Comments on: Australian Drivers – Keep Left Please

By: adrian

adrian — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:11:21 +0000

i have only driven in a couple of aussie cities (though lived here for 20 years) and in my honest opinion australian drivers are on a whole, awful. Going to slow, not moving left after over taking, undertaking, indicating AFTER performing a manoeuvre, tailgating, not letting people in, merging way to slow on a freeway entrance…to name but a few. Those who dont believe me should drive in the UK (my only international driving experience) to see what common sense and driving have in common. If only road driving were a sport this country might finally pick up its game. though unfortunately for Aussies, if there was a driving ashes, you would lose every time.

P.S

I have seen driving instructors (without students) performing these same mistakes.

By: KEV

KEV — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 21:51:21 +0000

Melbourne drivers are amongst the worst in the WORLD!!!

Every day I am almost run of the road be the terrible drivers here. Solid white lines dont seem to mean a thing!! And as to driving on the left the only time they do that is when there cutting infront of you at the last minute to get off the freeways!! I find it hilarious that the govermant spend so much money on drink driving campaigns when you can jump in the traffic jam on the monash and see plenty of drivers with a beer in there hand!!
And its the same with speeding!! the road speed is slow here in comparison with other countries and still there are plenty of accidents!

As a former HGV driver i think its about time the goverment do something to stop the bad HGV drivers here (in 4yrs i havent seen one drive on the left) in th UK HGV drivers rule the road and help keep the motorways flowing, here they seem to block the freeways!!!!

By: Trudy

Trudy — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:55:14 +0000

Sorry mate, NSW drivers are the worst for not keeping left! It is THE largest sign on the roads and yet the most unobeyed. Why don’t the cops target basic road rules that people seem to forget – oh no hang on, seems as though we aren’t even teaching the new drivers how to drive as more P platers are oblivious to most sign posted rules, particularly stop signs, what are they optional to stop at now?

By: Paulw

Paulw — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:43:59 +0000

Sam, HAND IN YOUR LICENCE AND GET YOUR MATES TO DO THE SAME AND THAT WILL MORE THAN LIKELY REDUCE THE ROAD TOLL FOR NEXT YEAR. A fixed speed camera does nothing unless you cant read or choose to run the gauntlet hoping there is no camera in the box. However the sleazy hiden cop with the radar gun will get you and eventualy your licence. The more often you actualy lose points (or your licence) the more chance you will slow down. This is an affective way of reducing road toll. I also agree with driver education. I further more believe that car drivers driving interstate should also have to comply with the same log book rules as bus and truck drivers, fatigue is one of the biggest killers on our roads and it amazes me continuously that a bus or truck driver can only drive 12 hours within in ant 24 hour period. And must have a rest stop for at least 30 mins every 5 hours, however a car driver can drive 72 hours straight if they choose. I once sat in a car with a guy that drove non stop from Mackay in Queensland to Melbourne, this took a terifying 27 hours.

By: Nicolas

Nicolas — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 09:25:56 +0000

About bad drivers…let me say this – it depends what you define as a “bad driver”, and Australians have got it all wrong – it amazes me .. Australians are just so arrogant when it comes to driven…holding ourselves in such high regard.

Let me just say this – Australian drivers are one of the most selfish, spoiled, intolerant and inconsiderate in the world. I’ve driven in Japan, France, Canada, as well as Italy. The Italian drivers do not follow the road rules at all, speed like crazy, and park everywhere (due to the lack of space), BUT in Italy and the other countries I mentioned – road rage is very rare, unlike in Australia where drivers so self-reightous and oblivious to the needs of others.

The Canadians, in my experience, are the best drivers.

E.g. Australian drivers on the freeway (or highways) never slow down for the cars having difficulty merging in, which is idiotic, and a case of bad driving. Sure, the road rules don’t say that you HAVE to slow down for someone having trouble merging in – but it’s common sense and the only proper thing to do. I *always* change to the right lane to let in a driver who is having difficulty getting in. It’s also something called “civilised”, although I doubt Australian drivers can see through their ow arrogance to understand the term.

Another example – many drivers think its their right to beep like crazy at slow drivers. This is another example of true bad driving. If you think the driver in front is slow, deal with a few minutes lost to your life, or overtake when safe. It’s not their responsibility to satisfy your desire to speed (and probably run people over). In any case, the driver is probably from interstate (looking for a street) or elderly (slower reflexes), and that’s why they are driving slow.

I think *one* of the reasons why Australians are so selfish and have a total lack of consideration for other drivers is that we have too much space (in the country), and when we feel our space violated, we go nuts. Well, the space we have is a privilege – be an un-spoiled adult and deal with it. Try living in less prosperous places on the plane where it’s more crowded.

Finally – racism on the road. I’ve heard *a lot* about racism-related road rage from many of my friends. It’s totally appalling. This is one of the worst facets of Australian roads (let alone Australian society).

Australians – take a long hard look in the mirror before holding yourselves in such high regard, and next time you’re about to go psychotic with the horn at a slow driver – THINK, and BE CIVILISED (and not only to those of your own skin colour).

By: tom

tom — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:54:34 +0000

MELBOURNE DRIVERS ARE SHIT, THE COPS ARE WORTHLESS PIECES OF CRAP WHO HAVE ROAD RULES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEN THE NORMAL ROAD RULES FOR EVERY ONE ELSE.
I’VE SEEN SO MANY NEAR MISSES DUE TO CARS THAT BLOCK YOUR VIEW WHEN TURNING OUT OF YOUR GARAGE OR DRIVEWAY.
TRUCK DRIVERS ARE FAIRLY GOOD IN GEELONG CONSIDERING THAT PEOPLE IN CARS TRY AND PUT THEM TO FAME. PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY SPEEDING AND GOING PAST A COP, ALL THE COP DID WAS SPED UP AND ZOOMED PAST HIM.
LAST WEEK I SAW THIS WOG IN A SKYLINE THAT PULLED OUT OF A STREET THAT WAS LIKE 50 METERS AWAY AND WAS PULLED UP BY A COP SO FUNNY AND IT LOOKED LIKE ALL HE GOT WAS A WARNING. THE COPS IN VICTORIA ARE THE WEAKEST PEOPLE I KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO ROAD RULES.
IM ONLY A PASSENGER COZ IM NOT OLD ENOUGH TOO DRIVE AND THE PEOPLE ESPICIALLY OLDIES AND SOME YOUNG ONES ARE THE WORST ON THE ROAD.

By: Simon

Simon — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:08:49 +0000

Being a former Driver trainer (Post license) and performing that particular job all over the country these are my own observations.
Queenslanders drive with horse racing blinkers on and are habitual tailgaiters with no obvious clue to the road rules and…it gets worse the further north you go (Mackay has to be the epicentre of scary drivers in this country).
They dont like to keep-left because they are still under the assumption that you have to let drivers in on freeways (not the rule at all as that is the merge rule and not the ‘lane-end’ rule which applies to freeway on-ramps).
The solution is simple Queensland. Accelerate to the speed on the on-ramp and you might be surprised at how easy it is to get onto the motorway…from there stay in that lane until you are either going to overtake or the traffic is heavy enough that the keep left rule is void. Keep left unless over taking is not keep left unless doing the speed limit or close to it.
Big 4-wheel drives and taller vehicles should also be aware that the people behind them can’t see past them (whereas these drivers are able to see over the top of other cars) so they should keep as far left of the lane they are in as well. Also….there is no fog, so turn the bloody fog lights off. They make no difference whatsoever to your vision and in actual fact do nothing but piss other drivers off (Take note 3,6,SS,XR6/8 and all Subaru owners). I could go on…but havent even got to the other states yet…thought I would start with the worst first!

By: Ivan

Ivan — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:47:44 +0000

Left Lane or Right Lane:
I would have to agree that the left lane should be the slower one, no question about that. That would particularly apply in the freeway situation, eventhough you’re traveling at the speed limit, try to keep on the left lane unless overtaking. I don’t worry about people giving me the finger if i’m traveling at the right lane and trying to find a spot to move left, while he’s so impatient to put his foot down and see how long he can go before he crashes….

However, I believe that you should be more understanding when traveling at a road that permits right turns. Some driver might stay on the right lane to turn right, he might be driving slower because he’s having difficulties in finding the street name, etc….
I come to understand this as I travel on Albany Hwy every day in Perth.

For slow drivers I think I don’t mind them too much as long as they don’t break the rule. I understand that they are slower to react (especially for the ederly) and therefore need to drive slower. BUT PLEASE KEEP LEFT UNLESS YOU’RE TURNING RIGHT!!!! So annoying, when I see a slow car in front on the right lane, i keep thinking it’s alright, he/she is going to turn right at the traffic light, but no, he’s still going straight after the traffic light….

And another thing, it pisses me off when I see a truck on the right lane at the traffic lights while there is a normal car on the left….why?? you think you can drag the sedan and beat it???

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 14:04:33 +0000

David, who made you the enforcer of the law. You don’t see people pushing you out of the right lane to “enforce the law”. So why are you picking one rule to follow and forcing others to, while at the same time your breaking another law (keep left). Sounds hypocritical to me.
The AUSTRALIAN road rules not only state to keep left it also states that it is illegal to drive in a manner that stops someone from overtaking you.

By: David

David — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 11:12:44 +0000

Keep left in Australia is a waste of time. We are all restricted to the same speed limit? So whats the issue. Most of our roads are not designed to encourage you to keep left (thats any road from which you can turn right from a right hand lane) in fact you could argue that its plain dangerous to encourage people to travel “faster” in the right lanes of these roads. Keeping left (right) in Europe works really well (yes I lived there and drove there for many years) for a number of reasons . 3+ lane freeways. Trucks restricted to the left lane (middle lane for passing), trucks restricted to a SIGNIFICANTLY different speed limit to cars, drivers much more disciplined than Australians, a somewhat more laissez faire attitude to max posted speed limit, meaning you can pull out and pass a slower car and not worry about getting pinged for speeding. I really don’t get the problem in Aus if your traveling on the speed limit in whichever lane who is going to pass you?