12 February 2009

Police Wrap - 12 February

| johnboy
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1. ACT public disappoints again, this time in school zones:

    A total of 39 motorists have been detected by ACT Policing speeding in school zones during a targeted operation conducted in a number of Canberra suburbs this morning (February 11).

    The motorists were detected between 8.00am and 10.00am (February 11) in 40km/h school zones in Bruce, Phillip, Narrabundah and Red Hill.

    Acting Superintendent Traffic Operations Peter Davis said these figures are too high and police will continue to conduct high visibility targeting of school zones to substantially reduce the number of speeding drivers.

    “It is disappointing that a number of the drivers identified today were parents dropping their children to school. There is no excuse for this. These parents know the area, they know where the school zones are and they know the speed limit,” A/Supt Davis said.

    “School zone speed limits exist to ensure the safety of our children and it baffles me that in some cases it is the parents of these very children that are putting their lives at risk,” he said.

    “The 40km/h school speed limit during school hours is designed to ensure that motorists slow down, stay observant and have sufficient time to stop safely when required. Until motorists heed this message we will continue to conduct operations such as this to ensure the safety of school children and other road users.”

2. Less alcohol involved in car accidents:

    Seventy-two (72) drivers were found to have an excessive blood-alcohol reading after having a blood sample taken following their involvement as a driver in a collision between July 1, 2008 and January 31, 2009.

    This compares to 77 for the same period in 2007/2008.

    ACT Policing’s Traffic Operations Acting Superintendent Peter Davis said this just reinforces the message that drink-driving seriously adds to the chance of a collision.

    “Too many people are prepared to get behind the wheel after drinking. It is not acceptable. As you can see from these statistics, drink-driving critically increases the likelihood of a collision,” A/Supt Davis said.

    “It comes down to the need for everyone to bear responsibility for their actions and to recognise how anti-social behaviour and the over-consumption of alcohol have an impact on personal safety, and that of friends, family and the community.

    “I urge all Canberrans to plan their nights out and if they’re enjoying a drink then catch a taxi or arrange for a designated driver, and when getting into a car ensure the driver is sober.”

    On a positive note, the number of drivers who returned a positive blood alcohol reading in the two month period December 2008/January 2009 was 14. This compares to 23 for the equivalent period in the last financial year. This is a substantial fall and indicates that ACT Policing’s intensive campaign against this crime is having an effect in keeping our roads safer.

    ACT Policing will continue to be on the lookout for intoxicated drivers all over the capital including across the border into New South Wales throughout 2009.

3. Lyons hair salon holdup:

    ACT Policing is investigating an attempted armed robbery that occurred at a hair salon in Lyons earlier this afternoon (February 12).

    About 1pm, a man entered the Hair Connection salon at the Lyons shops, threatened staff with a knife and demanded money from the register. No money was handed over and the man was last seen heading down Devonport Street towards Port Arthur Street.

    The male offender is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 183cm (6 feet) tall, of slim build and has sandy brown coloured hair.

If you can help police contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers website at www.act.crimestoppers.com.au.

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RatsNest said :

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

I don’t think the idea is to remove direction/signs from major roads, but rather from smaller roads with lower speeds. In the lower speed areas, the idea is that pedestrians have first right of way, then cyclists, then cars.

I have to disagree with this. If its a road then cars first. If its a foot path then pedestrians first. If its a bike path then bikes first.

Roads are for cars. That doesn’t mean we can’t share but that is what they are designed for.

I don’t know if you are taking the piss RN but roads are for roman armies originally, then they became public open spaces, finally the car companies around the world campaigned to make cars the priority on roads. of course it doesn’t have to be that way. In future roads won’t be for cars but some other purpose. Landing places for Star trek teleporters? yippee?

Load of crap roads are for cars. In the suburbs they are for bike riding, cricket, skateboarding and minibikes.

Shame on you for even thinking cars should be on the road.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

I don’t think the idea is to remove direction/signs from major roads, but rather from smaller roads with lower speeds. In the lower speed areas, the idea is that pedestrians have first right of way, then cyclists, then cars.

I have to disagree with this. If its a road then cars first. If its a foot path then pedestrians first. If its a bike path then bikes first.

Roads are for cars. That doesn’t mean we can’t share but that is what they are designed for.

Here’s a thought …

When you see a 40 click sign up outside a school, even if you think it isn’t a school holiday, obey it.

It won’t take too much longer and you can’t possibly get fined.

🙂

Felix, that’s just the point, they are not always, and not every school here seems to go on holidays at the same time. Now you can be fairly sure that on the 3rd of jan it’s not a school day, but what about the 3rd of feb? Without school age kids it’s not something on your mind, given that the signs are sometimes let down over school holidays (kids + bolt cutter + school holiday boredom) it can be quite confusing for us people without school age kids.

Felix the Cat8:44 pm 12 Feb 09

Don’t know what the big deal is with not knowing when school zones are active or not. The signs are folded up when school is on holidays plus when school is back in the signs apply for the whole day (8am to 4pm).In NSW they operate 8-9.30am and then 2.30-4pm, much more confusing IMO.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

we all drive past hundreds of streetsigns everyday and don’t see them

If you don’t see speed limit signs, maybe you shouldn’t be on the road.

Arghhhhh I agree with Woody!

Parents speeding in school zones: it has been my cynical observation that parents have little concern about other peoples’ kids. Having dropped off their own precious offspring, they know that they won’t be on the roads that they then commence speeding on, or tailgating drivers who have the temerity to obey the 40 limit.

Gobbo said :

All the schools I drive past during holiday periods always have their signs covered.

If you suspect it is a shool holiday period and the sign is still up, call Canberra Connect to get it covered. Then no one will get caught out.

Isabella plains primary \ mackillop. They didn’t cover up their signs even on Christmas day.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

I don’t think the idea is to remove direction/signs from major roads, but rather from smaller roads with lower speeds. In the lower speed areas, the idea is that pedestrians have first right of way, then cyclists, then cars.

I like your thinking VY. They used to show an B&W advert starring Don Bradman that was part of a campaign to get kids off the streets so that cars could have priority. We need to reverse that in the residential areas.

Also we could synchronise traffic lights (like they do in every other australian city) so speeding doesn’t get you from A to B any faster.

Pommy bastard1:45 pm 12 Feb 09

Simple solution; quadruple the speeding fines for school areas and have permanent double demerit points.

Gungahlin Al1:42 pm 12 Feb 09

caf said :

The school zone signs are large, fluorescent, and typically situated next to large distinctive buildings called schools. It’s kind of hard to miss them.

Except that they aren’t…

Plus it is a bit hard for the parents dropping off their kids at school to claim ignorance of school hours. 😀

The school zone signs are large, fluorescent, and typically situated next to large distinctive buildings called schools. It’s kind of hard to miss them.

What about putting permanent speed cameras on some school zones? Much more useful there than out on the parkway.

A bloke on the inventors produced solar powered flashing LED lights that were installed in the road. A timer made them come on during school zone periods. They were spectacular, simple and unmissable.

Think outside the box fearless leaders….

harvyk1 said :

The problem with school zones is they are on again, off again. I don’t know exactly when school students go back, and given certain schools inability to cover up all 40 km/h signs during the school holidays is it any wonder that so many people are caught out?

All the schools I drive past during holiday periods always have their signs covered.

If you suspect it is a shool holiday period and the sign is still up, call Canberra Connect to get it covered. Then no one will get caught out.

They must be some pretty rough hairdressers.

“Will it be the lawnmower cut today sir? Or the hedge trim? We recommend the ‘all-natural’ fertiliser for vibrant hair growth. No… no sir, that’s the turf cut… TURF. Not tur….”

Gungahlin Al11:59 am 12 Feb 09

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

we all drive past hundreds of streetsigns everyday and don’t see them

If you don’t see speed limit signs, maybe you shouldn’t be on the road.

Ho Ho. Clearly I was talking about not seeing the same signs over and over on roads we travel every day.

The problem with school zones is they are on again, off again. I don’t know exactly when school students go back, and given certain schools inability to cover up all 40 km/h signs during the school holidays is it any wonder that so many people are caught out?

Flashing lights which are only on during times when the school zone is a 40 zone is an excellent idea. It also removes the ambiguity caused by the fact that watches are not all in sync.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy11:49 am 12 Feb 09

I don’t think the idea is to remove direction/signs from major roads, but rather from smaller roads with lower speeds. In the lower speed areas, the idea is that pedestrians have first right of way, then cyclists, then cars.

Mmm it’s an intriguing idea VY. I remember reading something about a (I believe US) town that replaced its traffic lights with give way signs and greatly reduced accidents. I think another town replaced stop signs with give way signs and accidents also went down.

Risk compensation is annoying http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation

I imagine it would depend on the circumstances though. I can’t imagine you could possibly get rid of traffic lights in places like Northbourne Ave etc…unless you wanted to drive like they do in Egypt.

Woody Mann-Caruso11:35 am 12 Feb 09

we all drive past hundreds of streetsigns everyday and don’t see them

If you don’t see speed limit signs, maybe you shouldn’t be on the road.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy11:29 am 12 Feb 09

…especially if you hold a lit cigarette lighter in front of the spray.

jakez said :

How do you fail to successfully rob a hair salon? They must be some pretty rough hairdressers.

From my memory of living in Lyons, I suppose that isn’t actually that far fetched.

and hair spray stings like the beejeezus when sprayed into the eyes…

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy11:04 am 12 Feb 09

I like the idea some European cities are implementing of removing signs altogether, and actually making drivers think about what they are doing.

Gungahlin Al10:52 am 12 Feb 09

A total of 39 motorists have been detected by ACT Policing speeding in school zones

So does John Hargreaves still hold that we don’t need flashing school zone signs in the ACT because “we’re not like the rest of the country”??

There is a very simple reality here – we all drive past hundreds of streetsigns everyday and don’t see them, because we do it every day. School zone signs are even more so in that bracket because they are on and off, plus we don’t all have kids and know when school is in or out. But fact is, we usually speed through them because we miss the sign, rather than by intent.

The flashing signs are very successful at correcting that. To not embrace such a highly successful and life saving initiative is to underline this government’s higher priority for revenue over compliance.

How do you fail to successfully rob a hair salon? They must be some pretty rough hairdressers.

From my memory of living in Lyons, I suppose that isn’t actually that far fetched.

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