The full text of the Letter to the Editor, is below.
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I refer to the front page article about the lack of road safety in Armadale, in the Armadale Examiner issue dated 12 July 2012.
The contempt for road safety is systemic in WA. It involves the local governments, the state government, the police and the courts.
In Armadale, I have previously commented about the policy of the city council, to grow road trees so as to create road hazards If the council eliminated trees in the middle of the road, and, maintained the road trees on the sides of the road, it would reduce the dangers caused by the council. The "traffic calming devices" implemented by the council, are at best, a waste of time, and, at worst, simply dangerous. The roundabount on Townley street, slows traffic to about 100km/hr, about 50km/hr over the speed limit. The buses, which are far too big, and, are unjustifiably big for the area, simply drive on the footpath, forcing pedestrians to get off the footpath, to get out of their way. The things in the road on Eighth Road, are simply dangerous.
And, it is about time that city councillors started to get prosecuted when city council trees are road hazards, including hiding traffic signs (and, street signs).
The social club for civilians, where they can meet between morning tea and afternoon tea, named the "Armadale police station", where police officers are seldom seen, is simply a waste of public money. A recent visit there, to report a problem, was a waste of time. The response from the civilian behind the counter - "The police are probably aware of the problem, and I am not interested in taking a report of unlicensed drivers of unlicensed vehicles with no number plates, driving recklessly on the roads and causing wilful damage to parks and reserves ".
And the attitude of the police is amazing. Having been involved in a serious collision at an intersection, the police did not bother to investigate the collision, possibly because the other driver was possibly a friend of the police officer or someone else at the station, who made the charge. The attitude of the police and the courts, was "Who cares what speed the other driver was doing, going around the bend, when he hit you because he could not be seen? Who cares whether he could have been seen, due to his speed? You are the easy target, so you are guilty!" So, the speed of the other driver, was never investigated.
The police would rather harass people, than investigate car crashes.
And, the serious injuries that I got, were never treated. "The ICWA does not pay medical expenses, apart from not paying compensation for injuries".
And, the car manufacturers are allowed to freely advertise their cars as being solely good for street racing and of no other use, and the only car manufacturer that does not promote its vehicles that way, is one that failed ANCAP rating tests, and, should probably not be allowed to be sold in Australia, anyway.
But, because of the systemic contempt for road safety, ANCAP ratings are not required to be included in advertisements for motor vehicles for sale, and, WA has no mandatory roadworthiness testing, so, even if a vehicle is licensed (and, many vehicles driven around Armadale, are clearly not), chances are, it is not roadworthy.
And, the freeways should have speed cameras on the underside of the overpasses, to catch and prosecute excessive speeders, especially the ones driving at about 120km/hr through the 60 and 80km/hr roadwork zones. Police along there, are a rarity.
And, all sets of traffic lights, should have red light cameras for each direction.
What price life?
And, who else, really cares?
But, then, when we start talking about introducing road safety, loud voices cry out "Nanny state!".
They would rather see their family members and girlfriends/boyfriends, maimed or killed.