The road rules govern the interaction of pedestrians and motorists. While they are there to make the roads safe for all road users, they will always be the topic of debate.
The rules are put under even more scrutiny when a new rule is made or an old rule is amended to respond to the changing nature of vehicles, technology and the road itself.
But imagine, for a moment, that you are in charge. You can roll out the rules you want and scratch those that you don’t. Now is your chance to alleviate your frustration, get where you’re going on time and improve traffic flow.
It’s your road, so you make the rules.
If you were given the job of designing a road and the road rules that go with it, what rules would you make? What rules would you keep and which would you discard?
Heavier fines for: Speeding. Not Using Indicators – lane changing or cornering. Not giving way – especially when merging.
Loss of Licence for: Repeat offenders – speeding, not using indicators, using mobile phones, driving without headlights.
I Know NRMA is in favour of speeding – but its not hard to maintain a the speed limit. I’ve been driving for about 30 years and I don’t speed. I don’t need to. And I’ve not had an accident because I take care. Speed limits do save lives.
@Christina
I dont believe the NRMA is for speeding at all, I think if you take the time to read their statements they are for reasonable enforcement of road rules. i.e. being booked for 63 in a 60 does not cater to margin of error on the vehicles speedometer or the measuring devices used by police. How would you feel if you were doing 60, got measured at 64 by radar, copped a fine in the mail and two points of your license? This can easily happen by changing the tires on your car which changes the rolling diameter of your wheels and therefore the accuracy of your speedometer. For many people their license is their livelihood, lets save the excessive punishments for people who are truly doing the wrong thing (+10% above limit, reckless driving, inattentive driving and so on) and let the rest of us get on with our lives in peace.
We need to rationalise the speed limits. In days gone by the speed limits were 60, 80 or 100 and you knew at any moment what the limit was. Now there are speedlimits from 40 to 110 and the RTA seem to randomly change them every 100m or so and ofcourse the police revenue raisers wait and book you when you are totally bemused at what the limit is. Breaking the law should be only by intent, that is deliberate speeding, but at the moment it is quite easy to be booked whilst actually thinking you were obeying the law.
I also think that the 40kmh school zones are not the answer to protecting children. Fences would be much more appropriate but then ofcourse the govt would lose the lucrative fine revenue that it created for itself with these new rules.
Respect for the law is important but currently we have far too many laws that seem mainly based on the need to raise revenue. I don’t support them.
You would have to fix the million different speed limits we have so a more uniform system can improve traffic flow (As per Ed’s comments). It comes down to ill-informed Govt ponies who don’t have any idea of driving a motor vehicle or riding a motorcycle.
The actual road surface is another big issue which I would make as smooth as a race track, as this is the type of roads we really should have!
I know I sound like a broken record, but what’s the point of road rules/laws when they are not enforced, at least around Sydney? Even the police can be seen failing to use turn signals etc.
imo its more about plain ignorance than speed. I would introduce a minimum speed limit and book those motorists who refuse to keep pace with the flow of traffic. Its perhaps this ignorant lot who cause more accidents since they frustrate other drivers and encourage them to overtake or do other things just to keep the pace. I’m sure Sydney streets would flow a lot quicker and reduce frustrations only if motorists stayed focussed on keeping up with the car ahead.
Additionally Cyclists should not be allowed to share the roads with vehicles or motorbikes – they are menaces. Current pedestrian paths can easily be divided into two in accomodating pedestrians with the menaces.
OK, the first rule I’d make would be: At roundabouts, give way to traffic *approaching* an entrance on your right. I say this because it’s already the unofficial rule on Sydney roads and anyone silly enough to go against it is likely to have their car destroyed.
Attention needs to be focused on cyclists insisting on using extremely dangerous roads that have limited visibility and narrow width at two cars wide. A classic is Old South Road, Alpine to Bong Bong Street at Mittagong where a fatality is simply a matter of when.
,I would send all the heavy vehicle traffic on roads only build for them .I live near the pacific highway and get often intimidated by the big trucks on my way to the shops,or even better get all the goods back on the rails and save billions fixing roads.
There ought to be a rule governing people who undertake a line of traffic in order to push in further up the line thereby creating the line of traffic in the first place.
There ought to be a rule (there already is probably) to prevent drivers launching themselves onto roundabouts at speed without giving way to other traffic on the roundabout.
There ought to be a rule where drivers wander across lanes when negotiating minor bends in the road are prosecuted for dangerous driving.
There ought to be a rule to prevent parking across the top of a T junction so as to prevent traffic flow around people turning right at the junction.
More police actively patrolling to book tailgaters on 80 kph + sections of road- no exceptions.
Uniform placement of signs to mark end of open highway passing lanes – eg 200 metres. Too many variations / approximations.
There is absolutely no proof whatsoever that speed cameras save lives. Roads have slightly improved, car design has dramatically improved. It’s a bit like hitting your head against a brick wall compared to doing the same with a thick pillow under your head , comparing old to new cars . . So obviously less people die.Many places overseas have taken away speed cameras and the road toll has actually declined. Why ? because people can concentrate on what they are supposed to. The road ahead , NOT stare at a speedo every few seconds in case one drifts over the so called limit by 1 KPH. Yes ! KPH, a friend was fined for just that. The laws are pathetic ! Fine the hooligans , the rude ignorant drivers that cut others off, those that sit 1 meter off your rear bumper. The ones that overtake on the left where there is no lane. The dangerous ones weaving at high speed in and out of lanes. DON”T fine good drivers, it’s discriminating.
On open highways where lanes merge right of way should be given to the leading car. That is, merge with safety.
national road rules , licences & regisation
third party insurance for driver not car
like Ed standardise speed zones
The roundabout rules need clarifying to stop motorists on the right from streaming through roundabouts without regard to another vehicle on the left which may already be at the roundabout ahead of them. Sometmes I need to wait for up to 10 vehicles to pass in a line from the right when I’ve already arrived at the roundabout because they believe that they have right of way whereas I think first rule is to give way to a vehicle already at the roundabout
See previous comment already sent.
I think the rule, Keep left unless overtaking should be changed. This is the cause for more road rage than any other reason. People take it as there right to come up and sit on your rear because they think you should move over, even though you are going faster than, therefore overtaking cars in the left hand lane, thus driving within the law. These morons then swing left, overtake you and swing back in front giving obscene gestures or in some cases braking sharply “to teach you a lesson” and then proceed to drive in the “fast lane” themselves. The law should revert back to Slow vehicles use left lane.
Unfortunately Robert, your thinking is in fact a REAL problem. Motorists like that (I guess you maybe one of them) cause many accidents – just because you are doing the speed limit does NOT mean that you have a right in hogging the outside lane. Think about the scenario where a car needing to pass has a real emergency on their hands and perhaps is on the way to a hospital only to come up behind ignorant motorists like you who decide to block access for no other reason than you are driving at the maximum speed – thats why the sign ‘keep left unless overtaking’ should remain.
If I notice a vehicle coming up quickly behind me, I will make all efforts to move over to let it pass – how do I know what reason the driver may have and why should I be the cause of them doing something dangerous to get by me.
When there is no enforcement of the road rules by the police, which used to happen years ago, compliance with the rules becomes purely optional. At least half the drivers on Sydney roads choose to disregard them.
I often feel quite silly being the only one making an effort to use turn signals or actually stop at stop signs when most of the drivers around me don’t. It’s slowly making me become sloppy like they are.
explicit rules exist for merging lanes ,roundabouts and stop signs etc.,Three things are needed to improvr use of road rules– 1. more highway patrol vehicles and police on the roads. 2. Greater publicity & explaination ,TV in particular, on actual road rules and changes.3. motorists to put their brain in gear when behind the wheel and accept that they alone do not own the road be considerate of others learn the road rules then apply them with a little courtesy as you travel. Arriving a minute or two late is better than not arriving at all. Drive to the road rules and speeds and you will travel with a lot less stress.
One other urgent change should be to bring back uniform speed limits i.e.60 for built up areas (Exception 40kph school zones) 100kph open roads and lift freeways to about 120kph with no allowable overspeed.
Cars and trucks are built with many more safety devices our roads need to be built and maintained at a standard to equal vehicle safety improvements.
Here’s an idea. Get rid of the delay between one light turning red and the other turning green. Think of the time that would save drivers!! The current lunacy results in people accelerating through amber and red lights because they know there is a delay. They get more complacent and suddenly BANG.
Immediately drop the 40km/h restriction at school zones. Drivers should be concentrating on looking where they’re going, not the speedo. Any time taken off watching the road is obviously dangerous, and lets face it, we have been given a license to drive so let the driver decide the correct speed. We all know there are 40km/h speed limits where that speed is excessive for the area e.g. cul-de-sac, and we all adjust speed appropriately. Unfortunately we are all to conditioned to say “the Emperor has no clothes”.
Ban private motor vehicles. Simple as that. Get on a bicycle or walk, you don’t need to fire up the car to go down to the shops.
More and better, oh so much better, public transport.
Better road surfacing.
Proper sized lanes for cyclists.
Give cyclists right of way AT ALL TIMES (against motor vehicles), we are not protected by a steel cocoon like you are in your car.
Reduce speed limits on built up streets.
No cars in the CBD.
What is it with ppl, like cybertwit, who wants cars banned because they have an inferiority complex with other road-users. This is what happens when u live in a city, nothing else matters outside the cities walls or in this case, brains.
Mark in another post wants trucks banned, with cybertwit and mark, soon there will be nothing for no-one, oh yes, lets just ban everything including brain-less twits riding bicycles on footpaths, bicycles speeding along footpaths, bicycles going through red-lights thinking, I don’t pay rego why should I obey road rules, bicycles riding at night with black clothing and no lights thinking everyone can see me because I’m on a bike.
Bicycles hanging off truck rails for free ride and then abuses driver for braking,doh, bicycles who think they are good for not polluting planet must think their bicycles are made from organic materials, steel, rubber, all polluting materials multiplied by millions spewing out the same garbage they are against
Typical fuzzie logic from bike rider, get onya bike and shop, like duh, my shop is 100 miles away, over three mountains 3 creek crossings, up hill and down dale, gravel roads, mud slides, pot-holed crappy tracks and public transport, you sir/mam are a complete looney, its my farm that supplies food on your table yah ponce.
CBD, thats about your limit of travel I take it, what a life, its OK, the world doesn’t revolve around your limited geography of Australia, just imagine if you actually travelled more than 5 klms, what wonders you would see.
At last, king for a day,
First rule
All vehicles must drive with lights on
Second
All vehicles to be inspected every 3 months
Third
All school buses to be fitted with seat belts
Fourth
Learner drivers to have instructor only in vehicle
Fifth
All mobile phones confiscated when caught, no exceptions
Sixth
All drunk-drivers vehicles confiscated for 3-6 months, if caught twice-crusher, babe.
Seventh
All duggies vehicles crushed to set example, drugs are bad, alcohol is good????
Eighth
Roundabouts, first come, first serve- no more confusion, panel beaters need work too.
Ninth
Caravan checks by RTA weigh-stations, too many overloaded vans on roads.
Tenth
RTA and Govt. officials to be held responsible for policy failures, no super and fines for incompetance.
I have a problem with “round about” the road rules state ‘give way to vehicles, bicycles ECT, all ready on/in the roundabout.
Did you know that you can be in the roundabout first, get hit by another car that entered the roundabout after you, and could be in the wrong?
“How can that be” well it goes like this:
1. You approach the roundabout, you enter at moderate speed,
2. There is a vehicle approaching the same roundabout from the right and is some distance from the roundabout.
3. This other vehicle is driving at speed.
4. You are the first vehicle into the roundabout, for some reason you enter with caution.
5. It could be wet, obstructed by plants and trees planted on the centre of the roundabout.
6. You have entered the roundabout; you are about four meters in.
7. The vehicle on your right has entered the roundabout at speed and hit your right hand side rear.
8. The vehicle that has hit you is more in the roundabout at the point of collision.
9. You were the first vehicle in the round the vehicle that hit you could argue that he was in the roundabout first (fully) and “you” cut him off from the left.
Work that out, rules need to be changed and I would be happy to give way to vehicles approaching the roundabout from the right? It will stop some confusion.
Manfred Mount Annan that does sound like some stupid rules.
If I made the rules I would allow speeding so we can get about faster.
Stop cyclists from going on the road.
People must indicate because it annoys the hell out of me when they don’t.
I have priority over every other driver.
Females shall only drive when I am not on the road and when not driving should be in the kitchen making me a sandwich.
Sorry about the sexist rule I like to joke. I don’t mean it just in case I offended anyone.
First of all I would make all states adopt the same set of rules that become the “Australian Road Rules”. (How, is not a question I can answer unfortunately).
On the reality front: The NSW rule I would change is merging from overtaking lanes should be changed from merge right to merge left. The faster vehicles in the right lane should be forced to slow down and merge left rather than the slower vehicle in the left lane having to slow to merge right.
Why should a vehicle that is towing or keeping to a speed have to slow further for an impatient speeder. If this change was adopted you would find trucks and vans would not have to merge early so that they are not cut-off by rude speeders.