A LITTER campaign led by two Torquay College Grade 3 students has divided locals with claims the placement of the boys\u2019 most recent sign endangered motorists.<\/p>\n
Students Boyd Studer and James Gray collected rubbish and attached it to several signs adorned with the word \u201cWHY\u201d as part of a Quiksilver Sustainability Challenge, however their latest sign erected in the centre of the Spring Creek roundabout sparked online debate.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes anyone know what the home-made sign stating \u201cWHY\u201d 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,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy 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?\u201d<\/p>\n
The post attracted 25 comments with users split down the middle, some commending the boys\u2019 efforts to raise awareness about littering whilst others labelled them \u201cirresponsible\u201d. On the post Deb Bodinna urged whoever placed the sign to remove it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not brilliant when you\u2019re going through the roundabout and other drivers are too busy looking at it and nearly clean you up. It\u2019s distracting and making the roundabout even more dangerous than it already is. Get rid of it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Sara Stephens wrote, \u201cOne of those goggling idiots was me and I nearly smashed into the car trying to merge, great message, bad idea (the location).\u201d<\/p>\n
Boyd\u2019s mother Lucy said her husband and the boys relocated the sign on October 27 after she saw the online reaction.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve used some pretty harsh words and they\u2019ve judged what children are doing, it was a nine-yearold\u2019s idea. For adults to have opinions like that about children, it\u2019s pretty rough when kids are just trying to stand up for the environment,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everyone knew it was kids, people explained on the post it was part of a school assignment. I think it\u2019s very easy to write something on a forum and not say it to people\u2019s faces, if you can\u2019t read a simple sign while you\u2019re driving then why are you driving?\u201d<\/p>\n
A VicRoads spokesperson said any signs installed on the road reserve \u2013 which includes roundabouts \u2013 needs to be approved by Regional Roads Victoria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A LITTER campaign led by two Torquay College Grade 3 students has divided locals with claims the placement of the boys\u2019 most recent sign endangered motorists. Students Boyd Studer and James Gray collected rubbish and attached it to several signs adorned with the word \u201cWHY\u201d as part of a Quiksilver Sustainability Challenge, however their latest […]<\/p>\n