Time for more common sense on roads
GOOD on the residents of Clarence Lifestyle Village for raising the issue of the speed limit and lighting on the East Derwent Highway.
As a daily commuter on this highway, I’ve always been bewildered why this short section of highway needs to have a 100km/h limit.
Given the current roadworks should be completed by the end of this year, wouldn’t it be an opportune time to seriously consider reducing the limit to 80km/h? The village has expanded over recent years and obviously this hasn’t been taken into consideration to address safety issues.
Surely drivers aren’t in such a rush that a reduction of 20km/h is going to be a life-changer for them, but it would be for others if a fatal accident occurred at the village intersection.
My observations are that drivers speed up the highway and then have to use their brakes all the way down the hill to accommodate the reduction to the 70km/h section.
A little common sense should prevail and drivers be more patient. Helen Burden
Glenorchy
ONE RULE FOR SOME
I WOULD like to add to the article in Wednesday’s Mercury (concerning the East Derwent Highway speed limit).
State Growth are reported as saying: “We consulted with the community in 2018 to gauge community acceptance for a speed reduction. Neither the engineering assessment nor community feedback supported a reduction in the speed limit.”
I am a resident of the Clarence Lifestyle Village and am aware of the amount of representations by residents made at the review in 2018, including meetings on site with all the relevant authorities. I am at a loss to learn that community feedback did not support a
reduction in the speed limit. One can only assume that the opinions of the residents of Piper Road were not taken into consideration and the opinions of other road users prevailed.
Since that time, a new subdivision has been developed, with traffic using the intersection almost double.
The current situation is aggravated by the current roadworks at Geilston Bay, which at time causes traffic delays.
The intersection is also unlit other than one sole light provided by Clarence Lifestyle Village.
Among other suggestions I included in my submission to State Growth in 2018 was that they should include a merging lane for vehicles departing Piper Road towards the Risdon roundabout where all vehicles are compelled to go. This would be an easy fix.
While our number one objective is to get the current speed limit reduced to 80km/h, I believe that it is time for State Growth to revisit this problem
and make application to the Commissioner for Transport if necessary.
It does seem to be one rule for some road users, one for others; eg, the Southern Outlet from Davey Street to the Mt Nelson turn-off and vice versa is 80km/h when there are dual carriageways in both directions.
PROMOTE SAFETY
Rod Shadbolt Geilston Bay
I WRITE in response to “Tighten the reins’’ (Letters, Mercury, July 25) in which Mr Hunt makes a valid point that motor vehicle advertising often glorifies speed and reckless driving.
Research has shown that exposure to risk-glorifying media, including displaying speeding in television advertising and video gaming, has a causal link to behaviour and promotes acceptance of dangerous driving behaviour.
Advertising standards and practice regarding public health issues have come a long way. Take, for example, the strong, and quite rightly too, stance on tobacco advertising.
Ad Standards’ voluntary code relating to motor vehicle advertising states in Section Two (a) that advertisers must ensure ads do not portray unsafe and reckless driving, driving at speeds in excess of speed limits, and driving actions that would breach any Commonwealth law.
But how many times have you seen a car advertisement glorify dangerous driving?
In fact, a before-and-after analysis of motor vehicle advertisements following the introduction of the voluntary code found that there had been no change in the frequency of themes relating to speeds, power and acceleration.
It’s clear there is room for improvement when it comes to motor vehicle advertising.
While I appreciate the need for prospective buyers to consider power and performance for various reasons, including towing, I would much rather see car manufacturers include and promote the safety features of their vehicles as well.
Scott Tilyard Chair, Road Safety Advisory Council
NEEDS ARE BEING IGNORED
LIVING in the Clarence Lifestyle Village as I do, it is distressing to think our needs are being ignored.
As we drive back through the roundabout and towards the right-hand side of the road, it is impossible to see the turn-off to our village.
This is dangerous!
This whole area needs consideration.
A second death here is the last thing we want to see.
It should be prevented.
Kath Grace Geilston Bay