Comments on $NAPLOTTOTypePad2010-05-26T23:02:46ZTony Teahttps://aftergrogblog.blogs.com/agb/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://aftergrogblog.blogs.com/agb/2010/05/naplotto/comments/atom.xml/Professor Rosseforp commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef01348282db17970c2010-05-30T02:03:01Z2010-05-30T02:03:01ZProfessor RosseforpBig Ram'ations: Yeah, no, yeah, well -- Sydney cyclists. I know when we ride our endorphins get all pumped up,...<p>Big Ram'ations: Yeah, no, yeah, well -- Sydney cyclists.<br />
I know when we ride our endorphins get all pumped up, and we get aggro, and we are invincible.</p>Big Ramifications commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0134827f0960970c2010-05-29T06:47:54Z2010-05-29T06:47:54ZBig RamificationsFFS mum, stop embarrassing me. I'll stop and let cars pass when I can hear them behind me, and I'm...<p>FFS mum, stop embarrassing me.</p>
<p>I'll stop and let cars pass when I can hear them behind me, and I'm approaching a traffic calming device such as chicane.<br />
</p>Big Rammer's mum commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0134827f06a8970c2010-05-29T06:44:38Z2010-05-29T06:44:38ZBig Rammer's mumYou'll yield to traffic calming devices such as chicanes?<p>You'll yield to traffic calming devices such as chicanes?</p>Big Ramifications commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0133ef4f6059970b2010-05-29T04:53:09Z2010-05-29T04:53:09ZBig RamificationsYeah no™, sorry about the derail. Prof, it sounds like Melbourne cyclists are out of control. Perth just doesn't have...<p>Yeah no™, sorry about the derail.</p>
<p>Prof, it sounds like Melbourne cyclists are out of control. Perth just doesn't have the horror stories so looks like we can't compare. As a pedestrian I'll always check for wheeled traffic even if I have a flashing green man, and I'll happily yield to a cyclist with a head of steam, wasting a whole 0.85 seconds of my life.</p>
<p>But if they're zipping between buses and you can't see them... they should be chucked in jail for a long time if they hurt someone.<br />
</p>Tony commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0133ef4efbf2970b2010-05-29T02:39:39Z2010-05-29T02:39:39ZTonyhttp://aftergrogblog.blogs.com/agb/The red light cameras are fine, but my post is less about the pros and cons of roads safety techniques...<p>The red light cameras are fine, but my post is less about the pros and cons of roads safety techniques and more about today's creeping, or rather, careering, Big Brotherism.</p>
<p>I keep a close eye on the road toll. There have been more fatalities this year than last, despite the massive number of drivers pinged by the cameras. Are cameras capable of further reducing the road toll? I'd like to know the ratio of accidents per intersection v. camera fines per intersection. How many intersections have cameras, but have never had an accident? Seems to me most fatalities, at least the ones that aren't caused by rank, reckless stupidity, occur on poor roads and in poor conditions, not at major urban intersections. My point: you improve <i>all</i> bad roads (barriers, trees, surface, camber, run off, visibility, etc) and you take a greater chunk out of the road toll than if you put cameras all around the city.</p>Professor Rosseforp commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef013482618506970c2010-05-28T20:55:51Z2010-05-28T20:55:51ZProfessor RosseforpBig Ramifications: my concern for cyclists running a red light is a safety issue. As a pedestrian who has seen...<p>Big Ramifications: my concern for cyclists running a red light is a safety issue. As a pedestrian who has seen the little green man, when I am on the pedestrian crossing with 2 buses waiting at a red light -- I would prefer not to have cyclists shooting through from between the buses at 20-30 kmh. I know the cyclists who zoom through red lights going downhill, weaving amongst hundreds of pedestrians, think it's okay to lean into a nice right hand corner as they overtake a bus -- but even pedestrians who can turn on a zac cannot get out of the way when the cyclist mounts the footpath -- and the cyclist cannot predict what the road, the buses, or the pedestrians will do.<br />
I have seen the results when such a bike hits a pedestrian and it is not nice for either party.</p>Big Ramifications commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0134824e75a8970c2010-05-28T05:50:20Z2010-05-28T05:50:20ZBig RamificationsThe problem is the rules. Peds should give way to cyclists and cars unless it's a really busy, controlled CBD...<p>The problem is the rules. Peds should give way to cyclists and cars unless it's a really busy, controlled CBD intersection or similar.</p>
<p>More specifically: the mode of transport that can stop almost instantly, can turn on a dime, and regain full speed almost instantly, should give way to faster modes of transport [that are also heavier, and contain more metal and pointy bits]. And so on up the chain.</p>
<p>As a cyclist I'll happily yield to left turning cars and traffic calming devices such as chicanes. It's only manners.</p>
<p>KEEP LEFT<br />
PLEASE SHARE<br />
CYCLISTS RING YOUR BELL<br />
PEDS HAVE RIGHT OF WAY</p>
<p>Is written on various bike paths around Perth. Interestingly, the last two need not apply if the first two were followed. The third one, in my vast experience, causes more problems than it's worth. Bells are not loud enough to give a decent warning [especially on a windy day] and it causes flighty idiots to panic. A loud, polite, "on your right" is much more effective.</p>
<p>As for cyclists running reds, I don't do it myself, but most of the time it's non cyclists reacting "hey you can't do that it's against the LAW!" rather than it being a safety issue. It's more of a circle-jerk issue.</p>
<p>Pedestrians: use your brains. As a car driver, cyclist, and pedestrian, with years of experience in all three modes of transport, you are easily the biggest menaces out there. Having a stupid law on your side doesn't help but FFS, keep left and watch where you're going.<br />
</p>ann o'dyne commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0134824e1a51970c2010-05-28T04:00:38Z2010-05-28T04:00:38Zann o'dynehttp://bwican.blogspot.com/Dear Prof. Rosseforp - you clearly witnessed all those near misses I had alighting the tram in St.Kilda Road and...<p>Dear Prof. Rosseforp - you clearly witnessed all those near misses I had alighting the tram in St.Kilda Road and crossing on the PedX green to my workplace at 428 St.Kilda Road. Many cyclists ignore the red so they can turn left there toward Queens Rd.</p>
<p>Adsy re 'how they'd cope if the bottom falls out' WE can all bring the current govt to it's knees any time we want, by simply driving and parking carefully and passing the pokies.</p>Professor Rosseforp commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0133eef074ec970b2010-05-27T19:43:54Z2010-05-27T19:43:54ZProfessor RosseforpI don't mind speed cameras, or red light cameras. I like to see people booked if they drive through red...<p>I don't mind speed cameras, or red light cameras. I like to see people booked if they drive through red lights, especially when I am a pedestrian on a crossing, and especially if they are chatting on a mobile phone. I would prefer a public flogging, but a fine is okay. We still need police to pick up the cyclists who ride through red lights, especially if they are chatting on their phone while riding with no hands on the handle bars, and overtaking turning buses at intersections.<br />
</p>Adsy commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0133eee5a5d2970b2010-05-27T10:01:06Z2010-05-27T10:01:06ZAdsyAs for my nomination, I've got to go with 2018 as well. It will take a further two terms to...<p>As for my nomination, I've got to go with 2018 as well. It will take a further two terms to get something like that up and running, either for the incumbent government or as an election promise for the Opposition. Not sure how popular it will be though. </p>Adsy commented on '$NAPLOTTO'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341cb34453ef0133eee59eb0970b2010-05-27T09:56:05Z2010-05-27T09:56:05ZAdsyThe tipping point was reached a few years ago. Coming from a Justice department budget area point of view in...<p>The tipping point was reached a few years ago. Coming from a Justice department budget area point of view in a previous working life, its far more cost effective from a public service point of view (read: what pollies want to hear) to outsource fixed cameras to Tenix that provide a higher revenue for lower cost. Especially compared to committing excess police resources to radar work. The budget area is also far more likely to put pressure on Tenix to make sure it delivers to its tender than have a go at the highly defensive PESAC area who can play the old "we are under-resourced by you as it is" card. Doubly so I'm guessing after the bushfires. </p>
<p>Another bonus is that Bob Cameron can then skew the stats to his favour come Election time and say that his Government has put more police in the right areas in recent years when really its just the fact DoJ have got Tenix to do the same job for less money for more revenue.</p>
<p>State government has become so highly dependent on these revenue streams (pokies, fines etc) without any real work on how they can sustain them, or in fact how they'd cope if the bottom falls out. I'd say typical Labor but the Libs would only deregulate the ass out of the state like they have in the past, so its the best of a bad bunch unfortunately. </p>