America Raises Speed Limit to 80mph...

[sbutler]

Well we've have 40K zones around schools for some time now, & it has done nothing to drop the rate of people getting hurt. Just ask poor little Sophie..

[GK]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

I doubt there are many rich people paying 25million pounds of tax a year either, not if they can help it.

Agreed! How could there be, when Howard keeps giving the juiciest tax cuts to those earning the megabucks, while the average Joe gets $10 a week.

GK

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by GK

Agreed! How could there be, when Howard keeps giving the juiciest tax cuts to those earning the megabucks, while the average Joe gets $10 a week.

GK

sleep:

Another one of those comments from someone who is having a whine without knowing a thing about the tax system, the economy, the federal budget, etc....

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by sbutler

Well we've have 40K zones around schools for some time now, & it has done nothing to drop the rate of people getting hurt. Just ask poor little Sophie..

Speed zones here around schools are 25kmh in SA. And people ALWAYS go up my backside when I slow down for those zones at the appropriate times... I dont care, they are idiots. People who speed through school zones are idiots and there is no excusing that.

Perhaps the govts around the states should put cameras in places like that: school zones, road work areas where there is a real danger to people, and really dangerous spots instead of targetting largely innocent motorists doing nothing unsafe.

Who could complain about getting a massive fine and losing some points, or their licence for doing 10kmh through a school zone???

[T_Terror]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Speed zones here around schools are 25kmh in SA. And people ALWAYS go up my backside when I slow down for those zones at the appropriate times... I dont care, they are idiots. People who speed through school zones are idiots and there is no excusing that.

Perhaps the govts around the states should put cameras in places like that: school zones, road work areas where there is a real danger to people, and really dangerous spots instead of targetting largely innocent motorists doing nothing unsafe.

Who could complain about getting a massive fine and losing some points, or their licence for doing 10kmh through a school zone???

I would!

Maybe the real idiots are the people who set the speed zones for schools?
Its funny how noone question the basis for lowering speed limits around speed zones. How many kids were actually being run over before and after?

I dont know about you, but i got by just fine when i was in school and so did everyone i know, why is it "safer" to be travelling at 10k under? Because Steve Tax sez so? Well good for him.

The reality is that it creates a speed difference between traffic with situations where people will try to overtake when it isnt safe, and agitates drivers creating road rage.

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by T_Terror

I would!

Maybe the real idiots are the people who set the speed zones for schools?
Its funny how noone question the basis for lowering speed limits around speed zones. How many kids were actually being run over before and after?

I dont know about you, but i got by just fine when i was in school and so did everyone i know, why is it "safer" to be travelling at 10k under? Because Steve Tax sez so? Well good for him.

The reality is that it creates a speed difference between traffic with situations where people will try to overtake when it isnt safe, and agitates drivers creating road rage.

What a load of crap, sorry.

Firstly, there are WAY more cars around schools these days than there were when I was a kid. Kids dont walk home much any more, for many reasons - hence more parents picking up the kids, and more cars around the school areas.

Secondly, people go faster now than they used to (I think). There are more cars flying around the suburbs than there ever has been.

Thirdly, there have historically been quite a lot of children hit by cars around schools around the country. It was and is actually quite common, just not usually that serious or public like Sohpie. Just because you werent hit, or someone you knew wasnt hit, doesnt mean there wasnt accidents!

Hahaha re the speed differential! Its a school, there are kids at school start/end time so just accept that you have to slow down. Getting into a road rage about slowing down for a school at only small times during the day is just ridiculous and its probably the reason there are issues about schools!

And how many speed cameras have you actually seen around a school zone? Ive hardly seen any!

Now, I am not a granny driver. I have one point left on my licence due to speeding, so I will admit, I am probably not the best or most responsible driver in the country.

However, I wont speed around a school. I have 3 kids, two at school. I have seen so many near misses its not funny. I bet there are no stats on near misses, are there?

In any case, if you are suffering road rage one day, because you have to slow down for a school zone, and you get frustrated and overtake and then hit a child - maim them, kill them or whatever, dont expect any sympathy from anyone....

Why would anyone question speed limits around school zones? Is there a thing as children being too safe???

Tool.

[Gammaboy]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Thirdly, there have historically been quite a lot of children hit by cars around schools around the country.

Cmon, its Darwinian evolution. if you're smart enough to not get run over, you get to go to the next level.

[T_Terror]

Take it easy old girl...

I wasnt saying that I personally feel the need to speed around school zones. I dont need to drive around them very often so im not greatly affected.

I was speaking in more of a broader sense based on what I see while driving. In particular i was thinking more of major rds like chapel st and burwood hwy which drop down to 40 from 80 when there are already crossings and lollypop ladys there.

I dont know when you went to school but i was there less than 5 years ago and it was no different from when i started primary school. The roads are always packed and there isnt any opportunity to drive fast anyway. Any sensible driver slows down for the conditions and the people (always parents) who are in a rush always let loose once traffic opens up abit.


You last paragraph is exactly what i was talking about. Why cant anybody question speed limits even around school zones? Because its political incorrect thats why, its the same defence used every time some question speed cameras, "Oh well your just UNsafe!".
Schools should have continued to have speed limits set on a case by case basis and thats basically my point.

And yes there is such a thing as kids being too safe. Following your logic cars shouldnt operate in the vicinity of kids AT ALL, i mean look at that Sophie girl she got hit twice!


PS. Retard... _2:

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by Gammaboy

Cmon, its Darwinian evolution. if you're smart enough to not get run over, you get to go to the next level.

Hahaha yeah, I guess, good point. Survival of the fittest.

Does that apply to speeding fines and road rage too??? Guess Im an ape behind the wheel then! :P

[Bobman]

Kids being kids can run out at anytime, but *PARENTS* should share some responsibility if something happens to them (like we blame ourselves if our pets get run over because they escaped the front door or gate etc), even at 50km/h a child can sustain fatal injuries if hit by a passing car.

I agree with low speeds around schools, but I don't agree with 50km/h zones on dead wide industrial streets where hardly anyone is about & especially where police will always sit with a radar at NIGHT TIME for god's sakes (Carroll Road, Clarinda is a favourite).

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by T_Terror

Take it easy old girl...

I wasnt saying that I personally feel the need to speed around school zones. I dont need to drive around them very often so im not greatly affected.

I was speaking in more of a broader sense based on what I see while driving. In particular i was thinking more of major rds like chapel st and burwood hwy which drop down to 40 from 80 when there are already crossings and lollypop ladys there.

I dont know when you went to school but i was there less than 5 years ago and it was no different from when i started primary school. The roads are always packed and there isnt any opportunity to drive fast anyway. Any sensible driver slows down for the conditions and the people (always parents) who are in a rush always let loose once traffic opens up abit.


You last paragraph is exactly what i was talking about. Why cant anybody question speed limits even around school zones? Because its political incorrect thats why, its the same defence used every time some question speed cameras, "Oh well your just UNsafe!".
Schools should have continued to have speed limits set on a case by case basis and thats basically my point.

And yes there is such a thing as kids being too safe. Following your logic cars shouldnt operate in the vicinity of kids AT ALL, i mean look at that Sophie girl she got hit twice!


PS. Retard... _2:

Case by case, perhaps, within reason.

But the argument against it doenst really stand up, because on the roads, you are surrounded by other adults driving cars, who are a) protected by a metal shell (in most cases and dont start on cyclists) and b) have some kind of awareness of the road rules (mostly).

Around schools, you have children of various ages. They are not protected by a metal shell and they have generally minimal or no road sense. And there are often just as many of them around at certain times as cars.

But then there must not be an issue, because there are rarely any cameras around schools... must mean the kids are safe then, becuase of course cameras are only where there are black spots on roads!

Sophie is probably not a good example, she got hit first while she was inside a child care centre by an old dude, and second time, by an old dude who drove through the crossing I think.

I dont happen to believe in political correctness myself, but I believe in driving SLOWER around schools. Its that simple. There is a decent reason for driving slower, compared to most of the rest of the rubbish we are fed about road safety!

[Pedro]

This discussion is pointless. Speed limits in this country will only go DOWN .. not up.
The pathetic state governments have locked in speed cameras as a permanent part of state income (tax), so raising speed limits is not on their radar. Nothing except a civil revolt will change it.

[flappist]

One of my mates wears blue on his scooter and he and his buddies do a school each every day with a LIDAR where they actually stop the vehicle in front of everyone while writing the ticket so it is obvious that they jave trangressed and potentially embarressing.

They give a 5 minute leeway on the school zone but other than that are 100% ruthless.

This works well as they are getting less and less......

[mcflux]

Originally Posted by Gammaboy

Cmon, its Darwinian evolution. if you're smart enough to not get run over, you get to go to the next level.

[T_Terror]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Case by case, perhaps, within reason.

But the argument against it doenst really stand up, because on the roads, you are surrounded by other adults driving cars, who are a) protected by a metal shell (in most cases and dont start on cyclists) and b) have some kind of awareness of the road rules (mostly).

Around schools, you have children of various ages. They are not protected by a metal shell and they have generally minimal or no road sense. And there are often just as many of them around at certain times as cars.

But then there must not be an issue, because there are rarely any cameras around schools... must mean the kids are safe then, becuase of course cameras are only where there are black spots on roads!

Sophie is probably not a good example, she got hit first while she was inside a child care centre by an old dude, and second time, by an old dude who drove through the crossing I think.

I dont happen to believe in political correctness myself, but I believe in driving SLOWER around schools. Its that simple. There is a decent reason for driving slower, compared to most of the rest of the rubbish we are fed about road safety!

Yeah i know, i wasnt actually replying to you directly in my first post, more commenting on the issue you raised.

Using that logic cars should have to slow down to 40kmh when driving past mcdonalds becuase there is usually a lot of kids there who wouldnt fare well in a collision. Not to mention that the same level of safety should be afforded to all pedestrians.

Ive seen 1 or 2 cameras around schools but yeah obviously theres more money in high-volume traffic areas like main rds or hills which is where the speed cams happen to be...

Your right Sophie is a bad example. The first older driver had an epileptic fit and the 2nd driver got charged i think he just wasnt paying attention at a school crossing.

Most normal people do slow down around schools its just natural, i was just saying that alot of the 40 zones are inappropriate and this contributes to the problem. i just wish that responsibility went back to the drivers and we didnt have fools running every minutia of our lives.

If 60 zones remained around school people would still drive slow as they always did, and the one who drove fast or dangerously would be charged. A lollypop lady could push through a successful prosection on her testimony (with plenty of witnesses around) alone you know...

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by Bobman

Kids being kids can run out at anytime, but *PARENTS* should share some responsibility if something happens to them (like we blame ourselves if our pets get run over because they escaped the front door or gate etc), even at 50km/h a child can sustain fatal injuries if hit by a passing car.

My kids start school tomorrow at their new school. They are riding their bikes. Even though they are 12 and 9, and have a really good road sense and are sensible on the road on their bikes, I would still feel happier if they were riding near the school and all those cars, in a decent speed zone... I just feel more comfortable knowing that all those cars are going just a bit slower.... maybe I wont worry so much in a few weeks.... LOL

My point is, not all parents are there to watch some of the older kids - who, while they are a bit older and are responsible and have awareness, are still kids....

T Terror, yes I agree with what you say there, and my original point was that if we must have speed cameras, they should be at least put somewhere where they can actually be of some advantage, besides plain old revenue raising for the sake of it.... school zones is one place where I believe the deterrent factor is real, and there are probably other places around which could actually benefit by reducing speeding where it is actually a problem... certain intersections, certain stretches of road where there are loads of accidents that are speed related...

What I meant is, there are better places to put the damned things other than on multi laned, 100kmh highways, on clear days, straight roads, no pedestrians... that is just plain revenue raising and I hate it. And the governments who justify it with "Wipe off 5" and all those stupid slogans just annoy me as they treat us like idiots. If you are more likely to crash doing 5kmh more than the speed limit, then on that reasoning, ultimately you are safer doing zero, ie not driving at all - which I think was partly your point T Terror, yeah?

I could live with the speed limits if they were set appropriately and enforced sensibly and if the revenue went directly back into roads and road safety.

[Bobman]

XRChic: I applaud your mature & clear replies, which are always a good read.

I agree that parents aren't always around, it was only 10 years ago that I was in primary school and I used to ride my bike all the time, loved it too. Never had any problems with cars as I was always careful and looked out for them and made sure they saw me before I crossed a road. Sadly alot of drivers seem to dislike cyclists of any kind, but then again if I see other drivers treating cyclists with no respect I will make my feelings shown (being a cyclist myself even after I got my licence).

Some pedestrians (not really kids either) just step out in front of cars and expect everyone to stop, then if something happens everyone blames the car driver, and the wheel keeps turning.

Agree on speed limits, the arbitary limits on some roads in Australia are ridiculous, it's not just always the limits that are annoying it's the fact the 10% tolerance was removed (in Vic anyway).