22 August 2012

Coe pushes on with his flashy lights

| johnboy
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The Liberals’ Alistair Coe is not letting go of his plan to get flashing lights installed at school 40 zones so that particularly dimwitted drivers who do not know what time it is can be sure whether they can drive at 40kmph or 50 kmph.

ACT Shadow Transport Services Minister Alistair Coe will today call on the Legislative Assembly to endorse the Canberra Liberals’ policy to deliver flashing lights for every school zone in the ACT.

“Flashing school zone signs are a simple way of reminding drivers to slow down in school zones and I urge the Assembly to support their installation in the ACT,” Mr Coe said.

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colourful sydney racing identity said :

KimBelco said :

Dearo dear. Is this the best Young Alistair can come up with? We haven’t heard from him in a while (after he and Vicki Dunne were found guilty of misusing taxpayer funds). Where are the big issue policies Young Alistair? Health, Education, Housing, etc etc.

jesus, you are more blinkered than I.

Sure it is not the biggest issue but it is a good idea, and, really, Young Alistair? Is that the best you can come up with?

Alistair is a juvenile. When he stops chucking little hissy fits, accepts the umpires decision like a man, I will stop thinking of him as “Young Alistair”. If he had done his homework, he would know that it is compulsory for every school in Canberra to erect big bright red flags at every school crossing before 8am every morning. The majority (if not all) of Canberra junior schools have an official staff member to monitor children crossing the crossings between 8.00am and 9.00am. You would have to be Blind Freddy to miss them. It is also against the law for any motorist to exceed the 40km speed limit at any time of the day.
Thumper, HenryBG & Colourful Sydney Identify, you seem to be authorities on everything and have an awful lot of time on your hands. Do you work or just sit in front of the computer all day monitoring the RiotAct so you can jump down anyone’s throat who has a differing view?

colourful sydney racing identity10:06 am 23 Aug 12

cmdwedge said :

KimBelco said :

Dearo dear. Is this the best Young Alistair can come up with? We haven’t heard from him in a while (after he and Vicki Dunne were found guilty of misusing taxpayer funds). Where are the big issue policies Young Alistair? Health, Education, Housing, etc etc.

He is the Shadow Minister for Housing, but not Health (Hanson) or Education (Doszpot). He is, however, Shadow Minister for Urban Services and Transport, so this policy seems worthwhile.

Unlike your good self.

+1

KimBelco said :

Dearo dear. Is this the best Young Alistair can come up with? We haven’t heard from him in a while (after he and Vicki Dunne were found guilty of misusing taxpayer funds). Where are the big issue policies Young Alistair? Health, Education, Housing, etc etc.

He is the Shadow Minister for Housing, but not Health (Hanson) or Education (Doszpot). He is, however, Shadow Minister for Urban Services and Transport, so this policy seems worthwhile.

Unlike your good self.

colourful sydney racing identity7:48 am 23 Aug 12

KimBelco said :

Dearo dear. Is this the best Young Alistair can come up with? We haven’t heard from him in a while (after he and Vicki Dunne were found guilty of misusing taxpayer funds). Where are the big issue policies Young Alistair? Health, Education, Housing, etc etc.

jesus, you are more blinkered than I.

Sure it is not the biggest issue but it is a good idea, and, really, Young Alistair? Is that the best you can come up with?

or change it the the SA system where its School Hours OR WHEN CHILDREN PRESENT.
Don’t have to worry about “does it apply?” then. They are also 25 zones, but that might be a step too far.
No flashing lights, and I don’t think they even bother to mention the hours on the signs.
South Australians must be really smart to cope.

HenryBG said :

I’m hoping this idea has to be assessed for how Green it is before anybody agrees to it.

After all, passive reflectors won’t cause CO2 emissions the way power-hungry flashing lights will, and I do think we have a very tight CO2 emissions target, don’t we?

They are commonly solar powered with high efficiency LEDs. Power consumption from street lighting would vastly exceed a few flashing lights.

Can we try the cheaper (quicker to deploy) passive methods first, unless there is some history or issue with a particular school ?

Hey what about speed cameras? Could we get mor speed cameras and speed camera warning signs for school zones? That would slow people down surely.

Dearo dear. Is this the best Young Alistair can come up with? We haven’t heard from him in a while (after he and Vicki Dunne were found guilty of misusing taxpayer funds). Where are the big issue policies Young Alistair? Health, Education, Housing, etc etc.

I’m hoping this idea has to be assessed for how Green it is before anybody agrees to it.

After all, passive reflectors won’t cause CO2 emissions the way power-hungry flashing lights will, and I do think we have a very tight CO2 emissions target, don’t we?

cmdwedge said :

…so that particularly dimwitted drivers who do not know what time it is …

I think you’re being a bit harsh johnboy. Most states have flashing lights in school zones, and it’s actually very effective – because most of us are only human, after all.

Keijidosha said :

I agree with the concept, but not the method. Personally I think rumble strips are a better idea than flashing lights/signs. Unlike signs they provide tactile feedback to the driver and would probably be cheaper too!

+1 and perhaps more visible signs like in QLD (orange surround, fluro wording + standard sign)

Anybody have and idea what Canberra doesn’t have timed school zones like other states ?

He’s only worried he’ll get run over when his mum comes to pick him up

So they’re going to flash all day? I think they’re useful in NSW which have morning and afternoon sessions. I like our signs with the flaps – I think it’s easy and consistent. If you can read it, it’s a school zone, if it’s covered you’re good to go!

There’s confusion in NSW too as some have the flashing lights and some don’t. So just because there’s nothing flashing at you does not mean it’s not a school zone!

If they’re going to be here, they need to be in EVERY school zone.

Sir Pompously6:23 pm 22 Aug 12

Flashing lights for school zones (NSW style) are a complete waste of money in the ACT for our school zones. If our school zones were split with fixed, non fold up signs then I could agree with their installation. However, our school zones have fold up signs for use when school is out to indicate the posted/default speed limit applies and the school zone runs the length of the school day. It seems our school zones are located on roads with a speed limit of 60km/h or less (except Woodcock Drive which is the only example I am aware of with the speed limit at 80km/h), where unlike NSW there are school zones located on roads with speed limits of 60km/h and above.

It is up to the driver to follow the simple directions indicated on the sign. Our signs are not hard to understand, the times are clearly stated and when school is out the signs are (usually) folded away to indicate the school zone limit does not apply. If something needs to be done then it is best to look at line markings (rumble strips, dragons teeth) and Police radar at speeding hot spots before looking at installing a set of lights at every school school (and it would not just be one set, but multiple sets).

I do find the lights helpful in NSW, this is because of their split system of school hours (some schools even have different times to others) and their signage being displayed at all times. I don’t know when NSW school holidays are, so I find the lights helpful in reminding me that the school zone applies on that day (and at that time).

Tetranitrate6:16 pm 22 Aug 12

It’s not really viable for this particular instance, but I’ve noticed that among the most effective ways of making drivers pay attention to their speed are the “Your Speed: XXkm/h” LED billboards hooked up to a radar gun that they occasionally have around road works. Almost every car slows down to the speed limit when their current speed is put on display like that.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I think this is a first, but, I heartily endorse this proposal from Mr Coe.

Can’t believe I too am adding a +1

colourful sydney racing identity5:27 pm 22 Aug 12

I think this is a first, but, I heartily endorse this proposal from Mr Coe.

I agree with the concept, but not the method. Personally I think rumble strips are a better idea than flashing lights/signs. Unlike signs they provide tactile feedback to the driver and would probably be cheaper too!

I find it difficult to believe that anyone would be opposed to this idea.

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