New 40 km speed limit NSW when blue & red lights are flashing on roadside

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by 93EB_SXR6

Caught two police landcruisers on my dashcam running a red light on pt. Wakefield rd yesterday arvo. I guess they weren't that fussed about road safety... There must be two sets of laws, one for us and one for them

Or could just be that they are human (ie not perfect) and if they get snapped by a speed or red light camera they will get a fine like everyone else.

[5.8]

Originally Posted by Wretched

Still don't know why it is a rule only for emergency vehicles.
IF it is such a safety issue then it should extend to ALL road side activities - emergency vehicles, tow truck and the general public changing a tyre, etc.

Really is poor form if there is a risk but is only mitigated for one group.
Either it is a threat to all road users or none.

Why only the general public with a flat tyre? That’s poor form on your behalf suggesting that, someone might have done one of a thousand things as to why they are stopped so let’s all just do 40 whenever there’s a car stopped on the side of any road, just so people like you are happy and there’s no threat to any road users. That’ll work!!!

[5.8]

Originally Posted by MAGPIE

Or could just be that they are human (ie not perfect) and if they get snapped by a speed or red light camera they will get a fine like everyone else.

No, we’ll have to wait until Ben73 talks to his Facebook friends or his ex cop work colleagues to tell him what the reason was, they seem to be all over it

[MITCHAY]

It's not such a big deal, must people rubber neck anyway. Funnily enough I have had to slow down to 40km/h in pretty much the exact same spot under this rule twice and once where it is pretty much a crawl anyway.

You'd think the idiots behind you would notice the brake lights ahead in a spot you wouldn't ordinarily slow down. Apart from that the disco lights give it away

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by Ben73

What I want to know is if I see emergency vehicle and I brake but a cop pings me doing 71 in a 110 will I lose my licence for 3 months since that is the mandatory suspension for speeding over 30km/h in NSW?
If the 'not slowing to 40' fine is a stand alone fine I'd be annoyed but I could handle that, a mandatory lose of licence is what I wouldn't be happy about.

remember they have to have the camera locked on you for a period of time (3 seconds I believe) to get an enforceable penalty, if you are slowing at a rate then they won't be able to do that

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by 93EB_SXR6

Caught two police landcruisers on my dashcam running a red light on pt. Wakefield rd yesterday arvo. I guess they weren't that fussed about road safety... There must be two sets of laws, one for us and one for them

you do know that Police don't need to run lights and sirens when responding right?

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by 5.8

Why only the general public with a flat tyre? That’s poor form on your behalf suggesting that, someone might have done one of a thousand things as to why they are stopped so let’s all just do 40 whenever there’s a car stopped on the side of any road, just so people like you are happy and there’s no threat to any road users. That’ll work!!!

Isn't it the same safety risk? Someone on the side of the road exposed to oncoming traffic. The general public don't have the training of emergency services so are a far greater risk of being killed.
I don't agree with the law at all, I just find it very strange that if there is a safety issue that it only applies to emergency workers.

[Wretched]

Another reason to have it as a all or nothing rule.

Guys checking his load killed on the FWY, not an emergency services worker.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-1...eeway/10262230

[JIm260]

Girlfriend drove back from Sydney on sunday, she was doing the speed limit, 110, came round a corner on the highway, cop car with the flashing lights had pulled over a driver, she had no time to slow down to 40, 60 was what she got to as she passed the cop car. The law needs to be rethought!


Cheers
Jim

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Wretched

Another reason to have it as a all or nothing rule.

Guys checking his load killed on the FWY, not an emergency services worker.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-1...eeway/10262230

I agree it should extend to all flashing lights. WA has taken it to this level, including orange lights in the law.

the difference is, joe public, can often decide when and where to pull over. a traffic cop can also use discretion as to where to pull someone over, but ambo's and firies etc don't have a choice as to where they get to work. It would be near on impossible to have a law differentiating between all the different situations, as the motorist won't have time to determine what type of situation is taking place or determine whether or not they can safely pass at speed.

Therefore they made a blanket ruling covering all emergency services.

There's a good chance that in time, it will be extended to cover NRMA etc. Road workers generally already have their own rules and have restrictions in place when they are working.

Further to that, you don't need a rule to use caution around vehicles stopped on the roadside.

there is no excuse for that crane to have been driving so close to a vehicle stopped in the stopping lane. Its not a very smart place to stop given the vehicle wasn't broken down, but these situations are what the govt's are trying to improve.

[creative]

I am watching a youtube channel that focus on towies in a state in America and they have red and blues as well. They are allowed to run these lights and sirens when requested just like an emergency services vehicle. I think thats a great idea and would certainly help them on the side of the road.

[Rallye Sport]

Followed an unmarked police car through a WA style slomo situation yesterday, didn't slow for a second. Nobody, even the services seems to care about it.

[devilcv8]

Originally Posted by JIm260

Girlfriend drove back from Sydney on sunday, she was doing the speed limit, 110, came round a corner on the highway, cop car with the flashing lights had pulled over a driver, she had no time to slow down to 40, 60 was what she got to as she passed the cop car. The law needs to be rethought!


Cheers
Jim

The police minister has said this is ok. You don’t have to get to 40 just make an attempt.

Since the new laws, I’ve had to slow twice. Once I got to 40, the next time was just after a corner and I got to 60.

[roKWiz]

Living close to NSW, Vic border I pick up both state TV channels. At least I've seen plenty of TV advertising this new NSW law, unlike Victoria maybe one local newspaper article when it started.

[devilcv8]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

The police minister has said this is ok. You don’t have to get to 40 just make an attempt.

Since the new laws, I’ve had to slow twice. Once I got to 40, the next time was just after a corner and I got to 60.

This morning on the Federal highway the cop actually had a car pulled over in the truck rest area and had his lights off which meant no slow down needed

[the_scotsman]

Originally Posted by JIm260

Girlfriend drove back from Sydney on sunday, she was doing the speed limit, 110, came round a corner on the highway, cop car with the flashing lights had pulled over a driver, she had no time to slow down to 40, 60 was what she got to as she passed the cop car. The law needs to be rethought!


Cheers
Jim

Nah, you just need to apply common sense. If you can't safely slow down to 40, just slow down as much as you can safely. No cop is going to ping you just because you didn't slow to 40 when they were sitting on the side of the road on a blind bend or crest.

It's all about common sense and applying the rule safely. safety first for all involved. Both those ont eh side of the road, and everyone travelling at speed on the road.

[prydey]

Went past a cop today in the process of booking someone, blue and reds flashing. 100km/h, 4 lanes, light traffic. I slowed to a bit under 40 (yes I'm aware its 25 here) and only a handful of other cars bothered slowing down. I could see in my mirrors cars approaching me clearly unaware that people had slowed as per the rules, judging by the way they changed lanes.
The irony is, once I'd sped back up to 100, the traffic that didn't slow were only a few hundred metres up the road.
At the next traffic lights everyone was back together. People are so wrapped up in their own selfishness they can't be bothered slowing down for a handful of seconds. It's pathetic really.

[b0son]

40 isn't enough.

I'm going to stop entirely. You cant be too careful.

[JIm260]

Originally Posted by the_scotsman

Nah, you just need to apply common sense. If you can't safely slow down to 40, just slow down as much as you can safely. No cop is going to ping you just because you didn't slow to 40 when they were sitting on the side of the road on a blind bend or crest.

It's all about common sense and applying the rule safely. safety first for all involved. Both those ont eh side of the road, and everyone travelling at speed on the road.

My concern is that your version of "common sense" is not written into the legislation, which is what the police and the courts adhere to and there fore relay on in judicial judgements should it get that far.


So any police officer could book you for not slowing to 40, because he is acting within the letter of the law/legislation, despite what any politician or perveyer of "common sense" would argue.


Cheers
Jim

[the_scotsman]

Originally Posted by JIm260

My concern is that your version of "common sense" is not written into the legislation, which is what the police and the courts adhere to and there fore relay on in judicial judgements should it get that far.


So any police officer could book you for not slowing to 40, because he is acting within the letter of the law/legislation, despite what any politician or perveyer of "common sense" would argue.


Cheers
Jim

True, but if you genuinely weren't able to slow to 40 in a safe manner, ie on a blind crest or bend, then you would have a completely valid argument in any court of law.

But it would never get that far, because no cop is going to book you in the first place, if they know they're in a spot where it's not practical for cars to slow from something like 100-110 down to 40.

I really think people are taking this new rule WAY too literally.

They've had the same rule in SA for years haven't they? And it's only 25kmh. And all these scaremongering fears that people keep going on about all over the internet, never happen. Because it's just not an issue.

[jaysway]

https://au.news.yahoo.com/victoria-a...-39839635.html

Wait until most start ignoring it then enforce it

[EBSXR6]

Similar law in Vic, the other day driving south along Eastlink Police were parked in the Emergency Lane with lights on I was in the middle lane manged to get down to about 60 along with the car on the inside of me, the car on the outside lane made no attempt to slow down.

[arronm]

40kph, way safer speed for rubber necking..... and texting

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Thought I'd share the changes set to be introduced on 26 September in NSW (my summary):

The trial of a rule that required motorists to slow down to 40km/h when passing stationary emergency vehicles with flashing blue or red lights has been completed and changes will be made to the road rule as a result of a review of the 12 month trial, which included community feedback.

The rule will be expanded to apply to motorists when passing stationary tow trucks and breakdown assistance vehicles displaying flashing yellow lights, in addition to emergency vehicles displaying flashing blue or red lights.

On higher speed roads (with a speed limit of 90km/h or more), motorists will be required to slow down safely to a speed that is reasonable for the circumstances. Motorists must also provide sufficient space between their vehicle and the stationary tow truck, breakdown assistance or emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights. This will include changing lanes on a multi-lane road if it is safe to do so.

On lower speed roads (with a speed limit of 80km/h or less), motorists will continue to be required to slow to 40km/h when passing stationary tow trucks, breakdown assistance or emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

Thought I'd share the changes set to be introduced on 26 September in NSW (my summary):

On higher speed roads (with a speed limit of 90km/h or more), motorists will be required to slow down safely to a speed that is reasonable for the circumstances.

This was one of complaints most Victorian's had about this law when it was introduced here, glad NSW saw the merit in the change.

[Citroënbender]

There was a great clip last week on DCOA of one car slowing while the car behind, didn’t.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

This was one of complaints most Victorian's had about this law when it was introduced here, glad NSW saw the merit in the change.

Be nice if they could standardise this rule across the country along with the majority of the other road rules. Would save significant confusion for those travelling across state borders.

[prydey]

SA has had this rule the longest and the slowest speed of 25. To date, few if any incidents making headlines because of it. Maybe we aren't the nation's worst drivers after all

I do think the latest wording from nsw is better however there will be many that just change lanes and barely lift off the throttle now.

Emergency services workers should refuse to start work until they have a safe working environment. That might change people's mindset when they hop behind the wheel.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by prydey

SA has had this rule the longest and the slowest speed of 25. To date, few if any incidents making headlines because of it.

SA Police have said its too slow and wanted it raised. Presumably there have been incidents, albeit unpublicised.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by b0son

SA Police have said its too slow and wanted it raised. Presumably there have been incidents, albeit unpublicised.

No doubt. Just having a laugh at the reason why people say it's dangerous.