The 2022 Federal Election is over

June 15th, 2022

We will be doing hard labour for the next three years.

 What a mess the World is in.

What a mess the Country is in.

What a mess the State is in.

The last two and a half years have been the pits, and there doesnlt seem much joy ahead.

Two years on, no change

February 23rd, 2022

Are untidy clearway signs that important during two years of the disaster of Covid?

Obviousily not, so apart from taking photos of the state of the signs over this time I haven't added to this site.

But the signs are still untidy and the question is, how much has been spent to do nothing over the last two years in relation to installation and maintenence contracts?

This earlier page gives a bit of history

It has photos of the old white signs, used before the Hi-Vis yellow ones.

where to now (schoolzonesanta.com)

and speaking of old white signs, on the Prices Highway Kirrawee white clearway signs have made a comeback. Why?  

Two years on,  no change

                                                                         Matt kean MP

 

Two years on,  no change

Two years on,  no change
New style spipe post with one bolt

Two years on,  no change

Two years on,  no change

Two years on,  no change

Two years on,  no change

Full story »

Urgent product recall

May 24th, 2021

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

May 14th, 2021

 

 

Since 2005

I have been trying to get a bit of common sense in the installation of a simple clearway sign by RMS contractors.

I have been very quiet on this website because of Co-Vid, because crooked clearway signs didn't seem that important, but I've noticed that RMS contractors have also been very quiet on maintenance on the    Hi-Vis yellow signs.

 

Will Co-Vid be the excuse
tom Ugly's Bridge

 

        This was the first time I mentioned  the new Hi-Vis clearway signs in a letter to the Leader 

 

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

and three of the clearway signs on

the bridge have ended up looking

like the one above.

 

     I began to notice a change of attitude

     of these new clearway signs

                                                         These two were on the Highway in Gymea

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

           More and more new Hi-Vis signs were put up and the same thing happened

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

      So I emaied the then ROADS MINISTER Duncan Gay

From: Hans Stephens <stephens1510@optusnet.com.au>
Sent: Wednesday, 30 March 2016 8:57 PM
To: 'office@gay.minister.nsw.gov.au' <office@gay.minister.nsw.gov.au>
Subject: : RMS installation incompetence

Dear Minister Gay,

I recently  saw you on TV and you mentioned the new clearway times and the new signage between Blakehurst and Sutherland. The new clearway times have made a difference to traffic flow,

but the Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs I’m afraid  are an eyesore, and to make matters worse the majority are now adopting jaunty angles. The signs are attached to a bracket with 2 bolts but the bracket is fastened to the power pole or its own metal pole with one bolt, so if the sign isn’t tightened  correctly, it can  pivot on the single bolt as can be seen in my photos.

There are  old white clearway signs   I’ve seen, also at angles,  and are also  fastened  with one bolt.

A rethink in the fastening department is warranted.  The bracket used now is over engineering and might have been good enough for the DMR and RTA but common sense is required in this age o f” innovation”

What is wrong with a Tech screw, top and bottom of the sign, fastened to the power pole using an  18 volt impact screw driver.

  In the big scheme of things this is small potatoes,   but 5 klms of  these gaudy bright yellow (near new) clearway signs at crazy angles advertise,  in Hi Vis for all to see , RMS incompetence. 

Please get someone from the relevant department  to have a look and get the job done right.

Last Sunday I drove to Church Point and noticed new Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs on Mona Vale through the West Ryde /Top Ryde area, that weren’t there Boxing day. and some of these signs are already adopting less than professional angles.

Regards

Hans Stephens

(address details)

 
   Duncan Gay MP
 
 
 
 
 
The RMS clearway sign erection dysfunction was becoming more and more obvious as this earlier  page shows
 
 
 

 As there was no luck with Mr Gay, I tried the next Road Minister Melinda Pavey with an email

 
 
 
 Melinda Pavey MP  
 
 I emailed her Sydney Office, rang her Sydney office, emailed her Kempsey Electoral office, rang her Kempsey office (a number of times)  I sent Ms Pavey a stamped letter with no luck.
 
 http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/the-clever-country
 
All I recieved back were replies starting with  " on behalf of the Minister" even the stamped letter.
 http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/from-the-nsw-premier-s
In frustration I asked my local MP  Mr Lee Evans  to walk up the corridor to speak to the then Road Minister Ms Pavey to ask to look at this website. 
 
 
 
 
 
I don't know if  he did what I requested, as I have had no more contact from Mr Evans MP, apart from brochures in the mail with lots of photos of him doing good works,
    Mr. Lee Evans MP
 
 
 I understand that it's staff that first reads emails, and who answer phone calls, and reply "on behalf of".
 
So do the Ministers above, hire the wrong people? 
 
 I rang Ms Pavey's Kempsey Electoral office,  thinking someone there could have a private word to Ms Pavey about this bloke that has this web site and worries about taxpayer money being wasted.
 
 One lady who answered the phone at Kempsey clicked on my site, and  after I explained about the one bolt problem, she asked me. "Why don't they use two bolts?"
 
"FIRST BASE"
 
 
 
 
 It's very simple, the old white clearway signs (above) clearly did not stay up horizontal.
 
When someone decided to go from white to Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs, they used the the old brackets.
 
 They did place one of the two on a new pipe pole
  The full story, and the mysterious disappearance of the new pole is on
 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
The next photos are of a sign  put up in Taren Point that I noticed flapping in the breeze last week.
 
 
As per new rules " for the safety of
 
maintainence crews"      the  sign
 
isn't attached  to the handy pole nearby,
 
but sort of attached,  no doubt to,
 
" Australian Standards"
using 5   "Australian Standards" cable ties.
 
 

 

 
I know it is a temporary sign, but ....

Full story »

Quixotic  

October 22nd, 2019

Quixotic
 
 
 
 

 

I started my Quest over 4 years ago, and used this photo of a couple of old white clearway signs to show what happened to them, using only one bolt into the power pole

 

 
The white clearway plates were removed April/May 2018 and new hi-vis yellow added to the old bracket (still with one coach into pole) and the second sign (for some reason) was taken off the pole and attached to a steel pole.
 

 This is the scene end of July about 2 months later

 

 

 

 On 18 October 2019 and this is how they look now. They? ....Yes the second clearway sign and  the steel pole are missing 

 

And a hole shows where it was. (the garden scraps  up at the base of the power pole were in the hole)

The placement of the new stand alone metal pole in my opinion, wasn't really suitable .

 

 

 A driver backing out onto busy Roberts road might be a bit distracted, and forget about the metal pole that was planted in the  hole (circled)

 

It may have been better to have left the clearway sign on it's original power pole.

But I have a feeling that Ausgrid, and it's multi-national owners of "the poles and wires," may have upped the rent for signage on their poles, and the RMS is swapping over to the pipe poles, to save money.

 .........................................................................................

 
 Just South of that missing sign and pole, was this damaged clearway sign, also on it's new style  metal pole 

 

                    

 

Once again someone driving out of the driveway may have been distracted trying to get into the passing traffic.  

It may have been better to have left this one also on it's original power pole?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: May 2021 that pole and sign are also gone now.

 ..........................................................................................................

 On the way home today. 22 Oct 019

 Two more examples of why the brackets " holding up" clearway signs should have two bolts 

 

 

 and why I think the bracket doesn't work with one bolt on the pipe poles either.
 
 
   
 
 
 Why on earth would anyone waste all this time driving around bothering about clearway signs?
 
Because it should have been fixed when I first emailed the then Roads Minister Duncan Gay.
 
Wouldn't be better to fix this problem before all the old white ones are replaced?
  
.......................................................................................................
 
 
30 March 2016
 

Dear Minister Gay,

 

I recently  saw you on TV and you mentioned the new clearway times and the new signage between Blakehurst and Sutherland. The new clearway times have made a difference to traffic flow,

 

but the Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs I'm afraid  are an eyesore, and to make matters worse the majority are now adopting jaunty angles. The signs are attached to a bracket with 2 bolts but the bracket is fastened to the power pole or its own metal pole with one bolt, so if the sign isn't tightened  correctly, it can  pivot on the single bolt as can be seen in my photos.

 

There are  old white clearway  I've seen, also at angles,  and are also  fastened  with one bolt. A rethink in the fastening department is warranted.  The bracket used now is over engineering and might have been good enough for the DMR and RTA but common sense is required in this age of innovation

 

What is wrong with a Tech screw, top and bottom of the sign, fastened to the power pole using an  18 volt impact screw driver.

 

  In the big scheme of things this is small potatoes,   but 5 klms of  these gaudy bright yellow (near new) clearway signs at crazy angles advertise ( in Hi Vis) for all to see , RMS incompetence. 

 

Please get someone from the relevant department  to have a look and get the job done right.

 

Last Sunday I drove to Church Point and noticed new Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs on Mona Vale through the West Ryde /Top Ryde area, that weren't there Boxing day. And some of these signs are already adopting less than professional angles.

 

 

 

Regards

 

Hans Stephens

 

.........................................................................

 

This next link is to an earlier page that shows the spin I was supposed to accept, and go away. 

 

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/proof

  

Drama opposite Southgate  

October 4th, 2019

 

 

 

Driving North on the Princes Highway (opposite Southgate shopping centre) I noted a very familiar power pole had a lean.
 
On closer inspection I saw why 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Some one has hit  the pole when coming down the unit block driveway.  
 
 
 Similar to what could have happened to those metal poles in the Post above.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This very same power pole on the Princes Highway opposite Southgate Sylvania has featured on this website because the clearway sign on the pole won't stay in a horizontal postion.

 

The clearway sign was swapped from white to new Hi-Vis yellow August 2015

April 2016    .... Down

 

November 2016..... UP

5 January 2017.... down again

 

 So I added something extra for passing traffic and

 

 guess what I'm repeating myself here is an earlier page with more photos

 

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/for-how-long

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

proof  

September 28th, 2019

 
 

 

 
Driving past  this clearway sign on King Georges Rd Blakehurst, one that I had taken down and re-installed, (as shown futher down this post) I noticed the sign had been damaged.
 
 
 
    
Caused by a "happy scrappy" ladder perhaps?
 
 
 
 
 Notice that my two coach bolt clearway sign is still leval even with the damage yet the sign next pole down doesn't look too good.
 
 
image_block"> 
......................................................................................................................................................................................

   Down Blakehurst way on King Georges road new High -Vis yellow clearway signs were put up in June this year, replacing the old white ones.

I first saw these new ones two weeks after they were put up. (as explained in this previous post below.)

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/is-it-finished  

 Believe me this clearway saga

has caused problems here at home over the last 4 years.

 If a bit of common sense was used by the minders of Road Minsters Mr. Gay, or Ms  Pavey, and now the effort to explain  RMS incompentence  by Mr Terry McSweeney/ Principal Manager Ministerial correspondence on behalf of the new Roads Minister Mr Andrew Constance.

The RMS " for the safety of maintainence crews"        "can no longer drill into electricity poles"

     .........................................................................................................................                                                                                           

 

Hi-Vis yellow ones were put up in July 2015, and ever since I have by phone email first to the then Road Minister Gay

 

Dear Minister Gay,

 

I recently  saw you on TV and you mentioned the new clearway times and the new signage between Blakehurst and Sutherland. The new clearway times have made a difference to traffic flow,

 

but the Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs I'm afraid  are an eyesore, and to make matters worse the majority are now adopting jaunty angles. The signs are attached to a bracket with 2 bolts but the bracket is fastened to the power pole or its own metal pole with one bolt, so if the sign isn't tightened  correctly, it can  pivot on the single bolt as can be seen in my photos.

 

There are  old white clearway  I've seen, also at angles,  and are also  fastened  with one bolt. A rethink in the fastening department is warranted.  The bracket used now is over engineering and might have been good enough for the DMR and RTA but common sense is required in this age of innovation

 

What is wrong with a Tech screw, top and bottom of the sign, fastened to the power pole using an  18 volt impact screw driver.

 

  In the big scheme of things this is small potatoes,   but 5 klms of  these gaudy bright yellow (near new) clearway signs at crazy angles advertise ( in Hi Vis) for all to see , RMS incompetence. 

 

Please get someone from the relevant department  to have a look and get the job done right.

 

Last Sunday I drove to Church Point and noticed new Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs on Mona Vale through the West Ryde /Top Ryde area, that weren't there Boxing day. And some of these signs are already adopting less than professional angles.

 

 

 

Regards

 

Hans Stephens

 

and I emailed my local MP  and then the NSW premier

Title: Mr
First Name: hans
Last Name: stephens
Street address: 
Suburb: Kirrawee
State: NSW
Postcode: 2232
Phone: 040
Email: stephens1510@optusnet.com.au
Type of enquiry: Message
Subject: This is not spam, please take seriously
Message:
Dear email sorter,
I did email the new roads minister, no reply
I did email my local Member
(whom I voted for)
= A................................................................................
Dear Mr Evans,
I sent an email to my old MP, Mr Kerr, and his office said my email would be forwarded onto you.
As I haven't had a reply from you to my RMS concerns, I will repeat them. The RMS is renewing old white clearway signs with new Hi­Vis yellow
ones
My website www.schoolzonesanta.com</a> explains it all, with photos of clearly incompetent installation of the new signs using rubbish brackets,
which didn't work with the old white signs either. I have emailed the new roads minister weeks ago, with no response.
All that needs to be done is for someone to take charge, scrap the old brackets, and use a bit of common sense, and two screws as shown in one
of my photos. Hope you can help, before they go right through NSW changing signs at great unnecessary expense to the taxpayer.
Regards Hans Stephens
= A.............................................................................................
MP Lee Evans emailed me yesterday, and said "he is also waiting for replies."
So here I am. I'm sure the Premier has more to worry about than crooked signs, but there must be time to email
or phone someone at the RMS to use a bit of common sense, and stop wasting money on this, at least.
Alan Jones years ago was on about an upcoming election and I rang him. "I don't care who gets in" I said.
"Oh you must care" said he.
" No I don't care, I said, as long as they don't waste the money"
I tried to upload more photos (too big), but there are plenty on www.schoolzonesanta.com</a>
Thankyou for your time
I would like a response: Yes, I would like a response
I would like to receive regular updates from the NSW Government: Yes
End of messag

p>

 This is the letter I mailed (with astamp)to Ms Pavey.

 

The Hon. Melinda Pavey, MP
37 Elbow Street
WEST KEMPSEY NSW 2440

 


Dear Minister Pavey,
This letter should not have been necessary as I have, in the past, raised this problem with my local member, with the
Premier's Office and with your office, but as these efforts have not yet yielded a satisfactory outcome, I thought I should
write to you again.
The RMS is renewing the old white clearway signs on major roads with new HI- Vis yellow ones.
The old brackets used to hold up the white signs didn?t work, and they don?t work on the new yellow signs either.
My website www.schoolzonesanta.com</a> has many photos showing examples and explaining the problem.
Something has to be done before the new yellow signs are completely rolled out across NSW.
Please spend a couple of minutes to have a look at my site and have someone, with the necessary authority, investigate
and fix this very simple problem.
I've provided here an example of the old white clearway signs, these being on Roberts Road, Greenacre, and, as you
can see, the mounting system on the white signs was totally unsatisfactory.
This folly is being repeated when the white signs are being replaced with Hi-Vis yellow signs by contractors engaged by
the RMS.
Many more examples can be found on www.schoolzonesanta.com</a>.
I think that you would agree that this level of incompetence is simply unacceptable and that it points to a deeper problem
within the administration of the RMS.
These signs provide "hi-vis" advertising of RMS incompetence and, by extension, discredit your Government.
As I'm retired, I would like to offer my services as a consultant, at no cost to the taxpayer, in order to rectify this
unsatisfactory state of affairs in the most cost effective manner.
Thank you for your time.
Yours faithfully

hen

(address details).......................

 

,.................................................................

"These signs provide "hi-vis"

 

advertising of RMS incompetence"

..................................................................

 

 and every new section of replaced clearway

signs have examples that look like these two below:

 

 

   This photo of those two "new signs" used many times on many previous posts, was taken 6 months after installation in Gymea, and started me on this mission.

 I thought the first email would fix the obvious problem, but how wrong I was.

 

 Obviousily the RMS needs help.

 

This is a simple guide on how to put a RMS clearway sign on an overseas owned power pole, 

 

 

  Step  one                   After of course first taking the proper safety precautions,  unbolt the RMS Hi-Vis yellow clearway  sign from it's RMS bracket.

 

 

Step Two                               bolt the RMS bracket that now has an extra hole, back onto the pole 

 

  

  Step three                                          make sure the RMS bracket is on the leval

 

 

  Step three                                                    put in the extra coach bolt

 

 

Step four           Refasten the Hi-Vis yellow RMS clearway sign back onto the RMS bracket, and the job's done. 

 

Before the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened, to prove that the bridge was strong enough,

most of Sydney's railway locomotives were rolled out onto the bridge, the bridge survived and

 

 

to prove that 2 two fixing points on a clearway sign bracket can hold up a little aluminion sign, I hung 28lbs of weights onto the sign, and it didn't move

 

 leval

 

                                                                                                                                              What more can I say?   

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

Anyone looking back on the nearly four years of pages on this site

can understand my angst.

I've said all along that this is an embarressment, and a waste of money 

Incompentece in Hi-Vis but would anyone listen?

 

Just ignore him, and he will give up and go away.

..................................................................................

 to be continued................

 

 

 

tadata">Posted in |   Edit... | Send feedback »

Appalling  

September 27th, 2019

 

 

Appalling is a word that is used quite a lot.

 

What is appalling about this photo?

 
 
 
This poster on the side of buses in
 
Newcastle so "appalled" the NSW Roads
 
Minister Andrew Constance
 
that he had them removed.
 
 
 
 
 
This billboard was considered so appalling by some people that they bullied on social media, the o0H! company to have it removed. 
 
 
 
 This is what I find appalling
 
 
 
 
 The video doesn't show sadly, honourable members giving each other congratulatory hugs.
 
 
 
 
 This sign on the Princes Highway in Sylvania appalled someone because it disappeared  about one week after erection.
 
 
 
 
 
But this one stayed up on the same  pole for months

Fast response  

August 5th, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

How can people be trusted to spend billions of dollars

on the big stuff, when they can't get a simple

sign to stay up straight?

 

                                                                                                                               

I have catalogued on this website,

four years of photos of less than  compentent work

(in my view)  carried out by RMS contractors.

........................................................................................................................................................

 

 

 The people at : Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture deserve a medal for prompt responding to enquires

 

 

I sent this email  to the address that Mr Terry McSweeney (Principal Manager Ministerial Correspondence) gave me, and I hope I get an answer other than the normal public servant ones I get.

 

  AT 11.45 pm Friday  2/08/019, I sent this email

 ..............................................................................

From: CU-0002 RMS
Sent: 3/8/2019 12:15 AM GMT+10:00
To: cases.4052061_1.8ec6621617@cases.na2.netsuite.com
Subject: clearway signs

Hi,

I have tried for the last four years to get a bit of common sense into the installation of clearway signs.

last month I used the "contact"  feedback of the latest NSW Road Minister, and I had a reply thus;

 

 

 

That reply from Mr. McSweeney, doesn't really help

 

I have catalogued on my website  www.schoolzonesanta.com</a> four years of photos of less than  (in my view) competent work, carried out by RMS contractors.

span lang="EN-AU">Could you have a look at the website,  and is there merit in my concerns?

Regards 

Hans Stephens

 (contact details )

Stephens1510@0ptusnet.co.au

 

The photo below was taken less than three weeks after installation


 

 
.............................................................................................................................................. 
 I took the above photo when these two new clearway signs were put up only three weeks earlier, and that is explained in this post. 
 
 
.....................................................................................................................................

 At 12 16 am  Saturday  less than half an hour later, a reply came back

...........................................................................................................

 

From: Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture (NSWEnquiries@vbajv.com.au) <system@sent-via.netsuite.com>
Sent: Saturday, 3 August 2019 12:16 AM
To: stephens1510@optusnet.com.au
Subject: Case # CE_34895 Created: clearway signs

 


Thank you for your email.
 
We are working on your request and will get back to you within the next business day.
 
If your matter is urgent, you can ring us toll-free on 1800 677 700.
 
 
Kind regards
 
Community and Stakeholder Engagement team
Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture

PO Box 838, Rockdale NSW 2216
T: 1800 677 700 E: nswenquiries@vbajv.com.au
i

 .................................................................................................

 On the following Monday  9.35 am 05/08/019 this came back

 

From: Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture (NSWEnquiries@vbajv.com.au) <system@sent-via.netsuite.com>
Sent: Monday, 5 August 2019 9:35 AM
To: stephens1510@optusnet.com.aucases.4052061_1.8ec6621617@cases.na2.netsuite.com
Subject: RE: clearway signs

 

Dear Hans,

Thank you for contacting Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture (VBA JV) regarding the installation of clearway signs. 

VBA JV carry out sign maintenance activities as per the standards set out by Road and Maritime Services. 

Unfortunately your website is blocked on our server, please send through any sign maintenance request directly to VBA JV. 

If you would like an update or more information, please reply to this email or call us on 1800 677 700.

Kind regards,

u Sam Bangma 
Community Engagement Officer
Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture | Sydney SMC
PO Box 838 | Rockdale | NSW 2216
1800 677 700   Enswenquiries@vbajv.com.au
 
Delivering safer roads for Sydney
We value your feedback. If you would like to comment on the service provided by Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture, please clickhere
  ....................................................................................................................

An extract from Mr Terry McSweens letter

 

"For the safety of maintenance crews,

 

 new clearway signs are

 

attached to existing signs and

 

no longer drilled onto electricity poles.

 

 This is in accordance with

 

the Australian Standards.

 

am advised there are no plans

 

to change the Standards at this time."

 

 

............................................

  What does that mean?   Toxic sawdust?

...............................................................................................................

About 12.10pm I rang the 1800 number Mr McSweeney gave me, and was told that they can help, if I say which clearway sign needs maintainence, and they will send out workers to maintain it 

 FIRST  BASE !!!

Back to where I started, 4 years ago.

 

to be continued......

Private

APPALLED  

July 31st, 2019

 

 

 

   IT REALLY WAS APPALLING

 
 
 

" Appalling  " SAID THE NSW TRANSPORT MINISTER ANDREW CONTANCE ABOUT ADVERTISING ON A BILLBOARD                                                              AND ON BUSES 

The Transport Minister had the "Appalling" advertising removed vitually overnight off the buses. 

 

On line trolls had the company ooh!  remove this appalling billboard.

 

 

 

 What is so appalling saying that a pregnant womans unborn baby's heart begins beating four weeks after conception?

 

 

 

 

Hearing the Fetal Heartbeat  

doctor

Doctors use several different methods to listen to the fetal heartbeat. About 3 weeks, one day after fertilization, when the heart first begins to beat, the sound of the little heart is too soft to hear. Very soon thereafter, they can see the motion using ultrasound technology.

 

A doctor's stethoscope is not sensitive enough to hear the embryo's heart beating.

 

A special stethoscope called a fetoscope works well when the fetus is larger, usually around 15-17 weeks.1 An active fetus however, can make this method of listening a bit challenging. Often when the fetoscope is finally in the right place on the woman's belly, her fetus will change positions and the doctor must move the stethoscope again in search of the fetal heartbeat.

Doctor, pregnant woman

The presence of a fetal heartbeat confirms pregnancy, as long as doctors are certain to distinguish the fetal heartbeat from the mother's. Usually this is not difficult as the fetus has a much faster heart rate than the mother. Sometimes during an examination, a woman's heart rate will increase and actually cause the fetal heart to beat more rapidly.

 

Noises from within can make the mother's and fetal heartbeat hard to distinguish.

 

1 F. Gary Cunningham, Paul C. MacDonald, Norman F. Grant, et al., Williams Obstetrics, 20th ed. (Stamford: Appleton and Lange, 1997), 30.

 

heartbeatClick here to try the heartbeat calculator!

                                                                                                                              

  A news story from Metro.co.uk?

Anti-abortion posters plastered on buses in Australia Lucy MiddletonSaturday 22 Jun 2019 3:42 pm Share this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via messenger1.8kShares  The picture was put on the side of buses

 

 

 

 

 

(Picture: Emily's Voice)Buses in Australia have been carrying anti-abortion advertisements linked to a pro-life movement. The images, which appeared on public transport in Newcastle, New South Wales, show two hands making a heart shape across a pregnant stomach.

   Written alongside the picture is the words: A heart beats at four weeks. The advert was provided by Emily's Voice, a pro-life organisation that aims to deter women from abortion. Keolis Downer, the company that runs Newcastle's bus system, have since taken the images down after the New South Wales Minister for Transport said he was appalled by them. A spokesperson for the firm said: A third party manages advertising on Newcastle Transport buses. Keolis Downer acted immediately and the advertisement has now been removed. Tourist horrified to find Hitler mugs on sale in Italy Advertising must comply with Transport for NSW content standards and guidelines. An investigation into this matter is now underway. Andrew Constance replied to social media comments about the adverts to say he was similarly appalled earlier this week. He said: Ive instructed that this ad and any similar collateral be removed immediately. Emily's Voice defended their posters, likening the adverts to campaigns to stop smoking or cancer and stating that they wanted to help Australians fall in love with the unborn. Got a story for Metro.co.uk If you have a story for our news team, email us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

 

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/22/anti-abortion-posters-plastered-buses-australia-10029654/?ito=cbshare

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 This is appalling

 

What more can I add

Terry Terry Terry  

July 30th, 2019

 
 

 

 I wrote to the new Roads Minister about the state of our clearway signs on June 25 
 
 Today I received this letter from an old friend Terry   
 
 I might appear a bit personal, but as this is the third reply from Mr. McSweeney,  he seems like an old friend.
 
 
Please click on this link to read Terry's letter----------         response from terry no 2 30 07 019 22.pdf
 
and it seems Terry does like feedback   " I note your concerns, and appreciate your ongoing interest in this matter"
 
 
"I am advised there are no plans to change the Standards at this time"  writes Terry .
 
I will take Terry's advice, and email those he says responsible for the up keep of road signs
 
 
 
 
                                                                                      
===================================================================================================
I have previously commented on the line that states that " clearway signs are fixed, in accordance with Australian Standards"
===================================================================
 

 

Scoll down the page Mr McSweeney, maybe there does need to be a look, at "Standards"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Private

Cost blowout  

July 27th, 2019

It seems costing projects doesn't always work out well

Why has it been so difficult  

July 20th, 2019

 

 

 

This website has four years of photos, copies of letters to and from My local MP, letters to and from the Road Minister's office Copies of unanswered emails.

Details of calls I have made to the then roads minister Melinda Pavey's Electoral office, and the Premier's office, all to no avail.

But as  JONES & CO says "DON"T GIVE UP"

All I wanted to do was that the RMS changed the way clearway signs are installed, before the new HI-VIS YELLOW signs are rolled out throughout NSW 

The bracket that The D.M.R,  then the R.T.A,and now the R.M.S still use to hold up clearway signs, didn't,  and don't work NOW.

 ................................................................................................................................................................................

 

When I took the photo these signs that were put up less than three weeks before.
 
These were on King Georges Road Hurstville

 

 

 By an stretch of the imagination

 

can this be called erected

 

 "to Australian  Standards ??"

 

 I went into two shop in South Hurstville and asked when the new signs were put up.

They both said about two weeks ago.

One lady said I remember because someone came in and warned us about time changes.

......................................................................................................................................................

 

Say no more.  

 

 

 

 
 12 June 2019

This morning I had to go to Balmain from home in Kirrawee

On the way there and back I took the following photos.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                The two added little bolts didn't help to keep up the sign in the next photo horizontal.
 
 
 
 
                      
 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
 
 
I took this photo of these old white clearway signs on Rockey Point rd San Souci a couple of weeks ago.
 
  

 

 

 

I've just rung the Daily Telegraph and spoke to a very patient team member, and with her, scrolled down this site.

 

She agreed with me that the new  Hi- Vis yellow, and the old white clearway signs look untidy, and two bolts in the bracket would make sense.

 

She agreed with me that if I hung myself from a clearway sign, I would get publicity.  

 

 

There is 28lb hanging from this RMS clearway sign that I had taken down, (wearing a HI-Vis Vest)

 

I then  drilled an extra hole in this RMS bracket and re-installed it with two coach bolts wearing the afore mentioned vest, and there was also a large orange cone in close proximity, (also for safety reasons.)

 

I was kidding (about the hanging myself line ) the call was recorded "for training purposes"and can be checked for contex.

 

The Telegraph lady said she would pass my  clearway sign concerns on.

 

 

 

 I await a call from a reporter ................ 

 

   ....................................................................................................................................................

 

This 3 year+ saga of mine ( 4 years now) to get a bit of sense in the installation of roadside clearway signs, has to be a news story.

 

 

 

Even just the fact that I interfere with RMS signs, (with photos) should be a story

 

 Here's me taking down a RMS clearway sign and reinstalled it using a bracket (prepared earlier) with two coach bolts

 

 

                                                                         and now the sign doesn't move with 28lb hanging of it

 

 

This sign was swinging in the breeze at Blakehurst  coming off the pole after the "NO STANDING ANYTIME"  was added. 

 

                                       The bottom coach bolt was finger tight, so I used longer bolts, and it will now stay put.

 

 

  1. Common sense  

    Book by Thomas Paine

     

    Common sense is sound practical judgment concerning everyday matters, or a basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge that is shared by nearly all people. The first type of common sense, good sense, can be described as "the knack for seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done." The second type is sometimes described as folk wisdom, "signifying unreflective knowledge not reliant on specialized training or deliberative thought." The two types are intertwined, as the person who has common sense is in touch with common-sense ideas, which emerge from the lived experiences of those commonsensical enough to perceive ts nethem.

 

Forest Rd Bexly  

July 17th, 2019

 

 

  

 

I  did a quote in Bexly and along Forest Rd these are some of the old white clearway signs I noticed
 
 
 

 

 

 

Did you spot the sign in the correct level position?

 

 

It had been re-adjusted with  an extra coach bolt AND washer,which  does the job in holding up the bracket. 

 

 

 

 On this example of RMS skill someone added an extra bracket supporting bolt,  but not only didn't correct the bracket creep but damaged the sign too.

                                                                                                    West Botony St Mascot

 

 

 

Flora St corner and Acacia by pass Kirrawee

 

I really do feel that there is a problem in the way clearway signs are installed.

 

 

To be continued..................................

Another day more bracket creep  

July 8th, 2019

 Some more photos of RMS incompentance on display in HI-VIS , to add to this four year scrapbook.
 
 
 
Turning left onto Taren Point Road from The Kingsway this morning,
I noticed these near new* clearway signs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                 
 
                                          
 
 
  and further down Taren Point road over Parraweena rd, was this one 
 
                         .................................................................................
 
 

 

 
    and right across the street was another example of  bracket creep.
 
                                       ..................................................................................
 
 
      one more on the left side of Taren Pt Rd 
 
                                ..............................................................
 

 

 
                  and directly across the road was this one

                      ...........................................................................................................

When I say near new*, they would be less than two years old

 and  no doubt these clearway signs,

" are fixed in place in accordance with 

Australian Standards  " 

  as stated in the letter below.

 

 

 

Bracket creep  

July 6th, 2019

 

  

Heading back from from Alfords Point to Hurstville on Friday 5 July I noticed these examples of work done by RMS contractors.

 

Just some more to add this 4 year catalogue of shoddy work.

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next one was slanting up, but firmly tightened. I think the rubbish truck loading arm caught it. I pulled it down to it's rightful  position.
 
 
........................................................
 King Georges road Blakehurst
 
 
 
 
 
 
The link above explains how much weight a clearway sign bracket can hold without bracket creep by using not one, but two coachbolts.
 
                                                                                                                             Before
 
                                                                                                                                                                   After                                

 
 
 
Without the second coach bolt the next sign looks like this. 
 

Roads Minister No 3  

June 26th, 2019

     As I said in my previous post  I would email the new roads minister Mr Constance, and last night I did using his contact page.

 

"Dear Minister Constance,

 

for nearly four years now I have been trying to get change in the way the new Hi-Vis Yellow clearway way are installed.

 

My website www.schoolzonesanta.com</a>   catalogues my effort in getting a bit of common sense into the situation."

...........................................................................................

 

I added these 5 photos ( I think these were the photos. I didn't  just have those, on the desktop)

 
I could've said so much more in my email, but hopefully the photos should be enough to get the email opener's interest, and click on this website.
 
 I hope that Minister Constance will be made aware of my clearway sign concerns.
 
 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
 I could have (if needed) also used the following photos
 
 
 
 The two new Hi-Vis signs above, were installed less than 3 weeks before I took the photo.
( I have eye witness proof)
 
 
,
 
And there are many more photos of new clearway signs that are installed  "to Australian Standards" like this, on this website going back nearly four years.
 
to be continued.......................................
 

Say no more.  

June 12th, 2019

 
 12 June 2019

This morning I had to go to Balmain from home in Kirrawee

On the way there and back I took the following photos.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                The two added little bolts didn't help to keep up the sign in the next photo horizontal.
 
 
 
 
                      
 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
 
 
 When I took it on myself earlier this year to drill an extra hole in the bracket, and added an extra coach bolt, the sign stayed put, even with the 28 extra lbs
hanging off the end of the sign.
 
 So two bolts work.
 
...........................................................................................................................................................................
  I was going to send this as a letter to the editor, but I rang a reporter at our local LEADER newspaper, and he didn't seem to have my enthusiasm, so I'll write to our new Roads Minister instead.
 

Dear sir,

I read with great interest your story about the delay in getting a damaged bus shelter replaced in Alfords Point . ("Residents angered by bus shelter loss" Leader May 29)

 Deputy Mayor Steve Simpson has been on the case for months to no avail.

Then the Council resolved to write to the relevant state government agency in the strongest terms, and secure a firm commitment the bus stop be returned to good service.?

Nothing Happened, so Cr Simpson (with support from other Councillors )  wrote to the Roads Minister, The Premier, and  the local MP demanding that the bus shelter be replaced.

All the weight of The Sutherland Council, the Local Liberal MP, a National Party Roads Minister, a Liberal party Premier and no one can find a new bus shelter.

Imagine how frustrated I have been after nearly four years of trying to get the RMS to put up clearway signs properly.

 I naively thought that an email to the then roads Minister Gay, alerting him to an obvious problem would see results.  The brackets used by the RMS to attach the clearway signs to power poles are the same ones used by the Department of Mains roads (DMR), and then the Road and traffic authority (RTA)

The bracket has one coach bolt fastening it to the post or pole, and two small bolts are used to attach the clearway sign.

If the one bolt into the pole isn't fastened tight enough the bracket droops, (a look, ok for fascinators at the Melbourne Cup), but not on signs lining our main roads.

    It's RMSincompetence on display, in Hi-Vis yellow.

But did  Mr Gay, MP Duncan Kerr,  The new Roads Minister Melinda Pavey, The premier, or their minions,  accept a common sense suggestion from an old carpet layer that the bracket needs two bolts?      Not on your nelly.

My website www.schoolzonesanta.com</a> catalogues the saga over the last four years of me trying to get a bit of plain common sense in the clearway sign installation department .

ang="EN-AU"> The photo shown below shows two signs, six months after being  Installed to  "Australian Standards."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 This morning Thurs 13

I drove along Rocky Point rd Sans Souci and the clearway sign are the old white, and these two caught my eye.

Over Captain Cook Bridge on Taren Point Road the Hi-Vis yellow signs replaced last year are heading south also.

 
What was that line.... "When will they ever learn.?"

 

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

As each new section of the old white clearway signs were replaced, it wasn't long before they too started to droop

Will Co-Vid be the excuse

These two white ones were replaced with the HI-VIS yellow

It's OK to mine under Woronora dam

August 27th, 2020

Local MP comes out FIGHTING.

June 24th, 2020

There has been a couple of articles in the Sutherland Shire Leader which have mentioned my local MP Lee Evans, that caught my attention. Lee Evans in 2015 next to the narrow bridge on Heathcote Road at Engadine. Picture: Chris Lane

A few weeks ago MP Evans told us he has been "FIGHTING" for a four lane bridge on Heathcote road over the Woronora river at Heathcote. 

If Mr. Evans said in the article, to show that I'm serious about the need for a 4 lane bridge I ask concerned Sutherland Shire residents to protest with me outside Parliament house in Macquarie st, I for one would stand alongside him waving a sign.

 Of course following all covid safety guidelines

That's what I call fighting 

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6777678/demand-a-4-lane-bridge-mp-urges/?cs=1507

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Then an article in today's Leader 24/6/2020

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6788882/mps-support-mining-under-woronora-dam/?cs=1507

"Mr Evans said it "was no mean feat to get 10,600 signatures on a paper petition" and thanked those who had signed it.

However, he said he was "confident that the restrictions around water for this mine will preserve water quality".

He didn't say he had been "fighting" to stop mining under the Woronora Dam

 I for one would stand alongside MP Kerr waving a sign in Macquarie St to protest the under dam mining, but there again he is "confident that the restrictions around water for this mine will preserve water quality".

I don't have much confidence in MP's having much sway over decisions already made. All I wanted was the RMS to put two bolts in the bracket that "holds" up clearway signs.

JPEG image   JPEG image  JPEG image  JPEG image    JPEG image Some of the examples right through this website

I tried to get commonsense help from my MP Mr. Evans

 

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/rms-fail-com-1

Nothing has changed for the better

December 30th, 2019

Use two bolts

December 30th, 2019
Use two bolts

The link below explains what happens when I tried to get something obviously wrong, fixed

Fast response (schoolzonesanta.com)

Update May 1 2021

Since I first posted this page in December 2019, things have only worsened, and I have many photos of clearway signs at crazy angles.

e.g.  the next  photo was taken on

How much money is paid out for installation and maintenance that has not happened 

Hi-Vis in Beverly Hills on King George Rd.

December 21st, 2019

It has happened, the last section in the renewal of the old white clearway signs to Hi-Vis yellow between Sutherland and St. Ives has been completed.

I noticed some weeks ago that new yellow signs were up but covered with grey tape.

Yesterday I drove over there to ask shopkeepers when the change over happened.

About the 6th of December I was told.

One lady wasn't impressed with the change in hours that you can park there, and told RMS people that, when they came in to tell of the changes. There had been RMS people advising  drivers of the changes too.

But you wouldn't believe it, the brackets used to hold up the bright yellow signs haven't changed.

Here I was going to insert a photo of a new yellow clearway sign in the new last section of the rollout that has that has the distinct familiar lean. 

What to do?

November 2nd, 2019
What to do?

 Someone, some boffin at one time invented a bracket you could fasten onto a wooden or metal pole, to hold up signs.

 This "inventor" somehow convinced the Department of main roads (DMR) that this bracket was great to hang up signs along NSW roads.

Because the bracket it attached to a pole with one coach bolt, so if that bolt is not tight enough because of gravity, the sign will tilt down.

 A sample of (DMR) and (RTA ) old white clearway signs affected by gravity

 

The Road and Traffic Authority (RTA) also used the same bracket and so does the latest  version of this

Government Department, The Road and Maritime Service  (RMS)

This invention does not  get a mention in this list of great Australian inventions found in this link

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2010/06/australian-inventions-that-changed-the-world/

 

Because it doesn't work.

 

RMS FAIL .COM

October 29th, 2019
RMS FAIL .COM
 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 This website catalogues my effort over four years  to get someone
 to do something about the obvious problem with the installation of clearway signs. 
 
Emails and replies from everyone I contacted, to get some commonsense are on four years of posts.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
When I first emailed  the then Road Minister Duncan Gay, I thought, (silly me) because it was such an obvious problem, it would receive immediate attention
 

From: Hans Stephens <stephens1510@optusnet.com.au>
Sent: Wednesday, 30 March 2016 8:57 PM
To: 'office@gay.minister.nsw.gov.au' <office@gay.minister.nsw.gov.au>
Subject: : RMS installation incompetence

Dear Minister Gay,

I recently  saw you on TV and you mentioned the new clearway times and the new signage between Blakehurst and Sutherland. The new clearway times have made a difference to traffic flow,

but the Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs I’m afraid  are an eyesore, and to make matters worse the majority are now adopting jaunty angles. The signs are attached to a bracket with 2 bolts but the bracket is fastened to the power pole or its own metal pole with one bolt, so if the sign isn’t tightened  correctly, it can  pivot on the single bolt as can be seen in my photos.

There are  old white clearway signs   I’ve seen, also at angles,  and are also  fastened  with one bolt.

A rethink in the fastening department is warranted.  The bracket used now is over engineering and might have been good enough for the DMR and RTA but common sense is required in this age o f” innovation”

What is wrong with a Tech screw, top and bottom of the sign, fastened to the power pole using an  18 volt impact screw driver.

  In the big scheme of things this is small potatoes,   but 5 klms of  these gaudy bright yellow (near new) clearway signs at crazy angles advertise,  in Hi Vis for all to see , RMS incompetence. 

Please get someone from the relevant department  to have a look and get the job done right.

Last Sunday I drove to Church Point and noticed new Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs on Mona Vale through the West Ryde /Top Ryde area, that weren’t there Boxing day. and some of these signs are already adopting less than professional angles.

Regards

Hans Stephens

(address details)

 
   Duncan Gay MP
 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
As Minister Gay retired, I emailed the Premier and received this reply
 
 
The RMS clearway sign erection dysfunction was becoming more and more obvious as this earlier  page shows
 
 
 
 

 As there was no luck with Mr Gay, I tried the next Road Minister Melinda Pavey with an email

 
 
 
 Melinda Pavey MP  
 
 I emailed her Sydney Office, rang her Sydney office, emailed her Kempsey Electoral office, rang her Kempsey office (a number of times)  I sent Ms Pavey a stamped letter with no luck.
 
 http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/the-clever-country
 
All I recieved back were replies starting with  " on behalf of the Minister" even the stamped letter.
 http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/from-the-nsw-premier-s
In frustration I asked my local MP  Mr Lee Evans  to walk up the corridor to speak to the then Road Minister Ms Pavey to ask to look at this website. 
 
 
 
 
 
I don't know if  he did what I requested, as I have had no more contact from Mr Evans MP, apart from brochures in the mail with lots of photos of him doing good works,
    Mr. Lee Evans MP
 
 
 I understand that it's staff that first reads emails, and who answer phone calls, and reply "on behalf of".
 
So do the Ministers above, hire the wrong people? 
 
 I rang Ms Pavey's Kempsey Electoral office,  thinking someone there could have a private word to Ms Pavey about this bloke that has this web site and worries about taxpayer money being wasted.
 
 One lady who answered the phone at Kempsey clicked on my site, and  after I explained about the one bolt problem, she asked me."Why don't they use two bolts?" 
 
"FIRST BASE"
 
 
 
 
 It's very simple, the old white clearway signs (above) clearly did not stay up horizontal.
 
When someone decided to go from white to Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs, they used the the old brackets, and what happened?
 
 They did place one of the two on a new pipe pole
  The full story, and the mysterious disappearance of the new pole is on
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE 22 /2/22
 
Two years on,  no change
This photo of the same sign taken 24 FEB this year, there are so many more out there like this
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next photos are of a sign  put up in Taren Point that I noticed flapping in the breeze last week.
 

 
As per new rules " for the safety of
 
maintainence crews"      the  signs now, aren't drilled into poles
 
Like using the handy one on the left, 
 
but it is sort of attached,  no doubt to,
 " Australian Standards"
using 5  "Australian Standards" cable ties.
 
 

 

 
I know it is a temporary sign, but ....

Full story »

Quixotic

October 22nd, 2019
Quixotic
 
 
 
 

 

I started my Quest over 4 years ago, and used this photo of a couple of old white clearway signs to show what happened to them, using only one bolt into the power pole

 

 
The white clearway plates were removed April/May 2018 and new hi-vis yellow added to the old bracket (still with one coach into pole) and the second sign (for some reason) was taken off the pole and attached to a steel pole.
 

 This is the scene end of July about 2 months later

 

 

 

 On 18 October 2019 and this is how they look now. They? ....Yes the second clearway sign and  the steel pole are missing 

 

And a hole shows where it was. (the garden scraps  up at the base of the power pole were in the hole)

The placement of the new stand alone metal pole in my opinion, wasn't really suitable .

 

 

 A driver backing out onto busy Roberts road might be a bit distracted, and forget about the metal pole that was planted in the  hole (circled)

 

It may have been better to have left the clearway sign on it's original power pole.

But I have a feeling that Ausgrid, and it's multi-national owners of "the poles and wires," may have upped the rent for signage on their poles, and the RMS is swapping over to the pipe poles, to save money.

 .........................................................................................

 
 Just South of that missing sign and pole, was this damaged clearway sign, also on it's new style  metal pole 

 

                    

 

Once again someone driving out of the driveway may have been distracted trying to get into the passing traffic.  

It may have been better to have left this one also on it's original power pole?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: May 2021 that pole and sign are also gone now.

 ..........................................................................................................

 On the way home today. 22 Oct 019

 Two more examples of why the brackets " holding up" clearway signs should have two bolts 

 

 

 and why I think the bracket doesn't work with one bolt on the pipe poles either.
 
 
   
 
 
 Why on earth would anyone waste all this time driving around bothering about clearway signs?
 
Because it should have been fixed when I first emailed the then Roads Minister Duncan Gay.
 
Wouldn't be better to fix this problem before all the old white ones are replaced?
  
.......................................................................................................
 
 

 

This next link is to an earlier page that shows the spin I was supposed to accept, and go away. 

 

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/proof

  

Drama opposite Southgate

October 4th, 2019
 

 

 

Driving North on the Princes Highway (opposite Southgate shopping centre) I noted a very familiar power pole had a lean.

On closer inspection I saw why 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Some one has hit  the pole when coming down the unit block driveway.  
 
 
 Similar to what could have happened to those metal poles in the Post above.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This very same power pole on the Princes Highway opposite Southgate Sylvania has featured on this website because the clearway sign on the pole won't stay in a horizontal postion.


The clearway sign was swapped from white to new Hi-Vis yellow August 2015


April 2016    .... Down

 

November 2016..... UP

5 January 2017.... down again


 So I added something extra for passing traffic and


 guess what I'm repeating myself here is an earlier page with more photos


http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/for-how-long

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

proof

September 28th, 2019
 
 

 

 
Driving past  this clearway sign on King Georges Rd Blakehurst, one that I had taken down and re-installed, (as shown futher down this post) I noticed the sign had been damaged.
 
 
 
    
Caused by a "happy scrappy" ladder perhaps?
 
 
 
 
 Notice that my two coach bolt clearway sign is still leval even with the damage yet the sign next pole down doesn't look too good.


 
......................................................................................................................................................................................

   Down Blakehurst way on King Georges road new High -Vis yellow clearway signs were put up in June this year, replacing the old white ones.

I first saw these new ones two weeks after they were put up. (as explained in this previous post below.)

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/is-it-finished  

 Believe me this clearway saga

has caused problems here at home over the last 4 years.

 If a bit of common sense was used by the minders of Road Minsters Mr. Gay, or Ms  Pavey, and now the effort to explain  RMS incompentence  by Mr Terry McSweeney/ Principal Manager Ministerial correspondence on behalf of the new Roads Minister Mr Andrew Constance.

The RMS " for the safety of maintainence crews"        "can no longer drill into electricity poles"

     .........................................................................................................................                                                                                           

 

Hi-Vis yellow ones were put up in July 2015, and ever since I have by phone email first to the then Road Minister Gay

 

Dear Minister Gay,

 

I recently  saw you on TV and you mentioned the new clearway times and the new signage between Blakehurst and Sutherland. The new clearway times have made a difference to traffic flow,

 

but the Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs I'm afraid  are an eyesore, and to make matters worse the majority are now adopting jaunty angles. The signs are attached to a bracket with 2 bolts but the bracket is fastened to the power pole or its own metal pole with one bolt, so if the sign isn't tightened  correctly, it can  pivot on the single bolt as can be seen in my photos.

 

There are  old white clearway  I've seen, also at angles,  and are also  fastened  with one bolt. A rethink in the fastening department is warranted.  The bracket used now is over engineering and might have been good enough for the DMR and RTA but common sense is required in this age of innovation

 

What is wrong with a Tech screw, top and bottom of the sign, fastened to the power pole using an  18 volt impact screw driver.

 

  In the big scheme of things this is small potatoes,   but 5 klms of  these gaudy bright yellow (near new) clearway signs at crazy angles advertise ( in Hi Vis) for all to see , RMS incompetence. 

 

Please get someone from the relevant department  to have a look and get the job done right.

 

Last Sunday I drove to Church Point and noticed new Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs on Mona Vale through the West Ryde /Top Ryde area, that weren't there Boxing day. And some of these signs are already adopting less than professional angles.

 

 

 

Regards

 

Hans Stephens

 

and I emailed my local MP  and then the NSW premier

Title: Mr
First Name: hans
Last Name: stephens
Street address: 
Suburb: Kirrawee
State: NSW
Postcode: 2232
Phone: 040
Email: stephens1510@optusnet.com.au
Type of enquiry: Message
Subject: This is not spam, please take seriously
Message:
Dear email sorter,
I did email the new roads minister, no reply
I did email my local Member
(whom I voted for)
= A................................................................................
Dear Mr Evans,
I sent an email to my old MP, Mr Kerr, and his office said my email would be forwarded onto you.
As I haven't had a reply from you to my RMS concerns, I will repeat them. The RMS is renewing old white clearway signs with new Hi­Vis yellow
ones
My website www.schoolzonesanta.com explains it all, with photos of clearly incompetent installation of the new signs using rubbish brackets,
which didn't work with the old white signs either. I have emailed the new roads minister weeks ago, with no response.
All that needs to be done is for someone to take charge, scrap the old brackets, and use a bit of common sense, and two screws as shown in one
of my photos. Hope you can help, before they go right through NSW changing signs at great unnecessary expense to the taxpayer.
Regards Hans Stephens
= A.............................................................................................
MP Lee Evans emailed me yesterday, and said "he is also waiting for replies."
So here I am. I'm sure the Premier has more to worry about than crooked signs, but there must be time to email
or phone someone at the RMS to use a bit of common sense, and stop wasting money on this, at least.
Alan Jones years ago was on about an upcoming election and I rang him. "I don't care who gets in" I said.
"Oh you must care" said he.
" No I don't care, I said, as long as they don't waste the money"
I tried to upload more photos (too big), but there are plenty on www.schoolzonesanta.com
Thankyou for your time
I would like a response: Yes, I would like a response
I would like to receive regular updates from the NSW Government: Yes
End of messag


 This is the letter I mailed (with astamp)to Ms Pavey.

 

The Hon. Melinda Pavey, MP
37 Elbow Street
WEST KEMPSEY NSW 2440

 


Dear Minister Pavey,
This letter should not have been necessary as I have, in the past, raised this problem with my local member, with the
Premier's Office and with your office, but as these efforts have not yet yielded a satisfactory outcome, I thought I should
write to you again.
The RMS is renewing the old white clearway signs on major roads with new HI- Vis yellow ones.
The old brackets used to hold up the white signs didn?t work, and they don?t work on the new yellow signs either.
My website www.schoolzonesanta.com has many photos showing examples and explaining the problem.
Something has to be done before the new yellow signs are completely rolled out across NSW.
Please spend a couple of minutes to have a look at my site and have someone, with the necessary authority, investigate
and fix this very simple problem.
I've provided here an example of the old white clearway signs, these being on Roberts Road, Greenacre, and, as you
can see, the mounting system on the white signs was totally unsatisfactory.

This folly is being repeated when the white signs are being replaced with Hi-Vis yellow signs by contractors engaged by
the RMS.
Many more examples can be found on
www.schoolzonesanta.com.

I think that you would agree that this level of incompetence is simply unacceptable and that it points to a deeper problem
within the administration of the RMS.
These signs provide "hi-vis" advertising of RMS incompetence and, by extension, discredit your Government.
As I'm retired, I would like to offer my services as a consultant, at no cost to the taxpayer, in order to rectify this
unsatisfactory state of affairs in the most cost effective manner.
Thank you for your time.
Yours faithfully

...Hans Stephen

(address details).......................


,.................................................................

"These signs provide "hi-vis"


advertising of RMS incompetence"

..................................................................


 and every new section of replaced clearway

signs have examples that look like these two below:

 

 

   This photo of those two "new signs" used many times on many previous posts, was taken 6 months after installation in Gymea, and started me on this mission.

 I thought the first email would fix the obvious problem, but how wrong I was.


 Obviousily the RMS needs help.

 

This is a simple guide on how to put a RMS clearway sign on an overseas owned power pole, 

 

 

  Step  one                   After of course first taking the proper safety precautions,  unbolt the RMS Hi-Vis yellow clearway  sign from it's RMS bracket.

 

 

Step Two                               bolt the RMS bracket that now has an extra hole, back onto the pole 

 

  

  Step three                                          make sure the RMS bracket is on the leval

 

 

  Step three                                                    put in the extra coach bolt


 

Step four           Refasten the Hi-Vis yellow RMS clearway sign back onto the RMS bracket, and the job's done. 

 

Before the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened, to prove that the bridge was strong enough,

most of Sydney's railway locomotives were rolled out onto the bridge, the bridge survived and

 

 

to prove that 2 two fixing points on a clearway sign bracket can hold up a little aluminion sign, I hung 28lbs of weights onto the sign, and it didn't move


 leval

 

                                                                                                                                              What more can I say?   

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


 

Anyone looking back on the nearly four years of pages on this site

can understand my angst.

I've said all along that this is an embarressment, and a waste of money 

Incompentece in Hi-Vis but would anyone listen?

 

Just ignore him, and he will give up and go away.

..................................................................................

 to be continued................


 

 

Appalling

September 27th, 2019
 

 

Appalling is a word that is used quite a lot.


What is appalling about this photo?

 
 
 
This poster on the side of buses in

Newcastle so "appalled" the NSW Roads

Minister Andrew Constance

that he had them removed.
 
 
 
 
 
This billboard was considered so appalling by some people that they bullied on social media, the o0H! company to have it removed. 
 
 
 
 This is what I find appalling




 The video doesn't show sadly, honourable members giving each other congratulatory hugs.




 This sign on the Princes Highway in Sylvania appalled someone because it disappeared  about one week after erection.


 

 
But this one stayed up on the same  pole for months

Fast response

August 5th, 2019
 

 

 


 

How can people be trusted to spend billions of dollars

on the big stuff, when they can't get a simple

sign to stay up straight?

 

                                                                                                                               

I have catalogued on this website,

four years of photos of less than  compentent work

(in my view)  carried out by RMS contractors.

........................................................................................................................................................



 The people at : Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture deserve a medal for prompt responding to enquires



I sent this email  to the address that Mr Terry McSweeney (Principal Manager Ministerial Correspondence) gave me, and I hope I get an answer other than the normal public servant ones I get.


  AT 11.45 pm Friday  2/08/019, I sent this email

 ..............................................................................

From: CU-0002 RMS
Sent: 3/8/2019 12:15 AM GMT+10:00
To: cases.4052061_1.8ec6621617@cases.na2.netsuite.com
Subject: clearway signs

Hi,

I have tried for the last four years to get a bit of common sense into the installation of clearway signs.

last month I used the "contact"  feedback of the latest NSW Road Minister, and I had a reply thus;

 

 

 

That reply from Mr. McSweeney, doesn't really help


I have catalogued on my website  www.schoolzonesanta.com four years of photos of less than  (in my view) competent work, carried out by RMS contractors.

Could you have a look at the website,  and is there merit in my concerns?

Regards 

Hans Stephens

 (contact details )

Stephens1510@0ptusnet.co.au

 

The photo below was taken less than three weeks after installation


 

 
.............................................................................................................................................. 
 I took the above photo when these two new clearway signs were put up only three weeks earlier, and that is explained in this post. 
 
 
.....................................................................................................................................

 At 12 16 am  Saturday  less than half an hour later, a reply came back

...........................................................................................................

 

From: Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture (NSWEnquiries@vbajv.com.au) <system@sent-via.netsuite.com>
Sent: Saturday, 3 August 2019 12:16 AM
To: stephens1510@optusnet.com.au
Subject: Case # CE_34895 Created: clearway signs

 


Thank you for your email.
 
We are working on your request and will get back to you within the next business day.
 
If your matter is urgent, you can ring us toll-free on 1800 677 700.
 
 
Kind regards
 
Community and Stakeholder Engagement team
Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture

PO Box 838, Rockdale NSW 2216
T: 1800 677 700 E: nswenquiries@vbajv.com.au

i

 .................................................................................................

 On the following Monday  9.35 am 05/08/019 this came back

 

From: Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture (NSWEnquiries@vbajv.com.au) <system@sent-via.netsuite.com>
Sent: Monday, 5 August 2019 9:35 AM
To: stephens1510@optusnet.com.au; cases.4052061_1.8ec6621617@cases.na2.netsuite.com
Subject: RE: clearway signs

 

Dear Hans,

Thank you for contacting Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture (VBA JV) regarding the installation of clearway signs. 

VBA JV carry out sign maintenance activities as per the standards set out by Road and Maritime Services. 

Unfortunately your website is blocked on our server, please send through any sign maintenance request directly to VBA JV. 

If you would like an update or more information, please reply to this email or call us on 1800 677 700.

Kind regards,

u Sam Bangma 
Community Engagement Officer
Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture | Sydney SMC
PO Box 838 | Rockdale | NSW 2216
T 1800 677 700   Enswenquiries@vbajv.com.au
 
Delivering safer roads for Sydney
We value your feedback. If you would like to comment on the service provided by Ventia Boral Amey Joint Venture, please clickhere
  ....................................................................................................................

An extract from Mr Terry McSweens letter


"For the safety of maintenance crews,


 new clearway signs are


attached to existing signs and


no longer drilled onto electricity poles.


 This is in accordance with


the Australian Standards.


I am advised there are no plans


to change the Standards at this time."



............................................

  What does that mean?   Toxic sawdust?

...............................................................................................................

About 12.10pm I rang the 1800 number Mr McSweeney gave me, and was told that they can help, if I say which clearway sign needs maintainence, and they will send out workers to maintain it 

 FIRST  BASE !!!

Back to where I started, 4 years ago.


to be continued......

Terry Terry Terry

July 30th, 2019
 
 

 

 I wrote to the new Roads Minister about the state of our clearway signs on June 25 
 
 Today I received this letter from an old friend Terry   
 
 I might appear a bit personal, but as this is the third reply from Mr. McSweeney,  he seems like an old friend.

 
Please click on this link to read Terry's letter----------         response from terry no 2 30 07 019 22.pdf

and it seems Terry does like feedback   " I note your concerns, and appreciate your ongoing interest in this matter"

 
"I am advised there are no plans to change the Standards at this time"  writes Terry .

I will take Terry's advice, and email those he says responsible for the up keep of road signs
 

 
 
                                                                                      
===================================================================================================
I have previously commented on the line that states that " clearway signs are fixed, in accordance with Australian Standards"
===================================================================
 

 

Scoll down the page Mr McSweeney, maybe there does need to be a look, at "Standards"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Why has it been so difficult

July 20th, 2019

 

 


This website has four years of photos, copies of letters to and from My local MP, letters to and from the Road Minister's office Copies of unanswered emails.

Details of calls I have made to the then roads minister Melinda Pavey's Electoral office, and the Premier's office, all to no avail.

But as  JONES & CO says "DON"T GIVE UP"

All I wanted to do was that the RMS changed the way clearway signs are installed, before the new HI-VIS YELLOW signs are rolled out throughout NSW 

The bracket that The D.M.R,  then the R.T.A,and now the R.M.S still use to hold up clearway signs, didn't,  and don't work NOW.

 ................................................................................................................................................................................

 

When I took the photo these signs that were put up less than three weeks before.

These were on King Georges Road Hurstville

 

 

 By an stretch of the imagination


can this be called erected


 "to Australian  Standards ??"

 

 I went into two shop in South Hurstville and asked when the new signs were put up.

They both said about two weeks ago.

One lady said I remember because someone came in and warned us about time changes.

......................................................................................................................................................

 

Say no more.

 

 

 

 
 12 June 2019

This morning I had to go to Balmain from home in Kirrawee

On the way there and back I took the following photos.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                The two added little bolts didn't help to keep up the sign in the next photo horizontal.
 
 
 
 
                      
 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
 
 
I took this photo of these old white clearway signs on Rockey Point rd San Souci a couple of weeks ago.
 
  

 

 

 

I've just rung the Daily Telegraph and spoke to a very patient team member, and with her, scrolled down this site.

 

She agreed with me that the new  Hi- Vis yellow, and the old white clearway signs look untidy, and two bolts in the bracket would make sense.

 

She agreed with me that if I hung myself from a clearway sign, I would get publicity.  

 

 

There is 28lb hanging from this RMS clearway sign that I had taken down, (wearing a HI-Vis Vest)

 

I then  drilled an extra hole in this RMS bracket and re-installed it with two coach bolts wearing the afore mentioned vest, and there was also a large orange cone in close proximity, (also for safety reasons.)

 

I was kidding (about the hanging myself line ) the call was recorded "for training purposes"and can be checked for contex.

 

The Telegraph lady said she would pass my  clearway sign concerns on.

 


 

 I await a call from a reporter ................ 

 

   ....................................................................................................................................................

 

This 3 year+ saga of mine ( 4 years now) to get a bit of sense in the installation of roadside clearway signs, has to be a news story.

 


 

Even just the fact that I interfere with RMS signs, (with photos) should be a story

 

 Here's me taking down a RMS clearway sign and reinstalled it using a bracket (prepared earlier) with two coach bolts

 

 

                                                                         and now the sign doesn't move with 28lb hanging of it

 

 

This sign was swinging in the breeze at Blakehurst  coming off the pole after the "NO STANDING ANYTIME"  was added. 

 

                                       The bottom coach bolt was finger tight, so I used longer bolts, and it will now stay put.

 

 

  1. Common sense

    Book by Thomas Paine

     

    Common sense is sound practical judgment concerning everyday matters, or a basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge that is shared by nearly all people. The first type of common sense, good sense, can be described as "the knack for seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done." The second type is sometimes described as folk wisdom, "signifying unreflective knowledge not reliant on specialized training or deliberative thought." The two types are intertwined, as the person who has common sense is in touch with common-sense ideas, which emerge from the lived experiences of those commonsensical enough to perceive ts nethem.

 

Forest Rd Bexly

July 17th, 2019
 

 

  

 

I  did a quote in Bexly and along Forest Rd these are some of the old white clearway signs I noticed
 

 
 

 

 

 

Did you spot the sign in the correct level position?


 

It had been re-adjusted with  an extra coach bolt AND washer,which  does the job in holding up the bracket. 

 

 

 

 On this example of RMS skill someone added an extra bracket supporting bolt,  but not only didn't correct the bracket creep but damaged the sign too.

                                                                                                    West Botony St Mascot

 

 

 

Flora St corner and Acacia by pass Kirrawee


I really do feel that there is a problem in the way clearway signs are installed.


 

To be continued..................................

Another day more bracket creep

July 8th, 2019
 Some more photos of RMS incompentance on display in HI-VIS , to add to this four year scrapbook.
 
 
 
Turning left onto Taren Point Road from The Kingsway this morning,
I noticed these near new* clearway signs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                 
 
                                          
 
 
  and further down Taren Point road over Parraweena rd, was this one 
 
                         .................................................................................
 
 

 
    and right across the street was another example of  bracket creep.
 
                                       ..................................................................................
 
 
      one more on the left side of Taren Pt Rd 
 
                                ..............................................................

 
                  and directly across the road was this one

                      ...........................................................................................................

When I say near new*, they would be less than two years old

 and  no doubt these clearway signs,

" are fixed in place in accordance with 

Australian Standards  " 

  as stated in the letter below.

 

 

 

Bracket creep

July 6th, 2019
 

  

Heading back from from Alfords Point to Hurstville on Friday 5 July I noticed these examples of work done by RMS contractors.


Just some more to add this 4 year catalogue of shoddy work.

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next one was slanting up, but firmly tightened. I think the rubbish truck loading arm caught it. I pulled it down to it's rightful  position.
 
 
........................................................
 King Georges road Blakehurst
 
 
 
 
 
 
The link above explains how much weight a clearway sign bracket can hold without bracket creep by using not one, but two coachbolts.

                                                                                                                             Before
 
                                                                                                                                                                   After                                

 
 
 
Without the second coach bolt the next sign looks like this. 
 

Roads Minister No 3

June 26th, 2019

     As I said in my previous post  I would email the new roads minister Mr Constance, and last night I did using his contact page.

 

"Dear Minister Constance,

 

for nearly four years now I have been trying to get change in the way the new Hi-Vis Yellow clearway way are installed.

 

My website www.schoolzonesanta.com   catalogues my effort in getting a bit of common sense into the situation."

...................................................................................................

 

I added these 5 photos ( I think these were the photos. I didn't  just have those, on the desktop)

 
I could've said so much more in my email, but hopefully the photos should be enough to get the email opener's interest, and click on this website.
 
 I hope that Minister Constance will be made aware of my clearway sign concerns.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 I could have (if needed) also used the following photos
 
 
 
 The two new Hi-Vis signs above, were installed less than 3 weeks before I took the photo.
( I have eye witness proof)
 
 
,
 
And there are many more photos of new clearway signs that are installed  "to Australian Standards" like this, on this website going back nearly four years.

to be continued.......................................
 

Say no more.

June 12th, 2019
 
 12 June 2019

This morning I had to go to Balmain from home in Kirrawee

On the way there and back I took the following photos.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                The two added little bolts didn't help to keep up the sign in the next photo horizontal.
 
 
 
 
                      
 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
 
 
 When I took it on myself earlier this year to drill an extra hole in the bracket, and added an extra coach bolt, the sign stayed put, even with the 28 extra lbs
hanging off the end of the sign.

 So two bolts work.

...........................................................................................................................................................................
  I was going to send this as a letter to the editor, but I rang a reporter at our local LEADER newspaper, and he didn't seem to have my enthusiasm, so I'll write to our new Roads Minister instead.

Dear sir,

I read with great interest your story about the delay in getting a damaged bus shelter replaced in Alfords Point . ("Residents angered by bus shelter loss" Leader May 29)

 Deputy Mayor Steve Simpson has been on the case for months to no avail.

Then the Council resolved to write to the relevant state government agency in the strongest terms, and secure a firm commitment the bus stop be returned to good service.?

Nothing Happened, so Cr Simpson (with support from other Councillors )  wrote to the Roads Minister, The Premier, and  the local MP demanding that the bus shelter be replaced.

All the weight of The Sutherland Council, the Local Liberal MP, a National Party Roads Minister, a Liberal party Premier and no one can find a new bus shelter.

Imagine how frustrated I have been after nearly four years of trying to get the RMS to put up clearway signs properly.

 I naively thought that an email to the then roads Minister Gay, alerting him to an obvious problem would see results.  The brackets used by the RMS to attach the clearway signs to power poles are the same ones used by the Department of Mains roads (DMR), and then the Road and traffic authority (RTA)

The bracket has one coach bolt fastening it to the post or pole, and two small bolts are used to attach the clearway sign.

If the one bolt into the pole isn't fastened tight enough the bracket droops, (a look, ok for fascinators at the Melbourne Cup), but not on signs lining our main roads.

    It's RMSincompetence on display, in Hi-Vis yellow.

But did  Mr Gay, MP Duncan Kerr,  The new Roads Minister Melinda Pavey, The premier, or their minions,  accept a common sense suggestion from an old carpet layer that the bracket needs two bolts?      Not on your nelly.

My website www.schoolzonesanta.com catalogues the saga over the last four years of me trying to get a bit of plain common sense in the clearway sign installation department .

 The photo shown below shows two signs, six months after being  Installed to  "Australian Standards."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 This morning Thurs 13

I drove along Rocky Point rd Sans Souci and the clearway sign are the old white, and these two caught my eye.

Over Captain Cook Bridge on Taren Point Road the Hi-Vis yellow signs replaced last year are heading south also.

 
What was that line.... "When will they ever learn.?"

 

The carnival is over

May 23rd, 2019
 
 
 

 

 

 

We have had two Elections and the goodies have won.

 That means we have a new Roads Minister in NSW 

 

Andrew Constance

 A man with great responsibilites

I wonder if my concerns about the installation of clearway signs will be of interest to him.

When you are head of a portfolio of billions being spent why would he care about a few crooked signs, which I was informed were installed to "Australian Standards"

Roads Minister Gay wasn't imformed, or thought it not important. when I raised the problem in July 2015

My first email to the then roads minister Gay on 4/3/2016

   http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/where-too-now

 

                                                     

                                                                                                                         Road Minister Gay 2015

                                                         

                           These two signs (above) were like this six months after instalation on his watch.
 
 
                                                                                                     Then Minister Gay retired and Ms Melinda Pavey took over as Roads Minister
 
 
                                                                                                                                                        Ms Melinda Pavey
 
 
 
I was going to write again and go on about the last three years of not getting meaning -full change but no, below is a previous page that should explain everything: 
 
                                                                                                    http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/is-it-finished
 
                                                                                                    http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/do-it-yourself
 
 
 

                                                                                                                       Here are a few photos I took today 23 May 2019

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                   and a couple from the past
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                    http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/do-it-yourself
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Give me a ring Chris

March 11th, 2019
 
 
 

 



If there is anything on this site over the last three years that doesn't make sense, give me a ring Chris.

There is a lot of repeated stuff because, I thought as it was such a common sense matter, one email would get action.

The sign bracket needs TWO bolts.

PS

The poles and wires were sold, and now I notice that numerous clearway signs are now on steel posts alongside the overseas owned power pole, that they had been mounted on before.



 

                                                                                                                                 Has orign put the rent up?

 

Beware the Ides of March

March 9th, 2019
 
 

 

    Below is a post I put up when I thought direct action was necesscary.  

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/do-it-yourself

My wife was pleading with me at the time,to give up, "you can't win she said"

 

Alan Jones years ago was speaking about an

upcoming election and, I rang him. 

"I don't care who gets in" I said.

"Oh you must care " he said
.
" No I don't care, I replied,

as long as they don't waste the money"


Sending men to repeatedly "re-adjusting" signs as (they called it,) is wasting the money.

 

 

Not your local paper

March 8th, 2019

 

  

 

Elbow St.

That name seems familiar. 

 That's the street where the NSW road minister has her electoral office.

What would an entrepid newspaper reporter do after he saw a website that catalogues three years of a citizen trying to get a bit of common sense in the installation of clearway signs?

Well if he was too busy himseif (because he's filling in for the boss)  he would  (because he is the fill in boss) order  another reporter  to wander up Elbow street, pop into the Nats Electoral office, and ask if anone there has seen my website?

 Because there is an Election in the offing, Minister Pavey may even be in attendence

                                

 .....................................................................................................................................

 

  

   This is an email I sent (as you can see) at 12.35am this morning.    

 ............................................................................................................................................................

From: Hans Stephens <stephens1510@optusnet.com.au>
Sent: Friday, 8 March 2019 12:35 AM
To: 'christian.knight@fairfaxmedia.com.au' <christian.knight@fairfaxmedia.com.au>
Subject: Local paper

 

Dear Editor,

 

When I rang the Daily Telegraph the editorial team member said my story would be better for a local paper.

 

I have tried for over three years to get two bolts put into clearway signs  but there s no meaningful  change.

 

What do you think, Is it a story?

Regards

 

Hans Stephens

 

(adress details)

 

                                                                      

 ...........................................................................................................................................................................

          and this was the very prompt reply,at 8.38am this morning

..........................................................................................................................

 

From: Ute Schulenberg <ute.schulenberg@fairfaxmedia.com.au>
Sent: Friday, 8 March 2019 8:38 AM
To: Hans Stephens <stephens1510@optusnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: Local paper

We are on the Mid North Coast - not your local paper

 Sorry!

 ................................................................................

On Fri, 8 Mar 2019 at 00:35, Hans Stephens <stephens1510@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

Dear Editor,

When I rang the Daily Telegraph the editorial team member said my story would be better for a  local paper.

I have tried for over three years to get two bolts put into clearway signs  but there's no meaningful  change.

 

What do you think, Is it a story?

 

Regards

 

Hans Stephens

(address deatails)

...............................................................................................................................................

 Well at least Mr Schulenburg said sorry,

But before he so quickly replied, did he run my email past the editor, the person I sent it to

 

I see in a second email that the editor

is on leave, but maybe in this modern

world, he can be contacted on a mobil.


When I posted (with a stamp) a letter to the Road Minister Ms Pavey.

The staff member in her Kempsey office told me she'd read it, and sent it to head office in Sydney

After very little help from my local member MP Duncan Kerr, I asked him to walk up the hall in Macquarie st and ask  personaly (Ms Pavey) to look at my website.

My emails to and from my local MP (who I voted for) 

 

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/frustration 

   

Why is it all so difficult?

Stop press

March 5th, 2019

  Sorry  lots of photos have disappeared from  older pages on this site. 

One day I'll go back and put them back up.

............................................................................................................

 

I've just rung the Daily Telegraph and spoke to a very patient team member, and with her, scrolled down this site.

She agreed with me that the new  Hi- Vis yellow, and the old white clearway signs look untidy, and two bolts in the bracket would make sense.

She agreed with me that if I hung myself from a clearway sign I would get publicity.  

There is 28lb hanging from this RMS clearway sign that I had taken down, (wearing a HI-Vis Vest)

I then  drilled an extra hole in this RMS bracket and re-installed it with two coach bolts wearing the afore mentioned vest, and there was also a large orange cone in close proximity, (also for safety reasons.)

I was kidding (about the hanging myself line ) the call was recorded "for training purposes"and can be checked for contex.

The Telegraph lady said she would pass my  clearway sign concerns on.


 I await a call from a reporter ................ 

   ....................................................................................................................................................

This 3 year+ saga of mine to get a bit of sense in the installation of roadside clearway signs, has to be a news story.


Even just the fact that I interfer with RMS signs, (with photos) should be a story


Ms Pavey's Kempsey office staff  know 

The RMS  know, but obviously they all think I'll go away.    

 

  1. Common sense

    Book by Thomas Paine
    Common sense is sound practical judgment concerning everyday matters, or a basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge that is shared by nearly all people. The first type of common sense, good sense, can be described as "the knack for seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done." The second type is sometimes described as folk wisdom, "signifying unreflective knowledge not reliant on specialized training or deliberative thought." The two types are intertwined, as the person who has common sense is in touch with common-sense ideas, which emerge from the lived experiences of those commonsensical enough to perceive ts nethem.

where to now

February 28th, 2019

 

 



CLEARWAY SIGNS

 For many many years I've noticed the untidy state of the clearway signs lining our major roads


Here a just five of many examples. 


     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
         
 
 
 

 

 

 On the way to the airport this morning  (Thurs 28 Feb 2019) this one was swinging in the breeze In Carrs Park 

.............................................................................................................................................................

 

Mid 2016 I noticed from Blakehurst to Sutherland  the white clearway signs on the Princes Highway had been replaced by bright Hi-Vis yellow ones

 I wrote into The Local Leader newspaper

I next mentioned the Hi-Vis clearway signs in this post

 

http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/rms-perfection

 

"Numerous  signs are now at jaunty angles,

a good look for Melbourne Cup facinators,

but not for newly erected road signs.

The signs are fixed to a bracket with two bolts

but the bracket is fixed to the power pole with only one bolt.

So the sign can, if not tightened enough,  pivot

to unprofessional angles as pictured ."

 

 And then the rot set in, the clearway sign bracket creep started

 

From Sutherland to St Ives, newly erected Hi-Vis yellow clearway signs  adopted the old white sign droop.


 

 

 

 

 

The last two were on the Princes Highway Gymea 

 

 So I emailed the then Road Minister Mr. Duncan Gay, with attached photos

I thought that my email to the Roads Boss explaining  my concern of  this obvious problem,  he would get it fixed pronto. 

 

How wrong was I ?

  ...............................................................................................................................................................................

From: Hans Stephens [mailto:stephens1510@optusnet.com.au]
Sent: Friday, March 4, 2016 11:28 AM
To: 'office@gay.minister.nsw.gov.au' <office@gay.minister.nsw.gov.au>
Subject: RMS installation incompetence 

 

Dear Minister Gay,

 

I recently  saw you on TV and you mentioned the new clearway times and the new signage between Blakehurst and Sutherland. The new clearway times have made a difference to traffic flow, but why are the signs in  Hi Vis  yellow, and why the need to attach them above existing no standing or no stopping signs?

 

 No stopping or no standing, means no stopping or no standing anytime.

These bright yellow clearway signs I'm afraid  are an eyesore, and to make matters worse the majority are now adopting jaunty angles. The signs are attached to a bracket with 2 bolts but the bracket is fastened to the power pole or its own metal pole with one bolt, so if the sign isn't tightened  correctly, it can  pivot on the single bolt as can be seen in my photos.

 

There are  old white clearway  I've seen, also at angles,  and also  fastened  with one bolt. A rethink in the fastening dept could be warranted. 

 

What is wrong with a Tech screw, top and bottom of the sign, fastened using an  18 volt impact screw driver.

 

 In the big scheme of things this is small potatoes,   but 5 klms of  these gaudy bright yellow (near new) clearway signs at crazy angles advertise,  in Hi Vis, RMS incompetence. 

 

Please could you get someone from the relevant department  to have a look and get the job done right.

 

Regards

 

Hans Stephens

 

(and my adress and contact details)

 

..............................................................................

 

 I went from Mr Gay to the new Road Minister Ms Pavey Sydney Office, to her Electoral office in Kempsey, to the Premier's office, and my local MP Mr. Duncan Kerr, using emails, and phone calls,  even a snail mail letter (thinking it was more personal) to Minister Pavey.   

 

I sent this letter to Road Minister Pavey (a letter whith a postage stamp)

 

 

 

    Melinda  Pavey  Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight

 

 

 

---------------------------------------------------------    

 

Dear Minister Pavey,

 

I'm very sorry to bother you as this letter should not have been necessary, but as other options don't seem to have made a satisfactory  difference, I'll try again.

 

 The RMS is renewing the old white clearway signs on major roads with new HI- Vis yellow ones, but the old brackets used to hold up the white ones didn't work, and they don't work on the new ones either.

 

My website  www.schoolzonesanta.com has many photos showing examples and explaining the problem.

 

Something has to be done before the new yellow signs are rolled out across NSW

 

 Please spend a couple of minutes to have a look at my site, or if too busy, delegate someone with a bit of common sense,* and who can get something done to fix this very simple problem.

 


 These are two examples of the old white clearway signs on Roberts Road Greenacre

 


 


 


 

 And the two above, are less than a year old, and were on display advertising RMS incompetence in  Hi-Vis yellow, on the Princes Highway Gymea.

 

 Many more examples on www.schoolzonesanta.com

 

 Thank you for your time.

 

 Yours faithfully,

 

  Hans Stephens

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

*this highlight colour wasn't in the original letterl

 


What next?

February 19th, 2019

 A few weeks aco I saw this sad bit of work and wrote on   http://www.schoolzonesanta.com/index.php/superflous  

 

 I fixed it properly myself

 

 

 

 

  Lo and behold a couple of mornings ago in the same area on King Georges road  this was on show.

 
 
The bracket that held up the new hi-vis yellow sign had  ONE  old rusty coach bolt, which had broken as the photo shows
 
 

 

 

  And here is another Hi-Vis which hasn't stood the test of time

 
 
 
 
Here is a double sign on the Princes Highway Carrs Park, using the same old bracket that doesn't work

 I'll give the clearway director  Ms Hillary Johnson a call tomorrow.

 

............................................................................................................................................................ 

 I did ring Ms. Johnsone's mobile phone two days later.

 I left a short message.

I rang again straight away to add more to my message,and  a lady answered (not Ms Johnson). 

I asked her to text or email the clearway director's email adress.