changed your angle to compare speeding and travelling in a wrong direction, both in a carpark. This is in contrast to the original post that was drawing comparisons between the said carpark behaviour and the impact that has on the public streets in Canberra, which is just false.
You aren’t really relevant to this original thread.

Alderney said :

A little off topic but…

I can’t believe the ignorance of those who have commented regarding the government’s (or more rightly the apparatus of State’s) lack of capacity to act in a ‘privately owned car park’.

Might I remind those persons that the laws contained within the Australian Road Rules (ARR) are of strict liability, i.e. ignorance of the law/s cannot be used as a defence.

The fact is that the car park is what is termed a ‘road related area’ in the ARR and as such to disobey traffic signals is contrary to the ARR; end of.

And to the individual who stated that it is safe to, and there is enough room to, pass going both ways (even SUVs), try telling that to the plod when travelling down the Monaro the wrong way at 3 am. Just because you perceive it safe doesn’t make it so. The limited times I visit the Homeworld car park I travel around on the right-hand side of the carriageway, because I am entitled to under the law. If I encounter you on the left going the wrong way and we collide, guess whose going to get the neg driving ticket? (The cops will attend because I’m sure I’ll be able to smell alcohol on your breath).

BTW, I think the letter could have been succinct and probably has ended up in the nutter pile. Doesn’t make the point being made by the OP any less valid though.

So the Chief Minister still has no sway, would the road standards be enforced by the boys in blue?

A little off topic but…

I can’t believe the ignorance of those who have commented regarding the government’s (or more rightly the apparatus of State’s) lack of capacity to act in a ‘privately owned car park’.

Might I remind those persons that the laws contained within the Australian Road Rules (ARR) are of strict liability, i.e. ignorance of the law/s cannot be used as a defence.

The fact is that the car park is what is termed a ‘road related area’ in the ARR and as such to disobey traffic signals is contrary to the ARR; end of.

And to the individual who stated that it is safe to, and there is enough room to, pass going both ways (even SUVs), try telling that to the plod when travelling down the Monaro the wrong way at 3 am. Just because you perceive it safe doesn’t make it so. The limited times I visit the Homeworld car park I travel around on the right-hand side of the carriageway, because I am entitled to under the law. If I encounter you on the left going the wrong way and we collide, guess whose going to get the neg driving ticket? (The cops will attend because I’m sure I’ll be able to smell alcohol on your breath).

BTW, I think the letter could have been succinct and probably has ended up in the nutter pile. Doesn’t make the point being made by the OP any less valid though.

I’f afraid you aren’t part of the minister’s perceived constituency, hence the nil response. The minister responsible is actually Shane Rattenbury – but he only involves himself with cyclists, bus passengers and light rail fantasies – not the cars that 90-something-per-cent of Canberrans use …. remember, he passes any media activity around, say, new roads to his department. He won’t touch car transport in any context with a bargepole. He has his handful of Green votes to worry about.

Regardless of the issue you raised, I’m sure the chief minister gets 100s of letters about all kinds of local stuff. Reality is you probably have to give it more than a month.

funbutalsoserious6:56 pm 11 Jul 13

Please Katy,

bring in the point-to-point speed cameras in this carpark and save the kangaroos……………….

The easiest way the OP can solve their problem is to find a better quality area to frequent. I would never park a decent car there. Ever!

I think it’s high time something was done to stop the needless deaths and serious accidents that are constantly occurring in that carpark.

gungsuperstar said :

There are many things the general public don’t understand:

– the ACT Govt has no power over a private car park. (It’s why you shouldn’t ever receive a parking ticket in a private car park unless there are signs clearly displaying the operators right to do so)

– No, the Chief Minister doesn’t care about every single gripe from people with too much time on their hands. If you were serious about your complaint, you would’ve bothered doing 5 minutes of research and realised that this needed to go to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services (Rattenbury).

– The Minister in charge doesn’t reply anyway. Someone reads the correspondence and generally puts it into one of a few piles – for the ministers office/urgent/non-urgent. The latter 2 piles are responded to by a public servant.

Oh, and there’s a 4th pile – the pile that yours would’ve gone into. It’s commonly called the “crazy” pile or the “idiot” pile.

Good job on writing something so ridiculous about a topic you haven’t spent 5 minutes researching and getting your correspondence put in the idiot pile. In my experience, only about 1% of correspondence ends up there.

That sounds sensible to me…but I’ve been at a meeting where somebody seriously suggested cc ing the Chief Minister into all correspondence. I burst out laughing and got stared at, then found out how common it is to do that across nearly any area.
It’s no wonder the poor woman hasn’t got time to make head or tail of how the place is performing if she’s swamped with random correspondence that bypasses every formal feedback system.

That first long paragraph was a dead giveaway. I’m surprised it wasn’t in ALL CAPS.

The best way to resolve all this is for the OP to take a Bex (or whatever his medication is) and have a little lie down.

gungsuperstar4:44 pm 11 Jul 13

There are many things the general public don’t understand:

– the ACT Govt has no power over a private car park. (It’s why you shouldn’t ever receive a parking ticket in a private car park unless there are signs clearly displaying the operators right to do so)

– No, the Chief Minister doesn’t care about every single gripe from people with too much time on their hands. If you were serious about your complaint, you would’ve bothered doing 5 minutes of research and realised that this needed to go to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services (Rattenbury).

– The Minister in charge doesn’t reply anyway. Someone reads the correspondence and generally puts it into one of a few piles – for the ministers office/urgent/non-urgent. The latter 2 piles are responded to by a public servant.

Oh, and there’s a 4th pile – the pile that yours would’ve gone into. It’s commonly called the “crazy” pile or the “idiot” pile.

Good job on writing something so ridiculous about a topic you haven’t spent 5 minutes researching and getting your correspondence put in the idiot pile. In my experience, only about 1% of correspondence ends up there.

Should bring this up at the Living Streets Canberra annual meeting.

beardedclam said :

p1 said :

beardedclam said :

Are you serious?
You are drawing a long bow there. People driving through carparks at 5-10 kph within the boundaries of a privately leased block does not reflect the driving on our roads.
No wonder you didnt get a response. I would be very surprised if the ACT Government had any authority to do anything about this scenario.

Try driving drunk and at speed in a privately owned (but publicly accessible carpark and see how much authority the government has on the matter.

But thats not at all what this is about. If that was the original article, there would have been a different reply, however its not. Can you see the difference?

How is driving the wrong way down a one way road (in a car park) substantially different from speeding (in a car park)?

To date, almost 1 month later, I have not received a reply

The wheels of government grind slowly forward.

The ACT government even moreso.

given all the job cuts, things get prioritised, this isnt an issue for the government. If less of these type of emails came in, alot more would probably get done.

p1 said :

beardedclam said :

Are you serious?
You are drawing a long bow there. People driving through carparks at 5-10 kph within the boundaries of a privately leased block does not reflect the driving on our roads.
No wonder you didnt get a response. I would be very surprised if the ACT Government had any authority to do anything about this scenario.

Try driving drunk and at speed in a privately owned (but publicly accessible carpark and see how much authority the government has on the matter.

But thats not at all what this is about. If that was the original article, there would have been a different reply, however its not. Can you see the difference?

harvyk1 said :

magiccar9 said :

Seriously!? How ‘special’ are you? Did you happen to notice in your observations that the lanes are more than adequate in width to allow 2 cars (and even soccer mum SUVs) side by side with enough space left over for someone with a trolley.
If you can’t manage to drive through that area safely then please hand in your license. Also, next time you’re crossing these roads, feel free to give me a wave and I’ll make sure not to stop.

Whilst wow the OP wrote a pretty long winded letter, why should he / she be concerned about a potentially dangerous situation?

What is it with RiotACT posters and instantly dismissing (often suggesting the OP should hand in their license) any complaint about suggested improvements to roads where the OP has identified a potentially dangerous design.

As mentioned by a few people the car park in question is private. Secondly if people are concerned about roads the first course if action should be to fill in the feed back form online. I have raised issues and get a response by the appropriate area pretty quickly. Sending diatribe to the chief Minister is not the best way to go about getting a complaint of this nature addressed.

Two points. Homeworld is private, the Cheif Minister doesn’t control the car park you should write to who ever owns/manages the car park.

Secondly the chief minister or should I say her office are meant to reply in one calendar month.

Madam Cholet3:39 pm 11 Jul 13

Here we go again. Without making comment on the OP and the reason why they have enough time to monitor this car park, the fact remains that it is regulated the same as any road way and that signage and directions must be followed. I believe this car park has been talked about on RA before and that someone posted previously that they informed the police of the flouting of the rules – they apparently cared as little as the Chiefly One.

When I drive through here I ensure that anyone going the wrong way cannot get past. They very quickly work out what they are doing wrong. You have no reason to let them past – apart from the need to get on with your day of course.

The fact that many pay no attention to the signs and large yellow arrows is worrying and is also reflected out on the roads

magiccar9 said :

Seriously!? How ‘special’ are you? Did you happen to notice in your observations that the lanes are more than adequate in width to allow 2 cars (and even soccer mum SUVs) side by side with enough space left over for someone with a trolley.
If you can’t manage to drive through that area safely then please hand in your license. Also, next time you’re crossing these roads, feel free to give me a wave and I’ll make sure not to stop.

Whilst wow the OP wrote a pretty long winded letter, why should he / she be concerned about a potentially dangerous situation?

What is it with RiotACT posters and instantly dismissing (often suggesting the OP should hand in their license) any complaint about suggested improvements to roads where the OP has identified a potentially dangerous design.

Seriously!? How ‘special’ are you? Did you happen to notice in your observations that the lanes are more than adequate in width to allow 2 cars (and even soccer mum SUVs) side by side with enough space left over for someone with a trolley.
If you can’t manage to drive through that area safely then please hand in your license. Also, next time you’re crossing these roads, feel free to give me a wave and I’ll make sure not to stop.

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooow(ser)

FioBla said :

I say you should send this to the opposition leader as well. By registered mail even.

I suggest the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

I say you should send this to the opposition leader as well. By registered mail even.

The carpark is privately owned and the government has no say in how the owner decides to manage the flow of traffic within the property. You will probably get a reply sometime saying exactly that.

The Chief Minister isn’t even the correct minister to send correspondence to regarding roads and traffic.

Seeing you have the time to write such long-winded rants about a issue that could have been explained in 1 paragraph at most, you could have at least done some proper research to find the correct people to contact and sent an email to Mirvac instead.

Anyway, I’m sure if pedestrians look both ways before crossing the carpark area, that nobody will die.

beardedclam said :

Are you serious?
You are drawing a long bow there. People driving through carparks at 5-10 kph within the boundaries of a privately leased block does not reflect the driving on our roads.
No wonder you didnt get a response. I would be very surprised if the ACT Government had any authority to do anything about this scenario.

Try driving drunk and at speed in a privately owned (but publicly accessible carpark and see how much authority the government has on the matter.

Are you serious?
You are drawing a long bow there. People driving through carparks at 5-10 kph within the boundaries of a privately leased block does not reflect the driving on our roads.
No wonder you didnt get a response. I would be very surprised if the ACT Government had any authority to do anything about this scenario.

So does TenPro = Evil_Kitten?

>Based on many months of observation….

Wish I had your free time

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.