School Zone Santa .Com

As I have not seen any media about the completion of the school zone "flashing light" trial I e-mailed Mr Costa on (24/7/05)
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Dear Mr Costa

When you took up the challenge of your new portfolio one of the issues raised was the 40 klm school zones.
On the Ray Hadley Show you told him you would "look into it" especially the two speed camera site at Kogarah.

In the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in February this year after you inspected the Kogarah site with Ms Burton MP you were reported as saying that School zones would be included for discussion in the Road users Summit

.The two cameras at Kogarah are still catching unaware motorists and as the RTA flashing light trial was to have finished at the end of June, could you let me know when a result of these trials will be made public and when there is going to be a change at Kogarah .

Good drivers don’t mind slowing down for school zones, but need more than signs to remind them.

After observing the situation there over many hours in Febuary I think the dividing fence in the middle of the road would be better served along the Eastern footpath to stop children accidentally stepping on the roadway, to leave the cameras there and put flashing lights on the school zone signs.

Congratulations on your stand on the F6 extension in the shire.

People bought houses there knowing that the freeway was planned.

It’s a bit like complaining about aircraft noise after you buy a house in Mascot.

Thank you for your time
Yours Faithfully
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Today (27/7/05) I recived this reply.
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Dear Mr........

The Minister for Roads, Michael Costa, has asked me to thank you for your e-mail concerning school zones.

The matters you have raised are currently being examined and a response will be provided to you as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely
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Office of the Minister for Roads
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The reason this page was headed "same old, same old",is that on the (22/2/05) FIVE MONTHS AGO I sent an e-mail to Mr Costa and recived this response from his office the next day
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Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 10:43 AM
Subject: RE: School zones

Dear Mr..........

The Minister for Roads, Michael Costa, has asked me to thank you for your e-mail concerning School Zones.
The matters you have raised are currently being examined and a response will be provided to you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely
.............
Office of the Minister for Roads
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The prompt reply today seems to be very similar to the one I recieved in Febuary

Word for word it seems.

If I e-mailed Mr Costa tomorrow about a large pothole in the road somewhere ,would I get a reply with the words "school zones" changed to
"Pothole concern" and the rest left the same?
Of course if there was a change of Road minister the "Mr Costa "would also change.
Am I being taken seriously or just considered a crank, who hopefully, will just go away?

By the way I have as yet never had the "response as soon as possible" alluded to in the e-mail sent to me the 5 months ago.

The 22/2/05 e-mail is below
IS THERE NOTHING IN THIS E-MAIL THAT IS WORTHY OF A REPLY OTHER THAN THE CARBON COPIES ABOVE
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Dear Mr Costa
I am very concerned about the 40 klm school zones and variable speed zones

The idea of having drivers slow down at schools is of course a good idea, but drivers just can’t get used to school zone times.

Why is it that years after school zones have been law does the RTA find it necessary to have reminder messages on their overhead signs and expensive advertisements on radio.

Laws to enforce them have to be by necessity, uniform and concrete otherwise smart arse lawyers will find loopholes, but this law is not working.

I stood watching the Gymea school zone for four days last June and the 188 or so drivers that the speed camera flashed at did not have a clue that they were breaking the law.

How can it help a child on the day of the “speeding” offence, if the driver is fined 4-5 weeks later.
Drivers have to slow down on the day.
To help make drivers aware of school zone times I feel that flashing lights are needed.

If drivers ignore flashing lights and still speed (and some will) double the fines and that helps pay for more lights.

Good drivers will always slow down when necessary.

The twin speed cameras at Kogarah variable/school zone are nothing but a disgrace. Driver after driver gets booked without realizing that they have broken any law.

From 8 till 8.30am there are no children and the same after 9.10am till 9.30

Between 2.30 and 3.00 pm very few and after 3.15 till the end of school zone time at 4.00pm the only person on the eastern side of the street is me holding up a " It’s school zone time " reminding passing drivers to slow down for a deserted street.

People from Berry on the south coast to the city know me as “School zone santa” and every driver that we slow to the legal speed and doesn’t get fined is happy and all the other drivers are laughing at the RTA

Yesterday I would’ve “saved “180 drivers and last Thursday over 200.

In the e-mails I’m getting, there are stories of people never being booked in 30/40 years until school zones.

One man booked 4 times at kogarah was just keeping up with other traffic .He had a reason for being a little distracted as he was going to St George hospital for cancer treatment.

To have a potential death sentence is tough enough and then to be booked 4 times was a dreadful impost.

Ron is helping me with a "It’s School Zone Time sign" as from Thursday or Friday. Thank you Ron.

I wrote on my website 27/1/05 under “Cranky drivers make cranky voters” that you are a no nonsense type of person and what you have done since taking on “roads” shows that you are.

But you have to see it, to understand what goes on at Kogarah So I invite you to come here one morning or afternoon at school zone time to have a look, and you’ll see why good drivers are angry, frustrated, and disappointed after being caught-out at this school zone.

My web site is www.schoolzonesanta.com
I'm sorry the web site is a bit wordy

Yours faithfully
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Obviously the issues I raised were just a little too difficult or wordy to answer to.

"As soon as possible" I'm waiting.................................