School zone speeders include — wait for it — a school bus driver

[GotRice?]

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...ool-bus-driver

Traffic investigators targeting speeders as Calgary students went back to class gave one school bus driver a failing grade — and a ticket.

Staff Sgt. Paul Stacey said police handed out 1,400 tickets during a three-day blitz of school and playground zones, including a citation to a driver caught speeding after dropping off a load of students.

“I’m kind of disappointed in it, to be honest,” Stacey said of the tally.

The 1,400 violations reflect only tickets handed out by officers in the traffic section. The total number of tickets handed out across the city is likely higher, Stacey added.

With children either excited, anxious or nervous about heading back to school, the onus is firmly on adults behind the wheel to slow down and pay closer attention, said Stacey.

“We all know we can’t count on the kids not to lose their minds. It should be up to the motorists,” he said.

Until recently, the 30 km/h speed limit for school zones was in force only on school days, but the city recently moved to convert the 180 school zones across the city to playground zones. Like playground zones, lower speed limits in school zones are now in effect year-round, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

Stacey said the transition had no bearing on the number of violations handed out by police, because the ones caught speeding near schools this week would have been violating the old rules as well.

“It happens every year,” he said.

A speeder nabbed on Friday was clocked going 72 km/h, which carries a $380 penalty. Another motorist also got a ticket for distracted driving, thanks to the lame excuse she offered when an officer pulled her over.

“She said, ‘I was on my cellphone and I didn’t see the school,'” Stacey said.

I wonder how many of them were past 6pm

[Tik-Tok]

With children either excited, anxious or nervous about heading back to school, the onus is firmly on adults behind the wheel to slow down and pay closer attention, said Stacey.

In 20 years of driving, I've never once had a kid run out in front of me in a school zone. Several adults, but never a child

Why? Because kids actually pay attention more than their parents.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

^ Yup, I live near 2 schools. The kids will be excited to go to the crosswalk and stick their arms out.

The parents j-walk and drag the kids across the street to their illegally parked car.

[Maxt]

I'd like to see a crackdown by the Province to remove many of the useless school and playground zones put in by municipalities that don't meet the Province's own guidelines. The zones that are plunked in as fishing holes or that are hindering traffic flow by protecting non existent children.

[revelations]

Originally posted by Maxt
I'd like to see a crackdown by the Province to remove many of the useless school and playground zones put in by municipalities that don't meet the Province's own guidelines. The zones that are plunked in as fishing holes or that are hindering traffic flow by protecting non existent children.

Curious - guidelines?

[FraserB]

Also remember, mounted cyclists are not pedestrians. you can't get a failure to yield ticket if the "offense" involves one.

[Maxt]

Originally posted by revelations


Curious - guidelines?

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca...n/schlpgnd.pdf

[ExtraSlow]

Saw something I haven't noticed before. On centre street, around 22 avenue N, school bus unloading kids with the flashing Red lights. I don't think that was a school bus stop last year. Of course, about five cars ahead of me just went zipping past it, red lights and flip-out stop sign and all.
I stopped, didn't take that much time out of my day.

Still, odd placement for a stop.

[Sophal]

The stop sign and flashing red lights are only for rural roads. The driver must be new.

[ExtraSlow]

Is that right? Must be why I haven't seen it in town before.

[Wakalimasu]

yah its only for rural roads, illegal to use in the city, even when i went for my class 2, they won't let you use it, only to simulate using it

[rage2]

Originally posted by Maxt
http://www.transportation.alberta.ca...n/schlpgnd.pdf

Guidelines are useless now, the province gave municipalities the power to set their own school and playground zones, which is what the fuck happened to this dumb ass city where you need to playground zone an entire fucking junior high school.

[Seth1968]

Another motorist also got a ticket for distracted driving, thanks to the lame excuse she offered when an officer pulled her over.

“She said, ‘I was on my cellphone and I didn’t see the school,'”

Originally posted by rage2

Guidelines are useless now, the province gave municipalities the power to set their own school and playground zones, which is what the fuck happened to this dumb ass city where you need to playground zone an entire fucking junior high school.

Tsk Tsk. It's all about safety

[Maxt]

Originally posted by rage2

Guidelines are useless now, the province gave municipalities the power to set their own school and playground zones, which is what the fuck happened to this dumb ass city where you need to playground zone an entire fucking junior high school.

Yup, basically Municipalities can now implement anything they want when one person goes to council with a "citizen concern"... and the Councils largely underworked, fall all over themselves in implementing safety initiatives that make little to no sense..
Its funny though, in a recent conversation I had with one municipality, they refuse to abide by the guidelines and proudly state their ability to ignore it in regard to a schoolzone that shouldn't be there, but then hide behind another Alberta Transportation guideline, in their refusal to fix another instersection that has killed more than 3 people in the last couple of years.

[CanmoreOrLess]

The police were out yesterday afternoon on Elbow Drive SW, shooting fish in a barrel. There had to be ten vehicles pulled over, all waiting for a love letter. Shout out to the white RAM truck driving like a nutter, how'd that work out for you?

Having been nailed there last year doing 42k in a 30k zone, I drive 30k all the way like Mr. Magoo. I hate how the city has the speed limit jumping from 30 to 40 and back to 30 on Elbow Drive SW. Fuck it, I just drive 30 the whole way as the signage is idiotic and purposely erratic for city revenue.

[Nitro5]

If this is our biggest issue in life we're doing pretty good

[speedog]

Originally posted by Maxt

Yup, basically Municipalities can now implement anything they want when one person goes to council with a "citizen concern"... and the Councils largely underworked, fall all over themselves in implementing safety initiatives that make little to no sense.

I wish it were that easy, our community fought for a lit crosswalk into the north end of Queen's Park Cemetery for years and finally just got a couple of corner bulbs - I would argue that Councils do not fall all over themselves in implementing safety initiatives including ones that make sense.

[FraserB]

Lit crosswalks don't generate revenue though. Apply for a speed camera and they'll trip over themselves putting it in and dropping the speed limit

[speedog]

Originally posted by FraserB
Lit crosswalks don't generate revenue though. Apply for a speed camera and they'll trip over themselves putting it in and dropping the speed limit

There was no mention of said safety initiatives having to generate revenue and a lit crosswalk, when activated, does change the rules in it's vicinity which could be used as a revenue generator.

That said, I truly believe that we've got way too many playground zones in this city but I don't think we'll ever see any of them go away - probably a good thing in some aspects if people can't see the school because they're on their cellphone.

[CompletelyNumb]

Next time ask for a pride crosswalk with overhead lighting? \

At least you got something I guess.