Speed around schools (RIP)

[R6_kid:Me]

Something tells me that a lower speed wouldnt have helped much - a logging truck 30-40kmh still has f*** load of momentum.

Condolences to those who knew the girl, I do hope it brings people to the realisation that they need to be more careful crossing the road.

Just a couple of weeks ago I drove past an accident where a 60yo woman had been killed after being hit by a bus as she crossed the road outside a school - less than 40m in either direction to traffic lights with pedestrian crossings.

The fact that the truck driver 'doesnt know that it happened' would suggest that she was not in clear view from the drivers cab, or that the driver wasn't paying attention, or that they simply dont want to get found out. But i wasn't there to see it so I can't comment.

I'm certainly more careful crossing the road when I walk home from work.

[BM-GS]

It's not just the road-crossers who need to wake up. I was waiting at a school crossing with my 2 (about 2 and 4.5 at tht time) admittedly on a weekend and was just congratulating #1 son for waiting back from the crossing, not just going across, as he'd got there a bit ahead of us (this is positive re-enforcement, not well done for running off ahead), and I was telling him that it was important to wait for me or his mum, cos cars don't always see small people. We all straightened up and stepped to the edge of the kerb ready to cross, looked both ways and waited for the approaching car to slow down, which he totally failed to do. NEVER assume - I don't think he even looked up. I then told the sprogs that sometimes they don't see big people either! We waited til there was nothing coming before crossing. This was opposite a school, daylight, 50km/h limit, etc.

How can you not see 3 people waiting at a crossing? How can you get a licence without reading that bit of the Code?

I once pushed the button at some lights, then crossed before they turned as it was clear. As I reached the central island (4-lane road) the beeps started, then there was a screech of tyres and a crunch as a skip-truck rear-ended the stopped car in front and pushed it right across the crossing. NEVER ASSUME! I'd have been toast if I'd waited for the beeps & stepped out. Now I look first as well.

In a previous life as a frequent driver in the Auckland CBD I was continually amazed by the number of pedestrians who don't think a red man means don't cross. At one junction you got 3 cars through if you were all awake and the way was clear, so not getting through could mean you wait for the next cycle. Loud revs and a lurch often cleared people out of the way, but I got bored in the end. I asked my employer for one of those bitchin' mine-clearance tanks, with the whirly-chain flail on the front, but they said no.

Maybe people need to understand that the speed limit is there for a reason: driveways, kids, traffic volumes, etc. If they can have peak-hours 40km/h limits outside suburban schools, why not the ones where the normal limit is higher?

Some people ARE f*$kwits, but everybody makes mistakes. Just make sure it's not you...

Hope lessons get learned from this, and some lives get saved.

[MidnightMike]

I know theres a hell of a lot of RIP threads but this is more to do with speeds around schools.

This morning around 8am a girl was hit by a truck just outside of our school, I won't say her name but I am sure it will be on the news.
Teachers did all they could, emergency services turned up and tried but everybody was soon notified that she had passed away, either in the ambulance or hospital.

The young girl was in form 3, so around 13/14 (I'm in 5th form) and a large number of students didn't attend the exams as the option to have a rest outside the Whare was there. I have never experienced such a quiet day at school since everybody was shocked.

The accident occurred as she was crossing the road to get to school, she didn't look enough and a truck was there at the wrong time.

Sorry dude, but she was in the wrong if she didnt look for long enough.

I know this has nothing to do with bikers but even though the speed limit was 70kmh (ridiculus) it doesn't been you can do that speed. The law says something like 50kmh or even 30 kmh but people think that since we are a high school it doesn't need to be respected.

The law says you cant go more than 1kph over the speed limit past schools. Nothing to do with it being a high school and not respected. 70kph is a fair speed for that stretch of road, read BikerChicks post...

Even if she was clipped at 50 by a truck it would have been the same outcome

Please guys keep the speed down.

Thanks
B-T

edit: School is Mount Maunganui college

If there was a bridge or an overpass, how many children would use it? Just the thin ones, or the lazy ones too?

An overpass would be a waste of money there. People just need to drop their kids on the right side of the road.

TV3 news disappointed me with their headliner "hit and run killer", then the Police say that the driver may not have been aware that they had hit anyone. Talk about ramping it up.

Wankers aye.

It's still possible the driver doesn't know it was him, even with all the publicity! This road is the major route to the port, and is the logging truck highway from the Eastern Bay of Plenty. That road is probably one of the busiest stretches of road in the area at that time of the morning.

What a terrible tragedy...

Exactly what it is. Not a Maniac death killer of Doom hit and run Truck Driver that ran over a girl that the medias making it out to be. She was probably just clipped and the truck driver didnt notice. My bother lost his best friend a few years ago when a cars wing mirror clipped him in the head and that was enough.

[SPman]

All schools here in W.A. have a 40km limit, during school terms, from 7.30-9 am and 3-4.30 pm, in proscribed zones, well marked. The cops will monitor them (with lasers) on request.
No one has a problem with that.

Controlled speed zones outside schools in session,should be a requirement and anyone who won't slow, should be hammered.

But then, drivers, espec. on highways, are f*cking stupid!