You’ve been driving around with that raw Aussie arrogance – you know all the road rules! But do you? Here’s the top five road rules you didn’t know.
1. You can drive barefoot
In fact, police would prefer people to drive barefoot than wearing thongs or high heels which could slip off the pedals. That said, road safety experts say comfortable, fully covered shoes are best – just in case you need to get out of the car and assist after an accident where there may be glass or other debris on the roadway.
2. It’s illegal to run an orange light if you have time to stop.
It’s an annoyance among police and perhaps this question needs to be put back on the driving test. It is illegal to run an orange (or amber) traffic light IF you have time to stop safely. An exception for running an orange light, for example, is if there is a truck behind that is about to mow you down.
Generally speaking, however, if the traffic around you or ahead of you has time to stop – but you keep going – police can issue a ticket based on their discretion.
While red light cameras don’t capture cars running orange lights, police do stop vehicles and issue these tickets – especially if it’s deemed dangerous.
And guess what? In most states the fine is the same as for running a red light.
So next time you get upset that someone ahead of you stopped for an orange light, take a breath. They’re doing the right thing.
3. Throwing a banana peel or an apple core from the car is illegal.
It might be biodegradable or food waste, but throwing a banana peel or an apple core (or any other form of food or fruit) from the car is illegal and is deemed to be littering.
In fact, it carries the same penalty as throwing food packaging, drink cans, or cigarette butts out the window.
There’s another reason to not throw food scraps from the car, especially on rural roads: it can attract animals to the roadside looking for food, which creates another safety hazard.
4. Tooting the horn or waving goodbye with your arm out of the car window is illegal.
The horn is intended as a warning device in case of an emergency (to alert other cars or pedestrians), but tooting the horn to say goodbye or give a friendly wave is a ticket depending on the discretion of police.
Waving your arm out the window falls under an offence called “limb protrude” and is a ticket in most Australian states and territories.
5. You can right-lane hog in an 80km/h zone or lower.
This one is so tricky even some police have been known to occasionally get it wrong, whether it’s 80km/h and above or 90km/h and above.
Certainly rogue drivers who like to tailgate and intimidate other cars in 40, 50, 60, 70 or 80kmh zones don’t understand the threshold.
In most states in Australia the “keep left unless overtaking” rule applies to speed limits above 80km/h – in other words, from 90km/h and above. That is, mostly freeways.
So next time you get angry that someone in an 80km/h is in the right lane and not overtaking, take a chill pill. They’re not breaking the law.
