School speed limits. What's your point of view?

[bull]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2417...chool-bus-rule

Copied from Stuff Site:
Police are urging motorists to heed the legal speed limit of 20kmh when passing school buses picking up and dropping off children.

The warning follows the death of a 12-year-old intermediate school student in Matamata, 62km east of Hamilton, yesterday.

He boy had been dropped off by a school bus about 3.45pm when it appears he strayed into the path of an oncoming car.

He died at the scene and the death has been referred to the coroner.

The family has asked for privacy and the boy's name is due to be released on Monday.

The death brings the Waikato's road toll to 18 compared to 23 for the same period last year.

Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said it was crucial that people observed the speed restriction of 20kmh when passing stationary school buses.

"Thousands of children take the school bus everyday and it is one of the safest forms of transport around but the stakes are too high and it just takes a second for disaster to strike."

At 20kmh drivers had that much more time to react and reduces the forces of any impact considerably, he said.

"At the same time if you're travelling with your lights on it makes your vehicle that much more visible to children."

I get the point of the slow down to 20km/h when passing the bus, but at what stage do we finally put the responsibility back on the kid whom has hopped off the bus and then stepped straight out onto the road?
What a failure by the parents to teach the kid about the simple task of crossing the road and hes paid with his life. I feel sorry for the family and the driver to have to go through this but surely some onus is on the kid to cross when it is clear.

Perhaps the kids all know that the cars are supposed to be doing 20km so they figure they can rush across and beat the car.

Whats your thoughts?

[awayatc]

kids....

adults....

Now which of the two is supposed to have most common sense.....?

You obviously haven't got kids yourself....

[CookMySock]

It's not about transferring responsibility from the kids to the adults, its about saying these problems are statistically more likely to happen in this area, so we all play our part to reduce the problem.

Seriously though, I agree - walk out in front of a car and meet your maker.

School Principals could perhaps penalise students for jaywalking - it is against the law anyway.

Steve

[Blackshear]

I guess we both (Kids and adults) need to wisen up.

Kids: Check the road before you go stepping out on it, ya knob. Condolences all the same, how horrible would that be, getting to work and finding out?

Adults: Common sense. They're kids, they don't always think things through. How horrible would it be to knock over a kid, worse yet, kill them?

[oldrider]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2417...chool-bus-rule

Copied from Stuff Site:
Police are urging motorists to heed the legal speed limit of 20kmh when passing school buses picking up and dropping off children.

The warning follows the death of a 12-year-old intermediate school student in Matamata, 62km east of Hamilton, yesterday.

He boy had been dropped off by a school bus about 3.45pm when it appears he strayed into the path of an oncoming car.

He died at the scene and the death has been referred to the coroner.

The family has asked for privacy and the boy's name is due to be released on Monday.

The death brings the Waikato's road toll to 18 compared to 23 for the same period last year.

Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said it was crucial that people observed the speed restriction of 20kmh when passing stationary school buses.

"Thousands of children take the school bus everyday and it is one of the safest forms of transport around but the stakes are too high and it just takes a second for disaster to strike."

At 20kmh drivers had that much more time to react and reduces the forces of any impact considerably, he said.

"At the same time if you're travelling with your lights on it makes your vehicle that much more visible to children."

I get the point of the slow down to 20km/h when passing the bus, but at what stage do we finally put the responsibility back on the kid whom has hopped off the bus and then stepped straight out onto the road?
What a failure by the parents to teach the kid about the simple task of crossing the road and hes paid with his life. I feel sorry for the family and the driver to have to go through this but surely some onus is on the kid to cross when it is clear.

Perhaps the kids all know that the cars are supposed to be doing 20km so they figure they can rush across and beat the car.

Whats your thoughts?

School buses could have flashing lights that come on when the doors are opened, at least switched to active when they are in service and carrying children!

The signals could be installed front and rear and when active "so is the speed limit"

I would like to see more of the "revenue" collected being spent on safety upgrades to existing traffic problems.

I.E. More clearly defined speed restricted area notices or road markings!

It is sometimes (as a stranger to an area) difficult to define just what speed you are limited to!

Surrounding traffic is often "no" indication and it's a long time between notices in some places.

Does any one else find this a problem or am I just getting a bit old and doddery?

[Headbanger]

Children make childish decisions, They are always doing stupid shit. Slow the fuck down around schools, Its not like it takes any effort.

[paturoa]

Even the most sensible kids have brain explosions and do stupid stuff, like run across roads without looking.

So that leaves us with 2 choices, running over kids at high speed or running over them at low speed. I suspect that low speed is the better option.

[6ft5]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2417...chool-bus-rule

Copied from Stuff Site:
Police are urging motorists to heed the legal speed limit of 20kmh when passing school buses picking up and dropping off children.

The warning follows the death of a 12-year-old intermediate school student in Matamata, 62km east of Hamilton, yesterday.

He boy had been dropped off by a school bus about 3.45pm when it appears he strayed into the path of an oncoming car.

He died at the scene and the death has been referred to the coroner.

The family has asked for privacy and the boy's name is due to be released on Monday.

The death brings the Waikato's road toll to 18 compared to 23 for the same period last year.

Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said it was crucial that people observed the speed restriction of 20kmh when passing stationary school buses.

"Thousands of children take the school bus everyday and it is one of the safest forms of transport around but the stakes are too high and it just takes a second for disaster to strike."

At 20kmh drivers had that much more time to react and reduces the forces of any impact considerably, he said.

"At the same time if you're travelling with your lights on it makes your vehicle that much more visible to children."

I get the point of the slow down to 20km/h when passing the bus, but at what stage do we finally put the responsibility back on the kid whom has hopped off the bus and then stepped straight out onto the road?
What a failure by the parents to teach the kid about the simple task of crossing the road and hes paid with his life. I feel sorry for the family and the driver to have to go through this but surely some onus is on the kid to cross when it is clear.

Perhaps the kids all know that the cars are supposed to be doing 20km so they figure they can rush across and beat the car.

Whats your thoughts?

hmm this is a tricky one. Kids are kids and as others already mentioned are very impulsive and don't think when they do things most of the time, this is why they go to school to develop this ability. Parents on the other hand need to use what they have learnt and do what they do in the US. When a school bus stops the lights flash and you are not supposed to pass. Anyone that does will get a public lynching. So perhaps an idea for here. It scares me to go past a school when kids are going or coming, you never know what happens next

[paturoa]

.... or am I just getting a bit old and doddery?

um, how are we supposed to answer that one?

[sunhuntin]

hmm this is a tricky one. Kids are kids and as others already mentioned are very impulsive and don't think when they do things most of the time, this is why they go to school to develop this ability. Parents on the other hand need to use what they have learnt and do what they do in the US. When a school bus stops the lights flash and you are not supposed to pass. Anyone that does will get a public lynching. So perhaps an idea for here. It scares me to go past a school when kids are going or coming, you never know what happens next

agreed. it should be no passing a school bus when it is picking or dropping kids. but then, how many buses do we see on a daily basis still wearing school signs, but parked up in such a place that theres no way they could be doing a school run? i think such signs should be removed when those buses are not carrying school kids. would make things easier. maybe drivers could also flick on the hazard lights when parked on a school run.

but then again, the local bus drivers dont seem to know to turn their indicators off from a corner taken 10 mins ago, so chances are, the hazards would stay on all day, every day.

[Chooky]

Yea...All drivers, speed limit past a stopped school bus is 20kph, most bus drivers will give you a nod or wave for doing so.

Kids.. dont cross the road until the bus has gone..

Parents waiting to pick up kids, DONT wait on the other side of the road, your asking for trouble.

A mate of mine who used to drive primary school buses told me the thing that bugged him the most was mothers sitting in their shiney Landcruisers on the other side of the road.
He used to personally escort the kids across the road and then give the mothers a right royal bollicking.

[6ft5]

agreed. it should be no passing a school bus when it is picking or dropping kids. but then, how many buses do we see on a daily basis still wearing school signs, but parked up in such a place that theres no way they could be doing a school run? i think such signs should be removed when those buses are not carrying school kids. would make things easier. maybe drivers could also flick on the hazard lights when parked on a school run.

but then again, the local bus drivers dont seem to know to turn their indicators off from a corner taken 10 mins ago, so chances are, the hazards would stay on all day, every day.

This is a more general poor road behavior situation of all drivers nit just bus drivers. The general participation is selfish and poor in terms of the standards I have seen around the world. We need to clean up our act and it should start with the police to re-educate people's behavior, indicating, anticipating, perhaps us bikers would have a better go and enjoy riding

[oldrider]

um, how are we supposed to answer that one?

(lol) Make another law that you can't pass me at speeds in excess of 20km/h too!

[Nasty]

Thoughts ... are a jumble on this as its a really farking huge issue down here in some places.

The school drop offs on Paecock hill road were in a really stupid places a couple of years ago .. it was a 100 km zone and a kid ran across the road and got hit and severly injured. He lived and when I worked with his mum (years ago) they still lived in hell because of this.

If a school bus is in a 100 or 80 km zone you are upon it often too quickly to know that its a school bus and to slow down to that 20 kms is an issue I think without enough warning.

Another point - I live in a cul de sac with a school. Not passing the school bus as suggested means that I would not be able to leave my street for 40 minutes on any given day .... as they come in and get pick ups and drop offs dribbling in and out ... and already I have an issue with idiot parents who park over my drive and on yellow lines!

I think that the little sign on school buses is stupid .. you actually have to actively look for it as it is NOT obvious.

thats it for now.

[bull]

My main gripe is that the transport authority has singled out this case to prove their point about slowing down to 20km/h past a school bus. Though in this case if the kid has been hit by an ONCOMING car then it would seem he was hit in the other lane which is not restricted to he 20km/h.