New road rule (Vic)

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by XR6WGN

Well you know Adelaide Drivers can't see past their windscreens most times!! This morning, just before the Port Wakefield Road bridge, (Salisbury Highway heading west) opposite side of median strip, small nose to tail: Police car sitting there with lights flashing - ALL traffic doing 25. Get over bridge, no less than a KM up the road another small nose to tail: another Police car on scene with lights flashing!
So two fairly minor accidents within 2 KMs apart and traffic banked up / crawling for maybe 15 minutes to clear both. Yep all persons exchanging information, taking photos or awaiting tows were safe but you've got to ask if the whole situation could have been handled better - small use of lights to get cars clear of the highway and then switch them off and let traffic get on with it!!!

As I say Melbourne - you've got this to look forward to!!

pt expressway only needs a one legged seagull to land on the other side of the road and everyone slams on the picks your side

"omg that seagulls only got one leg"

no red and blues required

[Trump]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

pt expressway only needs a one legged seagull to land on the other side of the road and everyone slams on the picks your side

"omg that seagulls only got one leg"

no red and blues required

Because Adelaide

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Trump

Because radelaide

* fixed

[joolz]

Originally Posted by Kil4Collingwood

We will probably wind up with cops parked up on the side of the road with lights flashing and radar set up.

Some TOG cars sit on the side of a highway with lights still flashing long after the intercepted car has driven off. So what you said could likely happen to fill quotas...

[pottery beige]

po po pulled someone over and left the red n blues on

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/rel...3f2b77ccc4b98b

terrible

im outraged

[SensationFG8]

There are 4 other new road rules too, only the second one here could be slightly confusing as it's not well explained.

1. No mobile phone on any wheeled recreational vehicle, eg push bike/scooter etc
2. Give way to bike riders when turning, same rule as a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing, bike must be dismounted and cross on foot. Sounds simple but there's a lot of confusion by some bike riders on some of these laws. I've asked vic roads to clarify who gives way when a car is turning left, has begun entering the intersection with an indicator on and a bike rider approaches from behind. My current understanding is the car has right of way in Victoria, does this change if the bike rider suddenly dismounts and is on the normal through road?
3. Bike riders can use bus lanes now
4. Empty bike carriers can stay on vehicles

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by SensationFG8

There are 4 other new road rules too, only the second one here could be slightly confusing as it's not well explained.

1. No mobile phone on any wheeled recreational vehicle, eg push bike/scooter etc
2. Give way to bike riders when turning, same rule as a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing, bike must be dismounted and cross on foot. Sounds simple but there's a lot of confusion by some bike riders on some of these laws. I've asked vic roads to clarify who gives way when a car is turning left, has begun entering the intersection with an indicator on and a bike rider approaches from behind. My current understanding is the car has right of way in Victoria, does this change if the bike rider suddenly dismounts and is on the normal through road?
3. Bike riders can use bus lanes now
4. Empty bike carriers can stay on vehicles

Sorry to correct you, Sensation, but there are actually quite a few more than just 4, as per here.

Re the bike crossing rule in your point 2, the Vic roads site explains it like this:

Road Rule 62 - Giving way when turning at an intersection with lights

Motorists must now give way to cyclists riding across crossings at a green bicycle crossing light.

No mention of the bike rider having to dismount and cross on foot. And it sounds to me as though this would only, or at least predominantly, apply at intersections with traffic lights and a bike lane down the left side of the carriageway, in which case the vehicle turning left giving way to the bicycle makes sense.

Thanks for bringing these changes up though as I was not aware of some of them.

[SensationFG8]

My comments were based on what racv sent out on the laws. I assume they extracted the most relevant and put more context around them. It was racv that mentioned the dismount

[wackyv8]

"It took just one day after Victoria's new 40km/h speed limit when passing emergency vehicles was introduced before a big truck slammed into the rear of a small sedan in Bacchus Marsh.
...The driver of an approaching Toyota saw police lights and proceeded to slow down, adhering to the new rule that came into effect on Saturday that requires drivers to slow to 40km/h when passing parked emergency vehicles.

But a big Hino truck travelling behind it failed to slow down and smashed into the rear-end of the Toyota at high speed. Bacchus Marsh-based Leading Senior Constable Shaun Woodhouse said it was lucky nobody was seriously injured as the Toyota was written off."

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/4...le-introduced/

[steve101]

this is only the start can see this happening a hell of a lot more

[Boza]

only took one day

[roKWiz]

I noticed in the article, the police were attending to a broken down car, hardly what I would call an emergency.

[Trevor 57]

AND from my understanding the car that slowed was traveling in the opposite direction on a divided road where they are NOT required to slow down - what a tool!!!! He/she now has a Hino as a rear bumper

[bobthebilda]

If anyone has had to repair something on the side of a highway (without the ability to get further off the shoulder), has stood on the side, or even ridden a push bike with cars going 80 - 100 ks an hour past you, will know the thoughts that go thru your mind, that it would only take a slight miscalculation for someone to end your life. It is neither difficult to slow down, or stay far enough behind another vehicle (that you wont smash in the back), if you see the Flashing Lights of an emergency vehicle.

There are literally hundreds of rear enders each day, from people not leaving enough room, and paying attention. It didnt take one day for the new road rule to cause a rear end accident, the Truck Driver (mentioned in previous article) was not driving with due care, and if it wasnt the other day, it wasnt going to be long before he ran up the back of someone else.

No one should drive with the belief that nothing will happen in front of them (accidents do happen) - they should continuously be aware of whats around them - a car may stop, a kid or animal may run onto the road, an old person may have a moment and pull out in front of them. And certainly any Emergency personnel should have a right to go about their job with a certain degree of safety. How many stories have we heard where people stop in the emergency lane etc and have another car drive up their ***??

[Trevor 57]

from a few years ago - just to highlight the importance of this new law (for all the nay-sayers)

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/...462014989.html

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by Lever T

from a few years ago - just to highlight the importance of this new law (for all the nay-sayers)

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/...462014989.html

Maybe police should get drivers out of cars and onto L/H side of road/vehicle for questioning instead of standing at drivers window with trucks and cars zooming past at 100?

[Trevor 57]

Maybe people should slow down when passing an emergency vehicle / person doing their job Put it into a workplace / OHS context

I have been there - done that at MVA's for 13 years, you should try standing on the side of the road at an accident scene only to have some ****er whistle past your **** at warp speed

Take some responsibility for YOUR actions instead of expecting everyone to work around you FFS

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

If anyone has had to repair something on the side of a highway (without the ability to get further off the shoulder), has stood on the side, or even ridden a push bike with cars going 80 - 100 ks an hour past you, will know the thoughts that go thru your mind, that it would only take a slight miscalculation for someone to end your life. It is neither difficult to slow down, or stay far enough behind another vehicle (that you wont smash in the back), if you see the Flashing Lights of an emergency vehicle.

There are literally hundreds of rear enders each day, from people not leaving enough room, and paying attention. It didnt take one day for the new road rule to cause a rear end accident, the Truck Driver (mentioned in previous article) was not driving with due care, and if it wasnt the other day, it wasnt going to be long before he ran up the back of someone else.

No one should drive with the belief that nothing will happen in front of them (accidents do happen) - they should continuously be aware of whats around them - a car may stop, a kid or animal may run onto the road, an old person may have a moment and pull out in front of them. And certainly any Emergency personnel should have a right to go about their job with a certain degree of safety. How many stories have we heard where people stop in the emergency lane etc and have another car drive up their ***??

We all get the accident scenario, all nice but was this an emergency ?

Most here who have a problem with it are travelling on multiple lane country rds or freeways at 100 + kph and cops doing normal traffic stops well off the shoulder, would have been a better law to make you change lanes. (NOT much better)

[Trevor 57]

what is the big problem with slowing down? Scared you might lose 60 seconds off your trip time?

Put you in the same place, would you want people whistling past your **** at 100+ km/h? They are entitled to safety in their workplace

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Lever T

what is the big problem with slowing down? Scared you might lose 60 seconds off your trip time?

Put you in the same place, would you want people whistling past your **** at 100+ km/h? They are entitled to safety in their workplace

Mate, I worked on a council years ago as a "stop and go" (wonder what the PC name is) for a tar patching gang never bother us, then we used our common sense and didn't stand out in front of drivers, we would close the road down.

This law doesn't worry me, I'm more concerned with the fool behind me not doing so. Especially at freeway speeds where most of my driving is done.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I'm more concerned with the fool behind me not doing so. Especially at freeway speeds where most of my driving is done.

Be a defensive driver, pay attention to what is happening ahead and be very wary of what is behind you so that you can adjust your driving to suit any given situation

On a 'tar crew' you have **** loads of signs / people to assist in covering your ****, a single policeman on the road doesn't have that luxury. what is your problem with slowing down and obeying the law?

[Tassie f100]

The driver you have to be most wary of is the driver behind the car in front!!

[FG50T]

2 questions

Does this apply to Booze Buses setting up?

Does it apply on a 2 lane each way undivided road to both sides?

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

We all get the accident scenario, all nice but was this an emergency ?

Most here who have a problem with it are travelling on multiple lane country rds or freeways at 100 + kph and cops doing normal traffic stops well off the shoulder, would have been a better law to make you change lanes. (NOT much better)

Not sure what you mean 'well off the shoulder"? Unfortunately there are going to be heaps of situations where cops have to do their job, but dont have the ability to wait for an offender to take their car well off the road (via an off ramp or test stop etc). Additionally, it could be argued that if people can run up the backs of people parked in an emergency lane, then the addition of Police flashing lights can only increase the occupants safety (but we have to start with a baseline of all drivers driving to a speed consistent with the environment and in a safe and aware manner - which is what is expected when everyone jumps in a car). We dont need to come up with scenarios of "what ifs" for people not being alert on the road.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Lever T

Be a defensive driver, pay attention to what is happening ahead and be very wary of what is behind you so that you can adjust your driving to suit any given situation

On a 'tar crew' you have **** loads of signs / people to assist in covering your ****, a single policeman on the road doesn't have that luxury. what is your problem with slowing down and obeying the law?

Thank you on your great driving advice I never thought of being a defensive driver, all these years and never losing a point off my licence. Thanks so much. from your other comments I'm feeling you don't like trucks either.

You obviously don't know much about mobile tar patching gangs, we had a hotmix truck, 4 crew and a couple of stop and go signs. These guys fix road damage on the fly in all sort of weather and traffic conditions. There is not enough time to set up proper signage on a 5 min job.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Not sure what you mean 'well off the shoulder"? Unfortunately there are going to be heaps of situations where cops have to do their job, but dont have the ability to wait for an offender to take their car well off the road (via an off ramp or test stop etc). Additionally, it could be argued that if people can run up the backs of people parked in an emergency lane, then the addition of Police flashing lights can only increase the occupants safety (but we have to start with a baseline of all drivers driving to a speed consistent with the environment and in a safe and aware manner - which is what is expected when everyone jumps in a car). We dont need to come up with scenarios of "what ifs" for people not being alert on the road.

Its called a grass verge just off the sealed shoulder. ie most of the Hume Fwy.
Like I said I haven't a problem with the law, I just wish they educate peeps well in advance before quickly introducing it, hence the comment on the news story at Baccus Marsh.

[OzriderXR8]

Rules in detail...

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safe...gency-vehicles

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Thank you on your great driving advice I never thought of being a defensive driver, all these years and never losing a point off my licence. Thanks so much. from your other comments I'm feeling you don't like trucks either.

Started driving trucks in 1976 at the age of 19, did that for quite a number of years, even went back and drove B-Doubles for a while in 2000, I have worked as a heavy vehicle driving instructor (all post licence) for quite a number of years (taught mostly big multi-national and large national company drivers).

Originally Posted by roKWiz

You obviously don't know much about mobile tar patching gangs, we had a hotmix truck, 4 crew and a couple of stop and go signs. These guys fix road damage on the fly in all sort of weather and traffic conditions. There is not enough time to set up proper signage on a 5 min job.

Nah, just spent a bit of time with a City Council with the tar repair crews back in the 90's, so you are probably right. They don't do the stuff you did now days, OHS compliance has taken care of that and if you want to argue OHS I am up for that as well, coz after I finished driving B-Doubles I worked full time as a OHS coordinator for a large multi-national. I now teach OHS and do OHS on a full-time basis

13 years as a volunteer emergency service worker rolling to many many road accidents as a 'extraction' professional (you show me yours and I will show you mine ) and having vehicles whistle past my ****, tells me that anything they do to protect the 'johnny on the spot' is a good thing, one less workplace injury or death is a good thing, I am sorry if you disagree with that philosophy

But anyway I digress

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Mate, I worked on a council years ago as a "stop and go" (wonder what the PC name is) for a tar patching gang never bother us, then we used our common sense and didn't stand out in front of drivers, we would close the road down.

This law doesn't worry me, I'm more concerned with the fool behind me not doing so. Especially at freeway speeds where most of my driving is done.

Stop/go people at roadwork sites have go to be the most aggressive when it comes to slowing vehicles down.
Aggressively waving slow signs and pointing at speed limit signs when traffic is already doing the limit. Just personal experience.
I'm sure they see some idiots flying past at high speed, but when no one is driving like that, the aggression is a bit over the top.


Sure people should slow down when passing emergency vehicles, but is 40 really sensible.
Maybe it should be 60 like most other main city roads. 110 to 40 is a huge difference to slow in a hurry. Sure the first drivers might slow down when they see the emergency vehicle, but then if traffic is busy every car behind will be slowing earlier than the one ahead. Before you know it people who are several hundreds of metres away and cannot see the emergency vehicle are having to brake heavily from 100+ to 40.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzzSao6ypE

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Before you know it people who are several hundreds of metres away and cannot see the emergency vehicle are having to brake heavily from 100+ to 40.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzzSao6ypE

This happens with any traffic congestion on our freeways/highways/roads regardless of emergency vehicles road works accidents etc, people should learn to be more vigilant on our roads as these are now every day events in today's world.
Drivers should stop making excuses & learn to take responsibility for their careless actions.

Nearly forgot the biggest problem can be blamed on motorists who have a bad habit of sitting to close to vehicles not allowing you time to react safely to changing conditions.