Important – There is NO new law allowing you to disobey traffic signals “after hours”

Question:

To whom this may concern, I would like some clarity on a matter. A while ago, there was an announcement that road users may treat red traffic lights as stop streets after 22h30. I did not research at the time whether this was ever promulgated into law but I assumed (now to my disadvantage) that this was accepted road safety law. I do recall that this came about as a result of increasing crime at night like hijacking, attempted break-ins, and traffic light theft where stationary vehicles were targeted.

Last week Friday (6/2/15), my partner and I were travelling back from a movie in Sandton at around 1am. On the presumption that this was accepted now in practice, he treated the red traffic light of corner Sandton Drive and Grayston Drive as a stop street. As he continued driving, an SAPS vehicle (not a JMPD vehicle/official) stopped him and fined him R500 for “jumping a red traffic light”. I tried to tell the Constable that this is a mistake because of the practice / rule / law that red traffic lights could be treated as stop streets after 22h30.

He denied that this was a rule and said to me that no such rule exists. Not longer than 5 minutes after we drove away after being fined, we stopped at the Sandton Drive – William Nicol Road traffic light and next to us, a JMPD vehicle (the official was on his cellular phone at the time) stopped for a short period and then drove after he saw the adjacent road was clear. The JMPD official therefore treated the traffic light as a stop street! Please would you let me know whether you are aware of the existence of this accepted practice / rule / law so that we can fight this? I would appreciate your urgent response so that I know how to treat this fine. I have tried doing research now on the web and I have hit a dead-end. Thank you and kind regards

Answer:

In short, traffic signals must be obeyed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and 365 days a year.

The National Road Traffic Act makes no provision for disobeying traffic signals “after hours” and although people like JMPD spokesperson, Edna Mamonyane have made reckless statements on radio to the contrary, unfortunately, this is not backed up by law.  This said, you may make a representation and/or defend any matter you have been accused of and some judicial officers may have sympathy over the specific circumstances under which the offence was committed.

Howard Dembovsky

National Chairman – Justice Project South Africa (NPC)

Also view:

Safe Driving at Intersections

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Important – There is NO new law allowing you to disobey traffic signals “after hours”

There had been ten in the bed…

Apparently at least 10 percent of us do it – sharing a bed with our pets, that is, with an practically 50/50 split amongst dog and cat owners. And it is a habit that researchers from CQ University want to appear at a little a lot more closely, embarking on a a lot more intensive survey of the effects of human-animal co-sleeping.

Preliminary investigation has indicated that these who co-sleep with pets take longer to fall asleep and are far more likely to wake up tired nevertheless there would seem to be some overall health-connected co-sleeping rewards for some owners. CANSTAR caught up with Professor Drew Dawson from CQUniversity’s Appleton Institute in Adelaide for a rapid Q&A.

Q: The percentage of co-sleepers seems high in Australia at about 10%. Why do you think that is?

A: Historically, and particularly prior to the industrial revolution, co-sleeping rates were significantly greater particularly in low-earnings demographics.  In classic and establishing societies, this is nonetheless the case.  In truth, western European societies (such as Australia) have extremely low, if not vestigial, co-sleeping arrangements.  The historical norm was considerably larger.  Interestingly, it was viewed as a sign of poverty to have to sleep with the animals but in reality, several folks derive considerable pleasure and companionship via such relationships.

Historically the primacy of humans and the utilitarian thought that animals are a ‘resource to be exploited’ and lack human qualities is a comparatively recent cultural worth.  The ‘abyss’ among human and non-human species was significantly less powerful in the previous than it is now.

Q: The a lot more detailed research will look to identify regardless of whether particular personality traits of the owner and the dog are typical amongst co-sleepers. What kinds of personality traits will you be searching for?

Our lengthy-term interest is in the ways in which human animal relationships can increase well being and properly-getting.  In the elderly, for instance, animal human attachment can be quite robust, especially in the period instantly prior to entry to an aged care facility.  The ‘classic’ attachment i.e. between your grandmother and her ‘yappy’ tiny terrier can be extremely powerful, especially right after your grandfather dies.

Human animal attachment is frequently ignored or beneath-valued when folks require to go to a nursing residence.  Often the attachment to animals can be the key attachment in older people’s lives.  Separation from an animal can be really traumatic for some people and not dissimilar in consequence to the loss of a partner, family member or close pal.  Despite this, nursing homes are not well made for encouraging or even permitting such relationships regardless of the truth we know how essential they are.  Since nursing houses have evolved from hospitals, animals are often seen as ‘dirty’ and not permitted.

Offered that companion animals can have significant good effects on health and properly-getting and can boost good quality of life, it is essential to better recognize these issues so we can realize the hyperlink in between companion animals and their owners, the make aged care far more residence-like and significantly less hospital like and minimize well being fees linked with this increasing demographic.

There had been ten in the bed…

Scoupe, There It Is? Hyundai Mulls New Modest Sporty Auto

Is the Genesis Coupe probably too beefy for you? Effectively, it seems Hyundai may possibly have a solution in the pipe to slake your thirst for a fashionable Korean sportster. According to outgoing Hyundai Europe COO Allan Rushforth, such a machine is becoming deemed in Seoul.

Speaking to Autocar, Rushforth—on the eve of departing the automaker for a gig at Nissan—”Cars like these, such as the Audi TT, generate a large demand when they’re new, but then that dies off quickly. It is about demographics, too. The buyers of the old Coupé [sold here as the Tiburon] no longer want these vehicles.”

The TT analogy makes us believe that the new machine could somehow slot in amongst the Veloster and the Genesis coupe, which will likely move somewhat more upmarket in its subsequent iteration. There’s been open discussion about Hyundai taking on BMW’s vaunted 3-series—and by extension, the ATS, C-class, and the rest of that club—and it was explicitly suggested that the new vehicle would be a global model, but would not be a rehash of the Tiburon/Coupe. May well it then be a revival of the largely forgotten Scoupe? Possibly not, unless the Elantra abruptly finds itself replaced by a new Excel. (Which in and of itself would give us hope for a Mitsubishi Precis revival. We’ve been anxiously awaiting a resuscitated Precis. We picture Mitsubishi has, as well.)

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Despite the fact that Hyundai Motor America declined to comment on the story, citing its European source and relation to the company’s N overall performance brand, we get the sense that the Scoupe is the farthest issue from Hyundai’s mind at this point and that the new car could be much more akin to a Z4, while the next 2-door Genesis handles legitimate grand-touring duties. Will we see it right here? Nicely, HMA didn’t say no . . .

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Scoupe, There It Is? Hyundai Mulls New Modest Sporty Auto

Is there a size limitation on an advertisement displayed in the back window of my vehicle?

Question:

I recently had the privilege  to ride in a car that’s  rear window had a full blown textured advertisement on it.

To my shock I discovered that if the sun shines on the rear window I can see nothing.

When I tried to reverse I found that unless I can see an object directly behind me, I could in fact not see where I am going.

Now I notice it is now common practise for businesses to advertise like that, is this not contravening above regulation?

I am just wondering, because my observation now is that I notice drivers with rear windows like that seem to have

Problems with navigating the road.

Answer:
It is illegal to have an advertisement that covers more than 1/8 of the rear window.

Alta

Alta Swanepoel & Associates

Is there a size limitation on an advertisement displayed in the back window of my vehicle?

Nissan Pulsar: A single Hell of a Sentra Hatchback—and There Could Be a NISMO Version

In the U.S., Nissan’s tiny-auto lineup is like watching late-evening skin flicks on Cinemax—you’re technically receiving what you want, but a lot is left to be desired. In Europe, on the other hand, Nissan’s compact rides are much far more effectively equipped and satisfying. Take, for example, the Nissan Note, a loose cousin to our Versa Note hatchback on the Continent, the Note is very nearly a premium automobile. Right here, the “Versa” badge marks it as deeply flawed. At the 2014 Paris auto show, Nissan showed off its newest European-market compact—the Pulsar—and it follows the pattern by appearing much more interesting than any little auto the brand peddles to Americans.

Besides bearing a name very best remembered in the States for the awesomely funky late 1980s Pulsar NX, this new Pulsar is a C-segment hatch that seems to share much more than just its basic size with our Sentra sedan. The 2 share a 106.3-inch wheelbase, and in-person study of the Pulsar reveals a clear familial resemblance. Compared to similarly sized rides like the Ford Concentrate and Mazda 3 hatchback, the Pulsar is much taller. At a mighty 59.8 inches, it measures nearly one inch taller than the already height-endowed Sentra, and towers more than the Ford and Mazda hatches by much more than 2 inches. It pays off inside, where occupants of any height—and in any seat—will uncover practically nothing to complain about. As is the case in the Sentra, the back seat is huge and the legroom limo-like.

The Pulsar’s fundamentally useful packaging also benefits in a enormous and usefully shaped cargo area, and the automobile is eye-catching inside and out. Soft-touch components adorned the dashboard and door panel uppers in the examples we prodded on the Paris auto show floor, and the exterior mixes in some of the 2015 Murano extroverted flair. The front finish looks a tiny bland, but nevertheless delivers a far more upscale impression than the somewhat overwrought nose of the Sentra.

Mechanically, the Pulsar utilizes either a 113-hp 1.2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder or a 108-hp diesel 4. Transmission selections include a 6-speed manual and Nissan’s Xtronic CVT automatic, and all versions are front-wheel drive. Do we hope Nissan brings the Pulsar to the U.S.? Of course! The brand could use a C-segment 5-door hatch to compete with the likes of Ford, Mazda, and Volkswagen, and the Pulsar name alone is enough to grab our consideration, despite the fact that it would need one more 40 horsepower or so to be competitive.

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But the actual consideration-grabber is the high-efficiency NISMO version Nissan also displayed at the Paris show in “concept” form. The practically production-prepared idea attributes the very same black-and-red trim theme as the Juke NISMO, as well as 19-inch wheels, sport seats, and faux-suede interior trim. Nissan is maintaining mum on suspension and powertrain information, but it is nearly a provided that modifications to each would be in the cards for a production version. (Final year’s Sentra NISMO notion packed a 240-hp 1.8-liter turbo 4, as effectively as retuned shocks and springs.) Were Nissan to send either version of the Pulsar our way, it might just send the message that it is ready to show Americans what’s airing in prime time, but we’ll have to wait and see what the company decides.

Nissan Pulsar: A single Hell of a Sentra Hatchback—and There Could Be a NISMO Version