Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

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ColinOldnCranky
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Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:28 pm

I recall some time ago that I trolled a little to find out anything about the "Australian Pedestrian Council".

I could not find much at all at the time about the bona fides of the body. It seemed to me (from memory) that provided Harald Scruby with a position and an income funded by various government grants but no actual "council". ie Just Harald, no councilors, no meetings and group decision making, no way to scrutinise and vote him or others on or off. I do recall that I could pay a fee to become a member or something.

There is no shortage of media releases, public attention and appearances before various other bodies.

It is a ll a bit vague now and I will do some more trolling but I suspect that someone on this forum will already know the answer.

Does anyone know if there is any actual substance to the Australian Pedestrian Coouncil? Other than provising a sinecure for Mr Scruby. Is it all just self-promotion?

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:39 pm

Aah - found the web site - it is contrarily titled the "Pedestrian COUncil of Australia". Has some info on who else is in on it.

http://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancounci ... PageID=105

Still would like to know how as a "council" it is constituted and what say the body of people it represents gets in it's running.

I notice that noone on board is involved in cars or bikes (past police commissioner is not in that role). Harald only sees those as enemies, not stakeholders.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby jules21 » Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:06 pm

it's basically just scruby - he has little credibility.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby trailgumby » Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:24 pm

The only good that Harry Screwloose does is provide punchy soundbites for the media that stir up controversy. Good for generating reader hits on news websites.

So far as I am aware, he has no credibility with government as he doesn't seem to see the value of providing reasoned submissions.

Strange man. Have to admire his passion and stamina, though. I wonder what he does for his daily bread?

Edit: Interesting snippet from the above link (my emphasis):
Ped Council of Oz wrote:Membership of the Pedestrian Council of Australia Limited is by invitation of the Board of Directors to individuals and institutions having interests or concerns of like nature to those of the PCA.

The PCA's role is essentially one of education, advocacy and the promotion of a culture of concern and care within the whole community for the rights and responsibilities of pedestrians. Provision and infrastructure to meet the expectations of such a concerned community is properly the responsibility of the land use, transport and road authorities.
Interesting how the responsibilities of pedestrians never seems to get a mention in those soundbites.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby find_bruce » Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:59 pm

trailgumby wrote:Interesting how the responsibilities of pedestrians never seems to get a mention in those soundbites.
Arold also seems to forget that almost all pedestrian fatalities are a result of contact with a motor vehicle & yet he is obsessed with cyclists

Forest & trees :roll:

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby il padrone » Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:32 pm

find_bruce wrote:Arold also seems to forget that almost all pedestrian fatalities are a result of contact with a motor vehicle & yet he is obsessed with cyclists

Forest & trees :roll:
Or falling down following contact with fellow pedestrians, often outside pubs and nightclubs :roll:

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby SmellyTofu » Mon Apr 01, 2013 6:00 pm

Has he got a new fax machine yet?

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Mon Apr 01, 2013 6:35 pm

Found this bio piece for a conference. Presumably supplied by himself as these things usually are at conferences. From http://www.nss.gov.au/Blog/natstats.NSF ... scruby.htm
Mr Harold Scruby
30 August 2010 15:58:25









Harold Scruby is the Chairman and CEO of the Pedestrian Council of Australia.

Born in Singapore in 1947, he was educated at Shore School and the University of NSW. He is married with two sons and lives in Mosman, Sydney.

He spent three years at Nestlé where he was trained in marketing, attaining the position of Product Manager. In 1970 he joined Levi Strauss (Australia) as the Manager of the Fashion Division. In 1974 he was appointed Consultant Marketing Manager for HD Lee (Australia). In 1978 he started Scruby Consultancies.

Since 1978, he has consulted to or managed over 60 TCF companies and has been retained by the Federal Government, most state governments, Arthur Andersen, Ferrier Hodgson, Coopers & Lybrand, KPMG Peat Marwick, Price Waterhouse, Ernst & Young and many other organisations. During 1981 and 1982, he was appointed to the executive of the FIA (Fashion Industries of Australia). He has written articles on the TCF industries for The Bulletin, Sydney Morning Herald, Business Review Weekly, Australian Business and Ragtrader Magazine. He has lectured extensively across Australia, in every state, the NT and the ACT, to students of and participants in the TCF industries in Australia and was recently chosen by the Education Training Foundation (NSW) to write a Management Manual for the Australian clothing industry with the University of New England.

He also wrote two best-selling books on the English language: Manglish and Waynespeak. He was elected as an councillor to Mosman Council in 1983 and again in 1987, where he spent 8 years, retiring in 1991. He was Deputy Mayor in 1990-91, Chairman of the Traffic Committee for five years and Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee for six years. Following a successful campaign in advocating and implementing the first 40 kmh School Zone on a main road in Australia, (Middle Harbour School, Cremorne) in June 1995, he approached senior management at the NRMA, RTA and the NSW Police, with the view to establishing an organisation to advocate the safety, amenity, access and health benefits for pedestrians throughout Australia. These organisations generally agreed on the need for such an organisation. They in turn funded a comprehensive independent review by specialist consultants Keys Young who found there was an
overwhelming need for such an organisation.

The NRMA and the RTA jointly funded the incorporation of the Pedestrian Council of Australia "The Walking Class Heroes" and assisted with writing its objectives and structure. He then invited Sir Laurence Street and Dame Leonie Kramer to become Patrons of the PCA. The Board was then appointed, primarily comprising vulnerable road users including representatives from: the Council on the Ageing, Federation of Parents & Citizens Associations, the Royal Blind Society, ParaQuad and ACROD and the Australian Institute of Urban Studies and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. The PCA was incorporated on 1 August 1996. Harold Scruby was elected Chairman and CEO and has since been actively involved in pursuing the PCA's objectives which are; “the continuing improvement of the Safety, Amenity, Access and Health of all Australians”.

He is a Member the Road Trauma Committee (Royal Australasian College of Surgeons). For 3 years he was also a member of the now disbanded Road Safety Strategy Panel (Australian Transport Safety Bureau),

For over a decade, the PCA has been responsible for creating and managing two annual events to promote walking: National Walk to Work Day and National Walk Safely to School Day. It also held the third Seven Bridges Walk in Sydney in October 2009 http://www.7bridgeswalk.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; which attracted over 20,000 registrations. This event has raised over $100,000 for the Heart Foundation, Cancer Council Diabetes Australia and Beyond Blue.

Harold Scruby has been a member of the Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club since 1965 and the Balmoral Beach Club since 1984. His main sporting activities include walking, snow skiing, swimming, and surfing.

Further details are available on the PCA’s comprehensive web-site at: http://www.walk.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby il padrone » Mon Apr 01, 2013 6:54 pm

OMGosh! The RACA is involved. There is the underlying safety-fetish and anti-cycling stance in one acronym :roll:

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby Ross » Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:44 am

Your mate Harry was in the news again yesterday. In Sydney they were talking about having some intersections where you can turn left on red light (after stopping I think). He was going on about how dangerous this was and won't somebody think of all the peds that will be killed.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby simonn » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:03 am

Ross wrote:Your mate Harry was in the news again yesterday. In Sydney they were talking about having some intersections where you can turn left on red light (after stopping I think). He was going on about how dangerous this was and won't somebody think of all the peds that will be killed.
I actually agree with him on this. I have seen several near misses and the aftermath of some less-than-misses twice.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby jules21 » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:08 am

simonn wrote:I actually agree with him on this. I have seen several near misses and the aftermath of some less-than-misses twice.
but surely it is difficult to attribute those to any rule change, allowing cyclists to turn left on the red?

I would say the problem is more a lack of due care or respect for pedestrians' right of way, by some cyclists (and more importantly, motorists).

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby simonn » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:20 am

jules21 wrote:
simonn wrote:I actually agree with him on this. I have seen several near misses and the aftermath of some less-than-misses twice.
but surely it is difficult to attribute those to any rule change, allowing cyclists to turn left on the red?
I do not believe either scrubydoo or myself were doing this.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby jules21 » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:24 am

based solely on Ross' description of scruball's objection, it kind of reads to me as if he was using it as an argument against such a rule change.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby Comedian » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:35 am

SmellyTofu wrote:Has he got a new fax machine yet?
One man and a fax does a council make. ;)

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:00 pm

jules21 wrote:based solely on Ross' description of scruball's objection, it kind of reads to me as if he was using it as an argument against such a rule change.
I read it the same to.

As far as the near misses, I see just as many people in perth where we have very few of these, instead having lights for vehicles and lights for peds to corss. All it means is that peds (myself included) have a look and walk against the don't walk sign and while the driver has a green one. Te behavious still seems much the same except that motorists may think they do not need to watch out as much.

I am assuming of course that Harald is really talking about the left turns where left turn lanes arre separated from the main direction by an island and not just a simple X-Junction. Perhaps the latter could be a problem. Though I would hate to think that Harald actually got something right.
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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby zero » Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:23 pm

Ross wrote:Your mate Harry was in the news again yesterday. In Sydney they were talking about having some intersections where you can turn left on red light (after stopping I think). He was going on about how dangerous this was and won't somebody think of all the peds that will be killed.
Its terrible and stupid and shouldn't be done. Not only do you need to request permission to cross, but you now have to deal with entitled motorists who believe they have the right to move forward and block the footcrossing so that they can see if they can make the turn or not. The green man would have very little meaning.

It would be nice if screwby would in fact fixate in the mode of transport that kills hundreds of pedestrians a year instead of wasting his breath on cycling.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby Comedian » Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:46 pm

zero wrote:
Ross wrote:Your mate Harry was in the news again yesterday. In Sydney they were talking about having some intersections where you can turn left on red light (after stopping I think). He was going on about how dangerous this was and won't somebody think of all the peds that will be killed.
Its terrible and stupid and shouldn't be done. Not only do you need to request permission to cross, but you now have to deal with entitled motorists who believe they have the right to move forward and block the footcrossing so that they can see if they can make the turn or not. The green man would have very little meaning.

It would be nice if screwby would in fact fixate in the mode of transport that kills hundreds of pedestrians a year instead of wasting his breath on cycling.
Taking on the well funded motoring lobby is a much bigger job than taking on the disorganized rabble that are cycling organisations in aus.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby Ross » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:10 pm

We have a few intersections in ACT that allow you to turn left after stopping and AFAIK nobody has been killed as a direct result of traffic running them down. Most pedestrian ignore the colour of the traffic lights when crossing here anyway.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby simonn » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:16 pm

In NSW we have many turn left on red after stopping, and I have seen near misses and accidents on them. There are also cars have green at the same time as peds.

I do not see what is so bad about red = stop, left = go. Green = go-sort-a-kind-of is not as safe.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:32 pm

Actually for all his ....., Harald does focus on cars, not cycles. We just notice him when he mentions bikes.

Which is probably a positive. It suggests that motly he is not noticed by anyone.
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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby zero » Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:47 pm

Ross wrote:We have a few intersections in ACT that allow you to turn left after stopping and AFAIK nobody has been killed as a direct result of traffic running them down. Most pedestrian ignore the colour of the traffic lights when crossing here anyway.
Its a totally inferior solution to the now extremely common right turn bay in NSW, and worst of all, its completely incompatible with a right turn bay. ie you can't proclaim a general left turn on red after stopping without first specifically denying it and signposting it for any intersection with signalised right turn bays, otherwise you are going to get people persistently conflicting the right turn phases.

IMO the way the direction taken in NSW to supply signalised right turn bays is superior, because right turns hold traffic up more, and cause more accidents, and right turn bays are actually extremely handy for cycling, ie they are ultimately a net safety boon for all vehicle users.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby London Boy » Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:53 pm

I just wonder how he gets to do his 'snow skiing'. He lives in Mosman which, last time I looked, was not known for its pistes.

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby familyguy » Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:27 am

Harold's been at it. Noticed this when I was flipping through the Mosman Daily while waiting for my organic fair trade soy chai latte this morning.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslo ... 6622511297" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The path is too narrow. Most people realise this and slow down, or move aside. It's like a roadway, Harold. Most people slow down if unsafe, but you'll get one numpty driving over the speed limit. Same applies here. I've never seen anyone maintain 32km/hr over that path. It does slope from north to south, so perhaps you could hit 32 going south.

Jim

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Re: Australian Pedestrian Council - Harald Scruby

Postby find_bruce » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:56 pm

familyguy wrote:Harold's been at it. Noticed this when I was flipping through the Mosman Daily while waiting for my organic fair trade soy chai latte this morning.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslo ... 6622511297" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The path is too narrow. Most people realise this and slow down, or move aside. It's like a roadway, Harold. Most people slow down if unsafe, but you'll get one numpty driving over the speed limit. Same applies here. I've never seen anyone maintain 32km/hr over that path. It does slope from north to south, so perhaps you could hit 32 going south.

Jim
I dunno Jim, I am old, fat and slow, but the only 2 times I have ridden south across the spit bridge I was doing well over 32 km/h - of course I was on the road at the time, no way I would be stupid enough to try that on the joke of a path. Perhaps next time they promise to replace the bridge they can promise to include a separate bike path. Unfortunately history suggests that they can also promise a meadow for the fairys and unicorns to play, cause no one seems to have the political will to address the well documented issues with the existing bridge

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