School Zone Santa .Com

I sent this e mail to the roads minister on 4/1/08

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Dear Mr Roozendaal,

I emailed you a number of times last September, and was informed in a letter MO7/612 that my concerns " had been noted.

I am getting emails on my website nearly every day with drivers complaining to me of the inadequate signage at the variable speed zone on King Georges Rd Beverly Hills.

I noticed that the RTA were busy this morning calibrating the South speed camera in readiness for the new school year.

I also note that there is still no extra flashing light unit that I said was needed at Edgbaston st on my website July 25 07 ( even before the cameras were activated) and asked you to consider in my first email in September.

There is an extra flashing light unit already heading North, so any driver speeding going North has fair warning.

The new school year starts at the end of the month, and now that the speed camera trailer warning signs are gone, obviously a large number of drivers unaware that the whole length of this "unusually long" variable speed zone is in fact, a school zone, will endanger children by speeding.

The drivers going South and stopped at traffic lights as they come down King Georges rd at Tooronga St, Morgan st, really need that extra set of flashing lights to help make them aware of the school zone, and drivers coming out of Stoney creek road heading North would really find it handy to see a 60km/ph sign before they get to the speed camera out of designated school zone hours.

If going over the 40km/ph limit as they pass the hidden South speed camera they will be caught, but I feel that just sending a fine ( or multiple fines) three weeks later to the owner a number plate does nothing to slow drivers at the time of the offence.

As speeding in school zones is extremely dangerous, I will endeavour to help the RTA slow down cars for the children's safety, when school resumes, as school zone santa.

I don't want to do it, my wife definitely doesn't want me to do it, but if I can make the road safer for just one of the "most vulnerable amongst us, the children," I feel it's the right thing to do.

The media as you know is very fickle and one minute they complain that the speed cameras promised haven't been installed yet, and next minute they accuse you of revenue raising, but they love a story with a different angle.

You will no doubt have enough on your plate at the end of the month once traffic really starts after the school holidays, explaining the reasoning behind the Epping Rd/ Lane cove tunnel traffic mess, without the Beverly Hills saga being revisited.

I don't care if drivers get booked for speeding as long as they know fairly when they are speeding.

Thank you for your valuable time,
yours faithfully,
Hans Stephens
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As you know I didn't go to Beverly Hills, like I wanted and I feel that a good opportunity was lost in not doing so.

Unless direct action or there is a bit of civil disobedience taking place to protest against inept government decisions,things won't change.