Archives for: " 2006"
Tunnel trouble
December 27th, 2006Radio news today said that the Kings cross tunnel is in receivership. This was in the paper last week A Telegraph reader thinks the same as I do more »
Do as I say
December 11th, 2006Last Friday I was passed (I was travelling under 80 kmh)on the Woranora bridge by a police station wagon going up towards Menai and I followed him/her left off the start of the Bangor bypass up onto Menai rd. Then in front of me about 15-20 meters… more »
THE REPORT
November 19th, 2006On the RTA web site I found the Flashing light report. 111 Pages of graphs, tables and lots of words . It didn't say how much the report cost though. This was the summary of the 111 pages So it appears that the most effective ,was lights mounted on the… more »
Woronora Cemetary: Posted 28 June 09
November 12th, 2006WORONORA CEMETARY
The Sutherland Shire has a beautiful final resting place for it's citizens called Woronora Cemetery and Crematorium, situated not far from Sutherland station, and where I have for years taken our two dogs for… more »
At long Last
October 30th, 2006The 100 lights are to cost $7.2 million,obviously they aren't using Peter Olsen style lights. Nothing is mentioned in the story about installing flashing lights at Kogarah. This area is so dangerous for children that there are 2 sets of speed cameras… more »
Headmaster control
October 11th, 2006................................................................. This idea was mentioned on talk back radio yesterday but no one mentioned that to be able to switch on the lights at other times on school days would be beneficial. EG. When buses load… more »
How to reduce deaths of young drivers.
October 3rd, 2006This was the heading of a letter to the editor, Sunday Telegraph Oct 1/ 06 .................................................................. I am writing to you about the increasing numbers of deaths of young drivers on our roads. I am 24 and have a… more »
P Platers and promises
September 25th, 2006There has been more in the papers about the behavior of P plate drivers and the increasing numbers killed and injured in accidents. Unless there are more Police on the road in unmarked cars to catch those that flout the law and confiscate or wheel clamp… more »
STILL WORKING
September 6th, 2006Peter Olsen's cheap home made School Zone warning lights at Lurgano are still flashing away. I drove past this morning at 5 past 8 and there they were, plain to see for all and sundry that it was school zone time and the legal speed limit was 40 kmh.… more »
It's who you know and who you are.
August 30th, 2006In the "P" plate driver category and many other pages I said that we need more highway patol cars to catch bad drivers as drivers who now go through speed cameras and traffic light cameras can blame someone else. A highway patol officer can book the… more »
They Work
August 29th, 2006I e-mailed this letter into a letters page but it was not printed. It was a shame that the letter didn't make the cut, as I wanted to help highlight the fact that these lights are doing the job. more »
Person Power
August 23rd, 2006Peter Olsens took on the RTA with a common sense idea of cheap but effective flashing warning lights at school zones and having the media and voting motorists on side, the RTA/GOV could do nothing else but let him trial his lights. I agree with Peter… more »
Car park Safety
August 3rd, 2006I very rarely drive past a commuter car park at Sutherland and not glance at the spot where there is a memorial plaque usually with flowers that have been put there by someone from the funeral place nearby. This is how the car park looked when poor… more »
People Power
July 21st, 2006The RTA made a big mistake to take down lights that were slowing traffic at school zones put up by Peter with the eyes and cameras of the media watching. On Monday Channel Nine were there. On Tues afternoon when they came to stop this illegal operation… more »
A mexican Stand off?
July 19th, 2006I wrote on the 30 March, 11 April and the 19th of May about Peter of Lurgano who has made up sets of simple orange flashing lights. These lights are great and he did a very professional job at a fraction of the cost of the RTA's Super dooper ones. Last… more »
I'm not alone
July 1st, 2006In this mornings Telegraph was this letter ......................................................................... ......................................................................... Mr Sugden is right on the money. Put flashing lights at school… more »
Is NSW Broke, or just badly run?
June 29th, 2006Here are some NSW projects as reported the Sunday Telegraph The NSW Government was forced into saying they'll start the rollout of the "flashing lights" at school zones at years end. The system chosen will cost $300 million. Look back at the list of… more »
Circumstances have changed
June 20th, 2006Reading in the Sunday Telegraph about the number of state government projects that are way over budget and way behind schedule, hospitals, police stations,schools etc, I can't see a real serious "roll out" of flashing lights outside schools happening… more »
How many?
June 9th, 2006Today Friday, is the start of double dermerit points because of the Queen's birthday weekend. How many unsuspecting drivers will loose 8 points for forgetting school zone time. Two years ago it was a fine and two points for upto 15 kmh over the speed… more »
People Power
June 6th, 2006People power does work. If enough people jump up and down things happen. Last week "They" said that the Snowy power scheme would be sold, and now it won't be sold. We were told that the roads around the Cross city tunnel couldn't be reopened, and now… more »
Foxtel pay TV
June 1st, 2006Last week 2GB had a man from Foxtel on to tell everyone about the new "cheaper" plan that Foxtel now has. Listeners were invited to call in with questions. Big mistake, Of the eight or so that came on air, all but one, were complaints. "Why were there… more »
Will extra policing work ?
May 31st, 2006Radio news tells us today that Police have to monitor school zones every day. This is to educate drivers with fines and demerit points, and with the planed extra 50 speed cameras for school zones, they should reap a bountiful harvest and get a lot of… more »
A selection of letters I've sent to the editor
May 29th, 2006What's this? comes up sometimes when I try to work this PC. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/new-laws-ready-to-target-anti-social-behaviour-this-weekend/story-e6freuy9-1226148482438 Readers of The Daily Telegraph would have asked the same question… more »
At Long Last.
May 22nd, 2006The announcement has come at last. We are (alledgedly) getting flashing lights to help NSW drivers at School Zones. I say alledgedly, because politicians have promised things before, and "circumstances change" and then there is a change of promised… more »
Back to school zones
May 19th, 2006The older drivers made news for a while with different ideas on a solution, but then came the mine rescue and that preoccupied everybody and now School zones are again to the fore after a number of accidents outside, or near schools… more »
Another case of competency?
May 6th, 2006COMPETENT
April 30th, 2006An elderly driver apparently lost control while reversing a car and ran over a number of people in Dubbo NSW. The report in the paper didn't give an age of the driver but a TV item later said she was 85. I'm not saying she was at fault in this case, but… more »
Anyone can miss School zones.
April 25th, 2006This article was in the Sunday Telegraph (16 April) ................................................................... .................................................................... I e-mailed a letter and it was printed in the Sunday Telegraph… more »
I Don't recall
April 20th, 2006................................................................... ................................................................... Mr Oldfield should tell his wife that if one of her "Flaky friends" drive her car, then they should obey the speed… more »
I'll Take the bus lane and the Coroner is caught out.
April 17th, 2006...................................................................... ......................................................................... This is a photo of the Road minister Eric Roozendal's vehicle overtaking cars illegally (alleged)in a Bus… more »
Action.
April 11th, 2006The Lurgano man was on radio talkback again on Friday and is going to do what I had planned a year and a half ago. Put up a set of his own flashing lights onto a school zone sign to see what happens. Obviously the RTA might have a problem with this, but… more »
Keep it simple stupid.
March 30th, 2006This afternoon there was a bit of school zone common sense on afternoon Talkback on 2GB. A well known gentleman from Lurgano came on the radio and he has been able to price a school zone flashing light system for $174 that the RTA say will cost them… more »
Speed camera troubles
March 23rd, 2006The RTA went to the supreme court to appeal against a lower court finding that a speed camera speeding fine was invalid. The driver was adamant that he wasn't speeding and disputed the fine. The RTA with all its fancy expensive lawyers lost the appeal… more »
I'm still here
March 8th, 2006Nothing new to report on the school zone issue. The road news at the fore, is about the Cross city tunnel where they have halved the toll to try and get drivers to use it and it hasn't made much difference. Oh dear they can't be making much of a profit,… more »
Doesn't time fly?
February 28th, 2006This time twelve months ago was my last day at the Kogarah school zone with my santa suit and sign, and I can say I'm a lot more relaxed now. What a month that was. What has happened in the 365 days since then? The cost of fines for low range speeding… more »
Never ending story
February 23rd, 2006Talk back was into school zones this after noon but it appears that the new roads minister was unavaiable. With ferries, buses ,toll tunnels and all the other problems I don't think he wants to be pressed on this matter.… more »
Cross city tunnel blues
February 15th, 2006This bit of Sydney's roadwork is back in the news again ,with the new boss of the tunnel (imported from Queensland) being called a F...wit by our Premier. I heard the new boss interviewed on radio and he doesn't think there is a problem with the public… more »
Do school zones work?
February 12th, 2006They will never work 100% because there are drivers who think that rules are only for other people. You make these misfits pay dearly. Reporters from The Sunday Telegraph(Sydney) using radar guns conducted speed checks at 4 school zones over 2 days and… more »
Talkback flashing lights.
February 6th, 2006It was big on talkback radio today and Mr Tripodi was using the "we have to get it right" line Mr Debnam "will install Flashing lights as soon as he's elected" "As soon as "wasn't what I was told when I rang his Office. It will cost an enormous amount… more »
Congratulations Sunday Telgraph
February 5th, 2006Sorry about the improvised spacing, something's not working right....... Todays Sunday Telegraph's two page spread said it all....................... School zones as they are now don't work...................................… more »
Circumstances have changed
February 2nd, 2006I was told that a politician had told the media that he would consider the idea of wheel clamping the vehicles repeat driving offenders at their homes, which sounds a bit like the idea I wrote about in the "P" plate category. I rang the opposition… more »
Police shortage?
January 30th, 2006The telegraph this morning had a report today that we need more Police. That's something I've said all along ,accurate cameras but lots more highway patol to catch the real transgressors. I e-mailed a letter to the editor on 9/1/06 which wasn't printed. more »
Water Water everywhere
January 29th, 2006I have been criticized for writing about everything except school zones. The biggest thing against "flashing lights" is the cost of installation and maintinence,so lack of money will be the excuse for deferring action. I try to highlight obvious waste… more »
January 28th, 2006
The problem with impounding a car is that the driver might not own the car, or isn't the only user and that is used as an excuse in court. I think a way around that is explained in my The "P" plate crisis catetgory You can have your car impounded for… more »
A ferry hasn't hit a wharf today.
January 25th, 2006I've noticed a few of these ads in the paper lately, and it appears that the millenium trains are great ...now. No doubt they are a great bit of technology but at what price? What I'd like to see in the ad is the original tender price of suppling these… more »
Toll Roads
January 15th, 2006In an hour and a half the M7 becomes a real toll road when the free "softening up" period comes to an end. I believe the M7 is very good, even though there was confusion with drivers having multiple choice speed limits at one spot. "Its someone elses… more »
Suffering wildlife
January 11th, 2006The Road Toll
January 9th, 2006The holiday road roll in Australia has been the worst for years. A very sad time for the people left behind. What is not really mentioned is the toll of the badly injured and maimed. Its as though it's only news if there's a fatality. How many lives… more »
Spit hill revisited?
January 6th, 2006In Febuary 05 there was consternation when buses that couldn't attain the alledged speed were being booked by one of the speed cameras on the Spit at Mosman( I wrote about it on 17/2/05) The official line was that the camera was only faulty with buses.… more »
Confusing?
January 5th, 2006Here's a photo taken in Britain. It appears the motorists there, can get mixed messages too . more »
Happy New Year
January 2nd, 2006What speed is it here? We drove back from the southcoast yesterday, very glad to be in an airconditioned car as it was nearly 44 celcius outside. There were so many cars parked with overheating problems on the way back I regreted that I didn't have… more »
