Message gets lost in translation

A LITTER campaign led by two Torquay College Grade 3 students has divided locals with claims the placement of the boys’ most recent sign endangered motorists.

Students Boyd Studer and James Gray collected rubbish and attached it to several signs adorned with the word “WHY” as part of a Quiksilver Sustainability Challenge, however their latest sign erected in the centre of the Spring Creek roundabout sparked online debate.

On October 26, Surf Coast Community Noticeboard user Emma Buising posed the question on Facebook about the safety implications for motorists distracted by the sign.

“Does anyone know what the home-made sign stating “WHY” in the middle of the roundabout at Spring Creek is about? I witnessed a few near accidents from drivers trying to read it and so I took my time to enter the round about myself,” she wrote.

“My initial thoughts were maybe a recent accident, and if so that is very sad, and I understand, but if it is an advertisement etc… it is very distracting for drivers?”

The post attracted 25 comments with users split down the middle, some commending the boys’ efforts to raise awareness about littering whilst others labelled them “irresponsible”. On the post Deb Bodinna urged whoever placed the sign to remove it.

“It’s not brilliant when you’re going through the roundabout and other drivers are too busy looking at it and nearly clean you up. It’s distracting and making the roundabout even more dangerous than it already is. Get rid of it,” she said.

Sara Stephens wrote, “One of those goggling idiots was me and I nearly smashed into the car trying to merge, great message, bad idea (the location).”

Boyd’s mother Lucy said her husband and the boys relocated the sign on October 27 after she saw the online reaction.

“They’ve used some pretty harsh words and they’ve judged what children are doing, it was a nine-yearold’s idea. For adults to have opinions like that about children, it’s pretty rough when kids are just trying to stand up for the environment,” she said.

“I think everyone knew it was kids, people explained on the post it was part of a school assignment. I think it’s very easy to write something on a forum and not say it to people’s faces, if you can’t read a simple sign while you’re driving then why are you driving?”

A VicRoads spokesperson said any signs installed on the road reserve – which includes roundabouts – needs to be approved by Regional Roads Victoria.