Mother in move to slow down coast road drivers
Saturday 14th March 2009, 9:57AM GMT.
A WOMAN whose 12-year-old daughter was knocked down and seriously injured when she tried to cross the coast road in St Clement is campaigning for speed bumps to be introduced.
Jacqui Martins said that her daughter, Niamh, was still too scared to be left alone in the car after the accident on 24 January near the St Clement Marks and Spencer store.
Mrs Martins said that the impact between the car and her daughter was so severe that the Beaulieu student had the sole of her left boot ripped off and leather embedded into her foot from the car’s tyres. She has already had one operation to pin her foot and may need more.
Pictured: Jacqui Martins with her daughter, Niamh, at the spot where the 12-year-old was knocked down
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Speed bumps on a main road, now that would be novel, perhaps we should get people to run in front of the cars with red flags…
…or we could teach kids to use the pedestrian crossings and the green cross code.
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As it was near M&S St Clement why did she not use the traffic lights crossing provided?
There is a safe place to cross. As a driver it annoys me that people will not walk a few extra yards to cross at a designate place but would rather risk crossing anywhere and when they are injured blame the drivers.
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There is already a 40mph speed limit on this road.
Maybe there might be some point in teaching these kids the green cross code as many don’t use this and think they are harder than steel!!!!
We don’t need to live in a nanny state
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How about hidden automatic movable speed cameras with sensible fines, rather than police officers in bright yellow coats which can be seen from a few hundred metres away.
Or is this an infringement of rights too? The law says no speeding so it should be policed properly as it can kill or injure as proved above.
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Campaigning for speed bumps to be introduced on a busy main road is a bit much. Maybe a pelican crossing or two in that area would be a better solution.
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Speed humps, no. Traffic calming, yes. Well sited zebra crossings being a simple and equitable solution.
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Speed bumps are bad– speed cushings are better if you must have them at all –beter to keep out of roads and crosse in a safe place
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There is already a pedestrian crossing with trafic lights adjacent to M&S so if she was on the crossing fair enough but if not why not its there because it is recognised it would be dangerous to cross without it!
Did the driver of the vehicle break the law and exceed the speed limit.
As for speed humps on a main road, your having a laugh.
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I always cross the road when there is a gap in the traffic, not when there isn’t. The car is not always in the wrong
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If the driver had been speeding this girl would not be alive.It is easy for a mum to shift the blame to speeding drivers.I admit speed checks are ok but speed bumps?thease will only cause deaths by slowing down ambulances,firemen,coastal rescue vehicles.
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What about an underpass?
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it says nothing about a speeding car, it does appear better road safety education is in order, as others have said why not use the crossing!
People seem to be able to cross the avenue without the need for speed humps
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Come on, lets get this straight once and for all, there are not enough safe public crossings to the beaches from Le Dicq to La Motte (Green Island)and not all of it has pavement. Someone in planning must surely take responsibility for this as it has been this way for more years than most would like to admit.
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I’m sorry the girl was hurt but it doesn’t say the driver was speeding. If a child steps out without looking into the path of an oncoming car the driver has no chance.
Drivers always get blamed, don’t pedestrians have a responsibility to look where they’re going? in America Jaywalking is an offence.
Bring back Green Cross man!
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There are too many traffic lights and crossings already, maybe not on the coast road but all round this island. If the car was speeding i doubt the girl would still be with us.
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I was clipped by a speeding car on the coast road.I went to cross the road to my house-there are no crossings going into St Nicholas ave by the way AND I used the green cross code-a car sped out of nowhere and caught the back of my foot.As I used to cross there regularly in order to get the bus-I know that there are either queues of traffic who won’t let you cross or some maniac driving over the speed limit coming down that road.So do I have to walk up to the M&S crossing now to cross the road-oh sorry,there are no pavements to walk on,they’re on the opposite side of the road. both sides should take responsibility-and yes I do agree that kids should be taught the green cross code.I’m also fed up of car drivers winging about pedestrians taking responsibility-they are accountable too,or do they drive because they think it’s safer than walking because of maniac drivers?
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Hannah comment 16 – how can a car speed out of nowhere on a straight road with a clear line of sight in both directions?
Either you didn’t look, misjudged the gap or the car was doing 200mph!
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Speed humps are the the motoring equivalent of keeping the whole class in detention. Or,to be bang up to date,increasing the price of alcohol to stop teenage binge drinking.
Humps,ramps and even the so-called cushions cause significant wear and tear or damage to tyres,suspension and exhausts. Great for the motor trade and hump contractors but a bit if a pain for those who have no other route to use.
Ironically many of the drivers affected are the
law abiding residents who asked for them in the first place.
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A well good point from My Opinion (8).
Could Mrs Jacqui Martins, or the JEP reporter, please explain why the crossing failed, or, why her 12 year old daughter failed to use the crossing?
Maybe the problem was with an impatient adulterant misusing a public crossing?
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I live a few yards from where this young lady was knocked down and while it’s true that there is a crossing just opposite the Marks and Spencers, by the time someone has gone down and walked back up they may find they have missed the No. 1 bus into town(!) The stop for this is in the left of the photo.
Having dashed across this road dozens of times myself I have to say that I find it hard to believe that it would be impossible to avoid a car travelling under the already proscribed speed limit, especially given that a driver could be pulling out Rue de Maupertuis or La Mare Slip at any time.
The line of sight is also very clear as already mentioned.
Either this girl has extremely slow reflexes or the car was travelling at a speed at which an able bodied person couldn’t react in time, I’m inclined to suspect the latter.
As such maybe we need to make sure that the existing speed limit is rigorously enforced before lowering it, as if we fail to enforce the law we could make the coast road into a “green lane” for all the good it would do.
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Green cross man-I certainly did look-the car was coming at speed from le charriere slip direction-I haven’t quite learnt to see round corners yet-and cars do speed at high speed round those corners.If there were more places to cross there wouldn’t be this issue-or perhaps it’s a good job I now live in Canada-was just waiting to be told to get on the next boat if I didn’t like car drivers in Jersey!
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My daughter a few years ago went to run out my mother’s gate(which opens directly onto St Clement’s coast rd), the girl next door saved her from going into the road (see JEP Tues 9 sept 2003 Print Error-we were driving out not reversing as stated!). When I do visit home, I do find that St Clement’s road has few crossings, especially since it does have a lot of Guest houses/hotels/B&B’s along this part of coastal road.If the lanes have green zones, why can’t certain parts of this road have the same, especially by the slip roads. People do drive faster now adays, and people are lasy and don’t use crossings, why should they walk further than they have too!.
“Other side of the coin” as they say, tourists like to drive slow re the views, so maybe just have green zones on summer months, that will cover local kids too re summer holidays, and keep the ‘Arrrrrr buts ” happy too!.
Still miss Jersey/family but enjoying my life here in SA.
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Ban cars altogether and pedestrians too. What happened to tolerance in this Island!!
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This is a residential area, with limited pavement. I dont believe in speed humps, But think the speed limit of 40mph is far to high for this stretch of road. I think they should impose a speed limit of 10 mph along this road because it is an accident waiting to happen. If a small child were to accidentally run onto the road and be hit by a 4 x 4 at 40mph it would be fatal. I vote for reducing the speed limt to 10mph.
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Mrs Bead
If a small child were to accidently run out into the road and be hit by a smart car at 40mph it could also be fatal – please don’t start up the 4×4 issue again!
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On a more serious note:
Having lived along Coast Road, I can understand peoples concern with regards vehicles speeding. In the case of Niamh it is quite clear that the vehicle concerned was travelling at around 30mph which enabled the driver to brake, slow down, and avoid a tragic outcome.
I believe that an effective method (albeit more costly) would be to install traffic lights at measured intervals along this particular road. This would increase the number of pedestrian crossings and prevent vehicles from accelerating to high speeds.
On the other hand, pedestrians need to be more vigilant. There seems to be a culture of “pedestrians have the right of way” within the island but they must realise that drivers can’t be expected to predict what the next move of the pedestrian will be and can’t be held responsible for a pedestrians bad road safety habits.
A few simple rules:
Never walk with your back to the oncoming traffic
Always look left, look, right, look left again – then cross
If in doubt at the speed on the oncoming vehicle – don’t cross
Always cross the road fully – never stop in the middle of the road
A 30mph speed limit is sufficient and prevents fatal accidents.
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It would be crazy to reduce the speed limit on this road, what next a man walking in front of cars with a flag.
No instead, teach your child how to safely cross the road.
Less of the nanny state.
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Pandora’s Box – too right, the trick is that the “responsible adult” accompanying the small child ensures that it does not run onto the road, my mother always managed it.
For older children and adults – look where you’re going, if a car is coming and you’re not sure you can safely cross, wait for a clear road.
Rosemary – have you considered the practical implications of your suggestion, a 10 MPH speed limit on a main arterial road – 2 hour trip to work anyone?
Think, Look, Listen, cos I won’t be there when you cross the road.
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Seems a lot of anti car feeling– may be go back to the good old days of the horse and cart–or teach road safty to children????
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Pandoras Hope and Green Cross Man. I am not trying to raise the 4 x 4 argument again but it does raise the a valid point of how dangerous that road is. Having pavements on thin 40MPH roads with driveways coming out, and off roads going off. The road is an accident waiting to happen with its current excessive speed limit of 40MPH, which in my view is far to high. My son Darragh, has a little electric car back home in Dublin it does little more than 20MPH and he manages to work and live so I cant see how a decrease in the speed limit would dramatically affect your life. people who rush to work are more likely to cause accidents. Why not get up earlier and chill out a bit more. Have you ever tried Feng Shuai a relaxation technique, it may help you to stop rushing everywhere?
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Crossing the coast road is like trying to cross a motorway blindfolded. I stick by my view that the speed limit should be reduced to 10MPH. I cannot see how this would dramatically affect peoples lives?
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Mrs Rosemary Bead – Please read my post again, the suggestion of a 30mph limit is certainly not advocating speeding!
I have no problem with the 40, 30 and 20mph limits set on this island and when driving, make sure that I stick to them.
A suggestion of a 10mph speed limit is simply absurd and it will certainly affect the life of any car’s gear box and engine and for all intent or purpose it is just totally un-realistic.
Please do not assume that, because I disagree with a 10mph speed limit, that I must be the type of person who is incapable of relaxing and must rush everywhere, and please don’t profess to know what time I wake up in the morning.
Coast Road, like many others, is a dangerous road and this calls for extra vigilance on the part of drivers, pedestrians and the police.
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Rosemary – I tried that Feng Shuai and re arranged the room but couldn’t get out of the bedroom as the wardrobe was in the way.
I now use a ladder from the window but can only go out when the sun has passed the chimney, otherwise it messes with my mojo.
OK I’m exagerating but you started it saying “crossing the coast road is like crossing the motorway blindfolded”.
I find crossing the road a doddle but then I do look where I’m going and only attempt it when I’m awake.
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Rosemary, how can a road be an accident waiting to happen?
10mph, are you serious? Why not make it illegal to drive in any other gear than 1st while you are at it.
Hannah/canuck(16 + 21) If you were crossing to St Nicholas Avenue from the beach side you would indeed have the ability to see at least a little around the bend.
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Pandora, im not suggesting you are always rushing or that you wake up late, but my comments do go to prove my point that there is no need to rush anyway in Jersey, the island is so small. I note your concerns about your gear box, but surely Health and Safety should come first?
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As far as Im concerned there should be a 10MPH speed limit along this stretch af road and can see no valid reason why it should not be reduced to 10MPH.
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after reading some of the comments here
i may remove the engine from my car and install a donkey, it may do 10 mph and i will no longer be a mechanically propelled vehicle, will be able to stop where i like and tie my transport to the nearest lampost or railing
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One last comment before I lose the will!
Rosemary, I do put health and safety first.
I regularly check my tyres for the correct pressure and radiator and brake fluid reservoir to ensure they are full. I even check the various lights to ensure that they are working. And oh, the car gets a regular yearly service. I wear my seatbelt, keep to the speed limit and pay the utmost attention to what other drivers are doing on the road, and just for the record, my hooter has never let me down. When out and about on foot, I treat the roads their obstacles and the vehicles on them with the greatest of respect and pay great attention to my surroundings when crossing any road.
What more can I say, my health and safety definitely comes first. However, I cannot control how others view or look after theirs.
I promise … not another word from me on the subject.
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David Brown comment 37 – it is against the law for you to put a Guernsey man under the bonnet to propel your vehicle!
Pandora’s Hope – good comment but you’re wasting your time, people like that would have us back in the stone age and then complain when they couldn’t watch Corrie.
” I can see no reason why there shouldn’t be a 10mph speed limit on this road”! uh – tailbacks to Gorey, 2 hours to work, cars overheating and breaking down, wouldn’t it be easier to look where you are going?
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As someone who used to cross this road everyday i can safely say to all that it is safe and easy to cross this road providing you look both ways!
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