City of Calgary converting all school zones into playground zones

[Slava]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Not too concerned about the extra 30 seconds added to my day, but this is just a cash grab. zones in effect at 8:45 in January? Lol. Okay, sure. Think of the children... whatever

If this is actually an issue the only way to curb it is DIRECT enforcement. NOT photo radar. Yet I wonder what we'll see, the solution that actually works, or the one that's just to make money.

You know what else is a cash grab though? The speed traps in September when school is back in and people have been driving through at 50 for the past two months.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Not too concerned about the extra 30 seconds added to my day, but this is just a cash grab. zones in effect at 8:45 in January? Lol. Okay, sure. Think of the children... whatever

If this is actually an issue the only way to curb it is DIRECT enforcement. NOT photo radar. Yet I wonder what we'll see, the solution that actually works, or the one that's just to make money.

You want officers posted at every playground zone, daily? Is that really the best use of city resources?

[bomber317]

Lots of posts about cash grabs, but I've only seen 1 cop in a playground/school zone in the past year.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Slava

I know that you're ranting and its probably for effect at this point, but the park in our community is super busy, more so in the summer. I see people sped through there as it is with it being a playground zone, but the effects of not having that zone would likely be disastrous in my opinion.

Honestly, that's fine. I can get behind the idea of a playground zone when it's needed. My unchecked hatred for them comes from the other 90% that are completely unnecessary. I can list of 4 or 5 playground zones off the top of my head that I drive by on a semi-regular basis that you can't even see the park from the road.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Slava

You know what else is a cash grab though? The speed traps in September when school is back in and people have been driving through at 50 for the past two months.

Sure thing.

I said the same thing when they extended the zone hours. Despite how much safer vehicles have become for pedestrian collisions, despite the zero speed related pedestrian fatalities in playground or school zones in the last decade, here comes tightened guidelines in the guise of safety. It has nothing to do with actual safety, it's 100% about making people feel better and good about themselves.

Have you ever tried to speed through a school zone during pick up or drop off times? You'd be lucky to be able to go 20km/h. The biggest danger in school zones is parents who drop their kids off and immediately start texting, or making a call, or doing any number of multi-tasking while behind the wheel, often rushed to get on with their day. Some of the scariest driving I've ever seen has been in school zones but none of it was related to speed.

$700,000 was spent changing the signs to reflect the new times, and here we are again with similar BS.

But it's okay, again, in the name of safety, we'll park photo radar to send you an invoice two weeks after you went 37km/h through a zone at 8:45. Because enforcement after the fact has always worked

Christ, change the limit to 15 for all I care, it's barely any time out of my day, but at least be honest about the reasoning. It's about politics, votes, and making people feel good about themselves pretending they did some good. Safety is just an excuse

[getbak]

This is the dumbest idea I've ever heard, replacing the previous dumbest idea I've ever heard when they changed all the timings of the zones last year.

We need fewer school/playground zones in this city, not more. Adding more of them doesn't make them safer, it just makes them easier to ignore, especially when there are no kids anywhere near them 90% of the time you drive through one.

The Alberta government's guidelines for school and playground zones even says that they should only be installed as a last resort where other safer options are not available.


It's like people who live near train tracks or under flight paths. Someone new moves into the neighbourhood and complains about the noise and their neighbour, who has lived there for years, says they don't even notice it.

If, everytime you drive through a playground zone, you see no children playing, very soon driving through playground zones just becomes background noise like the train tracks to the people who live near them.

Instead of looking out for kids who might run in front of your car, which is what you should be doing in a playground zone, you spend the time checking your speedometer and grumbling about the lack of any children in the "playground", or in many case, wondering where the hell this supposed playground even is.

Look at this and tell me that this "playground" zone is protecting anyone: https://goo.gl/maps/60NHW

Good luck even finding the playground in question.

[polak]

Originally Posted by getbak

The Alberta government's guidelines for school and playground zones even says that they should only be installed as a last resort where other safer options are not available.

Edmonton listens to this.

Calgary does not.

This is one situation where Calgary is no good.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by polak

Edmonton listens to this.

Calgary does not.

This is one situation where Calgary is no good.

Calgary city council and Mayor Nenshi are both no good. Almost as no good as the Oilers.

[btimbit]

Basically, it's a brilliant solution to a problem that never even existed.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Calgary city council and Mayor Nenshi are both no good. Almost as no good as the Oilers.

You forgot the NDP and Notley.

[lambeburger]

Originally Posted by getbak

Look at this and tell me that this "playground" zone is protecting anyone: https://goo.gl/maps/60NHW

Good luck even finding the playground in question.

Found it! You only have to turn right and drive two blocks! What a joke.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Calgary city council and Mayor Nenshi are both no good. Almost as no good as the Oilers.

To be honest, part of my wants Nenshi to read CP and throw this out as a big troll on Polak

[polak]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

To be honest, part of my wants Nenshi to read CP and throw this out as a big troll on Polak

Nenshi, if you're reading this please note that I voted for you and am an MRU Alum. Please stop the madness.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by getbak

Look at this and tell me that this "playground" zone is protecting anyone: https://goo.gl/maps/60NHW

Good luck even finding the playground in question.

Sorry, this is definitely the best Playground Zone in Calgary.

https://goo.gl/maps/KhyBZ

Barely more than 10 m long, doesn't even include the path crossing the road.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by btimbit

If this is actually an issue the only way to curb it is DIRECT enforcement. NOT photo radar. Yet I wonder what we'll see, the solution that actually works, or the one that's just to make money.

First off, you are suggesting that fines from photo radar aren't a deterrent? They sure seem to piss off the people who get them. How isn't that enforcement? Maybe those drivers are just dumb and keep doing the thing they get fined for over and over again.

Second, playground zone enforcement is almost always with officers pulling people over. I've lived in my neighbourhood for five years, just around the corner from a school and very active playground, and noticed there was never any speed enforcement. So I emailed the police to complain. I got a phone call from a nice officer who asked when I noticed people speeding, how often, etc. She sent out a car to pull people over and ticket them for a week or so, then called me back to explain the results. I was quite impressed.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Sorry, this is definitely the best Playground Zone in Calgary.

https://goo.gl/maps/KhyBZ

Barely more than 10 m long, doesn't even include the path crossing the road.

This is my aforementioned "4 layers of defense" playground zone:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.93569...!6m1!1e1?hl=en

Behind the school that's already a decent distance to the road, that takes stairs to get up to, that also has a fence surrounding it. The best part is that it spans from the beginning of that massive empty field, to the end. The other side has a parking lot between the school and the fence too. #### you world.

School zone I understand. Playground zone? Not a chance.

[Regular_John]

You're all wrong.

The best playground zone by far is along Elbow drive beginning at 34th Ave SW, it goes for 5 blocks to 29th Ave SW, and has a traffic light in the middle.

That's right, you cruise along at 30/kmh, stop at a red light and wait for traffic turning onto Elbow, then when the light turns green you're still in the playground zone.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Sorry, this is definitely the best Playground Zone in Calgary.

https://goo.gl/maps/KhyBZ

Barely more than 10 m long, doesn't even include the path crossing the road.

Yet it includes the park that is in the field. But I agree the playground should be extended to include the pathway, good catch. I will credit you in my email to city hall.

Originally Posted by getbak

Look at this and tell me that this "playground" zone is protecting anyone: https://goo.gl/maps/60NHW

Good luck even finding the playground in question.

Yeah I got nothing. But because there is 1 or 2 or 3 "bad playground zones doesn't mean there are not "good" playground zones.

Originally Posted by polak

This is my aforementioned "4 layers of defense" playground zone:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.93569...!6m1!1e1?hl=en

Behind the school that's already a decent distance to the road, that takes stairs to get up to, that also has a fence surrounding it. The best part is that it spans from the beginning of that massive empty field, to the end. The other side has a parking lot between the school and the fence too. #### you world.

School zone I understand. Playground zone? Not a chance.

Errm, the fence ends just 10 ft to to the north, where the is a soccer field, baseball diamond. The fence I suspect if a result of idiots dropping their kids of at school.

[polak]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

You're all wrong.

The best playground zone by far is along Elbow drive beginning at 34th Ave SW, it goes for 5 blocks to 29th Ave SW, and has a traffic light in the middle.

That's right, you cruise along at 30/kmh, stop at a red light and wait for traffic turning onto Elbow, then when the light turns green you're still in the playground zone.

Well that's the obvious one.

It's proximity to Wurst is also annoying cause anything that impedes my arrival to the duck frites and beer paradise is an affront to society.

[polak]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Errm, the fence ends just 10 ft to to the north, where the is a soccer field, baseball diamond. The fence I suspect if a result of idiots dropping their kids of at school.

Looks like the playground zone starts/ends right where the baseball field is (I remember it going much further but I guess I was wrong)