Category Archives: Driving Etiquette

Putting the spotlight on fog lamps

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Gray car with fog lamps

There has been a lot of debate in Open Road recently about fog lamps and when and where they should be used.

Fog lamps differ from driving lights and your vehicle’s high beam. They are designed to reflect a horizontal band of light across the front of the vehicle, and a special shield built inside the lamp prevents the beam from being projected upwards.

Back in the old days, it was recommended that the fog lamp be fitted below the vehicle’s front bumper. Because fog is thinner closest to the road, positioning fog lamps low to reflect ‘underneath’ the fog maximised their efficiency. At least that was the idea, until you damaged them on a gutter or by stones thrown up from other vehicles. The ideal positioning these days is just as much about aesthetics and valueadding as it is about lighting efficiency.

Now, fog lamps are a common sight on vehicles everywhere. As manufacturers across the board add extra features to their mid- and high-specced models, the proliferation of fog lamps (whether we need them or not) has become more widespread.

In NSW, it is illegal to use fog lamps where there are no adverse weather conditions such as fog. Note, though, that LED daytime running light (DRLs) are not considered fog lamps, though they often cast a stronger light than a typical fog lamp.

So why are we seeing an increasingly high proportion of vehicles driving around with illuminated fog lamps, in situations that clearly don’t warrant their use?

I will put my hand up and say that I have been one of those drivers on a couple of occasions recently, during the filming of NRMA DriverSeat videos. How? On the multi-function headlight switch fitted to each vehicle, there was an inner ring that, when rotated, turned on the fog lamps. I had inadvertently turned on the fog lamps when I flicked on the lights for the shot.

A quick scan of the owner’s handbook for both vehicles would have saved any grief. Many people are unaware that their light switch even has a ring that can turn on their fog lamps. To add insult to injury, when we later checked these two vehicles in the NRMA DriverSeat garage, we realised they both had small, green warning lamps in the instrument cluster, to alert the driver if the fog lamps were on.

Our tip is to check whether this warning lamp is lit up on the instrument panel along with the main headlight indicator lamp. If it is illuminated and you’re not driving through fog, switch it off, unless you want to cop a hefty fine!

Do you have any issues with fog lights? Let us know in the comments below.

Article by NRMA motoring expert Tim Pomroy and taken from the May/June 2013 issue of Open Road.

View past issues of Open Road or download the Open Road App for iPad.

Should motorbikes be allowed ride through stationary traffic?

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Lane Filtering - Should motorbikes be allowed ride around stationary traffic?

GO WITH THE FLOW: To try and improve traffic congestion, the NSW Government are legalising lane filtering in a section of the CBD for the next few months. Do you think this is a good idea? Image: www.autoblog.com

From 1 February until 1 May this year, it will be legal for motorcyclists to ride through stationary traffic at intersections in parts of the Sydney CBD.

This practice of moving between stationary vehicles is known as Lane Filtering.

“Lane filtering is currently against the law, however there will be an exemption for motorcyclists in part of the CBD, which will permit them to filter through traffic when vehicles are stopped at traffic lights,” said Roads Minister Mr Duncan Gay.

Mr Gay is using the three-month trial to test if motorbike lane filtering improves traffic flow. Lane Filtering will be confined to the areas bordered by Sussex and Market Streets, St James Road, Macquarie and Alfred Streets and Hickson Road.

Although the practice is legal in other countries such as the United Kingdom and much of mainland Europe, Mr Gay wants to find strong evidence it works here before making any changes to road rules.

“This trial is not about favouring one road user group over another, it is a system which could benefit all motorists in the CBD. It needs to be tested to ensure it improves traffic flow while not jeopardising road safety,” said Mr Gay.

Conditions for motorcyclists:

  • Specific conditions will include taking extra care when filtering near buses, no filtering on the left in the kerbside left lane or dedicated turning lanes, and riders must stop at the intersection stop-line.
  • Lane splitting will not be allowed – this involves motorcyclists weaving through moving traffic instead of stationary traffic.

What do you think of Lane Filtering as an idea to improve traffic flow?

Courtesy on the roads – does it still exist?

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A wave goes a long way

What beeps you off on the road?

Do you consider yourself to be a courteous driver? According to a survey NRMA recently conducted 56% of people think they are most of the time, but what does it mean to be courteous? The Oxford dictionary definition is polite, respectful or considerate in manner. Some ways of being more considerate or friendly behind the wheel could just mean giving a friendly wave to someone who lets you in or not blocking intersections.

Let me put you in my shoes for a minute…

7am Monday morning and I have managed to coax my 16 month old son into his car seat with a muesli bar. I put my seat belt on, turn the volume up so I can hear the $1000 pop quiz and off I go into the peak hour traffic heading north bound along the Princes Highway. “Which artist sung these two songs – ‘I’m Bad’ & ‘Man in the Mirror’. MICHAEL JACKSON. The traffic comes to a halt so I courteously don’t block the intersection and let another driver in front of me. No thank you wave.

Now that really beeps me off!

Having a 16month old in the car stopped me from using a number of vulgarities on that occasion but boy did it put me in an bad mood for the rest of the day.  This got me thinking, on what occasion have I done the wrong thing by a fellow driver? Have I ruined someone’s day because I didn’t give them a friendly wave or because I was too lazy to put my blinker on or because I blasted the driver in front of me just because they simply merged into my  lane on a day that I am running late for coffee with my girlfriends? I’m sure most of you can relate to this.

The survey of over 1,500 motorists in NSW and the ACT found tailgating (42%), not letting drivers merge into lanes (39%) and slow drivers hogging the right hand lane (36%) are the top three discourteous behaviours that get us hot under our bonnet. Over the last few weeks I have been more aware of some of these behaviours on the road and amazingly I have learnt (deep breaths help) to not get so hot-headed when someone merges in front of me without giving me a friendly wave and I am starting to wonder if my horn still works?

Now put me in your shoes. What beeps you off about other drivers? Do you have any warm and fuzzy stories about someone being nice behind the wheel? Shopping centre car park stories are always great…

Zebra Crossing etiquette – should you wave?

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Zebra crossing

Zebra Crossing etiquette - should you be thanked for stopping?

You might think that traversing a zebra crossing is fairly straightforward. As a pedestrian you cross the road when you’re ready and as a driver you stop if you see a pedestrian stepping onto a crossing and give way to them.

Rule 81 of Road Rules 2008 states that a driver must give way to any pedestrian on a pedestrian crossing. And that a driver approaching a pedestrian crossing must drive at a speed at which the driver can, if necessary, stop safely before the crossing.

The rules are pretty straightforward, but zebra crossing etiquette is not.  For example:

  • Should a pedestrian thank a driver who has stopped at the crossing even though the driver is just following the road rules?
  • If a driver does not see a pedestrian at a crossing (if a tree is for example is obscuring them) and has to stop suddenly, should they provide an apologetic wave to the pedestrian?
  • If its peak hour, people are rushing to get home and emotional temperatures are rising, you can appreciate the patience of a driver who stops at the crossing. Is a courtesy wave from the pedestrian appropriate in this instance?
  • What if a pedestrian is on their mobile phone and completely ignores the driver who stopped for them. Should they be expected to thank the driver?

It’s a grey area. What are your thoughts?

As a driver do you think pedestrians should thank you for stopping?

The lost art of the courtesy wave

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The courtesy wave

Is the courtesy wave a lost art?

The courtesy wave is a simple gesture to thank your fellow driver, cyclist or pedestrian for being courteous and considerate on the road.  It can be expressed in a number of ways from an effusive hand-wave out the window to a more subtle, subdued head-nod.

The courtesy wave can be used in a variety of situations:

  • When merging lanes and your fellow driver creates space for you to merge
  • When driving on a narrow street and the oncoming driver pulls over allowing you to pass
  • When yielding right of way when the right-of-way is unclear
  • When acknowledging a driver of the same vehicle – a particular favourite of motorcyclists and Kombi drivers
  • When apologising for a driving indiscretion such as (accidentally) cutting off another driver

While it may seem like an antiquated notion, there is still considerable support for this form of driving etiquette. There are at least 16 Facebook fan pages created by supporters and a Canadian website called MyRoadWaves was set up so recipients of the courtesy wave could enter details of their experience (including locating the incident on Google Maps), and then share that experience with fellow courtesy wave advocates.

The courtesy wave is not a legal requirement but it can substantially raise the tone of driving while at the same time lower the temperature of motorists. A breath of fresh air in a busy and congested city like Sydney.

Is the courtesy wave a lost art or is it alive and well on our roads?
When do you think it’s appropriate to give or receive a courtesy wave?