The sad thing is that my total is worse than the past two years.  It’s currently sitting at $145.

There is still time to donate, so go on and donate.  I will update this post with the final tally once all of the last donations filter through.  Thank you all for your support.

Day 30

And once again, much to the chagrin of my girlfriend, I am participating.  I know my previous efforts haven’t been all too exciting (see my efforts in 2008 and 2009), but that’s not really the point is it?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for gender equality and any health issues are worthy of attention, especially ones which affect so many people, but I’m sort of sick of seeing pink ribbon this and breast cancer that.  Yet I reckon that if you think about health issues that affect men, such as prostate cancer, you couldn’t think of any other day/month/event or even something in the media that highlights it (and I don’t mean “those” ads for those “doctors” either).  Go on, do it now.

See what I mean?  Let’s look at some stats.  Each year in Australia around 3,300 men die from prostate cancer.  According to the National Breast Cancer foundation, around 2,800 women will die from breast cancer each year.  So MORE men die from prostate cancer, yet it doesn’t have the same coverage?  I know a prostate isn’t as attractive as a breast, but cancer is cancer and if men and women are dying, I think the profile of prostate cancer needs to be raised higher.

Then there’s depression.  It’s a major illness affecting around 1 million Australians and on average 1 in 6 people (and 1 in 8 men) will experience depression during their lifetime.  You have to agree that this needs more attention because left untreated it will get worse and can have serious consequences.

What can you do to help?  Well, you can make a donation to Movember and support my efforts.  The Movember foundation works with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue: the national depression initiative.  Last year $18.3 million was donated both the Prostate Cancer Foundation and beyondblue ($9.15 million each).  That’s quite a substantial sum and will help both of those organisations to further their own good work.

My donation link is https://www.movember.com/au/donate/your-details/member_id/2901/ so go on, click on it and donate.  A receipt is issued and any donation over $2 is tax deductible.  After you do that, come back and check out my progress shots.  They’ll be worth a laugh!

A response was received on 31st May…

The proximity of the camera site to the Johnston Road exit was considered when looking at the location for the first camera. In Queensland, there is a requirement to meet strict site selection guidelines in relation to the location of our camera sites. Some of the key considerations in relation to the placement of fixed speed cameras are a demonstrated history of speed related crashes, and a location where the use of other enforcement methods is difficult or unsafe. While the camera is located close to the Johnston Road exit, as drivers are required to slow down to 60 km/h for the off ramp it is unlikely they will gain a time advantage through this behaviour. When the point-to-point camera system becomes operational driver behaviour will be monitored.

Even beside the fact the relative ease of avoiding detection (the driver I witnessed didn’t slow down to 60km/h as was “required”), in my opinion it wouldn’t matter whether the camera was placed a few hundred metres either side of the interchange in order to be a little more efficient.  I doubt that there have been more “speed related crashes” under the bridge than at any point in the stretch leading up to the exit or past it.  As for where another enforcement method is difficult or unsafe, it doesn’t seem as though this is a place where a mobile speed camera couldn’t be used.

I’m yet to be convinced that the Government has fully thought this through and didn’t rush out and put these cameras in place in order to “look” as though they are doing something. I know what you’re thinking .. no surprises there.

DISCLAIMER: I do not condone speeding in any way, shape or form. If you do speed, you deserve to be caught before you hurt somebody else.

One of the newly talked about camera systems that is expected to reduce the number of deaths on Queensland roads is the “point-to-point” camera set up on the Bruce Highway on the way to Caloundra.  The premise is that the cameras will measure the average speed over approximately 13km of highway (the current limit is 110km/h) and if the average speed is over, you will be booked.  They also work in the same way as a regular speed camera, so if you are over the limit as you pass either camera, you’ll be booked as normal.

The problem with this is the first camera is set up under a bridge at the Johnston Road/Wild Horse Mountain exit.  The only way to be detected and therefore start this measurement is to travel on the highway under this bridge.  Those joining the highway after this point won’t have the average speed measurement taken, since the first camera can’t detect your start time.  Fair enough, the second camera can’t possibly know when you joined the highway so it can’t work out the time it took you to travel the distance it’s recording.

Theoretically you could exit at this point and re-enter the highway and speed all you want and so long as you don’t hit the second camera over the limit, you’re home and hosed!  I’ll admit this thought didn’t enter my mind until I saw someone doing exactly what I described over the weekend.  The driver was even speeding all the way up the off-ramp and back down the on-ramp.

To be truly effective, shouldn’t both cameras be in a position to detect all possible infringements? Was there any consideration to this raised or is it just a half-baked attempt at putting in some new revenue raising kit to look like the government is getting serious?  With the revelation today of the Clem7 cameras not being tested adequately I seem to think that the second point is ringing true.

Note: I am emailing the Transport and Main Roads (TMR) department with my concerns, and will update this post if and when I get a response. (Update @18.05: Response received from TMR – It has been passed on to the ‘relevant area’ within the department for consideration and they are to reply to me directly by 02.06)

Update @07.06 – response from TMR received and my thoughts are here.