chris955

moneypenny20

But you're just as likely to be pulled up by the police if you're driving too slowlly, it's understandably considered to be as dangerous to surrounding traffic as speeding. Whether there's a law stating mimimum speed I have no idea but it's definitely a no no to go lower than 60.

cresta57

Heavy vehicles are speed limited to 100 so when there's a driver adamant that he's going to stay in the outer lane & drive at 101 the traffic either builds up behind him or drivers break the law by undertaking between the gaps in the trucks.
I followed a Ute today South from Cooroy to Caloundra distance approx 60k. He was a Green P plater, he sat in the outer lane for the entire trip. The inside lane was virtually empty yet not once did he pull in. We were both doing just less than 105kph so I was sitting about 200-300m behind him in the left lane the whole time. Anything that wanted to overtake him had to do so illegally. Many of the trucks drove up behind him & flashed their lights, no reaction. He must have had driving lessons yet was apparently oblivious to the keep left unless overtaking rule.
Coming home tonight I once again had a P plater [red] tailgating me for over 30k, so close I couldn't see his lights or bonnet in the rear view. I must be such a bad driver for sticking to the 90 limit, I must be such a bad driver for allowing him to drive up so close to me & I must be such a bad driver for noticing him being so close. Quite how I'm such a bad driver I'm not sure so I'll eagerly await the explanation. After all explaining it has the potential to make me a better driver & potentially save lives, I'm all ears

Alfresco

He (the P plater) was wrong to stay in the rightmost lane doing over 90 Kph. Any other lane is legal, including the middle lane if there was one.

http://hereforlife.qld.gov.au/Campai...s/Keeping-left


It is NOT illegal to overtake on the left in QLD. It is perfectly legal to do so here.

http://hereforlife.qld.gov.au/Campai...ng-on-the-left

chris955

Im sure there is absolutely no training involved in getting a license, it seems people are taught merely the actual function of being able to drive a vehicel and nothing else. It is so refreshing to see the majority doing the right thing again.

cresta57

So it's legal to sit in the middle lane at a steady 90kph on a 3 lane 110kph highway?
The tailgating is the real issue though
I'm leaving a bit later today as I have to call at the tile shop, I'll get to see what it's like peak time. I'd no idea how many drivers commute the highway from Gympie to the Sunshine Coast. I find I'm seeing the same people quite often, particularly the brown Merc that appears to think the left hand lane is only to exit the highway.

carolinephillips

We have signs here telling people that the right hand lane is only for overtaking. They still ignore it.

However, lane ignorance is not just an Australian thing. I used to find that on the motorways in the UK there would inevitably be a middle lane hog, who just sat in it even if the inside lane was clear, and as it is illegal to overtake on the inside, I had to go from the inside lane to the outside lane to do so, and as I tend not to break the limit, probably annoyed the other (speeding) road users with the amount of time it took me to pass. It made me very stressed.

Alfresco

Yes that is correct. You could even travel slower in it and still be legal.

It is only the right most lane that you must keep clear. If the right most lane on a 3 lane highway became a T2 lane, that would be considered a separate lane with double lines not to be crossed. The middle lane would then effectivley become the right most lane for that stretch of road and must be kept clear.

Australian road rules are not the same as the UK in all respects.

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Que...ping-left.aspx

andrew63

Here is that law:

51 When use of direction indicator lights permitted
The driver of a vehicle must not operate a direction indicator
light except—
(a) to give a change of direction signal when the driver is
required to give the signal under this regulation

http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LE...ntOpRURR09.pdf

Going around a bend does not constitute a change in direction.
The law also stipulates correct use of indicators when going around a roundabout.

Perhaps you need to brush up on your interpretation of the law?

mikelincs

shouldn't he have gone round it, bit of a bad example to other road users..

chris955

It definitely isnt restricted to Australia but it is the scale of the stupidity that used to amaze me. We went up to Gloucester today on the M5 and my wife commented on the ONE middle lane hog that stood out like dogs danglies. I am still having to get used to generally great lane discipline, no undertaking, trucks NOT using the right lane, the courtesy.

mikelincs

I get someone like that I just flip my hazard warning lights on, it's amazing how quickly they drop back..

fraser

Ha ha I'm loving your work here G

Luthien

Driving around a large university campus can be a little daunting.
A majority are P plate drivers and foreign students, large numbers of bicycles, pedestrians and the more relaxed feel once you pass inside the campus gates....you need to be on high alert

Alfresco

Yes you are indeed correct.

I'll ask the next cop that indicates around a bend why they do it.