The purpose of any advertising sign is to attract attention. Large digital signs with their brightness, and changing displays are particularly effective in this. The application for this sign actually said that "The proposed Promotion sign will target traffic travelling northbound on Humffray Street and westbound on Mair Street."
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This sign at a busy intersection on a major traffic route has significant potential to distract drivers particularly if the change of image coincides with the change of traffic lights.
Research has suggested that crash risk increases by approximately 25-29% in the presence of digital roadside advertising signs.
I was the victim when a driver, distracted by a digital sign at Kew Junction failed to stop, ran into the back of my car and caused considerable damage. My car was off the road for weeks and I was fortunate not to have been injured.
The company is quoted as saying that locations for such signs are "really heavily restricted by planning." Unfortunately such 'restrictions' have not prevented recent approvals for signs in Curtis St, Sturt St [in a heritage precinct] and on the former Humffray St school. There is an urgent need for a review of the planning scheme before we get a rash of signs.
Stuart Kelly, Ballarat West.
HAVE YOUR SAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.
We are all aware of how quickly we can be distracted whilst driving. To have a brightly lit sign which also changes could be the couple of split seconds of distraction that causes an accident. Placing such a sign at a busy intersection is placing an added risk to motorists. Who could the Insurance people reach out to when such a tragic accident occurs? Do we need this?
France has legislated to turn all unnecessary lighting off after 12.00am. Should we legislate here in Australia for a 10.00pm turn off. The Lake lighting project in it's current form is to be turned off at 10.00pm. Should Council (and the State) set a time when with the majority of us tucked up in bed, we can protect the quality of the night by turning off unnecessary light. All Business can install smart technology to put their premises in darkness after closure. The technology will jumps in, lights/video and or alarm, and the perpetrator can be stopped in their tracks or at least good footage is able to help track them down.
We need to start thinking about our carbon footprint and the environment, we can do things very differently. We could work towards making Victoria a Dark Sky State, the first in the world. There are 128+ Dark Sky accredited places across the globe, 3 in Australia with 6 Victoria communities looking at how they can work towards becoming a Dark Sky place. Ballarat Dark Sky Community.
Judith Bailey, Clarendon.